• Show Date: 10/10/2025
  • Show Type: Championship Show
  • Judged by: Angela Aulton Contact Judge
  • Published Date: 04/01/2026

South Wales Kennel Association

Breed: Retriever (Golden)

Thank you to the Association for providing me with some excellent stewards and to exhibitors for a cracking entry.  I was disappointed by the number of high tail carriages, especially in the dogs.

VETERAN (2,0 abs):  1st  White's Forbendale Ice Bear.  Balanced, upstanding 10-year-old, with beautiful outline and very good angulation at the front & rear.  Good depth & width of chest, lovely masculine domed head with correct eyeshape & moved with drive & reach.  2nd  Ellis's Tenfield Rex Imperator JW.  For me this dog was not quite as balanced in angulation, but had equal merit in all other respects.

MINOR PUPPY (6,2):  1st  Jackson-Haines's Leighsham Sweeney Todd.  2nd  Pike's Enthral King Of My Heart.  Both these 7-month-old babies were unbalanced and moved as expected at this age.  On the day I preferred the angulation, muscle tone and more masculine head of 1.  3rd  Webb & Smith's Waterbabies Walk Tall at Hectson (imp Ita).

PUPPY (9,2):  1st  Birkin-Green & Gripton's Louellabrook Atlantic Star with Sansue JW.  Outstanding 11-month-old in profuse coat.  Superb outline with excellent, balanced angulation.  Good depth & width of chest, tight feet & well muscled.  Pleasing masculine head with open eyeshape.  He drove smoothly with good reach & correct tail carriage.  BPIB & shortlisted in Puppy Group.  2nd  Mears's Ambersun Winter Storm.  A bit longer in body, & preferred the head & movement of 1.  3rd  Forrest's Orlagold Major Tom.

JUNIOR (8,1):  1st  Taylor & Tenn's Non-Stop Duncan Macleod from Strettonhill (imp Hun).  Balanced, unexaggerated 12-month-old with very good angulation, well boned & well muscled.  He had a lighter head than some, still masculine, and correct eyeshape.  Loved his effortless drive & reach.  2nd  O'Gorman's Berrymeade Light My Fire.  Another balanced 1-year-old with pleasing outline, very good movement & well muscled.  A lighter head than 1.  3rd  Ellis's Tenfield Dunkeld Dingo JW.

YEARLING (7,1):  Riley's Wylloh Paddington Bear JW.  Balanced 21-month-old with correct outline, very good angulation and nice depth & width of chest.  Lighter masculine head, well muscled & up on his pasterns.  Drove smoothly.  2nd  Wooden's Amilone Smokin Barrel at Salako.  Longer in body and not as balanced as 1.  Domed masuline head with correct eyeshape.  Moved well.  3rd  Moore's Tenfield Klipspringer with Auryngra.

SP BEGINNERS (13,3):  1st  Moore's T Klipspringer with A.  Balanced 22-month-old with level topline and good angulation front & rear.  Well boned & well muscled with a heavier, domed head & open eye.  He moved correctly.  2nd  Kirkup & Highman's Coldharbour Candy Cane.  3-year-old with good angulation, narrower in chest than 1 & not as well muscled, which showed on the move.  3rd  Forrest's O Major Tom.

NOVICE (9,0):  1st  Taylor & Tenn's N Duncan Macleod from S.  2nd  O'Gorman's B Light My Fire.  3rd  Forrest's O Major Tom.

GRADUATE (9,1):  1st  Moore's Purbarn Friends Together with Auryngra.  3-year-old with level topline, good front & very good rear angulation, enough bone and well muscled.  He had a domed, masculine head and moved with reach & drive.  2nd  Williams's Berrymeade Kilternan of Busheyhall Sgwc.  Very fit, well angulated 4-year-old with a lighter head and narrower in chest than 1.  Strode out well.  3rd  O'Gorman's Berrymeade Billy Summers (AI).

POST GRADUATE (10,0):  1st  Henson's Cinderbank Move It JW.  Loved this 3-year-old's outline.  He was balanced with very good angulation, very well boned & well muscled, tight feet and super domed head with correct eyeshape.  Flowed smoothly with reach & drive.  2nd  McDonald's Lamancha Take A Chance JW.  Not quite the outline or angulation of 1, but very fit with pleasing head and moved effortlessly.  Both moved with correct tail carriage.  3rd  Angell's Linirogor Seven Up at Millanza JW.

LIMIT (12,3):  1st  Morss & Monteverde's Olvinglay Gan Amhras JW (imp Ita).  Super outline with excellent angulation & balance.  He was well boned & well muscled, but lacking in maturity.  He had a heavier head with a smaller eye.  He strode out smoothly & with drive.  2nd  Law's Sandti Back Of The Net.  Fit and balanced with very good angulation, but a little narrow across the chest.  He had a lighter head with a rounder eye, and also moved well.  3rd  Keightley's Richana Rocket Man JW.

OPEN (10,1):  1st  Black's Sh Ch Bencoe Just In Time del Avrain JW Ir Jch.  Loved everything about this dog, excellent conformation, in fabulous condition and coat, masculine head with gentleness giving true expression.  He flowed effortlessly round the ring.  CC & very close for BOB.  2nd  Gerhold's Navilis Nouveau Venu JW (imp Ukr).  Mature, fit, balanced dog with very good angulation & super outline.  A heavier head than 1, but still very pleasing expression.  He too flowed effortlessly round the ring.  RCC.  3rd  Wiliiams's Berrymeade Coeur Blimey at Busheyhall Sgwc Wgc.

G. C. D. SCHEME (6,0):  1st  Riley's W Paddington Bear JW.  2nd  Fleet & Webb's Waterbabies Sonic Boom to Eastbury and Hectson (imp Ita).  Balanced with very good angulation, well muscled & well boned.  Masculine, heavier head with open eye.  Moved rather slowly.  3rd  Coad's Tinklersroc Bon Bon.