Crufts

Crufts 2025 – Irish Setter Dogs  

Judge: Julie Humphreys

My long awaited day arrived and I can say that it was a total pleasure to put my hands on these wonderful boys! I was determined to judge the dogs assets and not his faults - looking for the most handsome, sound and well constructed dogs, with driving movement. However movement was disappointing in many when viewed in profile as they were not using their shoulders but rather their elbows, showing no reach. Rear quarters lacked the desired drive and power from their hocks, creating a “floating” action. I was disappointed in the number of steep, upright shoulders and some strong, broad sculls. (Also, why at a wonderful show like Crufts would you bring into the ring a dog with “sticky” feathering and dirty eyes. Thankfully not many did but it certainly surprised me.)

I must say that all the winners had my heart. The final line up made me very happy and as I stood proudly in the middle of my ring I know I had a big smile on my face as I looked around. To my two stewards, Tracey and Trisha, your hard work and smiley faces kept me in line and on time. Thank you so much.

The referee was required at the end of judging to decide the best of breed of our quality entry. Her nod was to the pretty bitch – Edwards’ Gwendariff It's Numero Uno At Bonhomie – who I watched put on a wonderful performance in the group ring, never flagging after a long, long day. Congratulations.

Veteran Dog (16/3 abs) A quality class, full of some of my favourite gentlemen. Hard to select only 5 of them. 1 Russell's Sh Ch Lynwood Hocus Pocus at Settesoli JW. Previously awarded a RCC to this fab boy as a youngster and now, at 8 years old, delighted to see him here “showing his socks off.” As always giving his best to his loving owner and still so much in the tank! He owns a beautiful headpiece that is long and lean with sweetest expression, loving eyes, raised brow, correct finish to muzzle, clean in throat and a strong, well arched neck. Excellent forehand, tight at elbow, straight front and well up on his toes. Plenty of lung room and well ribbed back. Holds a wonderful topline both stood and moving. Later he was BV in breed, over his beautiful sister. Congratulations to their breeders. 2 Rowbottom’s Sh Ch Lanstara Spring Moon. Hard to believe this cracking dog is 11 years old, hardly a grey hair in his beautiful chestnut coat and he moved so soundly - using his well set tail that never stopped wagging. I have placed him highly before. He has such a soft, soulful expression and the kindest eyes and twitching brow. Neck cleanly set into shoulder. Good angulation front and rear and strong quarters and width of thigh, well let down short hocks. 3. Ostman’s Copper’s Riddarsporre. Not seen this handsome, well bodied 8 year old before and he really filled my eye when stacked. Moved very well.

 Puppy Dog (9) exciting class of promising youngsters at different stages of development - headed by 1 Brown’s Riverbrue Deadpool, my BPD and later Best Puppy in Breed. Where to start, I just loved him as the old saying goes “from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail”. He strode out well around the big ring with purpose, excellent footfall and holding his topline. Most handsome and balanced head already at 11 months, dark well set smiling eyes, raised brow and oval skull. Well finished muzzle, low ear set, arched neck set cleanly into shoulders. Good depth, angulation and sternum. Well sprung rib, rugged, wide quarters, good tail set. Plenty of bone and neat feet. 2 Pym's Marzanne Trigger Happy By Thendara Almost 12 months old, equally appealing puppy although a completely different stance - very confident and schooled on the move for one so young giving his owner his best. Good headpiece, muzzle, clean in throat. Deep chested and well sprung ribs. Determined to stand over himself but showed his quality conformation and angles when settled. Coat coming on nicely. 3 Wojcik-Maksymiec’s Rooben Lofty. Not quite as finished as boys above at this stage but once settled showed very promising conformation and movement.

Junior Dog (12/2 abs) 1 Jacobs’ Forfarian Fancy Footwork. I have followed this new partnership and was pleased to go over him. Very naughty but very nice and I forgave the adolescent behaviour at start because once settled he put on a near perfect display moving when viewed coming, going and in profile, especially in the challenge at one with his owner. A well boned boy without coarseness. Square finish to muzzle, dark eyes, raised brow, good back scull, reachy arched neck fitting smoothly into shoulder, straight front, tight at elbow. Well sprung rib, lashing tail and picture completed by his dark, lush coat and hard condition. Still needs to drop into his quarters. 2 Murray’s Quensha I Know Him So Well. Sweet head and expression and only just into Junior, so giving away a lot in maturity. He is shorter cast than 1 but presented a balanced picture on the stand. Strong, arched neck into well laid back shoulders. Good fore chest and depth at brisket. Rugged quarters and ample return of stifle. Moved out well and seemed to be enjoying his day. 3 Abbott & Milligan-Bott’s Thendara Haribo. Taller, substantial boy, handler tended overstretch, but very sound and athletic with plenty of ring presence.

Yearling Dog (19/2 abs) 1 Edwards’ Copper’s Get Off My Cloud By Bonhomie. Quite an exciting young man, so collected standing and moving by his owner who steered him into 1st place. He surely has a bright future. Most attractive headpiece, oval skull, kind well set eyes and raised brow, clean moderately arched neck into shoulders, smooth unbroken sloping topline – which was lacking in a few today. Well let down quarters, sweep of stifle, short hocks and very neat feet. Dark well presented coat, condition and muscle tone. Moved soundly, with his head held high. 2 Condron’s Covarney Mr Magoo, born on the same day as 1 but slower in his maturity, just needs time. Not a big boy but an attractive package. Sweetest head and expression, dark well shaped eye, arched neck. Straight front and held firm topline on move. He had well turned stifles, neat feet and a well set on tail. Straight coat and feathering. 3 Russell's Tiroen Touch Of Magic By Settesoli JW Appealing boy coming together very nicely, just preferred the more let down quarters of above right now.

Graduate Dog (16/2 abs) 1 Cole’s Riverbrue Ophelia Bobby. I liked this boy for his overall conformation and old fashioned “what you see is what you get” although would love owner to exude a little more with this young man and stand him over more ground. He has a lush dark coat and presented in good muscular condition. Handsome head, soul searching look in his eyes and his kind demeanour is appealing. Well boned, straight front, and well tucked at elbow, super depth and spring of ribs, gentle sloping topline and well finished at croup showing his ever wagging tail. 2 Aldridge’s Clonageera Winner Takes All. Liked his make and shape, kindly expression, brow, ear set and well finished muzzle. He had a straight front, good bone, well tucked at elbow and good depth of chest, gentle sloping topline, strong quarters, very neat feet. Movement steady and true. 3 Levene & Lewis’ Quensha Remember The Name Valasarch completed a trio of super boys (and I'm sure they will swap places on many occasions during their careers,) moved well and had great rapport with owner.

Post Graduate Dog (12/1abs) Tough class of very good males. 1 Sheldon's Bardonhill A Million Ways To Delsanto - as a youngster and watching him from the ringside I thought he was quite a short coupled, chunky boy making him look heavy but my how he has refined in maturity looking beautiful here and the more I looked at him the more I found to admire! Attractive headpiece, desirable kind, unshelled almond eyes and quizzical brow, oval skull, neck set well into shoulders, straight front, ribs well sprung, slightly arched loin and small neat feet. Movement very true coming and going. Good use of tail. 2 Parsons’ Quensha Thinking Out Loud At Bransett JW This young dog had also dropped into his hind quarters with “maturity”, well least in body, as was determined to give his handler a hard time. He kept his cool on the move thankfully, head held high striding out, looking at his audience. Good head piece, dark eyes, raised brow and cheeky expression. Arched neck, set well in shoulder, strong front assembly and spring of rib, gentle sloping topline and tail set, smooth and without breaks. Heavier coated than one and of good colour. 3 Crocker & Lewis’ Riverbrue Ophelia Winky JW. Another little pocket rocket with much to admire.

Mid Limit Dog (12/1 abs) Three very likeable boys, albeit varying in size and shape. 1 Russell's Melmara Montalbano I have always admired and wish his owner showed him more often. Although he was lacking a little in confidence stood at beginning of class assessment, I could not deny him his win later as he moved steadily, very true and with great verve. Beautiful head piece and expression, appealing eyes and raised brow, arched neck, lovely front assembly, with straight forelegs, gentle slope to topline and tail ran neatly off back with happy tail movement. 2 Rutherford & Prangle’s Clonageera Touch Of Class. Quite different in size, shape and stronger in brow than 1, good finish to muzzle, stop well pronounced, muscular neck. Pronounced sternum, slightly arched over loin. For me he came alight on the move with a pleasing stride and good footfall in unison with owner. Clean lines and well angulated fore and aft, good width of thigh, strong bone and very neat feet, lashing tail action. Shown in lovely coat and condition. 3 Kolbach’s Kerryfair Zoom In On Pawsword notes say what a clown albeit a very nice one…grrrh!

Limit Dog (14/2 abs) A trio of handsome boys.1 Murchison's Kerryfair Please Please Me Corphin this boy caught my eye on my initial walk around in this very pleasing class and I was not at all disappointed going over him. Superior topline and overall silhouette, all fitting together so well. Such a beautiful headpiece I found myself keep looking at his loving, soulful dark eyes. Had good stop, oval scull, low well set on ears, muscular strong neck, straight front, elbows well tucked and plenty of heart room, a good spring to rib. Strong muscular thighs, well set tail. presented in gleaming condition and moved well. 2 Chorley-Newton, Chorley & Flinders’ Kerryfair Just Be JW A very close decision between 1 & 2 as standing beside each other I was really splitting hairs. He too had a gorgeous head and expression with the kindest dark eyes with delicate chiselling above and below, raised brows, beautiful scull shape, strong arched neck, good lay of shoulder blade, return of upper arm and deep chested. Wide, rugged quarters, well bent stifles and short hocks. Moved out with a good ground covering stride. 3 Dufrat’s Riverbrue Cast No Shadow On Haverley. Well deserved his place in class, close up, but lost his topline at my final decision.

Open Dog (14) I was hoping for a wow and what a class stood in front of me, very special! Loved each of my final five and even more that were unplaced.1 Crocker & Lewis’ Sh Ch Riverbrue Morning Glory DCC - so many superlatives already written about him - a smart, quality, wonderfully presented boy that held my gaze. Such ring presence. Full maturity both in body and coat. Exquisite head with the softest expression, kindest dark eye with delicate chiselling, good stop and twitching brow, oval scull, moderately arched strong neck. His angulation front and back were totally proportionate, excellent lay of shoulder, well ribbed back, gently sloping topline and tail well set. Wide, rugged quarters and width of thigh. Lovely length of stride and reach showing drive and with head held high. Short hocks and neat feet. 2 Crocker & Lewis’ Sh Ch Riverbrue Wonderwall at Hernwood RCC - another fabulous dog and many of the above comments apply to him. This dog also owned a delicious head, he had wide nostrils, dark eyes and desired raised brow. Oval scull, neck moderately long and muscular and cleanly set into shoulders, which were fine at points. Straight front, tight at elbow. Ribs well sprung. Holding a super topline as he strode purposefully around the big ring lashing his well set tail, driving from the hock. Immaculate presentation, coat and well toned muscular condition. Gave 1 a real run for his place and was close up. 3 Glonekova’s Sh Ch/Int Sh Ch Glimmer Noblesse Cloud Dancer. Such a quality champion. I liked him very much. Handsome head, striking profile and moved out well. Thank you for bringing him.

Field Trial Dog (1) Borowiec’s Eternia King Grayskull Ginger State Of Mind. This young dog stood alone. He had an amazing dark chestnut gleaming coat. Very sweet natured and trying his best in this big ring. Still needs time to mature. Good luck with him in the field.

Special Working Gundog Dog (5) All these working dogs were shown in good, hard condition. 1 Godart’s Int/Bel/Nld/Ger/Lux Ch Riverwood Unbelievable Mr Moonlight Handsome male in hard muscular condition, excelled in profile both stood and on the move in outline. Good stop, kind eyes and raised brow, arched neck cleanly set into shoulder, straight front, sloping topline, well bent stifles, short hocks. 2 Herbst’s Ger Ch Gwendariff Burberry Male Model JW Another very handsome dog in profile. An adorable head, expression and brow, I liked his body proportions very much. He was sound and well made. Moved on a good stride with handler and was very close up. 3 Kulschewski & Koskowski’s Int/Ger Ch Indigo Black Gooseberry. Just preferred the coupling of 2 but another good dog. Thank you for bringing them.

Good Citizen Dog Scheme Dog (8/2 abs) 1 Mullins’ Clonageera Super Trouper, 4th in the yearling class and here both handler and dog had relaxed. Think the owner’s big smile said it all and it was deserved. His time will come. Loved his head and eye, strong neck and deep chest. Created a very clean, flowing outline. Like to see him standing over more ground. Moved with purpose. 2 Randle's Forfarian Hidden Secret With Rionore yet another more relaxed in this class. Very sound, well made boy, handsome head, kind eye, strong neck, good forequarters but leaning back so spoilt his topline a little. Using his tail and striding out on the move. 3 Berry Morris & Fitzmaurice’s Brinara Country Boy. Such a handsome refined head, kind eye and expression, looked well here.