Northern Golden Retriever Association

Northern GRA Open Show

5th April 2025

A sincere thank you to the committee for their kind invitation to judge the Northern GRA breed Open Show. The hospitality was second to none especially at lunch time when food was delivered to me as I was not able to get to the cafe. My two very jovial and capable stewards, Kath and Helen Tress kept the ring and me in order throughout the day….thank you ladies!

Sadly, I did have a few mouths that were incorrect and some dogs also lost placings as they were carrying excess weight or lacking muscle tone. I also had to clean my hands more than I would have expected. Today I found a lot of exhibits being over stretched when handled. This can and does cause a dog to compensate their balance and lose both angulation and topline. Hence my reason for asking for a complete free stand after moving. Similarly, over trimming of the neck will unbalance the picture in a judge’s eye.

 I was today, humbled both by the numerical entry and the quality of the dogs I had before me in the ring. Thank you for making my day so memorable and consequently, many of my decisions close and hair splitting - the Puppy classes and Graduate Dog in particular.

In considering placings today, I kept in my mind a word I grew up with from the horse world, ‘Cadence’ – meaning, ‘an even and balanced gait, showing extension, impulsion and athleticism’. My winners today showed cadence – movement you could watch all day.

VD (4,0) 1. Warden’s Noblemoon Tak the High Road to Glentochty. A 7 year old boy beautifully presented in a mid-gold coat, showing a clean and balanced outline. Masculine, yet soft, chiselled head of correct proportions. Clean well set neck running into good front angles, complimented similarly at the rear. Straight front and neat feet, his elbows are tucked well in to a deep chest which supports his super topline and tail set. Movement was straight and true showing a strong well balanced even stride, his topline and tail carriage maintained on the move. RBVIS

2. Greig’s Largymore Linger in the Mind at Cranngary. Of similar age and colour and with a heavier coat, this boy showed a more compact outline. Lovely soft masculine head with good pigment and expression. He is well made with depth to chest and correct and balanced angles front and rear. Short coupled and with a good width of thigh his movement was driven off short hocks and showed good reach and drive. Well presented and such a lovely rapport with his handler but just lost his topline on occasion today.

3. Clarke’s Haydengold One More Knight JW

MPD (9,0) 1. Ellis’ Tenfield Dunkeld Dingo. A balanced and symmetrical 8 month baby in good coat, whose happy demeanour and movement instantly stood out. Lovely soft chiselled masculine head with dark pigment and a twinkle in the eye. He has reach of neck, a straight front, good bone and feet, and width to rear his quarters. With correct and balanced angulation front and back, in between, he has a compact body with an exact topline and tail set, which he maintained at all times. Correctly muscled for age, his movement for one so young was straight and true and showed an even gait and length of stride. Loved him. BPD RBPIS

2. Knight & Cooke‘s Haydengold Backchat. Paler coated boy on a larger frame, nearly 7 months old and not dissimilar to 1 in construction. Lovely proportions showing a balanced picture with correct and complimentary angles front and rear. Super masculine head in the making with good pigment and a soft expression. He has depth to chest, a level topline and is short in the loin. Movement was straight and true and carried a good length of stride, as was expected from his construction. Today, just preferred the tighter rear movement of 1. Two super puppies with great potential and bright futures, I wish them well.

 3. Smith’s Goldmarker Alderbaran

PD (10,2) 1. Repeat 1st MPD

2. Enevoldsen’s Voldene Indian Chief. 11 month mid gold boy, nicely balanced and with a super flat topline. He has a soft chiselled head, good ear set and lovely pigment. A well set neck runs into a straight front where super front construction places legs of good length well under the body. Rear angles are complimentary and show a good bend of stifle and width of thigh. From neat hocks, movement was straight and true and he covered the ground well. Well-presented and handled.

3. Vickery‘s Palmonas Strike it Lucky

JD (5,1) 1. Moore’s Tenfield Klipspringer with Auryngra. 15m boy in a rich gold coat who loves his job and has matured on nicely. Well-presented and handled he supports a very balanced picture. Masculine head with dark pigment, super straight front, good bone and tight feet. He is compact in body with a strong topline and correct tail set. Angulation at the front is complimented at the rear and he has short straight hocks, a good width of thigh and excellent muscle tone. All this combines to provide even movement with reach and drive, a level topline and to finish the picture, a lashing tail.

2. Taylor’s Thornywait Sky Diver. 12m mid gold boy still with maturing to do but with lots to like and presenting a lovely shape and topline. Masculine balanced head with super pigment. Straight front with correct leg length and neat feet. Shoulder angulation is beautifully balanced with similar angles at the rear. He has width to his quarters, straight hocks and good muscle tone. Super topline and tailset were held when moving out with reach and purpose.

3. Smith’s Rocamoka Harbour Light

YD (5,0) 1. Middleton-Collins’ Berrymeade A Fool in Love of Jasperleigh JW. Mid gold boy in full coat, 2 years old and has matured well. Lovely in shape with a complete flow from head, over a solid top line, to tip of tail. Chiselled head and good pigment. Strong neck into front angles with correct upper arm. His chest has depth with good spring of rib and closely tucked elbows. Super width to rear quarters, good muscle tone and second thigh. Today, very together on movement, plenty of drive behind and reach in front. Well handled and presented, a pleasure to watch.

2. Towers & Henderson’s Baricia Bella Divino.20 m paler boy in good coat, more compact than 1, but what a lovely balanced picture he presents. Masculine well proportioned head and soft expression. Super front angles with legs well under the body, deep in chest and ribs well sprung. Secure topline and short coupled. His quarters show good width and angulation and hocks are short and well let down. Muscle tone could be a little improved, but his movement was straight and true with accurate footfall.

3. Scott-Briggs’ Largymore Ravagier JW

MD (8,3) 1. Repeat 1st MPD

2. Repeat 2nd PD

3. Fotheringham & Coope’s Jessibelle Twice as Nice of Lilling

ND (5,2) 1. Repeat 1st MPD

2. Rounce & Tye’s Berrymeade Winter Love. 2 year old, well presented and handled and with a lot to like, but still needs time. Lovely outline with well set neck sweeping to a tabletop back and correct tail set. Masculine chiselled head of correct proportions with super black pigment. He has a balanced front with similar angles at the rear. Short straight hocks, good width of thigh and is well muscled. He moved well with both reach and drive just felt he had a little more to give.

3. Repeat 2nd PD

 UGD (5,1) 1. Riley’s Wylloh Paddington Bear JW. A well presented cream coated 14 month boy who I have noted from the ringside. Compact, balanced and symmetrical, he is short in the loin, has a good tail set and altogether presents a lovely picture. He has a soft masculine head with good pigment, a straight and well angled front and depth through his chest. Rear quarters have width, a good second thigh and are well muscled. He produces an even gait, with good reach and correct footfall, which is driven off short straight hocks. Liked him a lot.

2. Repeat 1st Junior Dog

3. Repeat 3rd Junior Dog

GD (10,0) 1. O’Gorman’s Berrymeade Billy Summers (AI) JW. This 2.5 year old rich gold boy, stood out for me today, balanced and symmetrical from any angle he is maturing beautifully. Super masculine head with a gentle expression, enhanced by black pigment and correct ear set. Balanced front angles and a good length of leg, his chest is deep, ribs well sprung and loin short. A lovely well set neck, runs over a compact body which holds a solid top line and correct tail set. His strong well muscled quarters of width, and short straight hocks permit a good bend of stifle and are the powerhouse for his impulsion and reach of stride. With cadence in abundance and personality, he commanded the ring taking BD and later BIS Loved him.

2. Angell’s Linirgor Seven Up at Millanza JW. 2 year old boy, beautifully presented in a full mid gold coat, and unlucky to meet 1 today. Balanced throughout, he has good bone and substance. Lovely masculine correctly proportioned head and gentle expression. Well set and muscled neck runs into a super placed shoulder and strong level topline. He has a deep chest, well sprung ribs and a strong loin. Rear quarters show good width and muscle tone, hocks are straight, and second thigh is pronounced. Foot fall is accurate, and movement is even, with good reach and impulsion. A close decision just preferred overall balance of 1.

3. Williams’ Berrymeade Kilternan of Busheyhall SGWC

PGD (8,1) 1. Ward’s Mitchnel He Who Laughs Last at Buartone. A mid gold 4 year old boy in full coat and presenting a compact and balanced picture with nothing overdone. Masculine well proportioned head with super pigment giving a soft expression. Standing on the neatest of feet, he is well off for bone, deep through the chest, short coupled and has a solid and strong topline. Shoulder is well placed and his rear quarters are of good width with short well let down hocks and good muscle tone. Movement, holding his top line, was even and true showing good reach and drive. Well presented and handled.

2. Archer’s Haydengold Just a Rumour at Sunandair JW. 3 year mid gold boy built on a larger frame and having a balanced outline. He has a masculine chiselled head with good pigment and correct ear set. A lovely length of neck flows into a strong topline and set of tail,. Angles front and back are balanced, front legs are tucked under a deep chest and a good bend of stifle sits on short straight hocks. His quarters have good width, movement was accurate with reach and drive with a well held topline. Preferred the balance of 1 today.

3. Cooper’s Amilone Corsendonk at Dykeadaze (AI)

LD (8,0) 1. Taylor’s Alibren Aldaniti at Tannadice JW SGWC 3.5 year old dog beautifully presented in a mid gold coat, having a clean and balanced outline from head to tail. He has a lovely soft expression from a well chiselled masculine head, enhanced by good pigment. Well off for bone he is straight in front, has a good depth to his chest with elbows tight into a good spring of rib. Front angles are beautifully balanced and are complimented with super quarters of width, good muscle tone and a pronounced second thigh. Carrying a level topline and tail, his movement is even, with correct footfall, drive and extension. A close decision, 1 just had that little ‘extra’ today. RBD

2. Black’s Bencoe Just in Time Del Avrain JW IR JCh. 3 year cream boy who has matured well and now holds a super shape from any angle with nothing overdone. He has good substance and bone, stands on neat feet, strong pasterns and straight hocks. Again, such a super head and expression with a lovely eye and good pigment. A correctly set neck of good length flows to a well laid shoulder, continuing over a body showing good depth as well as a level topline and tail set. Rear quarters have a good bend of stifle and width of thigh and his movement was even, with reach and drive, but I felt it just a little conservative today.

3. Fleet & Webb’s Waterbabies Sonic Boom to Eastbury and Hectson (Imp Ita)

OD (6,2) 1. Taylor’s Alibren Eccles at Tannadice JW. 6 yrs. Fully mature 6 year old who I much admire, he is unexaggerated, balanced and symmetrical and hands on, what you see is what you get. He has a lovely head and expression, a neck of good length which runs into correct and balanced front angulation. There is a good spring of rib and depth of chest and he is short coupled and carrying a level top line. Strong quarters show a good width of thigh and bend of stifle, and with strong bone and correct feet his movement holding a level tail, shows good impulsion and stride. At one with his handler, beautifully presented and shown, a lovely picture.

2. Wallington’s Wynrita School Daze. This 5.5 year old boy was well presented in a profuse mid gold coat but his compact balanced shape was still evident. He has a lovely head and kind expression, is deep in chest with complimentary angles front and rear and is well off for bone. He has a super depth to his body, is short coupled and boasts a good top line and tailset which are held on the move. He moves with both reach and drive and his footfall is accurate. A lovely personality, felt he was perhaps just a little heavy over the shoulder .

3. Morriss-Garget & Morriss’ Goldmaker Coming Home to Garvin

VB (8,1) 1. Hush’s Benrowan Esprit. Now 8 years, this girl is still giving her all and showing the youngsters the how to move. Full of breed type, she is balanced and symmetrical, compact and with a solid top line and correct tail set. She has the prettiest of heads with good pigment. Her front angulation shows correct lay and return and her quarters are complimentary and well muscled. Her movement, propelled by a lashing tail and driven from short straight hocks is so even and true. Today couldn’t be denied the class or BVIS

2. Robbins & Rowark’s Quakerhall Lady Bountiful by Brekswood JW. 7.5 years and I was splitting hairs between them. Similar in type and construction she is feminine throughout, has the straightest of fronts and stands on good bone and correct feet. Her body is deep with ribs well sprung and she carries a strong top line. Her quarters are of good width with stifle well bent. Movement from well let down hocks is true and shows good drive and extension. Beautifully presented in a mid gold coat, just preferred front assembly of 1.

3. Gaylor’s Carolake Remember Me JW

MPB (9,1) List’s Haydengold Latest Gossip. A 6 month pale coated baby and oh, what a sweetheart. Carefully handled, she presented a lovely compact and balanced picture from her head through to the end of her well set tail. She has a very pretty feminine head with super pigment, a well angled front with good forechest and depth of rib. She is straight both in front and behind and has correct muscle tone for age. Movement when settled was very straight, true and even and she carried a dead level top line and tail. A bright future, I think.

2. Leonard’s Wynrita Call Me Madam. Another raw baby at 6 months, built on a larger frame but with similar comments as 1 above. Lovely head and expression with good pigment and correct ear set. Super front angulation with legs of good length set well under, and into the chest. Lovely top line and set of tail and rear quarters show good width and muscle tone. Her movement when settled was so together for one so young showing lovely reach and evenness of stride. Two promising girls just preferred overall balance of 1.

3. Loach’s Putjade Press Gang

PB (13,4) 1. O’Neill’s Strathlon Morning Breeze. 11 months, this mid gold puppy, beautifully presented and handled, stood out to me when she entered the ring. Lovely feminine head and expression enhanced by good pigment. Straight in front with good bone and neat feet, she has correct front and rear angulation, a good depth to her chest and a solid topline. She stands very square behind on short neat hocks, her quarters are well muscled and have width. Living the life and so attentive to her handler, her balanced, even and extended movement was a joy to watch. Well deserved BPB and later BPIS

2. Grindley’s Bramstead Lovely Jubbly. 10 month girl, different in type but many comments are similar to 1. Beautifully presented and handled in a mid gold coat, balanced and symmetrical, she holds a more compact shape, a dead level top line and stands on legs of good length. She has a super feminine head and expression, balanced angles and strength to her quarters. Short straight hocks propel straight and true movement while her top line is maintained. A close decision but preferred front movement of 1.

3. Youngersons’ Linirgor Adeline at Treeville – wow, what a class, three super girls with bright futures.

JB (4,1) 1. Repeat 2nd PB

2. Shaw & Robertshaw’s Aurgentious Melion An Ki at Akenscales. 12 month pale gold girl with good bone and substance but totally feminine. With a very pretty balanced head with a soft expression, she has a well set neck running into good front angles, a compact body with good spring of rib and a well held top line. She has a good bend of stifle, is very straight in hock and has good width to her quarters. Nicely muscled she is able to show a super length of stride which was even, straight and true. Just preferred outline of 1 today.

3. North’s Shinehill Florence at Tippastree

YB (4,2) 1. Johnson’s Moloko Ow Do. 21m and a new one to me but certainly ticked all the boxes. Beautifully presented and handled this light g old girl is balanced and symmetrical throughout, her outline shouting ‘look at me’. She has a beautiful head enhanced by good pigment. Her neck flows into a correct shoulder and upper arm return, legs are well boned, feet are neat and elbows close. Rear quarters show both good width and muscle tone and in between, a well proportioned body with a solid topline and correct tail set. As her confirmation dictated, her movement with cadence, was a joy to watch. Loved her.

2. Robbins & Rowarks’s Brekswood Honey Bee JW. Now 20m and presenting a lovely balanced outline with nothing overdone. She has good angles both front and rear, ribs are deep and well sprung and a level topline runs over a short loin. Lovely feminine head and expression, super pigment and her dark eyes only for her handler. She has super neat feet, with well boned legs placed correctly under her body. Rear quarters are well muscled and show a good bend of stifle and short neat hocks. Movement today was exact with both reach and drive, but just lacking enthusiasm. Nevertheless, two very nice exhibits.

MB (5,2) 1. Repeat 1st PB

2. Ellis’s Tenfield Woolamai Wallaby. Unplaced in puppy but more settled in this class, this 8 month dark coated girl offers a beautifully compact and balanced picture. She is so similar in construction to her brother (1st MPD) but oh so feminine. She has a pretty head and endearing expression which is enhanced by a dark eye and good pigment. She stands foursquare on a good length of leg, front and back angles are identical and she has an excellent topline and tail set. Straight in front and behind she has good width to her quarters, short neat hocks and is nicely muscled. Cleverly handled, she managed to contain her exuberance, settle, and show straight and true movement with reach. A promising baby.

3. Staniland’s Bermary Sweet Child of Mine.

NB (6,0) 1. O’Gormans Berrymeade Firestarter (AI). Dark golden, 2 years and sibling of my Graduate Dog winner. So very similar in confirmation but feminine throughout and with a beautiful head and melting expression. Compact in shape, she presents a balanced and symmetrical picture, and has lovely continuous flow from nose to tail with a dead level top line. Her angles, front and rear are balanced, she has good depth to her body, correct length of leg and the tightest of feet. So well muscled at the rear, her even and balanced reach and drive won her the class. Beautifully presented and handled.

2. Repeat 2nd PB

3. Repeat 2nd JB

UGB (12,5) 1. Phipps-Baker & Baker’s Maddouse Must be Trouble. 3 year pale gold girl, well presented freestanding, with a well set constant wagging tail and eyes only for her handler. She presents a lovely outline, nothing overdone and with well balanced angles both and rear. A pretty head and expression, she has a good length of neck, straight front and depth of chest. Well muscled quarters and short straight hocks gave her true movement lovely reach and drive, the picture completed by a solid topline and lashing tail. Again, lovely to watch.

2. Lochhead’s Kaylaton Heidi Weiss. 2 year, mid golden girl, not dissimilar to 1 just a little more compact. Feminine head and expression which is enhanced by good pigment. Good length and set of neck, nicely angled forequarters which are complimented at the rear. Her body has depth with a good spring of rib, a lovely level top line and correct tail set. Quarters have good width and hocks are short and she holds a good top line at all times. She is straight and true and moves with both reach and drive.

3. Ward’s Wild Road to Laurenley of Sunshines’s Valley (Imp Bel) JW

GB (7,3) 1. Berrymeade Kinvara JW SGWC. 3 year dark gold girl well presented and showing a lovely outline. She stands on legs of good length, has a solid top line flow from head to tail, a lovely reach of neck and presents a balanced and symmetrical picture. Feminine in head with good proportions and pigment, she has super shoulder lay and return, angles similarly complimented at the rear. Her quarters have good width and muscle tone and she drives her stride from short strong hocks. At one with her handler, happy and athletic, her true and extended movement won her the class.

2. Pratt’s Rosyth Kind of Magic. 2.5 year old who was unlucky to meet 1. Well presented dark gold girl with a beautiful feminine head and expression. She is well put together with good reach of neck, top line and tail set. A compact body of good depth and a short loin completes a balanced picture. Rear quarters are of good width and she has a well muscled second thigh. Everything in the right place, her movement is accurate and true, just missing the drive and animation today.

3. Sloans’s Palmonas Glitterball,

PGB (9,2) 1. Price’s Putjade Pumpkin Spice for Sybiton JW. 3 year old dark coated girl who has caught my attention before, balanced and symmetrical she is unexaggerated and true to type. She has a lovely head, correct in muzzle with good pigment and a soft expression. Standing four square her shoulder is correctly angled, her chest is deep, ribs are well sprung and loin is short. Quarters are well muscled, of good width and her hocks are strong and well let down. She has a super flow of topline from her head to a well set and carried tail. Full of drive and with a free striding even gait, her movement appeared effortless. Lovely to watch and standing, she is so easy on the eye. BB RBIS BOS

2. Ellis’s Tenfield Sparkling Sunrise JW. 3 years and oh so much to like. In a mid gold coat and beautifully presented, she is balanced from any angle and I was splitting hairs in my placings. Feminine head, correctly proportioned, a dark eye and soft expression, lovely front angulation, good forechest, her ribs well sprung and loin short. She stands very straight on well boned legs and neat feet and has a super topline and tail set. Her quarters have width and muscle with impulsion comings from strong short hocks. Her straight and true movement with good reach and drive was effortless but just a little untidy. However, she was more settled in the challenge and captured RBB

‍‍ 3. Pound-Longhurst’s Mossburn Golly Miss Molly JW

LB (11,5) 1. Ellis’s Tenfield Sunloch. This 5 year old girl is so well constructed. Balanced and symmetrical, short in loin and an outline so easy on the eye. Good forechest, legs well under front angles of correct lay and return and a lovely sweep of neck into a level topline. She has complimentary angles to her quarters which are well muscled and show good width and second thigh. Beautifully shown and so attentive to her handler she moved out with drive from short hocks with good extension and stride. In the challenge felt she just wasn’t as positive behind in her movement.

2. O’Gormans Berrymeade Love her Madly SGWC. 4 years dark gold girl beautifully presented in hard condition and with a super personality. Lovley in outline and balance she has the correct length of leg, is short coupled and carries a level topline. She has a pretty and proportioned head with a dark eye. Her front angulation shows correct lay and return similarly angled at the rear with super muscletone, width of thigh and straight hocks. There is nice depth to her body, she is short coupled and stands four square. As expected from this kennel she has excellent well driven straight and true movement. Preferred her freestanding.

 3. Hill & Smith’s Megarvey Deju Vu JW

OB (4,0) 1. Harper’s Tullochmohr Shooting Star at Glynerva JW. 3 years now and continuing her early promise. Prettiest of heads and lovely expression, she is well made throughout and holds a flowing outline from head to her well set tail. Angles fore and aft are balanced and she stands on well boned legs and neat feet. She has super rear quarters, nicely muscled with good width and short straight hocks. Lovely movement with good drive and reach, her shape never wavering.

2. Pratt’s Rosyth Jennifer Eccles. 5 years and sporting a full and well presented rich gold coat. Nothing overdone and hands on, she is beautifully balanced in both body and angulation. A pretty feminine head with good ear set and pigment, her body is compact with good depth, a short loin and level topline. With nicely angled rear quarters and short well let down hocks, her movement was straight and true. Unfortunately, carrying a few extra pounds today, movement and outline were a tad compromised.

JUDGE: Kim M J Clunie