Bath Canine Society

BATH CANINE SOCIETY 

Sunday 25th May 2025 

Golden retriever bitches

Judge Mrs Maria Fosdike (Meiepere)

A huge thank you to the society for my first CC appointment and for your hospitality, my two stewards for keeping me on track and to all the exhibitors for bringing your beautiful dogs - I felt very privileged to have the opportunity to judge such a lovely entry.

I was very pleased with the depth of quality, and apart from a small handful of untidy bites and a few bitches that were perhaps a little on the heavy side, the vast majority were presented in excellent condition. Luckily the weather stayed dry and I was impressed to see the wobbly marquees and intense gusts of wind failed to phase the exhibits in the ring - a lovely testament to our breed’s temperament.

I was spoiled for choice in a number of classes and had to make some hair splitting decisions. The final challenge came down to the finest of margins, if only I’d had a few more green cards to hand out! It was lovely to have a good-sized ring at my disposal to give exhibits plenty of space to settle on the move.

My co-judge Mrs Carol Oldring and I were in full agreement for all awards, with the bitch Olvinglay Wax Lyrical going BOB and Group 4, dog puppy Oppenheimer Oligarchia BP and Puppy Group 4, veteran bitch Quakerhall Pandora’s Bounty taking Best Veteran and Brazenbeacon Artemis Best Special Beginner and shortlisted in the group.

VETERAN BITCH (8 Entries, 2 Absent) 

1st Crookes Mrs DS & Jenkinson Mrs RJ SH CH QUAKERHALL PANDORA'S BOUNTY JW   

A beautiful 8-year-old mid gold bitch presented in top condition. Lovely feminine head and kindly expression, good length of neck flowing into a well made front assembly. Dead level topline, good tailset and rear angulation perfectly matching the front, resulting in a balanced overall picture. She just oozes breed type and attitude, moving really well from all sides with excellent reach and drive, keeping her topline at all times. Loved her a lot - she pushed hard in the challenge till the very end and was a strong contender for top honours. It is no surprise she is the dam to my RCC winner as it’s evident she has passed on many of her excellent qualities.

2nd Ives Mrs T & Miss A SH CH TREWATER BUSY LIZZIE AT BALSAMINA    

Another top quality exhibit and at 9 years oldest in the class - although she doesn’t show it! A feminine cream bitch presented in lovely condition and handled to advantage. Nothing about her is overdone, she is perfectly balanced overall, and it shows on the move where she impressed with her accurate and effortless movement.

 ‍‍‍‍‍‍3rd Rodgers Mrs MJ SH CH ROJILLAIR EVENING MAGIC OF ODARLA JW   

MINOR PUPPY BITCH (14 Entries, 3 Absent) 

A lovely class of youngsters - the top 5 were a mix of types and stages of maturity, all promising and I’m sure will be changing places many times as they develop.

1st Taylor Miss CA & Tenn Mr MD STRETTONHILLS HOITY TOITY   

A promising 8-month-old cream puppy looking just right for her age. Beautiful feminine head with kindly expression and excellent pigment, well-proportioned with good front and rear angulation and lovely overall outline and balance. She moved very well for her age and was presented in a lovely condition. Feeling perhaps a little uneasy today but it didn’t detract from her quality and promise.

2nd Maynard Mr RC & Mrs LJE WEISFORD BORN OF THE SEA TO CHINNORDALE   

Different in type to 1 but this mid-gold youngster is very together for one so young. Very well constructed with a balanced front and rear and a firm table-top topline which she kept on the move, she is full of quality and promise. Another good mover for her tender age. She pushed hard in this class but today I just preferred the head of 1.

3rd List Ms L HAYDENGOLD LATEST GOSSIP   

PUPPY BITCH (12 Entries, 4 Absent) 

1st Taylor Miss CA & Tenn Mr MD STRETTONHILLS HOITY TOITY   

Repeat

2nd List Ms L HAYDENGOLD LATEST GOSSIP   

Also 3rd in MPB and 1st NB

A lovely cream puppy with many good points who was a delight to go over. Beautiful feminine head, good front and rear angulation with excellent depth of chest and spring of rib. Excellent level topline which she keeps on the move. An accurate mover and presented very well in excellent condition. Another quality puppy who pushed hard in a competitive MP class.

3rd Clunie Miss K WARRENTOR ABILENE   

JUNIOR BITCH (9 Entries, 3 Absent) 

1st Wheeldon Mr M & Hurry Miss K DEWMIST DOLCE VITA WITH CATNNELS (IMP SWE) JW   

Drew my eye as she entered the ring for her total balance and did not disappoint on closer inspection. An impressive cream youngster with a feminine head and alert, kindly expression, looking just right for her age for bone and substance, presenting a well proportioned balanced picture with the correct length-to-height ratio. Moved just as her excellent construction would suggest. One I liked a lot and have no doubt with a touch more maturity will trouble the best.

 ‍‍‍‍‍‍2nd Buckles Dr LK BRAZENBEACON ARTEMIS   

Also 3rd in YB and Best Special Beginners

A quality mid-gold youngster with lots to like and a lovely breed type. Well proportioned, balanced and made very well throughout, standing four-square and alert to her handler. Moved with good reach and drive and straight and true coming and going, keeping her level topline at all times. At this stage everything is in the right place but she just needs a little more time to mature to complete the picture.

3rd Nelson Mrs VJ CADWST SONG OF SPRING   

YEARLING BITCH (12 Entries, 3 Absent) 

1st Smyth Mrs AE KADAKA KRUMPET JW   

A lovely mid gold bitch with a very appealing balanced outline and proportions. Lovely breed type, good bone and feet, good body and substance. Presented in a lovely condition. She impressed on the move covering the ground well with an easy effortless stride and keeping her table top topline at all times. Another quality example of the breed that’s full of quality and a credit to her owner and breeder.

2nd Russell-Bond Mrs SE ROSINANTE GUINEVERE JW   

A feminine cream bitch with many good points. Lovely feminine head, well angulated fore and aft. Presents a lovely balanced picture with good proportions and length of leg. Moved nicely, just needs more time and a touch more confidence to reach her full potential but there is lots that I liked about her. 

3rd Buckles Dr LK BRAZENBEACON ARTEMIS   

NOVICE BITCH (12 Entries, 4 Absent) 

1st List Ms L HAYDENGOLD LATEST GOSSIP   

Repeat

2nd Clunie Miss K WARRENTOR ABILENE   

A feminine cream puppy with a lovely frame that just needs time to fill out. Lovely proportions and balance, unexaggerated with good length of leg. Moves nicely for her age. Presented in a lovely condition.

3rd Maddocks Mrs C & Mr PR WEATHERBURY CLEMENTINE   

GRADUATE BITCH (18 Entries, 4 Absent) 

A class full of quality where I shortlisted 8 and had to really split hairs to select my final 5.

1st Callegari Mrs C DOUBLE WILLOW DISNEYLAND PARIS (ATC ITA)   

Also 1st in PGB.

A new one for me but this cream feminine bitch caught my eye as she entered the ring for her beautifully proportioned outline. So feminine through and through but with plenty of substance, bone and superb cat-like feet. She has a lovely head, excellent reach of neck into well placed shoulders and lovely front with a rear to match. Excellent length-to-height ratio with the correct length of leg, she is a picture of balance. She was presented and handled to advantage and pushed hard to win two classes against quality competition. A good mover with excellent reach and drive. Another quality example of the breed I really liked.

2nd Crookes Mrs DS & Jenkinson Mrs RJ THORNYWAIT ROYAL STORY FOR QUAKERHALL   

A feminine quality bitch of excellent breed type shown in a gleaming golden coat. Feminine head, lovely length of neck flowing into a well made front, good body, dead level topline and excellent rear angulation. An impressive mover from all sides covering the ground with long effortless strides and keeping her shape perfectly. Pushed hard in a very strong class but just lacked the finish today. Handled very well and presented in a lovely condition.

3rd Gayler Mrs PD CAROLAKE X'MARKS THE SPOT JW   

POST GRADUATE BITCH (8 Entries, 1 Absent) 

1st Callegari Mrs C DOUBLE WILLOW DISNEYLAND PARIS (ATC ITA)   

Repeat

2nd Ellis Ms K TENFIELD SPARKLING SUNRISE JW   

One I’ve judged before as a youngster and many of the previous comments still apply now that she is fully mature. A lovely golden bitch of excellent breed type who was lovely to go over. Lovely head with a kindly alert expression. Excellent length of neck into a well made front, good body and a rear angulation to match. She moved effortlessly and accurately around the ring, straight and true coming and going. A well constructed quality bitch but she can sometimes leave herself stood a little ‘bum high’.

3rd Clunie Miss K WARRENTOR NOHKALIKAI JW   

MID LIMIT BITCH (7 Entries, 0 Absent) 

1st Rodgers Mrs MJ AMBERSUN PASSIONE OF ODARLA JW   

I’ve admired this bitch from the ringside before and was delighted to have the opportunity to judge. She just oozes quality - my notes say: ‘liked everything about her’. Her shape and balance is textbook, she has a lovely head, excellent angulation fore and aft and a dead level topline. Good depth of body and spring of rib, excellent proportions with accurate length-to-height ratio and length of leg. She moved accurately covering the ground well around the ring. Tough competition in the challenge meant she had to give way, lacking just a little in coat and finish today, but her day will come. Presented and handled to advantage.

2nd Ives Mrs T & Miss A BALSAMINA BELLINI JW   

Another quality cream bitch who’s matured very well since I last judged her as a youngster. Lovely feminine head, well balanced fore and aft. Nicely proportioned and unexaggerated, she is not overdone in any way but has just the right amount of body and substance. She moved very nicely taking effortless long strides around the ring. Presented and handled very well.

3rd Layland Mr ML & Mrs T & Miss LA APPLECOTE LOVE IN DISGUISE JW   

LIMIT BITCH (13 Entries, 4 Absent) 

A strong class with not much separating the top 5 who all appealed for different reasons.

1st Chan Mrs J & Mr R LOVISSA HELLO DOLLY OF WEMCREST   

One I’ve judged before and many of the same comments apply. This dark gold bitch is quality through and through. Lovely feminine head, excellent length of neck into well placed shoulders, lovely front and rear angulation. Excellent body and dead level topline, she stands four-square alert to her handler. She impresses on the move keeping her perfect outline at all times, taking long effortless steps around the ring. Well presented and a superb example of the breed, another who pushed for top honours but missed out on the finest margins.

2nd May Mrs J CHERRYGOLD STORYTELLER JW   

This quality light gold bitch pushed so hard in this strong class. She has a very appealing breed type, a beautiful head and expression, lovely length of neck and a well made front, excellent bone and substance with cat-like feet and good bend of stifle. She kept drawing my eye free-stood alert to her handler with her beautifully prepared profuse coat gleaming in the sun but having to split hairs I preferred the movement of 1 on the day.

3rd Turner Ms R AMILONE PINKSTER (AI)   

OPEN BITCH (12 Entries, 4 Absent) 

What a quality class with 8 excellent examples of the breed - I would’ve loved to have more cards.

1st Monteverde Mr G INT SH CH/IT CH/SWI CH OLVINGLAY WAX LYRICAL (ATC ITA)   

One I’ve admired from the ringside before but today she looked the best I’ve ever seen her. My notes for her weren’t long, they only say: ‘just perfect’. And she had to be to take top honours in such strong company today. A beautiful light gold bitch with a feminine well-shaped head and an alert, kindly expression. Excellent breed type and so very balanced throughout, textbook construction with the right amount of bone and substance whilst retaining her femininity. Full of showmanship and poetry in motion, it is evident that she enjoys her every moment in the ring and with a talented handler who knows how to get the best out of her she just could not be beaten today. I could not be more delighted to award her the CC (her 3rd) and with my co-judges agreement BOB.

2nd Crookes Mrs DS & Jenkinson Mrs RJ SH CH QUAKERHALL FLARE BY PANDORA   

A top quality bitch who I’d judged and done well before, and was delighted to have the opportunity to go over now that she is in full bloom. She is beautifully made throughout with a lovely feminine head and an appealing balanced outline. A very worthy champion who is a credit to her breeder and owner, and was shown in top condition presented to advantage. An accurate mover flowing around the ring with excellent reach and drive, she is hard to fault. She pushed very hard in this strong class and when she came back into the challenge I couldn’t deny her the RCC in strong company.

3rd Loverock Mrs MC & Waldron-Smith Mrs L & Zubair Mrs SM SH CH THORNYWAIT STARSTRUCK WITH LOVISSA JW   

SPECIAL BEGINNERS BITCH (9 Entries, 3 Absent) 

1st Buckles Dr LK BRAZENBEACON ARTEMIS   

Repeat

2nd Winsor-Williams Mrs P & Williams Mr A AURGENTIOUS ROS AN GWEL   

A light gold bitch of good size and lovely breed type. Well angulated front and rear, excellent body, bone and substance. An accurate mover moving freely with good reach and drive and straight and true coming and going. Today just preferred the head of 1 in this class.

3rd Thomas Mrs C & Mr A & Miss S SANTANDORE HONESTY