Flatcoated Retriever Club Of Scotland

The Flatcoated Retriever Club of Scotland

Open Show

Sunday 19th October 2025

It was a pleasure to judge this good entry and to be amongst the Flatcoats, one of my most favourite gundog breeds. Their delightful, outgoing personalities make you smile. It was heartening to see a number of younger enthusiasts at the show, actively showing their own (and others’) dogs. This can only be positive for the breed. I was very pleased with the top winners and some close decisions had to be made.

BIS was the BB, Bellamy’s Sh Ch Moontorn Better Half Of Me, with BOS and RBIS going to the dog, Sh Ch Rotherfield Secret Code. BPIS was the young male minor puppy, McConnell’s Thurwhitt Black Jack at Torrweaving.

Minor Puppy Dog (2):

1. McConnell’s Thurwhitt Black Jack at Torrweaving, lovely quality puppy made in one piece and just about right for his age and stage of development with nothing to excess, pleasing head, well made front, correct bone and good feet, correct rib and couplings, good hindquarters, was true out and back and has very good side profile although a baby, will watch his progress with interest, BPIS;

2. Flynn and Holmes’ Rodsdream Cheap Thrills With Candidacasa, bigger, heavier puppy who was shown in super condition, excels in body, rib and loin with very good hindquarters and width of thigh, moves well behind although rather erratic in front;

Puppy Dog (4):

1. Bellamy and Nicklin’s Moontorn Count On Me, this black has a super outline and overall balance and proportions, so well made all through with pleasing head and super legs and feet, correct rib, topline and tailset, well-muscled and shown in good condition, sound mover;

2. Graay’s Steelriver Majesticardo to Aislear, this youngster appealed and has a lot of promise although less forward in development compared with 1, thought he had a most pleasing head (long and nicely moulded), overall good construction and moved well in all directions, maturity and body development will suit him;

3. Flynn and Holmes’ Rodsdream Cheap Thrills with Candidacasa

Junior Dog (3):

1. Harris’ Ronevorg Highland Whisper of Siancala, the overall picture, pleasing size and outline appealed, correct rib, well coupled and has very good hindquarters, looks good in profile moving where he covers the ground and is sound out and back, would prefer better feet;

2. Riach’s Thrillerbark Ardroil, scored in head over 1 and has correct bone and feet, good hindquarters which he used to good effect on the move but not quite the tailset of 1, he still pushed hard;

3. Gale’s Willowswind Countryman

Graduate Dog (3):

1. Blain’s Rotherfield Made To last At Steelriver, very pleasing youngster with lots of promise, liked him, head appealed, quality bone, well ribbed up body, excellent topline, muscular well angulated hindquarters, sound mover in all directions, will follow his progress;

2. Bright’s Hopevalley Morning Magic, this boy pushed hard, his head, size and overall proportions appealed, good topline which was maintained on the move and sound moving, just preferred feet of 1;

3. Grant’s Westoncruive Stand By Me

Post Graduate Dog (1):

1. Hall’s Hightyne Night Train, stood alone but could have held his own in company for sure, shown in superb condition and a great showman, appreciated his correct topline and tailset, good well-muscled hindquarters and super feet, moves well behind and keeps his outline on the move;

Limit Dog (3):

1. Bright’s Hopevalley Morning Phantom, very pleasing overall in many aspects, his size and overall proportions and balance appealed, correct body, well ribbed and short in loin, good topline, legs, bone and feet, pleasing head and liked the way he looked at me, moved soundly;

2. Grant’s Westoncruive Black Tornado, liked this dog’s good body properties, correct bone and very good hindquarters with width of thigh and moderate bend of stifle with well let down hock, moves well behind, just preferred feet of 1;

3. Clark’s Hursclough Night Owl at Flanova

Open Dog (4):

1. Anson and McManus’ Sh Ch Rotherfield Secret Code, judged this super quality, nearly 3 years dog when he was a junior and gave him BOB at a gundog open show, not surprised to see that he has titled, he is so correct all through and screams ‘Flatcoat’, he has a correct head and eye, well made front, correct bone and good feet, well ribbed up and excellent topline, hindquarters and tailset, he is a sound true mover out and back and holds his super outline on the move in profile where he covers plenty of ground with ease, going with reach and drive, I am sure that he will only get better and maturity will suit him, BD, BOS and RBIS;

2. May’s Ronevorg Dark Angel at Lussac, this dog is not an immediate eyecatcher but I found him very good to go over and he is a typical Flatcoat, he has a pleasant and typical head and eye and is well made all through, pleasing size and balance, good body, rib, topline and tailset, sound true mover, thought he well deserved RBD;

3. Macpherson’s Rachanmill Columbo

Veteran Dog (3):

1. Stevenson’s Sh Ch/Ir Sh Ch Plainfire’s The Captain of my Heart is Steelriver, hardly a grey hair on this super type lad of 9 years, exudes type, stands so true on excellent legs and feet, is powerful without any hint of being cloddy, super bone and topline, very well ribbed and excellent hindquarters, covers the ground with a very good side gait, lovely to see him again looking so well, BV;

2. Blain’s Ronevorg I’m A Believer In Steelriver, 7 years, looks best when standing naturally, pleasing head and eye, well made overall and moved soundly;

3. Bright’s Hopevalley Morning Twister

Minor Puppy Bitch (2):

1. Markillie’s Hopevalley Morning Minuet, promising feminine puppy of nearly 9 months, made in one piece with pleasing head and eye, very good legs and feet, good body properties and good topline, moved true fore and aft and carried her outline in side profile, think she will look even better when she loses just a little weight;

2. Bellamy’s Moonstruck I’m On fire with Moontorn, liver of 7 months, pleasing overall outline, well angulated hindquarters with well let down hock, shows promise overall and has a racy build, just needs to settle more on the move;

Puppy Bitch (6):

1. Walker and Roberts’ Seaheart Frida at Gloi, really liked his bitch, lovely type and quality, nothing to excess, pleasing size and feminine and very much made in one piece, nicely moulded head, well ribbed up body, well angulated behind, good topline and tailset, sound true mover out and back and carried herself well in profile, she is good to go over and pushed in the challenge too, I really liked both winning puppies and feel sure she will have an excellent future;

2. Bellamy’s Moontorn Chasing the Dream, another lovely puppy, well made all through and with a look of quality, an excellent showgirl and sound on the move – out, back and in profile, excellent overall balance, her being a little out of coat only accentuated her good conformation and outline, would just prefer a darker eye;

3. H Morning Minuet

Junior Bitch (8):

1. Gale’s Willowswind Skylark, good type of bitch with a look of quality and style, her outline took my eye and liked her clean neck and good shoulder, excellent topline and well angulated hindquarters with width of thigh, was sound fore and aft and covered the ground in profile, just right for age I would say and will blossom further with maturity, liked her;

2. Thomson’s Badcall Midsummer Dream at Inchstellie, heavier built overall but liked her make, overall shape and soundness on the move, correct bone, good feet with well arched toes, correct topline, strong hindquarters and good thighs;

3. Mackessack-Leitch’s Badcall Midwinter Dream at Inchstellie

Graduate Bitch (4):

1. Huyton’s Hightyne Guns and Roses, very pleasing overall and has a look of quality, thought she stood out here, feminine head, good legs and feet, strong hindquarters, moves soundly with drive from behind, presented very well and in good show condition, the fact that she didn’t wag profusely mattered not;

2. B Midwinter Dream at I

3. Rattray’s Rotherfield One Last Time

Post Graduate Bitch (7):

1. Plummer and Torrie-Mcpherson’s Rainesgift Luaidh at Lochkander, stong bitch and sizeable but she is well-made and liked her overall shape best here, pleasing head and eye, well ribbed up with excellent topline and correctly angulated hindquarters with well let down hock, good tailset and thought she scored on the move, would maybe look better with less weight;

2. Mackessack-Leitch’s Caci’s The Jewel of June at Inchstellie, lots to like with this good type bitch, well made front with good neck and shoulders, excellent topline and a sound true mover who covered the ground in profile, little longer cast than 1 whose feet I preferred;

3. Macrae’s Candidacasa What A Feelin

Limit Bitch (5):

1. McDonald’s Skyloch Final Say, very nice type with well moulded head and pleasing eye, has quality bone, well ribbed up body and correct rib, well angulated, strong hindquarters which she used to drive from the hock, well presented and in good condition;

2. Rees’ Braemist New Moon for Eskwinds, really liked this bitch’s head, good moulding with good length but still strength of muzzle, very well angulated behind with good width of thigh and showed drive from behind, just not the topline of 1;

3. Mackessack-Leitch’s Finhamspride Kia at Inchstellie

Open Bitch (5): I was fortunate to have three lovely bitches at the head of this class. Their qualities were appreciated.

1. Bellamy’s Sh Ch Moontorn Better Half Of Me, what a most worthy champion, all Flatcoat in type and temperament and has a look of real quality, whenever I looked at her, she was standing right, liked her overall shape, balance and proportions, pleasing head with neat ears and correct dark eye, well made in front with correct bone and really good feet, correct body, rib and topline, really well angulated hindquarters with width of thigh and well let down hock, shown in very good musculature, drives from behind and goes well in profile, she has class and style and I loved her, pleasure to judge and award BB and BIS;

2. Drottsgard’s Swe/Dk kCh Moonstruck Thinking Black, very good type and another who is all Flatcoat in type and temperament with a look of quality, pleasing head, correct quality bone, deep chest, excellent topline, tailset and strong hindquarters which are well muscled, moves true and looks her best in profile where she covers the ground with ease and holds her static outline so well, great showgirl, would just prefer better feet, RBB;

3. Huyton’s Sh Ch Hightyne Ramblin Rose

Veteran Bitch (2): two worthy title holders headed this class.

1. Thomson’s Sh Ch Caci’s The Dream Catcher at Badcall, this bitch was gleaming with condition and well-being which accentuated her look of class and style about her, stands so well naturally on good legs and correct feet, pleasing head with good moulding, long but strong muzzle, clean neck and shoulders, strong topline and well angulated hindquarters, moved well and kept her outline on the move;

2. McDonald’s Sh Ch Steelriver Dance In The Sun at Skyloch, feminine quality bitch of lovely type, liked her head and eye, well made all through with good hindquarters, pressed hard;

Brace (2):

1. Huyton’ brace of bitches, this pair were good type quality bitches who really did have a close resemblance;

2. Riach’s brace of black bitches, similar size and moved with soundness and co-ordination;

David R Craig (Judge)