Cheshire Agricultural Society

Royal Cheshire Show 2025

Best in Show

It was a real honour to be asked to do all the groups and BIS at this two day, well run show. This really is one of the best open shows on the circuit and Alistair Moss and his hard working committee seem always to drum up a bumper entry. This year the weather was very hot and by the end of each day a few exhibits were tiring which cost a few a higher place. The quality in the seven groups was superb. I had nobody to blame for my final line up but was very happy with my seven representatives. After a quick review of them and moving them again topping the entry was the whippet bitch Crème Anglaise’s Entourage with Silkridge. This light brindle is of such high quality it was hard to deny her the group on day one, she was even better in the final. Appeals to me as she is of decent size and is balanced through. Good lean head and in no way snipy with decent underjaw, correct eye which is not ,as seen in many too full, and neat fine ears. Good length of neck, well laid shoulders and good depth of chest. Stands on good, bladed bone and correct foot. Good rib and pleased in topline and underline. She is not over angulated which can be the downfall of many an otherwise good whippet. Well-muscled. Lovely on the move, totally sound and without too much pickup. I think we will see more of her. She topped in my opinion a super line up. Close on her heels was the rather enchanting Papillon bitch Multi Ch Visible Secret Daydream Believers. I have not seen this one in the flesh before but as soon as my eye caught her it was repeatedly drawn back. She is exactly as the standard requires, dainty, but she is also full of herself and as sound as they come. Super head with correctly placed ears which are well fringed. Good skull to muzzle proportions and muzzle is not snipy. Good dark eye. Well made front. Good fine bone. Correct topline and tail set. Pleasing hindquarters with correct angulation. In the best of jackets. I really loved her. I am sure her title will be just around the corner.

Gundog Group

A full group with many quality dogs present. I must mention the IWS who is a real baby but quite an exciting puppy who pressed the mature adults hard here. First place went to the B/W pointer bitch Sh Ch Kanix Sooty at Stargang. Impressive bitch who exudes breed type. Instantly impressed with her overall silhouette she really is, as is asked for, a series of graceful curves. Typical head with correct overall appearance. Good breadth to her skull. Lovely eye and well set ears of appropriate length. Overall, she is made so well and has a lovely forehand. Standing on good bone and tight foot, she is of good rib. Tail of good length, well set ,and lashed on the move. Put on a faultless performance here and was unlucky not to figure in the final. Reserve was the very typey B/R Cocker Riondel Solitaire. Well made sturdy cocker. Lovely head and expression. Good neck length into excellent shoulders. Super bone and feet, and she has rib! Correct tail set for the breed. In excellent condition and has very typical cockery action on the move. Third Halshimoor Perfect Pitch at Shanorrell. Quality yellow who has appealed to me in breed competition. Good head and expression. Well set ears of correct size. Good neck into well laid shoulders. Typical rib. Strong loin. Lovely otter tail which is well used. Good jacket. Moved well. Fourth Beresford Stand N' Stare ESS. Very typey with a lovely quality head. Well made through. Good bone and the best of feet. Lovely front assembly which affords correct front action. Well angulated rear and well muscled up. Moved well in the heat.

Terrier Group

Ch Taraiel Ray of Light at Wellsstaffs. B/W Staffordshire. An easy winner for me. I have not seen this bitch before but she immediately appealed for her overall type. Very pleasing head, which is short and deep through. Good dark eye and good sized ear. Well developed cheeks. Good bone and stands on good feet. Decent width in front. Well sprung. Good hind quarters. Moved soundly on a loose lead for and aft. In good hard condition. I liked her a lot. I found out later she carries her title, this is well deserved. 2 Twinan High Regard. JRT. Smart Jack of good size. Scores where a lot of JRT are tending to fail, namely a correct muzzle length in relation to skull and correct well placed front. Good rib. Easily spanned. Not overdone in the rear. Good harsh jacket. Moved with drive. 3 Brumberhill Beswick. Very smart young border who might have placed higher if he hadn’t given his handler such a hard time. Scored in head which is typical. Good neck and shoulder. Good bone and feet. Pleasing topline and well-set tail nicely carried. Correct racy hind quarters. Good pelt and jacket. 4 Watercroft Time Flies. Red. Quite raw at this stage but a promising puppy. Pleasing head and expression. Good neck and shoulder. Decent bone. Short enough. Good rear. Nice harsh jacket put down well.

Hound Group

Crème Anglaise’s Entourage with Silkridge. BIS. 2 Priorpark Proof in Pudding. I gave this RR a day’s heat of the puppy stakes at WKC last year. Then I thought her very smart and of super overall balance. This is unchanged. Her head is super and when I last saw her I said that she just needed to grow into her ears a fraction to complete the picture, she has and she has fulfilled my hopes for her. Super forehand, good ridge, well angulated hindquarters and super feet. Lovely on the move. 3 Cunninghams Aveline for Trailtracker. Took a very strong group 2 under me recently. This is a very well made and very typical B/T Coonhound who continues to get better as she matures. Excels in head with correct planes, good eye and well set leathers of good length. Well made through and comes into her own on the move. Well deserved her place here. As sound as you could ask for. Another we shall hear more about. 4. Ch Graythor Augustus at Rothenborg. I thought him quite lovely. Quality Elkhound, who has a very typical head and expression. Head of correct proportions. Lovely ears set high and of correct shape. Powerful neck well coated and excellent shoulders. Strong topline and good tail set, tail is nicely curled. Good hind quarters. Moved well.

Working Group

1 Newlaithe Respect JW. Boxer. Instantly appealed for his overall shape and size. Quality Br/w who has lots to admire. Has a very typical head which is clearly male but too much. Lean skull and overall his muzzle and skull proportions give him a balanced head piece. Correct jaw and nicely lipped without excess. Good eye. Super neck into good shoulders and an overall good front assembly. Stands on good bone and feet. Good depth to his chest, short coupled and well-muscled hind quarters. Moved very soundly. Won what was a very good group of quality dogs. 2 Amical Valletta. This is a beautiful bitch. Not overdone or over coated but moderate through. Good head of correct proportions. Well-shaped and correctly set eye. Nicely shaped thick ears. Super neck into good shoulders. Good at the elbow. Good depth to her and super bone and feet. Good topline and ideal croup. Nice hind angulation and good tail. Pleasing coat texture. Moved effortlessly. Just at the last moment didn’t give her all in what was a hot end to the day. Will do well. Well handled at correct pace. 3 Ch Rarjo Captain Curl Macduff JW. This is a very nice PWD who was unlucky not to place higher. Full of quality but another felling the heat. Not much to criticise here. Classical head piece with prominent front bones and good strength to the muzzle. Good strength to the neck and well laid and muscled shoulder. Overall proportions are good. Good bone and typical foot. Correct tail but not using it as much on the move as I am sure he can. 4 Sandbears Twenty Two. Quality Newfoundland who is of good make and shape. A sound mover and in super coat and condition. Completed a good line up in a strong group.

Pastoral Group.

One of the best groups with some very nice specimens. Taking first placed was the young brindle Cardigan bitch Twinan Shield of Steel. She appealed for her overall size, shape and balance. Typical head with good width of skull and well placed ears carried well. Good dark eye. Muscular neck into well placed shoulders. Lovely strong bone. Typical front. Prominent sternum and well ribbed back. Good topline and tail set. Held her topline on the move. Moved very well. 2 Ch/int/fr/lux/swiss Ch Tooralie Pie in The Sky. One I have judged before and done well. Lovely sable and white who is very well made example of the breed. Typical head with correct shape and correct skull to muzzle ratio, clean in back skull. Correct eye together with super ears completed the expression. This dog has a good front with correct bone and well arched oval foot. Well sprung, with correct topline with a lovely desired graceful sweep over the loin. Moved very well. Just flagged at the very end and not using his ears nevertheless a very worthy group 2. 3 Ch Goldmali over The Rainbow Malinois. Had won the veteran group in the morning and I was quite taken by her. She is quite remarkable at 8 years to be able to hold her own in a good group on one of the hottest days of the year. Good length of head and correct parallel planes. Good underjaw. Correct ear size shape and carriage. Ideal forehand and standing on adequate bone for a bitch and the best of feet. Good depth of chest. Short coupled. Not overdone behind. So light and so correct on her feet, I could have watched her all day. 4 Ch Foveaux Queens Gambit. This young lady has annexed a RCC and BPIB previously at Leeds a few years back. I really fell for this B/T at the time and was delighted to see that she has fulfilled her early promise. Has such a typical head with correct overall proportions. Correct front. Good bone and good feet. A firm topline and correct tail set. In A1 condition and so well muscled. Powered around the ring and made me smile. Very sound.

Utility Group

1 Kaydanmy Fuel to The Fire. Super Eurasier. Young male who I awarded BOB to at SCCA earlier this year. My opinion has not changed. He continues to mature well and is coat is maturing with a developing frill. Well-made throughout and he is very sound. Put on a faultless performance and I was delighted to award him the group. 2 Ch Wildax Liverpool Lad at Boxbos. Smart Boston Pleased me in relation to his size, outline and station. Typical head with good strong and deep muzzle. Nice dark eye and neat ears. Flews not excessive. Super through the neck and shoulder. Good width in front. Short. Good hind quarters. Moved well. 3 Vormund Heavy Is The Crown. Sesame Shiba Inu. This is a smart youngster. Pleasing head piece with good cheek development for age. Neat ears correctly placed and well set dark eye complete the very typical expression. Good bone and lovely cat foot. Typical front angulation for a Shiba and with correct topline and underline. Excellent tail. Moved well with impressive side gait. In decent jacket. 4 Ruthdales Jinkx Monsoon. Akita. Very promising youngster. Still very much a baby but has all the essentials in place already. Super head and expression. Good neck into correct shoulder placement. Well ribbed. Good hind quarters. Super bone and feet. Not using her tail today which detracted from the overall picture. She is a baby and it was a long day so although this cost her today I am sure her day will come.

Toy Group.

Ch Visible Secret Daydream Believers. RBIS. 2 Sueacres Catch A Dream. A rather precocious young male who appealed for his overall type and already a lovely shape. Typical head and expression. Correct shaped eye and well placed small ear. Good fine bone and super cat like foot. Compact and cobby. Lovely tail already well covered. Moved so well despite the heat. I think he will do well. Will watch with interest as he matures. Ch Beauborne Nadal at Topmead. R/R. I judged this smart Griffon at Birmingham National and awarded him the RCC in a good entry. He is a good dog of quality. Lovely head piece and super expression. Neat ears. Good width to his front and of excellent bone. Super topline and well ribbed. Correct hind angulation. In good muscular condition and his owner has him so well put down in what is not an easy coat to work. Moved well. For me I would just like a fraction shorter, but here I am being very picky. 4 Llapsttam Luther Vandross. Captivating ruby CKCS puppy. I really liked him and with maturity I think he will do very well indeed. Has all the essential. Beautiful head with super dark round eye. Ears set at correct level. Good length of neck into good shoulders. Nice front just needs to drop into himself and mature through. Well angulated rear. Lovely ruby jacket and already well feathered. Beat some quality dogs to this placing. Wish him luck.