Guildford & District Canine Society

Guildford & District Canine Society Premier Open Show

Sunday 30th November 2025

South of England Showground, Ardingly, Haywards Heath, West Sussex

English Springer Spaniel

Mrs Victoria Pattison (Forgespring)

Critique

Thank you to the Officers and Committee of the Guildford & District Canine Society for their kind invitation to judge ESS at their Premier Show held at Ardingly on Sunday 30th November 2025. The Abergavenny Building is always baltic at this time of the year so I was very grateful for my warming cuppa and sausage roll on arrival! It is always a huge privilege to be asked to judge your own breed and on paper I had a lovely entry. Sadly, for a myriad of reasons, there were a few absentees. Nevertheless, I enjoyed my day thoroughly and my thanks go to the exhibitors who braved the chilly day to bring their dogs under me.

Class 351 Puppy

Entries 0

Class 352 Junior

Entries 2 Absentees 1

1. Mrs J Weyman’s SPUFFING BELLINI

Whilst she stood alone this is a very attractive youngster. At just 15 months she is the right size and presents with a lovely balanced compact outline with no hint of exaggeration. She has the prettiest head with good length and breadth in her skull, super eye shape and colour giving her a kind and melting expression. I liked her length of neck which has the correct arch flowing into well laid shoulders and she has a pleasing return of upper arm. For her age she has good depth to her chest and throughout her body which was all finished off with well-developed thighs and a moderate bend of stifle. She moved with power and drive around the ring holding her topline well and with enjoyment. She was beautifully presented, and I enjoyed going over her hugely. She pushed her sire hard for RBOB - perhaps the hardest decision I had to make during my judging. It was lovely to see her do well in the later Stakes classes.

Class 353 Post Graduate

Entries 4 Absentees 3

1. Mrs M Hydon’s LOXBOURNE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE IR JR CH

There was much to admire in this dark jacketed 2 ½-year-old liver white and tan bitch. Presented in a gleaming liver coat she has a balanced frame and I particularly liked her overall size and shape. She is moderately feathered, as the standard requires, which allows you to appreciate her form fully and nothing is disguised from view. Going over her, you discover immediately that she is strong in body and well-muscled throughout with an excellent neck and front assembly with lovely return of upper arm, a well-developed chest, excellent spring of rib, muscular loin and lovely broad thighs. She has a beautifully moulded dark head with matching dark hazel eyes of the correct shape that gave her a wonderfully soft and kind expression. She moved out easily and happily around the ring with reach and drive holding her top line well and was totally at one with her handler. Whilst she too stood alone in her class I was delighted to award her BOB today and to watch her acquit herself well in a quality Gundog Group.

Class 354 Open

Entries 5 Absentees 3

1. Mrs J Weyman’s MORE THAN AMAZING WANNA BE A GANGSTER AT SPUFFING JW (IMP BEL)

A class of two very different types, but this smart liver white and tan dog had the edge today. Lighter framed and a little longer in the back than 2 he nevertheless has a very pleasing outline on the stack. He has an unmistakeably masculine but well-worked head and soft kind eye. He has a particularly strong front assembly with a deep chest and well sprung ribs. He has a good reach of neck flowing down into well laid back shoulders and a correct return of upper arm. I found him well-off for bone throughout and he was nicely finished off with a muscular loin and thighs. He was presented in beautiful coat and condition which gave him a flowing elegance on the move that was rather appealing particularly as he combined that with characteristic verve and enjoyment. He was enjoying himself a little too much in the challenge, but his enthusiasm is forgiven and I was very pleased to award him RBOB.

2. Mrs J Fitchett’s KINGSHEATH SUN DANCE

There was much familiar to me in this almost 3 year-old black and white boy sired by a dog I know very well and he exuded a quiet gentleness today that was quite endearing. Standing on a slightly higher leg than 1 he is symmetrically built and moderate throughout with a well-developed deep chest and strong body. I felt perhaps he was displaying a little too much body today but that is easily fixed! He is undeniably male in head with good breadth of skull and foreface and deep square flews. He has a lovely dark eye as would be expected in a black and white, but whilst he still has that breed-specific kindness to his expression, I would have preferred a slightly tighter eye all round. He held his top line well on the move but could not match 1 for power and drive today.

VICTORIA PATTISON (Forgespring)