Manchester Dog Show Society

Manchester Championship show 2026

Best Puppy In Show/Puppy Groups

Such an honour and privilege to be invited to judge all 7 Puppy Groups and BPIS at the great Manchester Championship show 2026.

This appointment, in many ways, is THE most exciting having the opportunity to judge so many up-and-coming future stars of their breeds.

I would like to thank the Officers and committee for the appointment; one I will never forget…and so to the pups…

From the seven Group winning puppies my selection for the top spot was the gorgeous SCWT female, Silkcroft Just Like Magic. As an exciting prospect as you could wish for, she oozes quality, type and personality. Excellent head, correct eye and well set-on ears. Excellent reach of neck leading to a soundly constructed front. Super proportions, compact and in hard condition. Firm rear, driving well from low set hocks. Her coat is just right for age with regards to colour and texture, topped off with sensible presentation. Moved out sound and true in all directions with ideal head and tail carriage…I just loved her! BPIS.

Chasing her all the way was the eye-catching, elegant black Standard Poodle male, Afterglow Voltaire. Impressive in outline both on the stack and on the move. Loved his ‘Poodly’ carriage and sheer air of quality about him. Lovely head with dark, expressive eye. Excellent reach and arch of neck. Good angles front and rear. High set tail. Covered the ground so well on the move, particularly impressive from side gait. Excellent coat, put down to the minute. Another with a future assured. RBPIS.

Toy Puppy Group.

PG1 – Carycares Hot To Go – Affenpinscher. Precious 6 month old baby and understandable still some way to go with regards to maturity, but I couldn’t look past her for her overall size, femininity and compactness of outline. Super head, dark twinkling eyes giving a cheeky expression. Her handler allowed her personality to shine through, and she clearly was enjoying herself in the ring, so important at this tender age. Displayed breed typical gait on the move, once settled, showing her heart out on the stack. Good luck with her!

PG2 – Jago Van De Dyksteinhoeve Of Starforth. Super Bichon male. Excellent shape. Good eye and pigment. Excellent body for age. Balanced angles with correct tail set. Excellent coat for texture and presentation. Determined mover with a personality plus attitude to the ring.

PG3 - Coton Karma’s Shoot Me Down Bear At Cindaires. Immaculately presented Coton De Tulear. Liked him for size and proportions. Excellent head with strength to shapely skull. Dark eye and pigmentation. Correct topline with a slight rise over loins. Soundly made which was reflected in his easy, true movement. In full coat of ideal texture.

PG4 – Lovetrac Beckham. A real baby CKCS but shows so much potential. Beautiful head with large, round eye giving the softest of expressions. Excellent conformation and gave a confident performance on the move. A real showman in the making, presented in good coat and form. Liked him very much.

Terrier Puppy Group

PG1 – Silkcroft Just Like Magic – SCWT. See BPIS report.

PG2 – Balboa Sognadoro. Kerry Blue male of pleasing size and compact shape. Long head, dark eye full of devilment. Excellent high set ears. Excellent reach and arch of neck. Pleasing front. Excellent topline, short back and powerful rear. Colour typical for age and shows signs of clearing. Excellent tail set. Beautiful presentation. Moved with plenty of reach and drive. Most promising.

PG3 – Willsifox Playful Whisper. Loved this young Norwich male. Excellent substance and cobby shape. Good head, wide skull with some strength to muzzle. Excellent ribs. Moderate angles and well balanced. Excellent coat for texture and colour. Typical mover, absolutely sound in all directions.

PG4 – Glebeheath Marigold. Completed a quartet of excellent Terrier pups. Racy in outline with typical ‘otter’ head. Moderate all through holding a good topline, short loin and excellent tail set. Harsh coat. Another rising star for this clever breeder. Super mover, particularly from profile. Loved her and so deserving in the final placings.

Gundog Puppy Group.

PG1 – Dylsonleigh Titan For Pattilands. Strong, masculine yellow Labrador that topped this pleasing Group with a bit to spare. Excellent head, strength to skull and kind dark eye. Strong neck. Chest developing well. Firm topline Balanced angles front and rear. Strong bone and stands on compact feet. Thick tail, set and held well. Gave a good account of himself and I appreciated his functional length of leg. In good double coat. Easy mover and sound. Hope he has a great future as his bond with his handler was clear to see.

PG2 – Cafotaliena Play With Fire. Super young Irish Setter. Lovely outline and eye-catching on the stack. Pleasing head shape, correct eye and melting expression. Excellent front angles with complementary rear. Slightly sloping topline, held well at all times. Impressive from profile on the move, just needs to tighten a smidge coming towards. Lovely coat for colour and presentation. Great temperament.

PG3 – Fioralba Lets Go Round Again With Bessalone. Feminine but substantial Italian Spinone female. Pleasing outline with good depth of chest and strong bone. Loved her head, eye and soft typical expression. Displayed breed typical topline. Super body and ribs. Good rear. Lovely coat, harsh and functional. Good profile movement, covering the ground well.

PG4 – Empyreal Desert Tempest At Glenmaurangi. Gordon Setter. One of my favourite breeds in the Group and this delightful baby has so much potential. Still quite raw, understandably for her tender age, but has the shape, conformation and movement to take her to the top. I am sure she will follow in the illustrious steps of her older kennel mates. Sympathetically handled.

Working Puppy Group.

PG1 – Amazon Until I Found Her. Black/rust Dobermann female of just 6 months. One of the youngest in this Group but already so composed and learning the job in hand. Beautiful outline. Shapely and already very balanced all through. Excellent length of head with correct parallel planes. Good eye shape. Well set-on ears. Good reach of neck leading to a well laid shoulder and return of upperarm. Excellent topline, Short loins. Well angled rear but not exaggerated in anyway. Moved as her conformation dictated, sound and true. Topped a quartet of lovely babies here.

PG2 – Philoma Houdini. Ultra smart Gt. Schnauzer male. Pleasing for shape. Typical head with dark, expressive eye and excellent ear set. Well muscled all through, especially for one so young. Good angles. Compact body and firm topline. Typical coat for age with pleasing furnishings. Moved out well and handled to best advantage.

PG3 – Ivar From The Dogsfarm. Super Bouvier male. Young with some way to go with regards to maturity but no denying his absolute quality. Head of good shape with complimentary muzzle. Strong neck of medium length. Chest developing well. Good front angulation. Excellent topline. Strong quarters. Correct tail set. Lovely puppy coat, beautifully presented but not over stylised. Once settled into his stride, showed typical gait. A really lovely pup that I could have easily sneaked home!

PG4 – Winter Melody I’ll Just Sit And Look Cute At Pelen. Aptly named Sib. Husky female. She maybe cute but has function to her shape and outlook. Excellent foxy head with super eye and expression. Medium neck. Moderate angles. Moved soundly around the ring with a lightness of stride and a well carried tail. Excellent double coat, well prepared.

Utility Puppy Group

PG1 – Afterglow Voltaire. Standard Poodle. – See RBPIS report.

PG2 – Sophspot Whirlwind. Dalmatian female that secured this place on her excellent side gait and a real polished performance. Really scopey on the move. Pleasing in head. Lovely neck. Balanced angulation holding her topline at all times. Firm body and well muscled. Correct tail set and carriage. Such a showgirl and I can see this team going on to great things and will always be difficult to overlook. Lovely!

PG3 – Overhills Telekinesis. Another heart stealer and another I could easily make house room for! Beautiful head, feminine and shapely topped off with excellent eye and ear shape, size and set. Medium neck, used to full advantage. Quality bone. Excellent front and rear, Very much a baby and still needs to tighten fully which will come with maturity but she couldn’t be denied her place here. Immaculate coat and beautifully handled. Impressive both on the stack and on the move.

PG4 – Deelayne Spellbinder. A glamourous Lhasa Apso male that catches the eye with his super outline. Excellent to go over on the table. Typical head and expression. Good neck. Strong bone. Super body under the coat. Holds his topline well at all times. Jaunty mover carrying his tail well. Another exhibit immaculately turned out.

Hound Puppy Group.

PG1 – Cherubim’s Royal Talismann. 8 month old Whippet male. Very together for his tender age and pleasing size. Super head and eye. Good length and arch of neck leading to a moderate front. Quality bone and feet. Correct topline. Firm loins. Excellent rear. Moved true in all directions, could perhaps extend a touch more in front but overall made a worthy winner of this pleasing Group of pups.

PG2 – Bazinga Prime Time V Star K. Stunning Pharoh Hound that chased the winner all the way. Beautiful outline, has strength but with a touch of elegance. Excellent head. Well set ears of correct size and shape. Reachy neck. Moderate angulation. Holds his outline well. Just needs a fraction more time to fill his frame. Really covered the ground on the move. Impressive.

PG3 – Revenite Sergeant Wilson For Rangali. BFDB. An excellent representative of the breed and looking great in this company. Ideal head and body proportions. Excellent body with correct coat for colour and texture. Excellent tail set and carriage. Super mover, particularly from the rear, driving well from sound hocks. Well handled.

PG4 – Soletrader Sybil Fawlty. Another star in the making from this successful kennel. Feminine but with substance and bone to compliment her frame. Well proportioned head, good ear set of pleasing set and length. Medium neck. Balanced angles. Sound on the move. Still to mature fully but promises to finish well.

Pastoral Puppy Group

PG1 – Edglonian Norma Jean. Gorgeous Sheltie female of great appeal. Loved her balanced head with well placed stop and excellent eye. Uses her well-placed ears to full advantage. Excellent outline. Good reach of neck. Pleasing angulation. Just needs to fill in front a touch which should come with maturity. Moved with an easy stride, plenty of reach and drive and a low carried tail. Beautiful coat presented to the minute. A worthy winner.

PG2- Nikonis Smigle. GSD female just approaching a year. Loved her height to length proportions. Excellent head, shows length, strength and good proportions. Excellent ear set, size and carriage. Excellent front angles, good length and lay of shoulder with corresponding upperarm. Excellent body condition. Good rear angles. Sound hocks. Plenty of reach in front and covers the ground from profile with a scopey stride.

PG3 – Domburg Just Love Me At Cashele. Ultra feminine Terv female. Compact outline. Quality head, almond, dark eye give a typical expression. Moderate all through with balanced angulation front and rear. Typical brisk action. Beautiful double coat of even colour.

PG4 – Malandex Xciting Legacy. Very much a baby, a promising male Beardie of ideal proportions. Excellent head. Moderate neck and sound conformation. Very balanced for his age. Excellent puppy coat. Easy mover, sound and couldn’t be left out of the final placings. Think he should have a promising future.

Darren Clarke (Judge)