Manchester Dog Show Society

Manchester Championship Dog Show.

16th January 2026.

American Cocker Spaniels.

Having judged the breed at open shows for nearly 15 years, I was a delighted to finally assess so many of these wonderful spaniels all at once. It is not remotely lost on me the hard work and effort it takes to keep a coated breed in such good condition, particularly, at this time of year in the UK. So, my thanks for all those that entered today and braved a UK winter and an early morning start.

There was some early promise in the younger classes with bodes well for the future, both Open Classes were quality classes, and the higher awards could have easily changes places on a different day.

Heads were mixed and proved a challenge, some lacked refinement and chiselling, some plainer than others; movement too was mixed with some handlers determined to move at a pace that was not helpful to the exhibit and on occasions some exhibits not moving with the pose and style they’d showed on the stack.

My principal winners were:

BEST OF BREED : 3542 MANSER, Mrs Amy & NELSON, Mrs Lisa Sh Ch Nujax Happy Halloween

Dog CC : 3542 MANSER, Mrs Amy & NELSON, Mrs Lisa Sh Ch Nujax Happy Halloween

Res Dog CC : 3531 IZZO, Miss Giada Int Ch It Swed Fin Croat Ch Over The Moonlight Tu

Bitch CC : 3544 NELSON, Mrs L & BRYANT, Mrs B Sh Ch Nasailleen Ella Vaday

Res Bitch CC : 3532 IZZO, Miss Giada & MASTROPIETRO, Giovanni Ch Over The Moonlight Anema E Core

Best Puppy : 3539 LE GOFF, Mme Justine American Boy Of Loving Star.

Regrettably there were no special beginners or veterans.

Special Beginners Dog (0).

Minor Puppy Dog (1).

1. LANGTON, Mrs Yvonne & MORRIS, Mrs Victoria Tricajon Oreo Cream At Jennobar 8-month-old chap, up on leg, with a good amount of bone, plenty long enough, excellent width of rib and well bent stifles, strong teeth, good work in head for one so young, muzzle a touch long, moved freely if a little wide to the fore. Enjoying is day very much with demonstrable merriment.

Puppy Dog (2)

1. LE GOFF, Mme Justine American Boy Of Loving Star Appealed at first glance, classic in silhouette, lovely silky straight coat, sloping topline which is not over done, good in shoulders, clean head with chiselling still developing, well off for body but strong in loin, stifles well bent but not exaggerated. Just right for age, a promising future awaits.

2. BLACKBURN, Mrs Michelle Very Vigie Just For Giggles (Fin Imp) Slightly younger than 1, compact in body, and up at shoulder, lovely arch to neck into sloping shoulders, excellent in rib, just not quite the togetherness of 1 today, sadly, not showing himself to best advantage, but gave a good true and sound account on the move.

Junior Dog (1)

1. JENNINGS, Mr D K & BEDDING, Miss H Alibama That's My Boy Super smart male, who is most eye catching, of good size and just right for age, lovely coat ‘silky’ in texture, in head he is made with correct proportions and a slight roundedness to his skull, nothing overdone in his kind round eye. He has a maturity to him and a style and many would envy, one to watch. I suspect there is more to come from this one.

Postgraduate Dog (2)

1. IZZO, Miss Giada & SPADONI, Moira Over The Moonlight Mystic Myst Clean in head and outline, of good size, could perhaps have a little more substance but there is still time, well set ears and lots of chiselling to the head, well arched neck, super clean in topline, good ribs which extend just low enough to the elbow. Won on free and clean movement.

2. SUNTER, Mrs L & LOGAN, Ms Carol Kenoulas Big Spender A more robust spaniel, although not in correct very ‘serviceable’, would prefer a little more work in skull, but proportions were correct, longer than 1 in body but not incorrect, lovely easy merry temperament and showed well, moving away he is a touch close behind.

Limit Dog (2)

1. NIESSEN, Mrs Ann Little Life Zimply Champagne (imp Fin) Beautifully presented, a little longer in muzzle but good nostrils and chiselling, round eye well set in an almond rib, not the longest of necks but not incorrect either, good body albeit can appear a little long at times, very clean and easy on the move, covering the ground with seemingly little effort.

2. SUNTER, Mrs L & LOGAN, Ms Carol Kenoulas Big Spender as previous class.

Open Dog (4,1)

1. MANSER, Mrs Amy & NELSON, Mrs Lisa Sh Ch Nujax Happy Halloween Defines ‘serviceable’ for me, well that clean well chiselled head with just the right amount of shape to skull, neck long strong and powerful, in outline he super and unmistakable and I thought his body was almost to good to be true, needs to be handled to be appreciated, he oozed type but had style and substance and showed beautifully, he was immaculately presented. DCC and BOB and later shortlisted in the group.

2. IZZO, Miss Giada Int Ch It Swed Fin Croat Ch Over The Moonlight Tu Pushed 1 all the way, and much to like, superb proportions and lots of work in the skull, strong rear with clearly defined thighs, strong in hock, I just felt that 1 was a little cleaner on the move, although there is much to like and impress, moved very well indeed and covered the ground to much ease, I suspect he could have done with slightly more settled to get the best out of him. RDCC.

Veteran Dog (1,1).

Special Beginner Bitch (0)

Minor Puppy Bitch (1).

1. MADIGAN, Mr John & MADIGAN, Mrs Barbara Patricia Tricajon Coco Mademoiselle Sweet minor puppy bitch, with femineity to boot, loved her style and sass for one so young, has just dropped at the shoulder, which effected the overall outline, lovely straight silky coat emerging, short in loin and correct proportions. A pleasure to judge one so cheeky and merry.

Puppy Bitch (1).

1. JENNINGS, Mr D K & SLACK, Miss M Alibama Gossip Girl Lovely promising pup, full of merriment, really testing her handler today, being picking I would prefer more width to the thigh but otherwise I thought she has lovely promise, there was nothing overdone about her, her head appealed very much indeed, right amount of bone and in exemplary order. She would have been my best puppy but was a little too keen to be elsewhere, her time will come, I am sure. BPB.

Junior Bitch (2).

1. JENNINGS, Mr D K & BEDDING, Miss H Alibama She's A Peach Really lovely bitch, litter sister to the junior dog winner and what fun is come with these two, she has a femineity but substance and serviceableness that some liked, her head is clean with a correct eye and good dentition and energy and enthusiasm and gave me the image she could go all day, but I suspect is quite tiring to own.

2. DONALDSON, Miss C Cherdon Classic Really scores in head and expression and eye, in silhouette he doesn’t hold himself to best advantage and almost slightly roached his topline, which is a shame because underneath his profuse correct coat she is lovely to handle, didn’t quite have the fluidity of 1 on the move, which cost her a placing.

Post Graduate Bitch (2).

1. FRYER, Mrs Carole Dreamcast Elysium At Carolco Lovely young spritely girl, lovely to handle, doesn’t’ always stand herself to the best advantages, that said she is better to go over than she gives herself credit for, ribs wide and deep enough well bent stifles and good width of thigh and much to like in skull.

2. BEET, Miss Carly Jenrene's Hot Chocolate At Cutiepooch JwA Longer exhibit than some but so much femininity and a good coat, super temperament and showed very well, moved well, particularly coming and going good feet and bone, unlucky to meet 1 because in many respects she gave a good account of herself. She preferred the head on 1 today.

Limit Bitch (3).

A difficult class to judge with neither exhibit wholly cooperating in the move today.

1. CLAY, Mrs G Jaclee High Society Americlass More robust and mature than 2, I liked her head and expression and a straight silky coat, which was well presented, she is spot on for size, but she seems to fight her handler all the way. Not exaggerated but unmistakenly American, good sloping shoulders, not the longest of necks, but sufficient, wide in rib.

2. SWIGCISKI, Miss Sarah & BRYANT, Mrs B Nasailleen Edge Of Glory At Cosalta My class winner at first glance, I adored her, she was sound but just a bit too merry, she refused to move at pace without going over the top and I’d prefer a touch more condition on her to complete an otherwise classy performance. When it all comes together, I have no doubt that she will challenge the best.

Open Bitch (3)

I was splitting hairs with these two and thought that 2 would be my winner, however on the move she was a little lacking and low slung.

1. NELSON, Mrs L & BRYANT, Mrs B Sh Ch Nasailleen Ella Vaday Upstanding bitch with a super outline, her head was unmistakable and clean, and I could look at her all day, lovely round eye, good teeth and correct eyebrows and amount of stop. She epitomises the proportions one looks for, can roach a little on occasion but when she relaxes, she’s quite the picture. BCC.

2. IZZO, Miss Giada & MASTROPIETRO, Giovanni Ch Over The Moonlight Anema E Core I adored this bitch, so very feminine and a real class and style, so pretty and appealing in head, but on the move, she was lacking particularly on the individual inspection where she appeared a little lower to ground and not inclined to move with the style that others did, which I don’t believe that she is. Perhaps a little time to settle would have helped. Her coat in places was not as settled as 1, but the texture of the straight silkiness was a joy to handle. RBCC.

Veteran Bitch (0).

Judge; Jennifer Millard.