IRISH SETTER BREEDERS CLUB

6TH APRIL 2019

DOGS

My grateful thanks to the committee of the ISBC for the invitation to judge this well run show and to my stewards Cheryl and Adrienne who were first rate. My co-judge, Val Wade, and I were in total agreement for BIS etc. I had a fabulous day judging this wonderful breed and I would like to thank all the exhibitors for entering under me; you all took the best dog home.

MP (4, 1) 1. Longbottom & Stewart-Ritchie’s Gwendariff Smart Red Jacket. What a start to the day to find such an exciting prospect. This 8 mths baby is so very well made with superb balance, a strong outline and such confidence and style. His head is well proportioned with raised brows and exquisite chiselling. He is well angulated with a splendid forehand, excellent depth of chest rather narrow in front but not too narrow as to restrict his front. He has plenty of heart and lung room and I was very pleased with the strength and width of his loin. He has width behind with a good bend of stifle and his toes are well arched. He moves like a baby, all soft and rolly in body but his legs are very well coordinated and his footfall excellent with good forward reach. I had no hesitation in making him BPD and in the challenge for BP my co-judge and I felt he was more together than the bitch. BPIS.

2. Holehan’s Loganrish Lets Go Crazy. A nice puppy. Strongly boned, neat tight feet, balanced head and moves well with a lashing tail.

3. Hall’s Harreds Stanley. Taller and not quite as together as the others with more daylight underneath. He has bone and substance and a pleasing head.

P (6) 1. Williamson’s Bluesprings Picture This. Of good type with a pleasing head showing raised brows and a fairly square finish to muzzle. Straight front, well boned legs, could use more spring of rib and needs to settle on the move. Typical of a young Irish dog.

2. Davison’s Bardonhill You Don’t Fool Me. Slightly plainer in head than the winner but he has a lovely shaped eye. Decent angles, straight front but toes turn out just a tad, usually a growing thing, short coupled, tail well set on.

3. Murchison’s Kerryfair Please Please Me. Gave his handler a hard time but once she was on top of him he put in an acceptable performance and moved well.

J (4) 1. Edward’s Gwendariff Ucantmissme Bonhomie. He has an imposing outline with a good reach of neck and well laid shoulders. His topline slopes gently downwards from his withers and he is elegant and refined whilst maintaining masculinity. At 13 mths old he needs to develop a spring of rib and some width all through but this will come with maturity. I found his head rather plain and it needs to break but again at his age it is quite typical. He is a happy mover and drives from behind keeping a strong topline.

2. Swainston’s Glenvarna Monterey. He is a bit broader in skull than the winner but he has more chiselling. Elegant arched neck flows into clean shoulders, good width behind and uses his tail well. He is a lovely chestnut red colour.

3. Richardsons’ Gwendariff I’m Fool Proof. Not as refined in head as the others and a bit loose in movement. I would like better front angulation and he is rather shelly at present.

Y (9, 1) There were some nice dogs in this class making it a pleasure to judge and with Irish being a slow maturing breed they were at differing stages of development. 1. Rutherford, Judge & Crocker’s Riverbrue Galliano Fizz To Clonageera JW. Racy in outline with plenty of bone and substance. He has strength in neck and loin with depth of chest and well sprung ribs. His forehand is terrific. He has a very appealing head with low set ears and beautifully raised brows. He moves with drive and purpose carrying his head high and with a gently wagging tail. In the challenge he was so like my ticket winner, both standing and moving, that he had to take the Reserve CC; he is simply a less mature version of him.

2. Danks-Kemish’s Teleri Summertime Blues Avec Alolfrana (ai) JW. I like this boy for his racy, balanced and elegant appearance and I love the chiselling under his eyes and on his cheeks. He is well ribbed up and has wide quarters. His coat is in gleaming condition and has depth. Expertly handled.

3. Bott’s Bardonhill Pearly Spencer. Decent sort but doesn’t have the movement of the winners.

M (7, 4) 1. G. Monterey.

2. Harris’ Blazing Bronze Happy Clappy Sings Konakakela (Imp NLD). VHC in Puppy and more settled in this class. He has a balanced head and decent frame but needs to body up.

3. Shepherd’s Casachared Red Rory O’Connor. Cobby dog and proud of his tail on the move. His feet need trimming.

N (8, 2) 1. B. You Don’t Fool Me.

2. G. I’m Fool Proof

3. B.B. Happy Clappy Sings K.

UG (4, 1) 1. Hart’s Gwendariff In The Limelight With Gilliegrae JW Sh CM. Not a big one but there is no height standard; balance is what matters and he most certainly is that. His make and build are very good with an ample turn of stifle and he has an attractive head with a lovely eye shape and low set ears. This is an air scenting breed so I wish he would hold his head up on the move. His coat is very shiny and silky.

2. Savage’s Brabrook Masterpiece At Firefall. Rather coarse at the ears and tends to stand square as he doesn’t have the angulation of the winner. That said he has good sinewy bone, depth of chest and a nice expression.

3. Corless’ Swiftlark Second To None With Magembay. Was reserve in novice, doesn’t have the balance of the others and untidy behind.

Grad (13, 3) 1. Lorrimer’s Kerrimere Classique JW. This dog appeals greatly. He is built on clean lines with a flowing topline; there are no corners or lumps and bumps. He is clearly racy and proportionate with plenty of dog in front. His head is quite lovely with a dark hazel eye and I love how his raised brows move independently giving a kind and quizzical expression. Of all the dogs today, he showed best the demonstrably affectionate nature of the Irish Setter. Every time I went to him he wagged his tail with enthusiasm. Whilst he moves well, I felt that he didn’t hold his shape as well as the top winners.

2. Kniveton & Allen’s Quensha Starman Aboard Orestone. I found him very similar in shape to the winner with great front angulation and a wide bum. His head is handsome and his coat is a lovely colour, flat and shiny; if only he grew some feathering. Lovely mover.

3. Holley’s Wynjill Snapdragon. Doesn’t stand over as much ground as the winners however he is very good in body and has a gently sloping topline. Handsome head.

PG (16, 5) 1. Holley’s Wynjill Winner Takes All JW. This dog has a lovely eye and looked right into my soul. He is striking on the stack with good angulation and balance without being overdone. He has depth of chest and well sprung ribs, wide powerful quarters and uses his hocks to drive from behind.

2. Stockton’s Gwendariff D’ya Think I’m Fab For Kespas JW. Impressive boy with a strong outline and reachy neck. Handsome chiselled head fits cleanly into good neck and shoulders. Good forehand and well muscled quarters. Moves well.

3. Greenan’s Anlory Aidan JW. I liked this one. Well made and standing over plenty of ground with no exaggerations. He just didn’t carry the coat of the winners.

ML (5) 1. Gracie’s Vistador Diesel In The Dust Summergate. He has rather too much flew for my preference and a rather pronounced stop but his skull shape is good with low set ears. He has plenty of bone and substance, depth of chest and spring of rib. His neck is strong and fits cleanly into his shoulders. Strong mover but tends to pick up somewhat in front.

2. Heppell’s Deevonville Santana Sh CM. Broader in skull than the winner and he lacks arch to his neck but it fits cleanly into his well laid shoulders. Straight front, strong back and loin, wide thighs and well developed second thighs. Moved with a good tail action.

3. Tupper’s Staratlanta Elliott Sh CM. A little heavy in head for me but in good coat and condition.

L (7, 2) 1. Danks-Kemish’s Alolfrana Hotter Than U’know. Of good type with a racy outline and good angulation. Has good chiselling to his head, is clean in back skull but I found his eye a little on the round side. He has depth of chest and a pronounced prosternum, is well ribbed back and short and strong in loin. He is all male with a strong topline and moderate sweep of stifle. A bit untidy in front movement but has good drive from behind.

2. Edwards’ Gwendariff PS I Love You Bonhomie JW. Tall dog with a lovely head and expression but to be picky I would like just a little less reach of neck. He has well laid shoulders and good return of upper arm. He is very good over the croup and presented and handled to perfection. Moves well but closer behind than the winner.

3. Jarvis’ Lowerdon Toby Larone. A better dog to go over than he looks from the ringside; he is sound and substantially made with good prosternum and depth.

O (5) A class of 5 Show Champions all very worthy of their titles. 1. Stockton’s Riverbrue Alchemist Amidst Kespas JW. This boy is just lovely on the stack; he exudes quality and is so very well balanced. He certainly gives the impression of speed without loss of substance and there is nothing exaggerated about him. His head is well balanced with low set ears giving the correct skull shape of oval from ear to ear and his muzzle is moderately deep with a fairly square finish. He has a kind dark hazel eye of correct shape under nicely raised brows. His neck is well muscled with a classic slight arch and it fits very cleanly into his well laid shoulders. The length and return of his upper arms place his front legs well under his body. He is well off for bone with clearly visible sinew and stands on small, firm feet. He has plenty of heart and lung room, is well ribbed back and has a strong, muscular loin. Looking at him from behind he has a beautiful flare over his hips and his stifles are well bent with well developed second thighs. His tail is set on just below the level of his back and enhances his clean flowing lines. His coat is of good colour and texture and the amount of feathering just right. Impressive as he is standing, I am even more impressed that he keeps his shape perfectly on the move. He has a long easy stride and moves with his head held high as if to scent the air. He covers a lot of ground with minimum number of steps. CC and RBIS.

2. Longbottom & Stewart-Ritchie’s Gwendariff Unknown Soldier JW. Another quality dog who impresses with his balance and shape having a gently sloping topline and a nice big bum. He has beautiful chiselling below his eyes and a soft gentle expression. I preferred the skull shape of the winner and felt he could have carried a tad more weight. He moves well but doesn’t use his hocks as well as the winner. Beautifully presented.

3. Rowbottom’s Lanstara Spring Moon. A very well made dog with plenty of depth and a good spring of rib. There is nothing flashy about him, he is pleasing in shape and has a handsome head with kind eye.

V (2, 2)

SV (2) 1. Wood’s Reddins Falcon Sh CM. At 10 years old this grand chap had one of the best heads of the day. It is beautifully proportioned and well moulded with soft expressive eyes under quizzically raised brows; his soft greying colour only moves to enhance it. He is a nice size and shape and moves well.

2. Axon’s Brinara Back In The Running. A lovely boy who is finer and leaner in head than the winner. Taller and with more daylight underneath he moves with purpose and drive and carries his tail well.

SB (15) 1. Savage’s Gwendariff The Ringmaster At Firefall. Good type in lovely coat and condition but carrying too much weight. Moves well enough.

2. Hoskins’ Sandstream Just A Breeze With Ralphski. Reserve in PG and not disgraced there. His head is balanced with chiselling and his ears set low to give a lovely shape to his skull. He is well off for bone and carries his ribs well back.

3. Corless’ Swiftlark First Knight. Good depth of brisket and gently sloping topline. Nice head.

Christine Morgan