Irish Setter Club Of Wales Championship Show 8th September 2021 postponed from April 2020
I thank the committee not only for the invitation but for their determination in getting this show to go ahead. It was first scheduled for Aptil 2020 and after a few unofficial postponements due to COVID eventually went ahead 17 months later. Thank you for the hospitality on the day and my stewards for keeping the ring going as swiftly as was possible.
I felt totally spoilt to have such a fabulous entry in quantity and quality for my first time awarding challenge certificates to bitches. How lovely to be outside on grass but it was an extremely hot day with very little shade and many exhibits going from class to class competing at another breed club show at the other end of the building. Most of the dogs appeared to cope well with the heat, some handlers looked like they were struggling! Heads and expressions were difficult to assess in some when panting. There were a few hold ups waiting for exhibitors at the other show and during those times I allowed the dogs to leave the ring or seek any shade they needed and was also grateful to seek some shade myself at times.
All exhibits were shown in lovely condition, this time of year no one has an excuse for their exhibits to be in poor muscle tone and all of my highly placed winners were well toned and coat presentation first class. I was spoilt for choice in some classes and was splitting hairs with placings. I loved my line up and the CC, RCC and BP winners brought a lump to my throat when they did their lap of honour. I thought them very similar.
My co judge and I agreed for all joint awards, the beautiful dog Gwendariff Willy Wont He, in his prime was Best In Show. My beautiful bitch CC winner was Reserve Best In Show and also Best Veteran In Show and my best puppy bitch was awarded Best Puppy In Show.
MPB 4 (1) abs
Three very different puppies for my first class. All confident but at the level topline stage standing.
1 Hadfield’s Covarney Time After Time For Marzanne
Nearly 7 months. Not the head for me at the moment being a bit heavy and strong for a puppy but with plenty of time to change, they develop so much at this age that what you see today can be different in a weeks time. Otherwise everything in moderation. A well developed body with good forechest, length of neck, depth of chest, well ribbed back and tailset. Balanced angulations, would prefer more width to thighs but that will come with muscle developmemt and time. Dark coated. Typical puppy movement going up and down but in profile showed reach and drive.
2 Henderson & Szwajkowski’s Grenada Lofty Cwerwony TAF NAF
7 and a half months. Different type to 1st. Smaller boned all through. Finer, prettier head with low set ears. Lovely arched neck into well laid shoulders, not the forechest but good depth to chest, slightly longer in the loin. Would like more development in hindquarters and definition at the hocks. Moved well, covering the ground in profile showing a nice topline.
3 Stevenson’s Lochlorien Unforgotten
PB 8 (1) abs A nice class and the first three were all promising puppies.
1 Heather’s Sixoaks My Fair Lady BPB and in agreement with my co judge BPIS
9 and a half months. Loved this puppy. She is just right for her age. Pretty long lean head with correct eye shape, dark and with raised brows giving soft wistful expression. Balanced and elegant in body. Good bone, forehand and sweeping nicely angulated stifles, arched neck into good topline, tailset and carriage. Carrying just the right amount of weight. She has a lovely chestnut colour coat with slight wave. Moving steadily and soundly. Was feeling the heat in the challenge for BPIS but my co judge agreed for her to be BPIS over the very nice, but raw puppy dog who incidentally was a son of my CC winner.
2 Pallister’s Penwyn Keeping Faith
Nearly 12 months and slightly more mature.
Another pretty feminine head. Ears correctly set and folded. Moderate length and arched neck. Deep in the chest and straight front. Nice topline and tailset with well angulated hindquarters. Not so good in upper arm and not moving quite so steadily. Dark coat in lovely condition.
3 Jones Wenflarn Déjà vu
JB 12 (6) abs
1 Bott, Allen & Morgan’s Quensha Crimes Of Passion
Not a big one but rugged and racy with lovely bone. Everything is proportionate and she presents a really balanced outline. Rather plain in head at this stage, I hope a little more stop will come with time. Lovely reach of neck into sloping topline with tail straight off her back. Good width to thigh and definition at the hock. In profile moved with reach and drive with the most lovely lashing tail. She tends to rush but when asked to slow down she moved with such lovely animation just carrying herself perfectly. Up and down she tended to crab, probably as she wants to get a move on and needs to be held back. She moved much better with a different handler in the challenge. She appealed immensely and I could have taken her home.
2 Box’s Fernstart Hearts Delight
Another lovely junior. Different in type to first but I liked them both very much. Much more developed in body and coat. Everything in moderation. Prettier in head than 1st, showing nice stop and balanced in profile, Good neck into shoulders and topline. Good bone, front and depth to chest. Strong quarters but not quite so good over the croup or holding as good a topline on the move as 1st.
3 Heather’s Sixoaks My Fair Lady 1st puppy
YB 7 (0) abs First two in this class had the same sire as my junior winner.
1 Humphreys Riverbrue Flashbax At Henaleas
Very mature and substantial but with an eyecatching outline. Flows beautifully from head through arched neck and correct topline. Head is correct in profile with long low set ears. Her forehand is lovely with hind angulations to match. Wide across the quarters and good tailset, well developed in thighs with good definition at the hocks and hock to heel short and strong. In lovely dark, well presented coat. Moved OK in the class but flagging in the heat for the challenge.
2 Frampton & Piggin’s Riverbrue Cloudburst Over Strathmead
Litter sister who is just slightly less mature but has similar attributes. Beautifully arched neck and shoulders well placed into correct topline. Good in front but not the forehand of first. Head slightly more feminine but not the finish to foreface. Slightly longer in loin than 1 but has good tailset. Rich red colour and beautifully textured coat. Lovely bone and moved ok.
3 Sturrock’s Forfarian Tickles Yer Fancy
NB 11 (4) abs
1 Heather’s Sixoaks My Fair Lady Ist Puppy
2 Ixia Snow Vixen TAF
Nice size and balanced angulations on this pretty headed bitch. Nothing exaggerated at all and very feminine outlook. Lovely depth to chest, straight front and tight elbows, good feet and stands well up on her toes. Well ribbed back and nice underline. Moved soundly with enthusiasm. I just preferred the croup and hindquarters of first.
3 Hadfield’s Covarney Time After Time For Marzanne
GB 17 (3) abs
A large class numerically. I found seven of quality to have a second look at, however first was a clear winner of the class.
1 Muir’s Gwendariff’s Up To Somethin
A pretty head with chiselling showing. Dark eyes under raised brows. She is a beautiful shape, well angulated, lovely strength to her neck and the best of toplines, tailset and width across the hips. She has the best of bone and her thighs are wide showing strength to her hindquarters. Lovely definition at the hocks, all of this without exaggeration. She is in fabulous thick, dark coat and without hands on she looks a bit heavier and shorter in leg than she actually is which detracts from balance. Movement was sound and ground covering without charging around the ring at full speed. Good tail carriage.
2 Catling’s Quensha Family Portrait For Teleri
A surprise this one. I hadn’t been impressed from the ringside but she felt good to go over. Pretty head with correctly set on ears. Well muscled neck with sight arch continues into topline without a break, short tail well set on, moderate angulations, shows balance. Not quite the strength in hindquarters of 1st and needs slightly more definition at the hocks but she had to impress in this large class. Good bone and stands up on her toes on good feet. Moved well.
3 Swainston’s Glenvarna Santa Barbara JW
PGB 11 (2) abs
1 Sturrock’s Forfarian Soo Lush JW
Another unexaggerated bitch but racy and elegant. Thought her quite beautiful. Feminine head with lovely expression. Another with lovely reach of neck, not too long and thin like many these days which makes them look so unbalanced. She had enough front, well laid shoulders and gently sloping topline. Lovely over the croup and tailset, strong quarters, good bone, lovely feet and short hocks. Deep in chest and a lovely spring of rib which was carried well back. Really liked her even though she is still growing a coat after a litter earlier in the year. Sound driving stylish movement with lovely tail carriage. Her dam is a litter sister to my CC winner.
2 Heather’s Sixoaks Leading Lady
A different type of bitch to 1st but still lots to like. More of an old fashioned look. Another who is well made. Mature and well developed in body. Pretty in head but stronger than my ideal having a little more width between the ears, soft expression with long low set ears. Lovely in neck, topline and tailset, moderately angulated and good bone and feet. Longer in loin than 1st but not quite so good in thigh. Coat in dark gleaming condition. She moved soundly but could do with being moved at a slightly faster pace and to put in a bit more effort even though it was a hot day. She is the mother of my best puppy.
3 Rutherford and Judge’s Majestyka Indian Summer At Clonageera JW
LB 14 (2) abs
A super class. Hard to single out just 6 for further consideration. Some really nice bitches went cardless.
1 Ciechonska’s Gwendariff Smart Move Back To Aoibheanne
Racy, rugged, strength with beauty, a pretty head and the best of bodies. Her head was the best of the day. Perfect in profile and lovely raised brows, the right amount of stop and finish to foreface, depth of flew so neat and showing some chin. She is beautifully balanced and stands over a lot of ground when stacked. Right up on her toes and displaying a gorgeous shape. I don’t need to say what is good as she has it all. Enough coat for me, absolutely nothing to hide. She moved soundly keeping her topline with lovely footfalls in profile and another with a lashing tail I love. I was sure she would be my CC winner when she won this limit class with ease, however she was unlucky to meet the veteran winner on cracking form. What a lovely sight they made moving around the ring together at the end, so sad not to have a video of them.
2 Elkins Twoacres Promise Of Spring With Avacet
The lockdown did her good and she has matured into a lovely bitch. I love her size and balance. Pretty head with dark eyes, ears set on low, leading to good neck. Good in neck, front angulations and ribs carried well back but shorter in loin than 1st so not quite the elegance. Good topline and angulated hindquarters, short from hock to heel. oGoGMoving with precision, so sound but not the animation or drive of the winner.
Catling’s Teleri Indian Summer (AI) JW
OB 5 (2) abs
I always hope an open class will be full of quality. It only had three exhibits but all were from the top drawer. 3rd is a bitch I have seen looking stunning sometimes from the ringside but on this day being somewhat affected by the heat and not standing or moving to advantage. It left a hard decision between 1st and 2nd, quite different but both lovely examples of the breed. They gave me a headache but on the final run around I loved the lashing tail of the winner and when I turned to make my last look she looked stunning. These two together with my RCC winner on the day could easily be CC winners on another occasion.
1 Bott, Allen & Morgan’s Quensha Tumble and Twirl JW
Nice head with dark eyes under raised brows. Arched neck with good shoulders, upper arm, depth of chest and underline, the best croup and tailset. Lovely strength to her back end and short from hock to heel. Tail carried beautifully on the move, lashing with her driving ground covering movement, strong bone and lovely feet. I wasn’t keen on her as a youngster as I found her rather level in topline. She has improved a lot with age and developed better hindquarters, dropping into her stifles which has improved her overall outline and shape. Dark coat colour in gleaming condition. She is the dam of my lovely junior winner.
2 Stewart-Ritchie’s Gwendariff Come Fly With Me
Also held this one in high esteem and although we haven’t seen much of her before I have admired her on the odd occasion she has been shown. Having many of the same attributes as 1st but not so dark being rich red in colour and having more coat. Pretty and feminine in head which is beautiful in profile. Well developed in body and ribs carried well back to a strong loin. In hard condition and moving soundly.
3 Hall’s Sh Ch Riverbrue Ophelia At Glennara JW
VB 10 (4) abs1 Sturrock’s Sh Ch Forfarian Hey Sexy Lady JW CC and in agreement with my co judge RBIS and BVIS
The last bitch I went over in the entry and the same as when I awarded CCs to dogs it was a case of saving the best ‘til last. She screams femininity. What an absolutely gorgeous bitch she is. She has been a favourite of mine since a puppy and I was delighted that her show career has spanned such a number of years that I was able to assess her. At very nearly 9 years old she is mature in body having had a couple of litters but retaining a racy and elegant profile. Her head is devine, white eyelashes blinking in the sun, dark eyes under raised brows that made me melt. Perfectly balanced each time she stands and moves. Everything flows, my eyes and hands just glided over her. Belying her years and not affected by the heat one bit she went around the ring at perfect speed, her movement is sound, ground covering and she uses her tail to propel her all the way. A lovely colour and texture to her coat, it is not in abundance, she doesn’t need a huge coat, it would hide all her attributes. I was thrilled to award her the CC in a quality entry and especially since I was also in awe of the equally beautiful limit winner. It was a close call but the final run around the ring just clinched it for her with her effortless movement.
2 Catling’s Sh Ch Shandwick Love In A Mist For Teleri JW
Out of a larger mould than most that I placed today. Still showing balance and good angulations. Head long and lean and showing a good stop. Ears set on correctly and lovely neck into shoulders. Very deep chest, straight front, another with good topline and in lovely dark good condition coat. She is a lovely veteran and a worthy show champion. Moving well considering the heat. I do apologise for not calling her back in to compete for the RCC when the winner had been given the CC. I have always felt it rude when judges don’t do that but, on this occasion I was so clear in my mind who would receive the RCC I was loathed to call her back in with the weather being so very hot.
3 Box’s Bardonhill Afternoon D’Lite At Fernstart
This bitch threw away the second place. She is really lovely but was just enjoying herself far too much all of the time! She is a gorgeous type and I am delighted that since this show has gained a well deserved Show Champion title.
Judge Angela Roberts
