Dogs

As President of the club I was honoured to be invited to judge dogs at the 50^th Anniversary Championship Show. We were blessed with ideal weather which allowed the dogs to be judged where they show to their best – outdoors on grass. Congratulations to the Committee for all the thought and effort which they had obviously put in to make this anniversary show so special; I particularly enjoyed the photo montage of all the Best of Breed winners over the last 50 years, and I was particularly delighted to see the photo my wife Greta showing Johnny, Sh Ch Autumnglow Masquerade, winning BOB in 1994.

Having attended the very first show in 1972 and every one since it is interesting to reflect on the way certain aspects of the Irish Setter have changed over the period. I was pleased to see that in general head shape has returned to nearer the breed standard description rather than the tendency towards large and broader heavy heads which came with the boom in numbers being bred in the period following the decade of successes at Crufts. Eye shape and colour is now more consistent with far fewer harsh expressions or round and light coloured eyes. Bites are also much improved with no sign of irregular or undershot jaws which used to occur. Coats also are of good overall quality with the previously frequent appearance of too much curl being absent. On the downside I found that feet were generally very loose with splayed toes and lacking in arch and compactness, and many tails are still carried well above the topline when the dog is moving, and often not being used to advantage. In several dogs there was no sternum showing in front of the forelegs adding to the appearance of uprightness at the shoulder and breaking the flow of the topline from the neck.

I fully support the scheduling of a Special Vintage Veteran class for dogs of 10 years and over; for an active breed like Irish Setters the standard definition of 7 years seems much too young to be called veterans.

Minor Puppy Dog 5

1^st . Macaulay’s Harreds Lachlan Of Stylersetts NAF, just coming up to 9 months old, good head with correct eye shape and good ear placement set into well laid shoulders, sound overall conformation and moved well once settled.

2^nd . Stewart & Dewar’s Gwendariff Willy Winnit, very pleasing puppy at just 6 months old and still very raw but all the right elements are there to develop into a promising adult, good head and shoulders and really good movement.

3^rd . Wheeldon & Begg’s Sumaric Stir It Up

Puppy Dog 6 (2)

1^st . Bott’s Bardonhill Carry On Dick, just 9 months old, very soundly constructed dog with a good head shape with clean stop and correct foreface and a strong slightly arched neck set into well laid shoulders with good firm feet, not over exaggerated and a very steady mover.

2^nd. Tuite’s Porschet Out And About, 11 months old, of much lighter structure than the winner and needing time to fill out, has a lovely head and pleasing topline.

3^rd . Stewart & Dewar’s Gwendariff Willy Winnit

Junior Dog 5 (1)

1^st. Gratton & Gratton’s Glenlaine Moonstone, well developed 17 month old who won a class of mixed quality easily, nice head, good shoulders and general structure which showed when moving with a steadily held topline and correct tail carriage and use.

2^nd. Greenan & Hopewell’s Lochlorien No Offence Juleset, just into junior classification and clearly not yet as developed as the class winner, strong build reflected in his head which at present needs his body to catch up to balance his overall appearance, not quite as good in stifle and carried tail high when moving.

3^rd . Corless’s Swiftlark Invincible

Yearling Dog 2 (1)

1^st . Bayne’s Corranroo Celtic Storm, good head shape with good stop and expression, well laid shoulders, sound in body, at present appearing slightly long in loin but this will alter with further development, nice turn of stifle and moved well.

Maiden Dog 2

1^st . Greenan & Hopewell’s Lochlorien No Offence Juleset, repeat.

2^nd . Savage & Richards’s Sixoakes A Star Is Born, just did not settle so not able to get hands on, standing he appeared to be well constructed with a pleasing outline.

Novice Dog 2

1^st. Gratton & Gratton’s Glenlaine Moonstone, repeat.

2^nd. Greenan & Hopewell’s Lochlorien No Offence Juleset, repeat.

Undergraduate Dog 3 (1)

1^st . Dufrat’s Riverbrue Cast No Shadow On Haverley, has a handsome head with correct eye shape and ear placement creating a lovely profile, strong neck let into shoulders which would be improved if just a little more lay back was evident, this also contributes to giving the appearance of being a little long in loin, excellent set in stifles and held shape very well when moving, good coat condition.

2^nd . Corless’s Swiftlark Invincible, young dog still in the development stage and needing to fill out in body, at present seems to stand too tall for his structure making him appear high on legs and also straightening his stifles, this should all get better with age.

Graduate Dog 11 (5)

1^st . Brown’s Riverbrue Soldier On, a nicely compact well balanced dog with a pleasing head, correct eye shape and foreface, strong neck and good ribs and loin length, correct unexaggerated stifles and moved well, coat a little off peak condition.

2^nd . Cohen’s Lynwood Merry May King With Shushana, very close up to the winner who won on accuracy of movement, a well put together dog, good head shape and well laid shoulders leading into a nicely proportioned strong and correct body, good stifles.

3^rd . Richardson’s Bluesprings Now I’m Here At Forestfire

Post Graduate Dog 11 (1)

1^st . Gratton & Bott’s Bardonhill Don’t Stop Me Now, really liked this dog, head excellent and not overdone or too heavy, nice length and arch of neck into well laid shoulders, good shape and depth of body and compact loin with nice turn of stifle set on compact arched feet, held shape really well when moving. I gave him a careful second look when deciding the main awards.

2^nd . Crocker & Lewis’s Riverbrue Wonderwall At Hernwood, a very smart dog with a good compact overall shape, correct pleasing head, just a little higher at the shoulder that winner which interrupted the flowing line, but very good body and stifles, he moved very smartly but with his tail carried a little too high.

3^rd . Milligan-Bott & Bott’s Thendara Tiger Dance

Mid Limit Dog 6 (3)

1^st . Glastonbury’s Brabrook Nutcracker JW, well proportioned and shaped head, a little upright at the shoulder which detracts from the flow of the neck and topline, but overall body construction is good with a correct slight arch over the loin, stifles appeared a little tense when first moved but relaxed to good advantage the second time and went well.

2^nd . Willis’s Gwendariff The Grand Master At Jacwilins, well shaped head set on a neck which looked a little too swan like, would have liked more lay back in shoulders, ribs and body good and nicely turned stifles.

3^rd . Gardner’s Quensha Walk Me Home To Danwish

Limit Dog 7 (1)

1^st . Lorrimer’s Kerrimere Classique, a beautifully proportioned dog very well presented, typical Irish Setter head with a clear stop not overdone and good foreface without snipeyness, well muscled neck of moderate length flowing into well laid shoulders and gently sloping topline, strong loins, sound movement with correct tail carriage.

2^nd . Russell’s Lynwood Hocus Pocus At Settesoli JW, another very good dog, in many ways similar to the winner but slightly longer in neck which tends to break the appearance of flowing smoothly into the shoulders, very pleasing head and well constructed body and strong in stifle, moved well.

3^rd . Greenan’s Anlory Aidan JW

Open Dog 6 (1)

1^st . Stockton’s Sh Ch Riverbrue Alchemist Amidst Kespas JW, a really good example of a male Irish Setter in his prime, a beautifully proportioned head with good eye colour and shape, a clear stop with raised brows and a strong foreface without throatiness, good low ear placement falling nicely against a muscular arched neck of moderate length which is set into well laid back shoulders carried on a strong straight front, really strong body with good ribcage with plenty of depth and a strong not overlong loin, nicely bent stifles with good square hindquarters when viewed from behind, coat in good condition, well furnished and shining in the sunshine, moved very soundly and was straight front and rear and holding topline, had an air of being proud of himself and justifiably so. CC and BOB, which was quickly agreed by my fellow judge.

2^nd . Edwards’s Sh Ch Gwendariff Ucan’tmissme Bonhomie, another very good dog who earned his place in a class of consistent high quality and at just 4 years old has time on his side, very attractive head with good eye shape and expression but not quite the accuracy in the parallels of front and rear portions when viewed in profile as displayed by the winner, good neck and shoulders and straight front but not so strong in sternum as the winner, correct body shape and length in proportion to his body size, nicely turned stifles and moved nicely maintaining his topline steady, very happy to award him Res DCC.

3^rd . Drinkwater’s Brabrook Whispered

Veteran Dog 6 (1)

1^st . Edwards’s Gwendariff PS I Love You At Bonhomie JW, a veteran by definition at 7^1/2 years old but not showing any signs of ageing, very handsome head with a pleasing expression, strong neck set into shoulders which ideally would be set back a little more to complete the overall picture, good strong body with good ribcage and flowing nicely over loins to well turned stifles, moved well.

2^nd . Milligan-Bott & Bott’s Sh Ch Thendara Commitment JW, a very close decision and could have picked either dog, good head with a touch less in foreface that the winner, good strong neck and correct front, sound overall body conformation and good stifles, held his topline very well when moving.

3^rd . Corless’s Swiftlark First Knight

Special Vintage Veteran 10 Years and Over Dog 6

1^st . Rorke’s Zakhan On The Grid, at 10^1/2 years old still in good condition for showing with very little trace of ageing, nicely proportioned head and good ear placement, strong neck and excellent set of shoulders, sound body and stifles, and moved steadily, just lacking a little in coat quality on the day.

2^nd . Tuite’s Sh Ch Riverwood Kazatchok With Porschet JW BEL lMP, similar in age to the class winner, attractive head with a good stop, slightly more upright at shoulder, good body shape but falling away slightly over loin and tail set, strong stifles and moved really well.

3^rd . Heppell’s DeevonvilleSantana Sh CM

Special Beginners Dog 1

1^st . Corless’s Swiftlark Invincible, repeat.

Many thanks to my excellent ring stewards, Cheryl Stevenson and Paddy Catling. I really appreciated the excellent job they did in keeping things running so efficiently and unobtrusively.

Brian Ross