THE LADIES KENNEL ASSOCIATION

Judges Critiques

Mrs P BLAY

Judging: Gundog Group, Spaniel (Irish Water)

Irish Water Spaniels 

I first judged the breed at Gundog Society of Wales in 1986 with 2 classes and 3 dogs present! Eventually being passed to give CCs in 1999 at City of Birmingham & have been lucky to have judged them at Crufts too - so it was a fairly long apprenticeship, but I feel that is how it should be. Fast forward 40 years to today, because it was worth it as it is a breed I have always admired & today I was thrilled to see both Nick and Liz Waters at the ringside to watch, two people who I have always admired for their type & they have always been an inspiration to me.  Also to see that my BOB was bred by another doyen of the breed, in Pepe Barrington. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with the exhibitors & only sad that we couldn't be in the ring earlier for you. But thank you for coming, it looks as if the breed is in a good position & that the exhibitors are there to help one another. 

PD (3) 1 Yearsley's Cairtella A Darker Truth, what a lovely class to start with, all with potential & a joy to judge. This balanced boy is full of quality & just right for age, he is not overlarge & still obviously needs to finish but a good type with a good coat which is just right for age, lovely head & expression, moved as a baby but showing such promise, lovely topline & a well set tail, well boned legs & feet, coat just right for age & development. Pleased to give him the class & BPD, a well bred boy who I look forward to seeing when he is finished; 2 Hempstead's Cuvana Red Streak, very close up & has just come up on his legs & now just needs to drop into his body but he has plenty of time, this is a slow maturing breed & you don't want them as puppies fully mature. He is again a good type who is balanced with a lovely head & expression from a good eye & nice pigmentation, enough neck & a good topline & tailset, good depth of chest for age but still has time to fully development for he is short backed with a good hindquarter, moved well using his well made shoulders & strong hindquarters to advantage; 3 Foody's Curlyco Sirius at Cairteila (imp Fin). JD (1) 1 Bradley's Nyllaup Oregon Sunstone, what an exciting prospect, although alone in the class, there is no mistaking his quality & type, put down in excellent coat & condition, his ringlets & colour was just right, beautiful head & expression with the correct eye shape & colour for one so young, correct length of neck into well made shoulders, strong topline with a good ribcage & short strong loin, good set of tail of the correct length & covering, well made & muscled hindquarters, when he moved he just came alive & covered the ground with ease, style & purpose, thrilled to have had a chance to meet him again & to see his progress. Could not deny him the RCC, & his dam took the BCC, how lucky is the owner to have two such lovely examples of the breed. PGD (0) LD (1,1 abs) OD (4,2 abs) 1 Latheron & Trenchard's Sh Ch Fynder Reacher ShCEx, another that I have seen before recently & I haven't changed my opinion of this very typical male from the old lines that really appealed, he is now fully matured & well coated with excellent presentation of the correct ringlets that the breed should have. Masculine head & expression, correct neck & strong topline, he is balanced with a good barrel ribcage leading to a strong loin, well set & carried tail & well muscled hindquarters, when he moved he covered the ground with ease & determination with a good head carriage, today he just shone, he took the DCC & BOB in a strong battle to win through, this quality dog is still young, so I am sure we will see more of him; 2 Duckmanton's Sh Ch Cuboglach Sandy Wave, preferred the coat texture of 1 on the day, this masculine dog was slightly out of coat at present but he showed good balance & a masculine outlook both stood up & moving out, covering the ground with purpose on well muscled legs, good head & expression with the correct eye shape & colour, enough neck & a good topline, nice type who showed well. GCD (1) 1 Green's Brown Snout, this typical dog who is on the top size but he is balanced & he moved well, despite being alone, he deserved his win for he has a very masculine outlook with a lovely head & expression, well set ears & a good coat with the correct texture & length. SBD (0) VD/B (2)1 Hempstead's Ch Riverforest Irish Eider at Cuvana, this 10 year old is a lovely type & a worthy champion, despite her age she is an excellent mover on well boned legs & feet, put down in excellent coat & condition, excellent feminine head & expression, with a good eye of a nice colour, good topline & tailset, excellent barrel ribcage leading to a strong loin & good hindquarters, so very feminine in outlook & BV in strong company;
2 Weaving's Ir Sh Ch Kandalin Golden Storm CW23, this dog is very masculine, no mistaking his sex, still in lovely coat & condition for his 8 years, masculine head & expression, good neck & topline, a bit loose behind on the move going away today but looked fine in profile with good head carriage & holding his topline, BVD. 
PB (2) 1 Hempstead's Cuvana Gilliflower, litter sister to 2 in PD & just right for age, she is very promising for just 6 months & she moved well despite her age looking particularly good in profile covering the ground with ease, with a good head carriage & holding her topline as she powered round the ring. Lovely head & expression, very typical & balanced, with a good neck & forequarters, good hindquarters & put down in  good coat which was just right for age, she has lots of potential & I look forward to following her progress. BPB & BP; 2 Roberts' Curlyco Cosmic Girl (Imp Fin), another 6 months old youngster who just needs time to fulfill her early promise, this beautifully bred bitch has much potential, just needs to gain confidence now for she has a good correct coat of the correct colour & curl, pretty head & expression, she is balanced & when she settled she moved well & enjoyed herself. Have patience, for she is worth it. JB (1) 1 Stirk's Nyllaup Akoya Pearl for Grakar JW, beautiful bitch of an excellent type, she is balanced & cannot stand wrong even if she tried! Litter sister to the RDCC another daughter of the BCC too! Same fabulous type that should be aspired to, they really remind me of some of the greats from the past. Although still young, she has an excellent coat which was well presented & of the correct texture, such a feminine head & expression, excellent neck & shoulder placement, good topline & a lovely ribcage & length of leg, when she moves it is so very typical with a lovely head carriage, she is quality & one for the top in the very near future. PGB (4,2)1 Stoddart's Camridgcurl Aileen Fox, a balanced bitch who was put down in excellent coat & condition, coat was of the correct texture & presentation, moved well on well boned legs & feet, good profile outline with a good head carriage, strong topline & a barrel ribcage leading to a strong loin, good forechest & correct hindquarters, a nice type; 2 Foody's Cairteila Look At Me Now, not a bad looking dog but she needs to strengthen her topline on the move & set up, feminine head & expression, correctly set ears with good coat covering them, correct neck, well boned legs & feet, good ribcage & loin,  she just needs time to finish & tighten up after all, she is only just 2 so time is on her side. LB (1) 1 Hardy's Cuboglach Tufted Skipper, sired by the BOB & very typical & nicely made, slightly longer coupled & looser on the move, needs to tighten up. Feminine in outlook with such a good head of nice proportions, good eye of a nice colour & shape, good length of muzzle, enough neck & topline & tailset OK. Alone here but when she moved she covered the ground with ease, in good coat of the correct texture & colour which was well presented, showed well. OB (5,1) 1 Bradley's Sh Ch Stanegate Stage Debut (ai) ShCEx,  cracking class of four lovely, typical girls! 1 is a classic bitch from the top drawer, judged her earlier in the year & was thrilled with her then & haven't changed my opinion, she is great, so very typical with a beautiful head & expression, excellent neck & shoulders, strong topline, barrel ribcage & strong loin joined to an excellent well muscled hindquarter, when she moved she powered round the ring with style & purpose, her  correctly textured coat was put down to the minute. So pleased to give her the CC. Thrilled to have seen her & the DCC move round the ring, looking so typical & correct; 2 Stirk's Sh Ch Stanegate Hey It's Bianca JW ShCEx OSW, wicked girl who had the devil in her today, so very feminine, lovely type with such a beautiful head & expression, when she settled on the move she moved well but she really gave her poor handler a hard time, so well done on keeping her four feet on the ground! She has a lovely coat which was beautifully presented, she is well constructed with an excellent topline & tailset, good ribcage & loin. Settled well later to win the RCC; 3 Weaving's Ir Sh Ch Stanegate Cast A Spell. GCB (3)1 Aileen Fox; 2 Hempstead's Scrumpy Dabinett @ Cuvana, dam of BP & by the same sire, similar in type to 1 & of course to this owner's other dogs, now I can see why, feminine head & expression, good neck & shoulders, put down in excellent coat & condition, moved well on well boned legs & feet, thank you for bringing your team, I enjoyed judging them; 3 Douglas' Daffydown Dilly. SBB (0). 

PAM BLAY