National Gundog Bitches

It was a lovely show for my first appointment – beautiful venue, well-organised show and excellent stewards. I would like to thank the exhibitors for providing me with a quality entry – so many lovely bitches. I was pleased to find movement better than I had expected. I was, however, disappointed to find too many plain heads lacking expression. I was also surprised to find so many teeth needing scaling and cleaning.

SVB (3, 1a): Two lovely bitches but very different giving me a hard decision immediately.

1. Ch Grayrigge Fionnuala. Pollard. A racy elegant bitch. Lovely neck and topline. Wide quarters which she used well moving. Best Veteran.

2. Sh Ch Dunnygask Allegra. Davie. A sound unexaggerated bitch with pretty well-chiselled head and kind eye. Balanced overall with good shoulders and quarters. Sound mover.

MPB (10, 3a): 1. Kirkavagh Nikellora avec Jacwilins. Willis. A striking youngster with an excellent body. Lovely arched neck leading smoothly into well-laid shoulders Good ribs and forechest, straight front. Well-boned; tight feet. Not the definition in head that I would like but I hope it will come. Moved well.

2. Lochfrae Tommy Girl. Davie. Very much a baby with a pretty head and sweet expression. Good ribs, good angulation in quarters. Moved nicely.

3. Lochfrae Issey Mayake. Borthwick.

PB (12, 2a,1w): 1. Anlory Bmibaby Bardonhill. Bott. Quite immature but showing lots of potential. Delightful well-chiselled head with a sweet, mischievous expression. Well-boned. Straight front. Good ribcage. Well-angulated quarters with good width of thigh. Super colour and quality of coat. Moved well and very happily using her tail to advantage. Best Puppy.

2. Braidmount Geisha Girl. Hunter & Brown. A more mature youngster of nice type. Nice head with raised brow and low earset. Lovely neck into well-laid shoulders. Good length and angulation in upper arm. Good body, well-angulated quarters. Reasonable movement.

3. K. Nikellora avec J.

JB (15, 2a): 1. Karidell Endless Kiss JW. Limpus. A lovely youngster, nice size and balanced throughout. Pretty head with plenty of work in it. Raised brow and expressive eyes. Good front with plenty of forechest, good spring and depth of ribs and good width of quarters. Gently sloping topline. Moved with drive.

2. Glennara Fleur de Mai. Hall. Well-made, elegant girl of good type. Attractive head with raised brow and dark eye. Well-arched neck leading smoothly into gently sloping topline. Good quarters with well let down hocks. Moved well.

3. Ranaleen Scarlet Ribbon. Pollard & Cook.

SYB (11, 2a): 1. Cullmadons Caress JW. McCulloch. A most attractive young bitch with a thick dark coat in super condition. Pretty head with plenty of work in it. Straight front. Neat tight feet. Plenty of bone. Good forechest. Good angulation in upper arm and shoulder complemented by good angulation and width in quarters. Strong well-arched loin. Moved well.

2. Morchale Skyeburst. Launchbury. A heavier more mature looking bitch at the moment. Plenty of work in head. Very well made with good angulation front and rear, excellent rib cage and strong quarters. Good mover.

3. Shenanagin Signature. Watt.

NB (11, 5a): 1.R. Scarlet Ribbon. A nicely balanced bitch with good bone and body proportions. Pleasant head with nice expression. Would like a little more length and angulation in upper arm.

2. Barleydale Liselle. Vant. Very pretty bitch with lovely well-chiselled head and expressive dark eye. A difficult one to handle trying to throw her chances away! Good structure but I felt she could do with a little more weight and muscle tone.

3. Lochlorien Miss Marple Cops Andley. Stevenson.

GB (14, 1a): 1. Baibreeze Belle Blonde by Raisbeck. Hyslop. Pretty head with good stop and raised brow. Well-balanced with good angulation in shoulders and quarters. Good spring of rib. Tight feet. Super movement. She reached out in front and drove from strong quarters, holding her topline and lashing her tail – a splendid example.

2. Kirkavagh Corrida JW. Brown. Lovely outline. Well-balanced bitch of nice size. Good front and fore-chest. Pretty well-defined head. Correct angulation in upper arm and shoulders. Wel-sprung ribs. Good strong quarters. Shown in super condition. Just disappointed when moving.

3. Romarne Melinda JW. Muir.

PGB (21, 7a): 1. Aoibheannes Piaffe JW. Ciechonska. This is such an appealing young lady with the prettiest head with lots of work in it and the sweetest expression. Quality bitch with excellent conformation. Lovely arched neck leading smoothly into well angulated shoulders. Good depth and spring of rib. Good width of thigh. Super movement, driving out from strong quarters.

2. Lanstara Bedazzled. Blackshaw. Another quality bitch who came close. Well-defined head with soft expression but just not quite the appeal of “1”. Lovely body proportions. Good bone and feet. Well-sprung ribs with ribs taken well back. Strong arched loin. Strong wide quarters with good second thigh. Another really good mover who covered the ground holding her topline.

3. Amberwave Spangle JW. Powis.

MidLB (7,1a): 1. Lyngor Psalm. Hogsflesh. A good quality, typey bitch, just carrying a little more weight than I would choose. Good head with raised brows and gentle expression.Good length of neck with well-laid back shoulders. Straight front with good width of forechest. Good angulation and width in quarters, short from hock to heel. Moved well.

2. Anlory Red Beaujolais. JW. Naylor & Morrison. Another well put together bitch. Pretty head with good definition, just marginally lacking in muzzle. Good neck shoulders and quarters. Nice set on of tail, which she used well when moving.

3. Sametsuz Honey Trap. Henderson.

LB (17, 2a): 1. Country Belle of Wendover JW. Frampton. A slow one to mature and really looking good now. Lovely type with a well-defined head and sweet, wistful expression. Good spring and depth of rib. Lovely quarters with good angulation and strong first and second thighs. Neat feet. Moved with drive.

2. Covarney Juniper of Gracewood. Douthwaite & Wharfe. A heavier type throughout but very well put together. Good definition in head with kind expression. Well boned. Good angulation in shoulders and upper arm. Generous prosternum. Good depth of rib with ribs taken well back. Gently sloping topline with correct croup and tailset. Another good mover.

3. Twoacres Kittiwake at Glenvarna. Swainston.

OB (10): This was an outstanding class full of lovely bitches and it was such a pleasure to have the opportunity to go over them.

1. Sh Ch Kirkavagh Kooyonga. King. CC. This is such a beautiful, quality bitch – everything is right about her. Perfect size, superb conformation, beautifully chiselled head with the desired quizzical expression and, as always, presented and shown outstandingly. She moved with drive – excellent reach from the forequarters and drive from well-muscled wide hindquarters, holding her topline and using her tail correctly. I had no hesitation in awarding her the CC and delighted to be able to do so. When it came to the challenge her only fault was that she was a little out of coat.

2. Sh Ch Sametsuz Mak’n Mischief. Henderson. RCC. Another lovely bitch, racy and full of quality. Nice head with raised brow and sweet expression. Good reach of neck into well laid shoulders. Good topline. Good width and angulation in quarters. Shown in lovely coat and condition. Moved well.

4. Sh Ch Covarney Cara Mia Mine at Teramour. Rodda.

Gillian Townsend.