CRITIQUE – CGRC INC CHAMP SHOW Saturday 22 July 2017 - Mrs Heather Morss, “Xanthos”, UK
I would like to begin by thanking you first of all for my invitation, we received a very warm welcome from all the exhibitors and committee and our trip to New Zealand was most memorable. Please forgive the tardiness of my report, unfortunately Kevan and I returned to the UK with bronchitis and we have both been very poorly.
My main observation on judging your dogs was the lack of forechest and correct upper arm configuration in many of the exhibits. This in turn tends to reduce the lay of shoulder. Pigmentation was not excellent overall, but of course as we know many dogs will take on a “winter nose” with the black pigment returning with the summer sunshine.
On the positive side, your temperaments were exemplary and I was particularly impressed with the confidence and ring presence of the puppies. They all trotted in the ring with style and self assurance, lovely to see that. Movement was on the whole was generated with a great desire for speed, this I understand may well be dictated by the all rounder judges you have, but in my humble opinion a dog can move correctly with great purpose and energy without dashing around at great speed. I was looking for a powerful, steady mover. In fact in many cases making the dogs move faster only goes to exacerbate faults and raise tails above the correct level carriage. For a dog working in the field a steady pace will not only give him the energy to last all day, but will enable him to notice pricked birds that need immediate retrieving. We must always remember what Golden Retrievers were bred for and take this on board when making our breeding and judging decisions. In regards to tails I found many of them far too long, the tip of the tail on a fully grown dog should reach the hock not carry on past it. Trimming the tails would make this fault look a little less obvious. Trimming is of course done to enhance the correct conformation of the exhibit, to show off a clean and muscular neck, as well as show off the correct round and cat like feet. It is not a topiary exercise; I would not like to see our dogs turned out like the American exhibits. Their dense water-resisting undercoat is an important part of the breed standard, and absolutely essential for the working dog as well as being a very beautiful characteristic of the Golden Retriever.
DOGS
Class 2 – Minor Puppy Dog
1st Kavandale The Fed Express (AI) - Kathryn van den Berg
Excellent pigmentation on this young puppy, dark eye, correct bite, well developing in forechest, reasonable upper arm, moved and handled extremely well. A little trimming could complete the picture particularly around feet and neck. 2nd Mistymoor Kingsman - Jan Cook
Pale gold, very well grown boy, excellent bone, straight front, slightly low tail set, delightful disposition, moved true although a little erratic. 3rd Seacove Christmas Bonus at Speyside - Pat Munro
Beautiful feet on this young puppy, well up on pasterns, would prefer more angulation in front, short coupled, moved and handled extremely well.
Class 3 – Puppy Dog 1st Mistymoor Take It To The Limit - Jan Cook
Well grown puppy, in excellent coat and condition, beautiful head and expression, correct pigmentation, level topline, correct tail set, would prefer tighter elbows, moved and handled extremely well. 2nd Kavandale Johnny Mac (AI) - Kathryn van den Berg
Very neat young dog, straight front, good bone, reasonable upper arm, well bent stifles, level topline and correct tail set. Moved and handled very well. 3rd Mistymoor Show Me The Money - Jan Cook
Blonde puppy in excellent coat and condition, beautiful feet, well up on pasterns, head needs to develop, would prefer more upper arm angulation, tends to slope off over the croup, moved erratically. Class 5 – Junior Dog
1st Arctique Let The Thunda Roll - Liz Steed
Very neat dog, beautiful head and expression, excellent pigmentation, straight front, beautiful feet, well angulated fore and aft, dead level topline, correct tail set well held on the move, good depth of chest. 2nd Scotiagold Claret Cliff - Sue Macdonald
Very well grown gold dog, masculine head and expression, good forehand, well bent stifles, tends to lose his topline when stacked and spoils his look with a gay tail on the move. 3rd Mistymoor Maranello - Jan Cook
Neat dog, not quite as straight in front as I would like, level topline, good tail set, tends to spoil his outline with a very gay tail on the move, erratic on the move, gave his handler a bit of a tough time, hopefully he will settle with maturity. Class 6 – Intermediate Dog
1st Goldendream Back In Time - Melanie Snowdon
An impressive, well grown, handsome blonde dog, beautiful head and expression, correct bite, straight front, excellent bone, beautiful catlike feet, good rib, level topline, well bent stifle with good second thigh, moved and handled to advantage. Delighted to award him Best in Show 2nd Goldsmith Worth His Salt - Kirsten Price
Not quite the coat of my winner but much to like about him, good bone, neat feet, well up on pasterns, would like a little more angulation in upper arm, masculine head and expression, moved and handled extremely well. 3rd Speyside Fun In The Sun - Ruth and Alan Humphries
Soft head and expression, handler needs to watch his front as he has a tendency to stand 10 to 2, good rib, not quite the angulation I would like either front or back, quite erratic on the move.
Class 7 - Limit 1st Mistymoor Watch Your Step - Jan Cook
This is actually a very nice dog that is determined to give his handler a hard time, well-shaped head, winter nose, good forehand and upper arm, well bent stifles with good second thigh. 2nd Mistymoor Monza - Angelique Aamodt
Masculine head and expression, straight front, would prefer better angulation and would carry more body to advantage, crabs a little on the move, well handled. Class 8 – NZ Bred
1st CH Arctique The Rain Maker - Liz Steed
Masculine head and expression, excellent bone, straight front, good upper arm and lay of shoulder, level topline, well bent stifles, personally I don’t like his trimming and would like more length of leg, he is for me too small for a male but has many other qualities that took him to the front of this class, moved and handled extremely well. 2nd Speyside Starry Knight - Meredith Pitcher
Masculine head and expression, good bone, neat feet, would prefer better angulation in the front and more strength on the back end, would carry more body to advantage. 3rd CH Goldsmith Happy Larry - Kirsten Price
Lovely head and expression on this well-groomed dog, good bone, excellent feet, would prefer better upper arm angulation and shoulder lay, giving his handler rather a difficult time to show him to advantage today. Class 9 – Stud Dog 1st CH Mistymoor Don’t Get Caught - Jan Cook
Good head and expression on this male, reasonable forehand, tends to be a little wide in front on the move, good rib and depth of chest, well bent stifles, would prefer more muscle on him, particularly across the quarters. 2nd AUST CH/NZ Goldriver Off The Radar - Marilyn Black & Lauren Morris
Typical head and expression on this young male, good bone and feet, would prefer better forehand, good rib and body with plenty of heart room, giving his handler rather a tough time. 3rd Glentreve Time-T-Play-The-Game - Glenys Fletcher
Love the head and expression on this young dog, moved a little wide in front and close behind, would prefer better upper arm and shoulder, moved with great drive but lacked precision. Class 10 – Veteran Dog
1st Mistymoor Kindred-Spirit - Carolyn Stevens and Jan Cook
11½ year old male in very good order, soft head and expression, correct dark eye, good bone, well-shaped feet, good rib, plenty of heart room, level topline and well bent stifles, moved and handled extremely well. Class 11 – Open Dog 1st CH Speyside Bon Chance - Angela Milsted
Masculine winner in beautiful coat and condition, soft head and expression, adequate forehand, straight front, good bone, level topline, correct tail set, short coupled, good spring of rib, moved and handled extremely well. 2nd Kavandale Royal Kazaar (AI) - Carolyn Stevens and Kathryn van den Berg
Balanced dog, good head, soft expression, good bone, well up on pasterns, good rib and depth of chest, plenty of heart room, well bent stifles, moved and handled well. 3rd Goldriver Leader of the Pack - Marilyn Black and Angela Sharp
Straight front, good bone, very good upper arm, plenty of forechest and good depth of body, longer in the loin than the winners, well bent stifles, moved and handled extremely well.
BITCHES
Class 2A – Minor Puppy 1st Kavandale The Story So Far - Kathryn van den Berg
Very well grown 6½ month old puppy, moved and carried herself with great style and confidence, beautiful head and expression, dark pigmentation, soft dark eye, excellent bone, straight front, neat feet, good upper arm and lower shoulder, needs to drop into her knees a little, moved and handled very well. Class 3A - Puppy
1st Speyside Rhapsody In-Blue With Glentreve - Pat Munro Very beautiful gold bitch, beautiful head and expression, dark eye and pigment, straight front, excellent bone, elbows well tucked in, good feet, level topline well held on the move, carried herself with confidence and accuracy around the ring. 2nd Mistymoor I Need A Dollar - Jan and Dave Cook
Neat package in this blonde bitch, sweet head and expression, good front, well ribbed and short coupled, well bent stifles, a little erratic on the move.
3rd Mistymoor Take My Breath Away - Jan Cook
This bitch really gave her handler a hard time, pretty head, dark pigmentation and lovely dark eyes, very wide in front and out at the elbow on the move, good rib, well bent stifles, erratic in her gait. Class 5A - Junior
1st Triple J Nothing Else Matters - Margaret Fortune
Very pretty bitch, in the most beautiful gold coat, excellent condition, plenty of bone, beautiful feet, well up on her pasterns, straight front, good rib, short coupled and good width of quarters, moved and handled extremely well. 2nd Seacove C’est La Vie - Jan Bedford
Finer in bone than my winner, good pigmentation, sweet head, straight front, good rib, well bent stifles, her young handler did an excellent job in getting the bitch to show herself to advantage. Class 6A - Intermediate 1st CH Chaleur Quick Step (IMP AUST) - Kathryn and Paul van den Berg
I liked this beautiful bitch very much, she is in excellent coat and condition, dark eye, winter nose, straight front, adequate forehand angulation, good depth of body, short coupled, well balanced stifles to nice short hocks used to advantage on the move. Awarded reserve best bitch. 2nd Speyside French Liaison - Pat Munro
Not in the coat and condition of my winner today but a well-made bitch, would like a little more bone on her, moved and handled extremely well. Class 7A - Limit
1st Glentreve Play-Time At Goldenkiwi - Debbie Edwards
Needs more body to complete the picture but so well put together, lovely head and expression, straight front, good upper arm, level topline and well bent stifles, good second thigh, moved and handled extremely well.
2nd Triple J Iced Honey - Maria Frahm
Very eye catching bitch who seemed a little distracted today, pretty with dark eyes and excellent pigment, straight front, level topline and correct tail set, excellent coat and condition, moved with plenty of drive. 3rd Goldsmith Pass The Salt - Kirsten Price
Well grown bitch with good bone and neat feet, would like better forechest, good rib and good width of quarters, moved and handled extremely well. Class 8A – NZ Bred
1st CH Mistymoor Caught In The Act - Jan Cook
Very good bitch to go over, beautiful head and expression, excellent conformation, good reach of neck, not the best of feet, good rib, short coupled, excellent stifles and quarters, I liked her very much, moved and handled extremely well. Impressive. Awarded Best Bitch. 2nd CH Goldsmith Just A Mo - Kirsten Price
Another quality bitch, not quite the forehand of the winner, pretty head and expression, excellent coat and condition, scores over the quarters and stifles, moved and handled extremely well. 3rd CH J’More Kelima Of Mturk - Bruce Austin
Very mature bitch with the most gorgeous head and expression, would benefit from some trimming around the neck, good front, level topline, good width of quarters, moved correctly. Class 9A – Brood Bitch 1st CH Glentreve On The Wings Of A Dove At Triple J - Margaret Fortune
Very feminine and head and expression, shown in the most glorious coat and condition, excellent bone, well ribbed, level topline, correct tail set, well bent stifles and strong quarters which she used to advantage on the move. 2nd NZ/AUST CH Arctique September Rain - Liz Steed
Quite a strong headed bitch, casting coat, straight front, excellent rib, short coupled, well bent stifles, moved and handled extremely well.
3rd CH Seacove Hidden Treasure - Jan Bedford
Good bone, excellent pigmentation, nice dark eyes, would prefer better upper arm angulation, level topline, good rib with plenty of heart room, moderate quarters, stands on excellent feet, handled extremely well. Class 10A - Veteran
1st CH Glentreve Don’t Think Twice At Triple J - Margaret Fortune
Beautiful coat and condition on this veteran bitch, she carries her years well, soft head and expression, strong topline, excellent rib, short coupled and well-muscled, moved and handled extremely well. 2nd CH Goldenkiwi Time In Motion - Melanie Snowdon and Debbie Edwards
Longer cast than my winner, straight front, good bone, level topline, not in best coat, excellent quarters and well bent stifles, moved and handled extremely well.
3rd Seacove Purdey - Jan Bedford
I just love this bitch on the move, effortless stride covering the ground with ease, not the best of coats but well off for body and muscle, handler definitely gets the best out of her. Class 11A - Open
1st CH Arctique Summer Rain - Liz Steed
Turned out like a new pin, good bone, excellent feet, good front and reach of neck, not the best of pigment, level topline, well bent stifles, moved and handled extremely well. 2nd CH Glentreve A-Moment-In-Time At Goldenkiwi - Debbie Edwards and Glenys Fletcher
Gave her handler a tough time, constantly moving her feet, but when she stands right she has a beautiful outline, feminine head and expression, very neat feet, level topline, excellent tail carriage, moved with drive and purpose.
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