South Of England Irish Setter Championship Show - dogs

January 13. 2002 Judge - Jennie Reed

As with the bitches, which I judged in November, I found that movement was a cause for concern. There were very few dogs which moved with drive and were straight in front. The vast majority were too close behind and often with the front legs high and coming around instead of through. These are as a result of construction faults, and although many of the dogs look lovely from the side when stood these faults should not be ignored. Surprisingly I found far too many of the heads to be very wide and flat in skull and far too heavy.

Minor Puppy (8)

1. Drinkwater's Brabrook True Blade - A strong puppy with good bone and substance and the best mover in the class. His head is balanced with good chisselling, dark eyes, low set ears and square in muzzle. Excellent layback of shoulders, deep chest with width and sternum. He has very strong quarters with wide thighs and is nice and short from hock to heel. Good coat for age.
2. Torphy's Follidown Red Grouse - Nicely put together, elegant but with sufficient bone and substance. He has a refined head with dark eyes, good chisselling and kind expression. Very clean over the shoulders and, for his age ,sufficient width and strength of quarters with good bend of stifle. Not as strong in movement or in front as winner.
3. Ord's Danaway Principle Boy

Puppy (13)

1 Hall's Harreds Ghillie - Overall a very striking puppy who moved steadily and shows promise. Awarded Best Puppy In Show. Has a balanced head with sufficient stop and chisselling and not too heavy. Good sternum with correct layback of shoulders and good sweep of stifle. He has nice tight feet. Coat a bit wavy for me at the moment.
2 Rutherford's Pure Genius By Clonageera - Rather different but lots to like and promising. Needs to grow into himself a little more and to drive more on the move. Has a good head with plenty of stop and dark eyes. Sufficient lay of shoulders and good bend of stifle.
3 Meadows' Gendariff Moet Et Chandon

Junior (15)

1 Collom's Kirkavagh Carnegie - Not a flashy dog but beautifully made and the best mover in the class. Lovely head , not at all heavy or coarse with dark expressionfull eyes and good chisselling. Excellent lay and fine shoulders , good depth of chest and width in front with sufficient sternum. Wide strong quarters.
2 Wilder's Riverman Joshua - Very mature for age and a super outline. Perhaps at the moment a little heavier than I prefer, but if he comes up on his legs a fraction that will balance out. In super coat and condition with a good strong front and quarters. Dark eyed, but preferred the expression of the winner.
3 Bailey's Covarney Monello

Special Yearling (10)

1 Fry's Strathmead April In Paris - A very mature dog in smashing coat and condition and handled well. His head is balanced although a little heavy for my liking, Has a very good front with strong sternum and depth of brisket, good ribs, short loin and the width of thigh, lacking in so many today. This all enabled him to move with drive and power.
2 Richardson's Kirkavagh Fidalgo - surprised myself, and no doubt the owner with this one! Has a super overall shape with very good angulation both fore and aft and maturing nicely. Liked his head with the dark eyes and kind expression. Good stop and chisselling. The correct angulation has produced the good lay of shoulders and front. Moved OK but rather sluggish compared to the winner.
3 St.Ledger's Cataluna New York Jet At Redfield

Special Beginners (3)

1 Tovey's Siorruidh's Bon Viveur - Mature dog with dark coat, deep chest and correct stifle. A little heavy in head for me. Moved OK
2 Wigfull's Coppersheen Chaconne - Lacking in maturity and not so good on the move. Good chisselling and square muzzle. Needs to come up into the shoulders and feet rather flat.

Maiden (6)

1 Kirkavagh Carnegie
2 Wilkins & Parkinson's Margretswoods Travlin Light - Very good in neck, shoulders and front. Has a reasonable head and moves OK but needs to keep his tail down.
3 Evans' Goldings Gold Star

Novice (12)

1 Kirkavagh Carnegie
2 Covarney Monello - Nice shape overall in good coat and condition, strong front and good stifle. Needs to settle in movement.. Head pleasant.
3 Margretwoods Travlin Light

Undergraduate (12)

1 Strathmead April In Paris
2 Walters' Thendara Dillinger Under Deneil - Overall a pleasing shape with good angulation fore and aft. Head is balanced with dark eyes and raised brows. Deep chest with width and sternum but brisket needs still to drop. Good movement.
3 Cataluna New York Jet At Redfield

Graduate (9)

1 Shaw's Balnagown Barrachello To Starchelle - Very stylish dog in lovely dark coat and good condition. Has a pleasant head with dark eyes, good chisselling, raised brows and refined in skull. His shoulders and quarters are almost perfect and moved very well but would prefer different tail action.
2 Ringe's Tardelli The Wanderer - Nice honest dog with good angulation and lovely seep of stifle. Needs to brakmup a little more in head.
3 Cataluna New York Jet At Redfield

Postgraduate (31)

1 Bott & Morgan's Fearnley Fire Contender Of Quensha - headed a very strong class but with a lot of the dogs too broad in skull and/ or poor in movement. Overall a very stylish dog in very good coat and condition and shown to advantage. Pleasant head with dark eyes, sufficient chisselling and balanced. His shoulders and quarters are excellent and he has the depth of brisket , wide strong short hocks that enabled him to move so well.
2 Drinkwater's Cataluna Texas Wild - One that I like a lot and still has time to mature up. Prefered the head of this one as has more chisselling and raised brows. Moved well, but not quite as strong in quarters as winner. Harris's Maesffynnon Sirius

Minor Limit (10)

1 Jones' Goldings Manxman - A real character, and there were few in evidence. Has that really appealling look and the Irish sparkle and spirit to go with it. In fact in the challenge too much so as he became too enthusiastic on the move! Has a lovely head - not too heavy but with a soft expression and plenty of scope. Strong in front with the desired sternum, deep in brisket, good lay of shoulders and correct sweep of stifle. In lovely coat and condition and moved powerfully when behaving.
2 Russell' Clonageera Indigo - Another nice dog who also moved well. Elegant and very clean in shape. Not perhaps in as good coat but these two dogs stood out in this class.
3 Rutherfords' Clonageera Kieran

Mid Limit (2)

1 Gurney' Danaway Fortune Teller - Overall rather nice but being a little immature still has not the depth all through. Has one of the best heads - nothing coarse or wide in this one with lovely dark eyes and the sweetest of expressions. Very clean over the shoulders and moved OK
2 Thomas' Cataluna Sioux - In contrast there was rather too much of this one - seemingly enjoyed the Xmas festivities ! Gave his gallant handler a hard time and was all over the place on the move. With attention to his weight and feet he could be very striking as has soundness in construction.

Limit (4)

1 Wicks' Popeswood Pie In The Sky At Birguma - A dark coated dog who was well presented and with a good outline. Has a pleasant head as balanced and with dark eyes and soft expression and a good ear set. Is deep in brisket and well laid shoukders and correct bend of stifle. Moved with verve.
2 Margretswood Crazy For You - a striking and flashy dog but a little big for me. Very good angulations but not as good in front or movement as the winner.
3 Henrix & Geysen Xaverius Of The Chicken Farm

Open (11) Some super dogs standing that disappointed on the move to-day.

1 McLoughlin,Park & Hough IR. SH CH Lestannons Gold Finger At Innshglora CC and BIS. A very striking dog with a super outline and in marvellous coat and condition. Has plenty of substance but not coarse and moved with great power. Has a chisselled head with dark eyes and low set ears. Not overdone in any way. Has a super lay of shoulders, strong sternum, deep chested, strong in loin and good sweep of stifle. Has that extra something one looks for.
2 Howe' Trelales Blue Dancer - Res CC Unlucky to meet the winner as this dog was as good in movement but could not quite match in coat and condition. Overall not flashy but so very sound and in sufficient coat. Lovely head with dark eyes and soft expression and absolutely balanced. Good construction, hence the excellent movement and handled well.
3 Stocker' SHE CHI Kirkavagh Kalaglow

Veteran (6)

1 Edwards' SH.CH. Delsanto Luke - a credit to his owner as he looked a picture standing and moved the best in the class. Still a lovely shape and in fine coat and condition. Has a balanced head with good chisselling, dark eyes and a square muzzle. Super in shoulders and quarters and has the desired sweep of stifle. BV in Show
2 Gurney' SH. CH. Caspians The Music Man Of Danaway - Again overall a very nice shape and with a pleasing head. Clearly enjoying his day out - too much so at times!
3 St.Ledger Redfield Gucci

Judge - Jennie Reed