MANCHESTER CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW

Judges Critiques

Mr J DALTREY

Judging: Gundog Group, Spaniel (Welsh Springer)

BEST OF BREED : 9041 MARRELLA, Mr Alessandro Sh Ch Ferndel Water Mark (ai)
Dog CC : 9041 MARRELLA, Mr Alessandro Sh Ch Ferndel Water Mark (ai)
Res Dog CC : 9031 HARRISON, Mr & Mrs T & H Glenbrows Casanova
Bitch CC : 9023 GIBSON, Mrs C A Dearham Dilys Of Cadehill
Res Bitch CC : 9046 MILLARD, Mrs Jennifer & MILLARD, mR Martin Ferndel Water Lily at Rubylea (AI)
Best Puppy : 9031 HARRISON, Mr & Mrs T & H Glenbrows Casanova
Best Veteran : 9038 JONES, Mrs S D Sh Ch Julita Rumours at Trosley
Best Special Beginner : 9013 CHIMES, Mrs Sue Bronnydene Fly Red Kite

 

MANCHESTER 2024 : WELSH SPRINGER SPANIELS

My thanks to Manchester, the Officers and Committee for affording me this opportunity to judge a favourite breed of mine. Thank you for the super entry and for the sportsmanship displayed. My second appointment and I am pleased to say that the untypical, wide and ‘out at the elbow’ fronts that were prevalent the last time that I judged, seem to have almost disappeared which is good news, however, closer than ideal rear action is still apparent, which is not the way forward. Temperaments still seem a touch on the ‘iffy’ side, with hesitancy too apparent in many of the classes. Head shapes are very varied as are expressions. Side-gait in the main winners with easy ground covering action with a strong-top-line and correctly carried tail, was a joy to see. I thought that there was, overall, more strength in the females today.

MPD (7 Entries) Abs: 1

1st: Glenbrows Erasmus for Gilpeta. Heading a good class, I now see that the first and second are litter mates. Both show enormous early promise and appealed in many ways. I just preferred the ‘finesse’ of this winner, but I am sure that they will undoubtedly change places going forward in their careers. He scored for me in his flowing outline and overall balance. I liked his head and expression, and he holds a strong top-line and has a good tail-set and carriage. Compactly put together, he moved quite well but just needs to firm up in his front action.

2nd: Glenbrows Amadeus. Pushing his litter mate very hard, he is a bit more mature all through and all the above remarks apply here too. He scores for me in outline and he has a lovely flow of neck into well-laid and smooth shoulders with a balanced outline. He, like his brother, needs to firm up a touch in his front action.

3rd: Ferndel Sandro at Alolfrana.

PD (8 Entries) Abs: 1

1st: Glenbrows Casanova. This youngster was a clear winner in this class. I really liked his masculine head and his intelligent expression. He is perfectly balanced all through with an excellent outline and the best of shoulders and front construction, matched by a well-muscled and well-angulated rear. Still young, he has time to really come together but showed good freedom in his side-gait and some good accuracy coming and going. He exudes a huge amount of early promise and judging him on the day, he thoroughly deserved Best Puppy in Breed and the Reserve Dog C.C. in good adult company.

2nd: Glenbrows Erasmus for Gilpeta. Repeat.

3rd: Jacranella Galahad Of Cherryheath (ai)

PGD (3 Entries) Abs: 0

1st: Mymmsbrook Matador with Blythway JW. Here was another clear winner in this mixed class. He triumphed with his breed type and excellent body condition. I liked his head shape and balance and his rich red coat. He moved with real propulsion from well-muscled quarters but is a touch wider than ideal in front and carrying his tail proudly from a slightly higher than perfect tail-set, for me, spoilt his outline in his side gait.

2nd: Toftwood Ziggy Starman. With not quite the breed type nor the body condition of the winner, he is only just out of Junior and has time on his side to grow and to mature. On the move he is ultra-sound in all directions.

3rd: Kidenoan Mark Up Von Trannon.

LD (4 Entries) Abs: 1

1st: Glenbrows Marquis. Here was a very typey dog who has a lovely head shape, masculine without any coarseness but I would just prefer a slightly darker eye. He has great balance and holds a strong top-line with a good tail-set and carriage. He moved away with a good driving action but was not so accurate coming. In side-gait he reaches out well in front.

2nd: Kamunting's Mad Hatter. Here was a very true moving dog with a lovely head and expression and superb feet. He, like so many here today needs to body up and to mature but he does have time on his side.

3rd: Sarabande Name of The Game (ai)

OD (5 Entries) Abs: 1

1st: Sh Ch Ferndel Water Mark (ai). This mature dog had absolutely everything that I was looking for today. He is the epitome of masculinity without a touch of coarseness, and he exudes breed type. He is a master on the move, accurately driving away with propulsion and coming back true whilst effortlessly extending and eating up the ground in his side-gait with both precision and style. I really liked his head shape and his dark expressive eye. He has excellent flow, a reachy neck, superb clean and well-laid shoulders, and a long, well angulated upper arm. He was shown in tip-top condition and his rich red coat gleamed. I had no hesitation in awarding him the Dog C.C. and Best of Breed.

2nd: Sh Ch Sarabande Lord Of the Dance (ai) JW. One that I have had the honour to judge before, he scores in many breed points. He has a very correct and masculine head and is superb for depth in his brisket and he has excellent bone and perfect feet. A quality mover he is just a touch proud of his tail and had to give way to youth today.

3rd: Sh Ch Glenbrows Revolution JW. This dog completed a trio of very worthy Show Champions.

VD (1 Entries) Abs: 0

1st: Helgen Romeo the Lover for Flyboron. At 8 years old, this dog has the loveliest of heads, the kindest of expressions and was one of the best side-gaiters of the day. He has super bone and feet but was a touch closer than ideal going and just a touch proud of his tail.

SBD (2 Entries) Abs: 0

1st: Bronnydene Fly Red Kite. It was an absolute pleasure to be able to critique this raw youngster who had failed to get his act together in the Minor Puppy class earlier. Here, he was not only settled and happy, but he also showed me huge potential. He has the most beautiful head and expression, super bone, perfect feet, and he moved well in every direction. He has everything in the right place and now, with time, should begin to body and mature into a good future prospect. He was Best Special Beginner.

MPB (6 Entries) Abs: 1

1st: Ferndel Rosella of Shilahmist. If ever there was a future super star, then here she was. I very nearly let my heart rule my head with this excellent youngster. She captivated me with her outstanding flowing outline and her totally feminine head and her melting expression. She has lovely angles fore and aft, a good reach of neck and the smoothest of well-laid shoulders and a firm top-line. She’s such a good mover, so fluid and so accurate. I seriously considered her for top honours and will watch her future career with great interest. I loved her. Best Puppy Bitch.

2nd: Ferndel Rossana at Cadehill. Litter sister to the winner but a slightly different type strangely enough. She also has so much to commend her but is a touch less mature. She has a lovely feminine head and an intelligent, dark, and expressive eye. She, like the one above is a very promising future prospect and a very good mover.

3rd: Ferndel Serenella for Vynesbrook.

PB (6 Entries) Abs: 3

1st: Ferndel Rosella of Shilahmist. Repeat.

2nd Ferndel Rossana at Cadehill. Repeat.

3rd: Ferndel Rebecca for Benoveor, completing a good trio of litter mates!

JB (5 Entries) Abs: 2

1st: Glenbrows Thought to Amberdella. A lighter and slightly finer type here who was a willing personality and would benefit from more sympathetic handling in the ring. I liked her head and her superb expression and her incessantly wagging tail. She needs to fill her frame but was a good mover to win this class.

2nd: Glenbrows Wish. A lovely breed type with superb body condition but was quite determined to clamp her tail and did not perform on the move at all well and subsequently paid the price.

3rd: Nyliram The Witness for Taimere.

PGB (9 Entries) Abs: 4

1st: Ferndel Starry Eyes. I liked the body and depth of this winner. She has a typey and balanced head which is feminine. In side-gait she showed some style and good overall balance. I thought her a touch wider than ideal on the move and to be hyper critical, feel that her feet could be a touch tighter.

2nd: Glenbrows Thought To Amberdella. Repeat.

3rd: Sarabande Kisses of Fire AI

LB (7 Entries) Abs: 1

1st: Dearham Dilys Of Cadehill. Heading a very strong class, this winner just screamed ‘Welshie’ at me, I loved her type and total honesty. Her head is an absolute joy and the epitome of femininity. Her dark and expressive eye simply melted my heart. Her elegance and grace on the move can only be described as perfection: poetry in motion. She showed such accuracy coming and going and she was a joy to behold in side-gait. At 6 years plus, she still has a rich textured, if slightly lighter colour ‘red’ coat. She has the most glorious of flowing outlines with a perfectly set and well carried tail. I had no hesitation in awarding her the Bitch C.C. in very good company today.

2nd: Ferndel Water Lily at Rubylea (AI). Here was another extremely pleasing one, a different type but just as appealing and just as correct. Still young, she impressed me greatly, but I feel that her best is yet to come. She has absolutely everything in the right place. I liked her head and expression, and she is compactly built with a totally balanced and firm outline which she holds at all times. Shown in superb jacket, she is very accurate on the up and down but she didn’t just quite match the winner for fluidity in forward reach and so she had to settle for a very well-deserved Reserve C.C. today.

3rd: Bowdonia Truly Scrumptious.

OB (8 Entries) Abs: 3

1st: Hinxwood Fire and Ice. Heading a very good trio, I loved the head and expression, balance, and overall shape of this winner. She has excellent tight feet, and her incessant wagging tail is well-set and well carried. She has good shoulders with a long and well-angulated upper arm and was presented in hard and well-muscled condition. She moved well in all directions and was close up in the final challenge.

2nd: Sh Ch Nyliram Telling Tales JW ShCEx OSW. This one appealed very much and I thought her slightly more workmanlike in type. She has quite the most superb head and expression and her outline flows from nose to tail. Unlucky to meet the winner today on such good form, she didn’t quite show me the same width going away or the fluidity in side-gait and had to settle for the runner up position.

3rd: Sh Ch Glenbrows Rhapsody JW.

VB (2 Entries) Abs: 0

1st: Sh Ch Julita Rumours at Trosley. Here was another that I considered for top honours. She is exquisitely feminine with a lovely head and expression. She has great depth and a firm and flowing outline. Her personality is evident and her incessantly wagging tail is a joy to behold. She is a very sound and positive mover in all directions. Best Veteran in Breed.

2nd: Glenbrows Heart To Heart. Here was another very good Veteran who was unlucky to meet the winner who she pushed hard. Many of the above remarks apply, I just preferred the firmer pasterns and driving action of the one above. Both of these dogs are an absolute credit to the breed.

Jonathan B Daltrey (Judge)