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Critique - Judge:  Magi Henderson

Irish Setter – Bitches. 

My thanks to my two efficient, cheerful stewards, Nicky Macie and Alan Wood and also to all exhibitors for their support especially given the weather conditions.  My congratulations for being able to present your girls so well.    I was delighted with the depth of quality throughout my entry and many decisions were hair splitting.   When I looked at my class winners I felt that they all possessed great quality and had what I consider the essentials for an Irish.  Any slight criticisms made in this report are to show my decision making processes at the time and must be viewed remembering that the dogs referred to are of top drawer quality regardless. 

MINOR PUPPY (7:2)

1.     Holley’s: GWENDARIFF WHATA WYNJILL.   Really appealing young lady with all the essentials in all the right places and about right for her age.  Sweet head and expression angulation front and rear coming together correctly, deep chest, good feet and moved soundly and with temperament. B.P.I.B.

2.     Douthwaite & Wharf’s GRACEWOOD SHANNON;  Another very well made young setter with lovely head and soft expression, taller and rangier which at this stage made her a little less together than 1 but she will grow into her frame and I will follow her career with interest.

3.     Hogarth & Elkins: Avacet Snow Bird.

PUPPY BITCH (8:2)

1.     Holley’s GWENDARIFF WHATA WYNJILL

2.     Douthwaite & Wharf’s GRACEWOOD SHANNON

3.     Smith’s CORDARRAGH OCEANIA

JUNIOR BITCH (13:4)

1.     Barker-Bells:  BALINTYNE LUCK BE A LADY:   Pleasing head and expression with correct finish to foreface and well shaped dark eye.  Moderate neck set cleanly into well laid back shoulders and good return of upper arm, complete with deep well sprung ribs, gave well filled in forechest. Strong loin, good shape and length to croup, well bend, without being overdone, stifles, short rear pasterns and good feet, She moved well, showing good reach in front and drive from articulation of rear joints.

2.     Holehan & North’s DANAWAY MOULIN ROUGE:  Not so mature as 1 at this stage but showing good scope.  Good head with well finished foreface and dark eye, clean neck into well angulated front assembly deep, well sprung ribs, strong loin .decent width to hindquarters. Good feet, Moved soundly just tying up in front slightly probably due to not liking the puddles!

3.    Robert’s POLMENNOR WILLOW PATTERN

YEARLING BITCH (9:1)  Hotly contested class, a pleasure to judge.

1.     Waterton’s  LYNWOOD KISSED BY AN ANGEL AT SANDSTREAM JW:  Another very breed typical setter from this kennel and what an exciting prospect.   I thought her head and expression very lovely with good balance of foreface and skull and correct finish to muzzle. Good length to neck set cleanly into shoulders, decent fill to front. Deep ribs carried well back to muscular loin.  Wide hindquarters and nicely bent stifles. Drove well off hock joints and short pasterns, good feet. Her front reach just that bit freer than 2 gave her the class.

2.     King’s  KIRKAVAGH IVANJICA JW.   I have admired her from the ring side and she presents a beautiful outline.  Her head is “long and lean” with correctly finished foreface and skull, dark well shaped eye, clean neck of good length into well laid back shoulders, deep ribs nicely sprung , strong well muscled loin, lovely length and angulation to croup, wide hindquarters with well bent stifles, short pasterns.   Moved soundly just not quite the front reach of 1. Very well presented.

3.     Watt’s  SHENANAGIN SUGA BABE JW

NOVICE BITCH (16:1)

1.     Holehan & North’s   DANAWAY MOULIN ROUGE

2.  Robert’s  POLMENNOR WILLOW PATTERN:  3^RD in Junior and this breeder keeps producing quality setters of a lovely type.  Sweet head and expression with just a flicker of mischief!  Well constructed all through with balanced angulation front and rear, good ribs strong loin and decent feet .  Just felt that she could have a shade more length to neck for overall balance . Moved well showing extension and articulation.

3.     Roberts:     COLANME MORGANA

GRADUATE BITCH (6:2)

1.     Mortimer & Condron’s COVARNEY COCO JW:  Good balance to foreface and skull, a little to full in flew for my taste, but well shaped eye with raised brows, clean neck and good front angulation, and deep ribs giving well filled in forechest, would have liked a little more width through her hindquarters but well shaped croup giving her good tail carriage.  Moved true fore and aft.

2.     Cox’s   TIREON TAKE MY BREATH AWAY JW.    Stronger all through than one, decent shaped head with raised brows clean neck, good front angulation well ribbed up, well muscled loin, wide hindquarters with enough turn of stifle, croup a little steep and would like more length to it causing her to be a bit proud of her tail.  Moved soundly.

3.      Hemmings   REDCLYST GLENURY CASSANDRA AT ORLANSET

POST GRADUATE BITCH (16:5)  Super class with great depth of quality an absolute joy to judge.

1.   Gardner’s CARNBARGUS CONTEMPLATION JW.   Just love her for her type and racy outline but with grand substance.    Classic head of proportionate balance and correct finish to foreface and dark well shaped eyes with those raised brows that in the wink of her eye turn from soft and wistful to very mischievious. clean neck set smoothly into the best of fronts with well laid back shoulders and accurate return of upper arm, deep well sprung ribs all combine to give correct forechest, strong loin, wide well developed hindquarters with good length to croup allowing her tail to be carried correctly and she used it to great advantage.  Her movement is true front and rear  coming and going but it is in profile that she really shines, reaching and driving covering the ground effortlessly with accurate footfalls.  When standing her balance to my eye  is excellent with a gently sloping topline to finish it off. Presented in super condition. Delighted to award her C.C.

2.     Holley’s   DANAWAY BRIANA OF WYNJILL JW: Beautiful head and expression so balanced and “Irish”. Well shaped dark eye with raised brows and correct finish to back skull.  Nicely crested neck cleanly into good layback to shoulders and decent forehand, deep well sprung ribs carried well back , excellent hindquarters with width and well bent stifles to short rear pasterns and the best of feet, she doesn’t possess excessive coat which flatters her balanced outline and super topline, presented in good muscular condition moving well true front and rear just didn’t quite have the forward reach of 1.  Very stylish lady.  R.C.C.

3.     Hall’s   GLENNARA LEHANA JW

LIMIT BITCH (16:4) Quality class

1. Mugford’s LYNWOOD FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS JW:  Lovely type of bitch as we have come to expect from this breeder.   Quality lady who has substance without coarseness.  Well balanced head with good finish to foreface, clean through her neck into well laid back shoulders and enough return of upper arm, deep ribs carried well back to strong loin, good length and angulation to croup, wide nicely angulated hindquarters short strong rear pasterns used to advantage driving well from behind. True and sound coming and going.  Tail well set on and used well.  Considered her strongly for top honours just felt I’d like a little more length to neck for overall balance and not quite the raciness of my major winners.

2.   Wilkins:  MARGRETWOODS KITTY CAT JW.  Close up to 1 and looking very well in this class. Good head with dark eye of good shape, well defined back skull nicely arched strong neck, Well laid back shoulders, would like a little more forechest and return of upper arm , deep ribs with good spring and carried well back, strong loin, wide well muscled hindquarters with nicely bent stifles and short strong rear pasterns, used to advantage .  Moved soundly and with temperament.  Immaculately presented.

3.   Prangle’s TANNYMAC COULD IT BE MAGIC AT HEATHCLARE JW.

OPEN BITCH (6:0)

1.   Watt’s  SH CH SHENANAGIN SHOOTING STAR.   Won this class with lots to spare.   Feminine, quality  lady who is a worthy Champion.  Pleasing well shaped head with good length to foreface and correct finish. Correctly shaped dark eyes, nice chiselling through plains  good finish to back skull.  Strong neck set cleanly into shoulders, enough forechest, well ribbed up strong well defined loin, lovely length and angle to croup, wide hindquarters with correct turn of stifles, strong 1^st and 2^nd thigh definition, short strong rear pasterns which she used to advantage allowing her to drive through her hock joints. Carried her topline well. Just felt she wasn’t giving it her best shot today.

2.   Roberts  COVARNEY MISS MOLLY MALONE OF CAIRACAILLIE.   Honest bitch, well balanced in outline, a little heavy in flews for my taste but decent head shape, clean neck and good front assembly, would like a bit more depth to ribs but well sprung and carried back to strong loin, well angulated hindquarters, good feet.  Moved soundly.

3.   Louglin’s IR.SH.CH. ROHANMOR MY BLUE HEAVEN

Magi Henderson