ONYX

Irish Setter Club Of Wales Championship Show 19 April 2009

Judge - Jane Mugford

Bitches

There were quite a few bitches overweight & good small feet with arched toes were in the minority. Also I would of liked to have seen more showing the true Irish spirit on the move. On the plus side most heads were pleasing & coats were presented in clean condition & I found several quality exhibits to fill the awards.

Minor Puppy (6,1abs)

1st Walsh's Millcroft Ballad Of The Moon, lovely typy puppy, nicely moulded head, dark eyes, well bodied & boned & excellent depth for one so young, shoulders well angulated, well bent stifles, pleasing outline, thick dark coat, sympathetically handled to bring out the best in her, sound but needs a little more confidence on the move. I shall watch her career with interest. 2nd Tuite's Porschet Pearlita, pretty feminine bitch, good reach of neck flowing into gently sloping topline finished with correct tailset, moved well with drive, would prefer neater feet. 3rd Henson's Millcroft Moon Gypsy For Tatsbro, litter sister to 1st but out of a different mould. nevertheless a pretty girl with dark expressive eyes, good bone & feet, well angulated front & back, moved Ok but I think would go better if she carried less weight.

Puppy (12 )

1st Hunter/ Brown's Braidmount Midnight Lady, lovely balanced puppy, dark eyes, strong bone & good depth of brisket, well made in shoulders & hindquarters, shows reach of neck & gently sloping topline, nice finish to croup & tailset, moves very well with the same easy stride as her mother. Best puppy bitch. 2nd Robert's Polmennor Willow Pattern, close decision & preferred this one in head & expression, lovely reach of neck, more elegant in outline, moved very well with plenty of drive, needs to develop a little more depth, she was unlucky in all her classes to come up against more finished exhibits. 3rd Chorley-Newton/ Chorley's Kerryfair Red Evie, pleasing head but would prefer a little more stop, scores well in angulation & reach of neck, good bone, moved steadily, not so good over the croup as those above nor as her litter brother who I thought was gorgeous & was very happy to agree to him being best Puppy in Show.

Veteran (5, 2abs)

1st Townsend's Sh Ch Follidown Red Hot Poker JW, lovely lean head with dark expressive eyes & just the right amount of stop. Straight front, good length of neck, strong topline, plenty of depth to body, moved steadily. 2nd Martin's Ixia Tabitha, pretty head dark eyes, well angulated shoulders, good reach of neck, strong hindquarters with well turned stifles, movement a little bit loose. 3rd Douthwaite/ Wharfe's Gracewood Show Stopper, handler did not know I was writing a report on 3rd's & left the ring to prepare her next exhibit but from memory, moved well, correctly made but just not carrying her years so lightly as above.

Junior (17,4abs)

1st King's Kirkavagh Ivanjica, pretty lean head, dark eyes, arched neck into well laid shoulders, good return of upperarm, equally well angulated hindquarters, well developed in brisket & a super topline & tailset, moved well. In outstanding coat & condition, mature for her age & won her classes easily but in the challenge looked young, as of course she should. 2nd Meadows/ Richie's Gwendarriff Miss Whiplash JW, pretty head & expression, very good reach of neck fitting well into angulated shoulders, strong hindquarters producing sound driving movement. Built on clean lines with lovely silky coat. 3rd Muir's Romarne Delilah, rangier bitch needing more time, feminine in head with dark eyes & low set ears, excellent reach of neck into good shoulders, lovely quarters & outline.

Yearling (14,4abs)

1st Meadow/Richie's G. Miss Whiplash JW, 2nd Milligan-Bott/ Bott's Thendara Capriati, loved her well chiselled head, lovely finish to muzzle, low set ears. Preferred her standing to the winner, excellent neck & shoulders & gently sloping topline but lost out slightly on lack of drive from the rear. 3rd Walsh's Moon Bella Of Millcroft, lovely type, strong bone, deep in brisket, well angulated shoulders & hindquarters, firm topline & correct tailset. Moved just a little loose in front.

Maiden (16, 7abs)

1st Walsh's Millcroft Moon Shimmer, this breeder is certainly producing a lovely type of Irish, this one had an exquisite head & expression, low set ears. Strong bone right down through the pasterns. Excellent shoulders, well bent stifles, lovely strong quarters, very good topline & lovely textured coat. Wondered why she was in this class until afterwards I learnt it was her 1st show. My only criticism is she needs a bit more confidence on the move, certainly worth campaigning. 2nd Robert's P Willow Pattern, 3rd Blackshaw's Lanstara Elegant Ethel, beautiful fine head, plenty of depth, well angulated quarters, pleasing coat, not showing herself off to advantage.

Novice (16,8abs)

1st King's K. Ivanjica,
2nd Robert's P. Willow Pattern,
3rd Blackshaw's L Elegant Ethel.

Undergraduate (15, 3abs)

1st King's K. Ivanjica,
2nd Muir's R Delilah,
3rd Robert's P. Willow Pattern.

Graduate (15,4abs)

1st Hall's Glennara Lehana JW, pretty head, low set ears, well boned, again right down through the front pasterns, straight front, good reach of neck, presents a lovely outline finished off with good tail carriage, In lovely coat & condition. 2nd Mortimer/ Condron's Covarney Coco, not as mature even though I see a bit older, but a beautiful bitch, pleasing head with dark eyes, excellent shoulders, topline & hindquarters, in stunning dark coat. Moved very well with plenty of drive. A litter & 12months should see her blossom. 3rd Gardner's Carnbargus Contemplation JW, beautiful head & expression, low set ears, lovely neck into well laid shoulders, deep in brisket, In gleaming condition & moved well, just not as pleasing over the croup.

Post Graduate ( 20,4abs)

1st Robert's Polmennor For Pleasure, lovely balanced head, dark expressive eyes, low set ears, excellent neck flowing into topline, excellent conformation throughout, good bone, lovely condition, free active movement. 2nd Naylor / Morrison's Anlory Carenza JW, not so appealing in head but lovely outline, good bone & depth, strong hindquarters, lovely tailset, moved very well. 3rd Chorley-Newton / Chorley's Outfoxed By Kerryfair JW, love her head, dark eyes and raised brows giving quizzical expression, good neck & shoulders, sound but a bit lazy on the move, have done well for her before but she is not the finished picture yet.

Mid Limit (8, 4abs)

Small but a real headache of a class. 1st Ciechonska's Coppers Champagne Bubble At Aoibheanne JW, my notes just say "love her standing - everything. Very sluggish". That just about sums it up. In my eyes she is all I want in an Irish Setter, beautiful head, text book angulations, straight front, good bone & feet, flowed from her nose to the tip of her tail, enough coat in good condition. Most importantly balanced throughout. I decided to weigh all this up against her reluctance to stride out & still considered her the best in the class. 2nd Condron's Scotselaw Memphis Belle At Covarney, pretty head, lovely reach of neck but does not flow into her shoulders as I would like. Moved ok, certainly with more verve than 1st but a little wide in front & loses her topline a touch. In excellent coat & condition. 3rd Wilkins Margretswood Kitty Cat JW, pretty elegant bitch, arched neck, good angulations, lovely topline. Rather close behind on the move.

Limit ( 13,1abs)

1st Bouttell's Ixia Genevieve, an elegant bitch with a lovely lean head & low set ears. Straight front, good reach of neck , flowing topline, lovely sweep to stifle, won the class on her movement which was free flowing & active. Very close up in the challenge, just felt she could do with a more developed second thigh but I see is only 3years old & I was only nit-picking at that stage. Reserve CC & RBIS, 2nd Heron's Caskeys Happy Hour JW, recently crowned & a worthy titleholder, lovely feminine head, good bone, excellent depth of brisket, well angulated front & back, holds her topline well. In lovely condition. Moved well. 3rd Evans Goldings Silver Sixpence, neat little bitch, full of quality, extremely well made throughout, correct topline, excellent freeflowing movement with plenty of drive. This was a hotly contested class & any of these three would of been worthy winners.

Open ( 4,1abs )

1st Hunter/Brown's Sh Ch Braidmount Geisha Girl, classic head, excels in arched neck, straight front, excellent shoulders & hindquarters, well boned, strong topline, complimented by correctly carried tail. I love her balance with nothing exaggerated. Moves with freedom & accuracy. Lovely textured coat with just the right amount of feathering. Have previously awarded her a res.CC, today it gave me pleasure to go one better with the CC, & in agreement with my co-judge BIS. 2nd Naylor/ Morrison's Sh Ch Anlory Valpolicella JW, lovely head, straight front, good bone, her outline is a picture. Have seen her in better coat. Moved very well here & in the challenge for Best Veteran Bitch which she won. 3rd Meadows / Richie's Clonageera Rhapsody, another quality bitch, long lean head, low set ears, good reach of neck into well laid shoulders, in lovely condition, moved well.

Special Beginners (6, 2abs )

1st Carr's Jonola Sparkles Bright Over Laumidorn, pretty head, dark eyes, low set ears, neck flows into topline, well bent stifles, moved well, in lovely dark coat. 2nd Robert's P. Willow Pattern, 3rd Wiggins Kirwilldale Affinity, nice long & lean head, well boned, good shoulders, well anguated hindquarters, movement a bit erratic.

Gwynneth Vanderbilt Memorial Open ( 2,1abs)

1st Roberts' P For Pleasure.

Jane Mugford