ONYX

The Irish Setter Club Of Scotland 13 Septemebr 2009

Critique - Judge: Pat Stockton (Kespas)

My thanks to the committee and exhibitors for their super hospitality . I really did have a lovely day at this very friendly show. BIS wasGlencarron Shakatak, RBIS Sh Ch Sametsuz  Secret Affair . BP Kettlehills Star Performer 

DOGS

PD 2 (1 abs)

1^st Ross’ Kettlehills Star Trouper. 6 months baby at his first show. Lovely head with impressive good stop and raised brows for his age. Adequate  bone and neat  feet, pleasing topline and tail set, well angulated rear  quarters. Nice coat beginning to come through. Moved well in typically Irish baby fashion.

 JD 4 (1Abs)

1^st Falconer’s Fetteresk Double Exposure. Loved the head and expression on this boy. Super front angulation and rear quarters, moderately long & arched neck . Very elegant in outline, continued by excellent set on of tail. Just a little unsure but forgave him as his qualities outweighed this.

2^nd Hunter’s Sametsuz Scriptwriter. Very mature boy presented in lovely coat and condition. Liked this dog for conformation & type, but found his skull just a little too heavy for my preference. Has lovely low ear set and an  appealing expression. Superb oval bone and neat feet. Such a disappointment that he persisted in pacing in this and his subsequent classes.

3^rd Gill’s Ardbraccan Odyssey for Diptonia

Y 3 (0abs)

1^st Davie’s Lochfrae Aviator. Rangy dog with an attractive racy outline. Good headpiece, bone, topline and tail set. A little long in loin at the moment and needs more weight but he will fill out and mature in body given time. Nice finish to croup with correct tailset. Won this class on his free striding movement.

2^nd  Laidlaw & Green’s Glencarron Olympic Gold. More compact dog and not length of foreface or refinement in head of the winner. Well constructed through the body and has very neat feet. Well balanced body , just carried his tail a bit high on the move.

3^rd Sametsuz Scriptwriter 

N. 1 (0 abs)

 1^st Sametsuz Scriptwriter

U/G. 7 ( 0abs)

1^st Lochfrae Aviator

2^nd  Falconer’s Fetteresk Fair Play.Pleasing head and eye, raised brow, sturdy rear quarters. Liked his clean outline and correct topline, good sweep of stifle and nice length from hock to heel..

3^rd Glencarron Olympic Gold

Grad 4 ( 2 abs)

MacNeill’s Gwendariff Rock Dee Jay over Glennlokhen. Impressive, flashy dog standing with flowing, clean outline. Just the type of head that I like with a lovely soft expression, well shaped skull low ear set and clean throat. Very good front angulation showing return of upper arm, parallel front legs. Not altogether happy with his surroundings, but moved freely, if a shade close behind.

2^nd O’Donnell’s Sabrejill Classicrock from Rainvalley. Boy with a masculine head and overall good outline .Shoulder placement and rear quarters were okay. Found him a little long in loin, but he moved positively.

Post grad  3  ( 0abs)

1^st Ross’s Drumwhaur Rob Roy...Nicely balanced dog with a pleasing lean head showing chiselling and having good eye colour.  Scored over the competition with his good overall angulation .Flowing  sloping topline. Presented in full, dark coat. Best mover in the class.

2^nd Deighton’s Balintyne Once in a While. Liked this boy overall, good head & neck  shoulders, smooth flow into topline , deep through the rib , lost out to 1 on rear quarters.

3^rd Sharp’s Hallglen Sporting Chance 

Limit  4 ( 1 abs)

MacNeill’s Glencarron Shakatak. I was very taken with this boy and how he has matured since I last saw him. Super masculine head showing refinement in chiselling. Lovely dark eye, sculpted skull and low set ears. Scored heavily through the neck and shoulder line. Strong topline flowing into correctly set on tail which he used effectively on the move. One of the best movers of the day, with forward reach and good use of his hocks. Balanced throughout and presented in gleaming coat and condition. I was very pleased to award him BD and BIS.

2^nd Sturrock’s Forfarian Goodfella. This is such a happy dog, he is hard to overlook. A little strong in skull for my preference, but his other qualities far outweigh this. Expression is really ‘Irish’ with a glint in his eye. Great ribs and strength of bone. Most attractive racy outline which flows from nose to tail... Moves with such enthusiasm and drive and his handler got the absolute best from him. Unlucky to meet 1

3^rd Rowan’s Lochfrae Archimedes

Open 2 (0abs)

1^st. Sturrock’s Forfarian Sorcerer. Mature boy with an eyecatching outline. Masculine  head and eye. Well angulated front and rear supporting a strong, sloping topline and good tailset. Well sprung ribcage, nicely coupled loin and good muscle tone. Moved with drive and positivity

2^nd Christie’s Romarne Hamish. Preferred the head of this dog with its good planes and expressive eye. Lovely topline and quarters but let himself down on the move. Presented in lovely coat and condition 

 Bitches 

PB 3 ( 0abs)

1^st Beaton’s Kettlehills Star Performer. Very pretty 6 month baby, litter sister to PD. Appealing head and expression, lovely earset. good front and rear quarters. Shiny dark coat with lovely white flash on chest. Moved happily. I hope she matures well. BP

2^nd Bowman’s Kettlehills Little Star of Bonahaird. Litter sister to one, but of a different build at the moment. More substantial  in bone, lovely tight feet.  Preferred head on 1but has  pleasing head and kind eye, lighter in coat colour. Lovely body properties ,  Scored over 3 on outline

3^rd Hinslea’s Glenavna Sittin pretty at Northamber.

Jun 6 ( 3 abs)

1^st Munro’s Fetteresk Double Take. Close decision between the first 2. Very nicely made young lady with an impressive outline. Pretty in head and expression, nice neck and shoulders flowing into good ribcage. Totally devoid of coat , so had nothing to hide. Scored over her sister on her more positive movement.

2^nd Beaton’s Fetteresk Double Charm. Found this girl’s head more appealing, very feminine with a sweet expression. Darker coated than her sister , but at this stage not carrying her topline as well. .Lovely straight front, good ribs, moved happily.

3^rd Harvey’s Sametsuz Cover Girl at Barntallock

Yearling  8 ( 1 abs)

1^st Glendinning’s Kerryfair Born Romantic at Ardarroch. I don’t remember ever having seen this girl before but I was very taken with her. Feminine, pretty head and showing stop and raised brows, low set ears, good neck and shoulder placement.  Quite a tall girl but balanced through the body, moved with poise and lovely tail action, which was lacking in many today

2^nd Davie’s Lochfrae Affinity. Not as mature as the winner,still requiring maturity in depth of rib, but showing a promising racy outline. Pretty head with good stop and finish to muzzle. Good length and angulation through the rear quarters. Not as positive on the move as 1.

3^rd Sturrock’s Forfarian Faith

Maiden  4 ( 2 abs)

1^st Morrison’s Laurieston Taransay. I liked this girl, pretty head, lovely through the neck and shoulder, strong in quarters and stifle ,balanced body into good topline and tail set. It was a shame that she did not like the floor but I saw enough to see that she was sound.

2^nd Sametsuz Cover Girl at Barntallock. Another nice girl with a proportionate body and outline. Particularly liked her in eye and expression, good earset. Let herself down a little  on the move.

Nov  5 ( 2 abs)

1^st Laurieston Taransay

2^nd Fetteresk Double Charm

3^rd McNeill’s Gwendariff Klassic Rock Avec Glennlohken

U/G 7 ( 2 abs)

1st Kerryfair Born Romantic at Ardarroch

2^nd Lochfrae Affinity

3rd Laurieston Taransay

Grad  9 ( 2 abs)

1^st  Kerryfair Born Romantic at Ardarroch

2^nd Wilson’s Castarabay Sweet Afton. Nice head on this girl showing work and stop. Good  finish to muzzle, strong neck and decent  shoulder placement . Preferred the rear  quarters and croup of the winner.

3^rd Gardner’s Lindalloch Sunbeam at Marstead 

PG 8 ( 2 abs)

One of the strongest classes of the day in terms of quality in depth with several top class girls present. I was splitting hairs between the first 3

1^st Henderson’s Sametsuz  A Taste of Honey. Such an elegant girl, pleasing to go over. Appealing head and expression. Scored heavily with her well placed shoulder and gentle slope over the withers.  Excellent depth and spring  of rib, balanced rear quarters. Like her overall outline very much. Moved steadily.

2^nd Hogsflesh’s Lyngor Living Water JW. Different outline to the winner, but also appealed for her construction and type. Nothing out of place, she presents a most pleasing, unexaggerated picture. Really good head properties and  nice low ear set. Well off for bone and standing on neat feet. Moved very soundly to take 2^nd over the attractive girl in 3^rd.

3^rd Hinslea’s  Northamber Causin A Riot JW

Limit  4 ( 1 abs)

1^st Richardson’s Tatterslee Bon Affecteux avec Montgreenan. I have always admired this girl for her sound construction and flowing movement. Racy in outline , proportionate head set on arched neck super front angulation and forechest , elbows well let down , all finished off by a dark shiny coat . Just lost out on my preference for head type in the challenge

2^nd  Laidlaw’s Glencarron Red Hot Salsa. Mature girl presented in lovely coat . Attractive head and expression. Scores in front angulation and strength of topline. Moved well but not as free striding on the move as the winner.

3^rd  Morrison’s Laurieston Snowdrop 

Open 4 ( 2 abs)

1^st Henderson’s Sh Ch Sametsuz  Secret Affair.What a stunner this girl is. Ultra feminine all through with an exquisite head and expression, smooth through the neck and shoulder, super sleek outline. Proportionate body, well sprung rib cage standing on the best of limbs and feet. As always, presentation and coat condition were first class. I thought she might take the top honours, but could not match the positivity in hind action of the dog on the day. BB and RBIS

2^nd  Wilson’s Dunnygask Tapestry. Pleasing girl overall, larger all through, but with no exaggeration. Long lean head , good angles fore and aft. Carried her topline firmly on the move.

Veteran 15 ( 5 abs)

I was absolutely spoiled for choice in this class with some lovely oldies to assess. I have given top honours to the first 2 previously and it was difficult to place them, both appealed for different reasons.

My RBB also came from 3^rd place in this class

1^st Laidlaw’s Sh Ch Glecarron MacDuff. Love this boy’s attitude to life with his typical Irish character.

Not a flashy dog but so well made and balanced in all departments. Handsome in head, lovely outline

Presented in full coat. Couldn’t match the younger boy for ring presence today. RBD

2nd Hogsflesh’s  Lyngor Prophet  JW. Again another dog whom I have always admired. Such a gentle expression in his beautiful eyes. Quite a big boy but his outline is difficult to fault with fine angulation in both fore and rear quarters, well sprung ribs, great bone and the best of feet. Moved with effortless ease and correct footfalls

3rdMcCulloch’s Cullmaddons Caress. Lovely girl from her nose to tail. Beautifully constructed throughout, well bodied, feminine head, pleasing expression. Moved out well with style and drive, holding her topline. RBB

Bred by Exhibitor (6)

1^st Sharp’s Hallglen Sporting Chance

2^nd  Borthwick’s Lotushill Manhatten

Not bred by exhibitor (7)

1^st  Drumwhaur Rob Roy

2^nd  Lochfrae Archimedes

3^rd  Balintyne Once in a While

Special beginners (5)

1^st D. Rob Roy

2^nd . Lochfrae Archimedes

3^rd Balintyne Once in a While

Brace (3, 1 abs)

1^st Davie’s Well matched pair. Complementary outlines and heads, more together on the move.

2^nd Sharpe’ brace

Pat Stockton (Kespas)