Hello

I would like to thank the committee of the Lancs & Cheshire ESS Society for the invitation to judge at this well organised and friendly show.  I am grateful to everyone that entered and brought their dogs for my opinion.  It was a privilege.

The Breed and its current status has been the object  of much criticism from judges recently and I, being a ‘glass half full’ kind of person, hoped to find lots to be optimistic about.   Some classes were full of quality with many close decisions that could, without doubt, change on another day .  I looked for exhibits that displayed balance and symmetry in outline, good substance, sound, free and typical ground-covering movement and a beautiful head and expression.  I found it in all of my main winners and more besides.    

However there were some disappointments.  Heads seem so very varied.  Some are undeniably lovely to look at but there were also overly broad skulls and plenty of weak muzzles in evidence.  Eye colour was generally better than I had anticipated but quite a few that were rounder in shape than is desirable.  Forechests were elusive and I would like to see more substance and better forehand assemblies on some exhibits.  Temperament was excellent although I could wish to see more demonstrating the ‘happy’, ‘active’, ‘merry’ character the Standard calls for and describes.

 Minor Puppy Dog 2 (1)

1st Wrights Anacapa Just William

Six month old black tri puppy on his first outing.  Very happy and outgoing temperament and took everything in his stride.  Quite raw at this stage as you might expect but much more to come yet.  Correct size and compact with good bone and feet.  Pleasing in head with dark eye of the right shape.  Deep chested and well ribbed.  Standing a little high at the rear at present, no doubt that will correct in the fullness of time.  Moved steadily.

 

Puppy Dog 4 (1)

1st Eyeingtons' Buzzing Obsession Of Meadowdale

Well developed liver tri puppy of eleven months.  An eye-catching youngster who is so very mature in every respect for his still tender years.  Masculine and well chiselled head without coarseness and with the refinement I appreciated.  His eye shape is correct with reasonable colour and his expression is soft.  Neck of decent length, would like a little more forechest.  Has great depth of body and is balanced in angulations, long and correctly angled upper arm, allowing him to move in profile with super forward reach and extension.  Excellent bone and feet.  Needs to tighten in rear movement yet.  Lots of coat for a baby which was beautifully presented.  Best Puppy Dog.  

2nd Ainsleys' Equess Empire Evenflow (Imp Pol)

Slightly younger boy and another with plenty of substance for his age.  Much heavier in head although it has balance with a kind eye of good shape.  Super forechest and great bone and feet.  More compact than 1.  Has a lot going on in the rear angulation department but matched by a well angulated front with correct shoulder placement.  Immaculately turned out and in excellent condition.  Needs time and furnishings which will soften the angles and complete the picture.  Super temperament too!

3rd Hothersalls' Calvdale Hot Wheels

 

Junior Dog 4

1st Smiths Melverly Buona Notte

Very beautiful young liver and white male. Presents a sublime picture, so stylish and full of quality.  Have seen him only once before on one of his much earlier outings where I remember feeling just a little bit blown away that a six month old baby could have so much going for him.  He is masculine but there is no coarseness.  Refined in head with gentle male expression.  Super reach of neck.  Angulation is sufficient and balanced without exaggeration.  Really deep chested with plenty of substance all through.  Lovely bone and feet.  Superb flowing topline.  Loved his already strong and well muscled quarters with well bent stifles.   Handled to perfection and in sparkling coat and condition.  His youth is apparent on the move but he is completely sound with good extension and drive.  Today he was the complete package for me and I was delighted to award him the CC, certainly his first of very many and finally Best In Show.  Congratulations.

2nd Broughs' Riselawroad No Deal

Thirteen month old liver and white male of very nice type.  Slightly taller on the leg than 1. Pleasing and masculine in head, stronger though in back skull but with a well-shaped eye.  Eye colour still to darken a fraction.  Good reach of neck, well laid shoulders and he is balanced in angulations.  Would like more forechest perhaps but his overall depth is good and he is both compactly made and short in loin.  Impressed me greatly on the move – really strong, stylish and sound with typical and effortless reach and drive.    

3rd Walkers' Lochbride Mastercraftsman ' At Dexbenella

Res Corbetts' Trimere Total Chaos

 

Yearling Dog 3

1st Happs' Jorobaden Ballabrigas

Solid liver boy of lovely size.  He has a beautifully balanced and refined head with the very gentlest of expressions.  Correct both in eye shape and colour.   He is compact with nothing overdone.  Enough bone and super substance.   Excels in forechest with a good spring to ribcage.  Modestly angled fore and aft.  Moves soundly but a little close going away.  Doesn’t carry a lot of coat but he was in good condition and well presented.

2nd Crabtrees' Roqfolly Black Label

Correctly sized black and white boy and another out of a compact and moderate mould.  Good bone and feet.  Head is pleasing although I would prefer more strength in foreface but good eye shape and the colour you would hope to find.  Coat in lovely condition but he carries a lot on a fairly small frame.  I think less, particularly over his neck and shoulders, would improve his outline.

3rd Taubmans Meonstroke Hawthorn

 

Maiden 2 (1)

1st Eyeingtons' Buzzing Obsession Of Meadowdale

 

Novice Dog 1

1st Eyeingtons' Buzzing Obsession Of Meadowdale

 

Under Graduate Dog 4 (1)

1st Eyeingtons Buzzing Obsession Of Meadowdale

2nd Morgans'  Kennair Northern Star

Attractive black and white male of good size.  Solidly marked, masculine and balanced head that I liked with a kind eye and biddable expression.  He is strong enough in back skull but it is matched by a broad and deep muzzle with super chiselling.  His markings do him no favours but he is well angulated with well placed and set shoulders with equally good upper arm angulation.  Would like a bit more forechest.  Plenty of bone and lovely tight feet.  Excellent forward reach on the move.  

3rd Atkinsons' Wenark Prelude At Kisanto

 

Graduate Dog 1

1st. Atkinsons' Wenark Prelude At Kisanto

Upstanding,  strong black and white male.  Very masculine and I would prefer less width to back skull for better balance to head.  Moderate in angulations but well bodied and well ribbed with short couplings.  Super bone and lovely tight, well padded feet.  In excellent coat and condition.  He was quite a handful today and it was difficult to assess his movement.  He had fun though!

 

Post Graduate Dog 4 (1)

1st Savells' Trimere Tom Cruise With Petranella

Elegant and well presented young liver and white male of lovely size, make and shape.  Refined male head that was well chiselled with a good shape and colour of eye.  Very gentle in expression.  Nice length to neck with slight arch.  Pleasing proportions and enough bone for his size. Is lacking a little in substance and I would prefer broader, chunkier thighs.  Time will undoubtedly be his friend however, and with more body development and fill he will look much more the finished article.  That said he is a super moving dog, really extending well with correct swing forward and drive from the rear.  

2nd Hensons' Melkami Williams Wonder At Kobrocobi

Much larger framed dog than 1 with great substance and depth.  Very masculine in head, slightly strong in back skull but this dog does have a very lovely expression from the kindest of eyes.  Good bone and moderate in angulations.  Longer in loin than 1.  Presented beautifully and in great condition.  Not a lot of vitality on the move although suitably sound and steady.

3rd Richardson/Terry Richardsons' Alanea Juke For Cherishym

 

Mid Limit Dog 4 (1)

1st Cokells Carlyquinn Can't Wait JW Sh CM

Have judged this boy before as a puppy, liked him then and could see no reason to change my mind.  Rangier, upstanding male but very well constructed.  Pleasant and masculine head with correct eye shape.  Excellent bone and good substance.  Loved the flow from his neck into shoulder and he has corresponding angles fore and aft.  Has depth and strength in loin and broad, muscular thighs.   Well presented and conditioned coat.  More than desirable movement in profile with long, free and easy strides and super side gait.

2nd Downwards' Reubens Razzle Dazzle JW

Dog out of a smaller, more compact mould than 1. A little strong in head although it is balanced with kindly expression.   I would prefer more length to his neck but he has really great depth of chest with plenty of substance throughout.  Very good bone with tight round feet.  Another super free moving dog showing both soundness and animation.    

3rd Drinkalls' Mompesson Tribute with Esscroft  

 

Limit Dog 6 (2)

1st Lawlers' Roqfolly For a Your Eyes Only

A liver and white boy that pleased me for size, refinement and balance in outline.  Beautifully presented and classically-marked.  Head is masculine with dark eyes and kind expression.  His eye is a fraction round and I would like more strength in foreface. Nothing overdone about this dog in any quarter and had to pull out all the stops to win what was a super class of males.  Packs a lot into a neat and compact frame and is beautifully angled without exaggeration with lovely legs and feet.  Moved out really well and sympathetically handled to bring out the best in him.  

2nd Savells' Petranella Proper Gossip

A lovely dog – all male with typical, unexaggerated spaniel outline and close up to 1.  Pleasing head with dark eye of correct almond shape.  Stronger in back skull than my ideal but his expression is kind.  Really super bone, legs and feet.  Well bodied and deep all through with plenty of fill through the middle.  Great quarters which are broad and strong.  Lovely size and very sound.  Presented in immaculate order with dazzling white coat.

3rd Jenkinsons' Eastriding Armani Diamonds

Res Nicholson & Scotts Lochindorb Clansman

 

Open Dog 8

A class full of quality exhibits.  My first five were lovely as were one or two more that were unplaced.  Some close decisions here and some ‘favourites’ had left their ‘Sunday best’ at home.  It did matter today.

1st Walkers Sh Ch Dexbenella It's About Time

Superb liver tri male who I found hard to fault.  Loved his head which was refined and balanced with dark eye and gentle kind expression.  He is compact in build with moderate and correct angulations.  Good length of neck with slight arch and correctly assembled shoulder.  Just lovely bone and the tightest of feet.  Deep chested with substance all through.  Correct spring and depth to ribs and he is short from hock to heel.  Stacked he commands attention for his balance and immaculately presented coat.  Completely sound on the up and back but lacking a little in profile movement.  Not moving out with the sparkle that I know he can and sadly his lack of oomph cost him any more today.  

2nd Glendinnings Sh Ch Plaiglen Hustle

Gorgeous black and white male who was close up to 1.  Smaller, shorter-coupled and  standing over less ground than 1.  Really beautiful, well chiselled and correctly proportioned head.  Dark pools for eyes and the loveliest of expressions.  His outline is totally free from exaggeration.  Great legs and glorious feet.  Deep and strong though the middle with excellent spring of rib. Beautifully conditioned coat with lovely feathering.  Not one who likes to make life easy for his handler on the stack, but he comes alive on the move, moving in true Springer style with lovely head carriage and excellent reach and drive.  An impossibly difficult decision here – this boy put in more of a performance but I just fractionally preferred proportions of 1.  

3rd Nicholson & Scotts ShCh Lochindorb Chief O The Clan

Res Eyeingtons Sh Ch/Ir Sh Ch Meadowdale Banjo

VHC Topliss' Swe/Dan Sh Ch Sanque's Cut To The Chase

 

Special Beginners Dog 2

1st Morgans' Kennair Northern Star

2nd Drinkalls Mompesson Tribute To Esscroft

Flashy liver tri dog with pleasing, refined and well-worked head.  Kind eye of good colour.   Well bodied with all the essentials.  In well presented condition.  Moved soundly fore and aft albeit without much enthusiasm.

 

Veteran Dog 3 (1)

1st Allen & Botts' Sh Ch Trimere Talking Point Of Allanie JW

Top quality liver and white male.  Super size and short-coupled with great depth of chest.  Refined head with kind expression although I would prefer more squareness and depth to flew.  Good reach of neck.  Lovely bone and excellent feet.  Very well sprung ribs and he has great strength and breadth in quarters.  Moderately angulated.  In superb condition and beautifully presented.  Such an eye-catcher on the move, so sound fore, aft and in profile.  He never lets his handler down and is still giving the youngsters something to ponder.  BVIS.

2nd Downwards' Sh Ch Reubens Silent Reflection

10 year old dog in wonderful, full-coated condition for age.  Slightly larger than 1 and much more moderate in angulations.  Lovely head and expression with super dark eye.  Enough bone.  Really spritely and sound mover.  

 

Good Citizen 2

1st Eyeingtons Sh Ch/Ir Sh Ch Meadowdale Chaos JW ShCM

Truly beautiful dog with a sensational outline.  Super size and masculine without coarseness.  Gorgeous head which has correct proportions and chiselling with the very softest of expressions.  Good reach of neck.  More angulations fore and aft than my other main winners but what he has is both symmetrical and balanced and it suited me down to the ground!  Excellent length to upper arm with corresponding sweep to stifle.  Could wish for more forechest but his depth is good with excellent spring to ribs.  Moved out soundly and enthusiastically in correct Springer style holding a firm topline.  Coat in pristine condition and put down to perfection.  Loved him and more than happy to award him the RCC today.  

2nd Drinkalls' Mompesson Tribute To Esscroft

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