English Cocker Spaniel Single Breed Open Show

19th March 2017

Special Award Classes

Judges Critique: Nicola Spencer

Thank you to today’s exhibitors for affording me the privilege of being able to examine so many quality dogs within the Specials classes.

Special Award Class Puppy Dog or Bitch (8,1) 

1st Grice’s Kyna Jay’z Outstanding in many aspects. Super head and ear with chiselling through the skull and equal length through skull and muzzle. Lovely dark eye. Fabulous front assembly with very good angulation and length in the upper arm, plenty fill and depth in chest and clean layback of shoulders. Compact in build and balanced all through with good bone. Plenty of rib with strong, short couplings. Excellent topline with rounded croup and well set on tail. Well constructed hindquarters, free from exaggeration, which powered him round in true Cocker fashion. Was very pleased to see him awarded Best Puppy in Show later in the day by the senior judge.

2nd Walsh’s Blueacre Oh Danny Boy Another typey boy with lots of quality and very sound all through. Masculine head with clean square muzzle, ample stop and balance between skull and muzzle. Well set ear. Clean neck of moderate length. Well sprung, deep ribbing. Firm topline. Short strong couplings. Well angulated front and back. Good balance between front and rear angulation with the correct cobby build in between. Ample bone. Stands on firm, compact feet with well let down hocks. Moved beautifully. 

3rd Grice’s Kyna Ava Gardner 

Special Award Class Graduate Dog or Bitch (4,2) 

1st Craig’s Nicibec Misunderstood Masculine head and expression and though a little heavier in flews had super shaping in head and good balance between muzzle and skull. Typical in build and outline. Well made in front with plenty return in upper arm and nice, tight elbows. Good fill and breadth in front. Shoulders well laid back into firm, level topline with well sprung ribs, short coupled and short through the loin with well set on tail. Excellent balance comparing leg length to body depth. Excellent coat and condition. Moved out well. 

2nd Babester’s Kalispell Kingsman Stood true front and back. Another filled with breed type. Masculine in head and though a tad broader through the skull has excellent balance comparing skull to muzzle length, with good stop and square in the foreface. Well set ear. Beautiful, dark eye and pigmentation lending to his ‘all male’ appearance. Compact in build with excellent spring and depth of ribbing and short couplings. Correct level topline with a broad rump. Ample bone. Plenty width through the thighs with hocks well let down. Excellent feet. Typical cocker movement. 

Special Award Class Open Dog or Bitch (5,1) 

1st Hughes’ Glantraeth Time to Dream Good, honest bitch without exaggeration; feminine with balance all through. Very pretty head with correct ratio’s through correctly shaped skull and muzzle, well set ear and melting expression in her dark eye. Firm, level topline with broad rounded rump. Good depth and length of rib. Short coupled with good balance in height to leg length. Well angulated rear with good width and well let down hocks. Excellent mover, true in front with good width and drive from the rear. 

2nd Scott’s Kalispell Beaspoke JW Typey boy, full of quality with the most beautiful head and eye. Correct set on of ear. Moderate length of neck. Compact in build. Balanced in proportions through height and length. Deep, well-sprung ribs. Strongly made all through with excellent feet and ample bone for size. Excellent topline and tailset . Stands true front and back and pushed one hard. Presentation first class. 

3rd Beever’s Glantraeth Candy Kisses 

Nicola Spencer Judge North of England Cocker Spaniel Association