(Updated 3/6/01)

2001

'Heart's desire for Love in a Mist'

Gundog Group - 2001

by Christine McDonald

Judge - Frank Kane

Photo by Alan V Walker
The Gundog Group winner the Pointer Edmondon’s Sh Ch Calderside Love In A Mist at Wherathy,
judge Mr. Frank Kane, making the presentation was the Chairman of the Kennel Club, Mr. Peter James
and reserve the Welsh Springer Taylor’s Sh Ch Cleavehill Brynberrys.

IT SEEMED to be a more user-friendly Crufts this year, despite the hassles brought about by the change of date. The postcard from The Kennel Club Healthcare Plan with the KC dog ‘Casey’ excitedly holding a balloon with ‘Congratulations’ written across it is certainly a far cry from the old stuffy image of The Kennel Club show, to say nothing of the gift BOB winners received with the complements of the Crufts management - a copy of the video of the group and BIS judging that will no doubt appear in the post shortly. On the day, the bottle of bubbly as handlers left the big ring was also a welcome gesture.

The first in the Group ring was a four year old black and white Brittany bitch Fosscott Madeleine owned by Peter and Margaret Green, stalwarts of the breed particularly with their involvement with the breed club and with Discover Dogs over the years, as well as being to the forefront of the breed in the showring. Madeleine was made up at SKC, and this was her fourth CC.

The English Setter has been made-up for a great many years, winning Group places all the way to her current total of 38 CCs. She has won the CC at Crufts on three occasions, then had to stay at home for a couple of years as husband Gordon was judging. Of course, I’m talking about Sh Ch Bournehouse Razzle Dazzle, now a veteran, but as fresh as ever.

Also a veteran, ‘Kipper’ the GSP owned by Val and Roger Mann, was celebrating his ninth birthday on the day - and his 13th CC. Sh Ch Seashine Periwinkle won the BIS at SKC in 1995 and is still the only one of his breed to win such an award at a general championship show. He is kept busy in the winter months as a rough shooting companion.

Norma Ellis piloted the just two year old GWP - Sh Ch Normbar Valhalle to his seventh CC. Bred and owned by Norma and husband Barry, ‘Dysan’ is theyoungest Sh Ch in the breed, and is now a proved sire having a week-old litter at home along with three other adult kennel mates. Norma’s main breed is Pointers, in which she recently awarded CCs, but husband Barry is happiest in the shooting season working the GWPs.

The Gordon Setter Sh Ch Glynderys High n Mighty with Liric was piloted to success by Maureen Justice, whose Liric Gordon Setters are legendary. The latest group winner (from SKC) is a son of the day’s BOB; he won the RDCC, and a daughter won the RBCC. Special mention is deserved of the BCC winner, who was competing after winning both the Field Trial and Veteran classes. Congratulations to Ch Portrayal Swirl of Boyers.

The Hungarian Vizsla Sh Ch Kazval Keats, tops in his breed in 1999 and 2000, was winning his second CC from Anne Webster, out of a total of 23 . Shown by Moray Armstrong, Keats was bred by Frank Whyte, who last year was top breeder in both Vizslas and Welsh Springer Spaniels. Last year’s group winner was sired by one of Moray’s Bitcon Cockers.

Hungarian Wirehaired Vizslas saw a very familiar face in Sharon Pinkerton’s Shannamaya Linz at Bareve. This was Sharon’s fourteenth appearance in the group ring at Crufts, with both Linz and her main breed - GWPs - making up the tally. On the day, the Bareve kennel also won the BCC in GWPs.

The Irish Red and White Setter Vanders Veracity had a startling debut to CC wins by winning the group at Birmingham earlier in the month with his first green and white certificate. Owner/handler Kath Green was just as excited here as she took her and her dog’s second CC and BOB.

Irish Setters saw BOB going to Dee Milligan and Jeremy Bott’s Thendara The Tourist, after winning his first CC. His sire, Kennady, was BOB last year, and another Thendara won BP here. For the fashion conscious, the bitch judge Rita Pike was dressed in classic black with very stylish shoes that caused much comment from the ringside. Her CC winner - Maolruadhan Starstruck was equally stylish and like the dog, was winning the first CC on the day.

Italian Spinone saw the BOB winner Armondo Spritzer winning her first CC, and her owner Julie Carnall’s, too. Julie has three Spinoni at home, but started in the dog game showing Golden Retrievers. She likes to show and work ‘Saffy’ who has run in a Field Trial and was used last shooting season as a working gundog.

Jean Smith won BOB with her Large Munsterlander Sh Ch Ichbin Heavensent of Yeldoaks looking in fine form. ‘Calli’ was winning her seventh CC, and she has also competed in Working Tests.

Helga Edmondson from Skipton made up Sh Ch Calderside Love in a Mist at Wherathy in 1999, and has won nine CCs and a couple of group places to date. As Helga’s surname suggests, she is part of a very famous Pointer family, and ‘Ellie’ is from a litter by a Crookrise dog.

Chesapeake Bay Retrievers once again saw Janet Morris in the big ring. This time with the same bitch as last year- Penrose Amazing Grace, who was top in the breed in 2000. ‘Grace’ is one of 15 at Janet’s home, and an active part of her picking-up team on the Glenusk Estate.

Ann Meredith’s homebred Curly Coated Retriever - Sh Ch Cwmgilli Independent Image JW was sent to the group ring by Gillian Waring - who took over Tony Pascoe’s entry when he unfortunately suffered ill health. Dual Group-winning ‘Meg’ was winning her fifteenth CC. On the same day her daughter won a Best in Show in Holland.

The Flat Coated Retriever Sandra Stevenson’s Steelriver Catch the Breeze, was making a comeback to the ring after taking time out to raise a litter of seventeen! This was her first CC. Under the dog judge, the CC winner was the Orme’s Sh Ch Elmstock Wild Thyme from Veteran.

From the opposite extreme of litter size is the result of a singleton litter, the Golden Retriever BOB Siatham Just One, who overcome competition from 837 other Goldens, to win his second CC after two RCCs. ‘Justin’s’ breeder/owner/handler Anne Falconer comes from Stevenage and bred her beau from her full Ch Westley bitch. The bitch CC winner was Sh Ch Rossbourne Urselar at Largymore, who was entered alongside her son and daughter by her owners from Prestwich.

Labrador Retrievers saw a win for the traditional Labrador kennel of Audrey and Robert Hepworth. Poolstead Porridge Oats was winning her first CC, from Graduate. To date there have been 28 Sh Chs in the Poolstead kennel, 26 bred by the Hepworths. ‘Oats’ is line bred back to the original foundation bitches of the Poolstead kennel. DCC went to Sh Ch Trentwith Sir Winston, owned by the Foringtons from Gainsborough.

‘Ambrose’ may have been a dog tipped for success at this year’s Crufts, having been top Gundog last year, and BOB at last year’s show judged by Frank Kane, but it was not to be. Instead Mike Gadsby piloted Ambrose’s litter sister Sh Ch Afterglow Arabella to success. Her co-owner Susan Crummey was standing excitedly by the sidelines.
The Bowers’ Sh Ch Marshlands Hot Pursuit was BOB in Clumber Spaniels. ‘Taggart’ was winning his fourth CC and is one of nine at home. Gina Bowers bred both CC winners, the bitch being made up on the day.

Cocker Spaniels needed referee Frank Kane who opted for the bitch - Linda Robinson’s Jozelah Classic Moods JW, who was winning her second CC on the day. She also has six RCCs, and is one of six Cockers at home. The DCC winner was last year’s top Cocker - Sandy Platt’s Sh Ch Charbonnel Warlord who was winning his 16th CC.
A Group winner from this, and last year’s Manchester is the English Springer Spaniel Sh Ch Trimere Time to Remember from Mompesson, here winning her 24th CC. ‘Sophie’ is one of fifteen Mompesson ESS at home, of which five are Sh Chs. She is a grand-daughter of the breed record holder, the very special Sh Ch Mompesson Remember Me.

Charles and Jill Holgate from Lancashire won BOB in Field Spaniels with their lovely bitch Sh Ch Nadavin Elegance, a six year old bitch winning her 23rd CC, making her one of the top three CC winning bitches of all time. Her grandson was Best Puppy on the day. The breed was judged by Liz Fanshawe in place of Tony Pascoe. The big winning Irish IWS - Sh Ch/ Ir Sh Ch/ Int Ch Danoli Currabell at Coleenville went up for BOB. ‘Dudley’ was bred by Emer Mooney at Slane’s Castle, and has BIS wins both sides of the Irish Sea for his owners Norman, Heather and Colleen Large. Here, they had called on Swedish IWS expert Marie Engstrom to put the finishing touches to his presentation.

The Ellinghams had a good Crufts with their Sussex Spaniels. In fact they had a very good Crufts, winning BOB with Niriti Brown Hairstreak, and the BCC with his litter sister. It was ‘Bart’s’ first CC, which he took from limit dog, handled on this occasion by Delyth Fergussen, who herself won BOB at Crufts in 1996.

Jean Taylor has been well known in English Springer Spaniels for a great many years, specialising in quality black and whites, but more recently she has succumbed to their red and white cousins - the Welsh Springer Spaniels. Homebred Sh Ch Cleavehill Bynberrys was top WSS last year, and had a couple of Group placements.

Judging in the breed ring had been delayed for a moment’s silence in memory of one the breed’s doyens - Cliff Payne (Tregwillym) who had died the previous week aged 95 years. The breed would not exist if it was not for his breeding.

Weimaraner breeder Patsy Hollings is one of our most regular faces in the line-ups of the group rings throughout the show season, and has won top breeder all breeds for the past seven years. But Patsy says that Crufts is not usually her lucky show. This year though, she was in the big ring herself with a five year old dog - Sh Ch Gunalt Excess. He won his first CC as a puppy, and as a grown-up dog has been a Pedigree Masterfoods Champion Stakes finalist.

The Group complete, the debonair Frank Kane examined each entry, and wasted no time in pulling in a short list of eight to the centre of the ring: the German Shorthaired Pointer, Hungarian Vizsla, German Wirehaired Pointer, Pointer, Curly Coated Retriever, and three spaniels - the Cocker, Sussex and Welsh Springer.

Noise

A loud noise was then heard from just outside the arena, and in the final run off towards the trophy table one or two looked a fraction unnerved, but not so the beautiful orange and white Pointer who showed with a rare combination of grace and attitude throughout. She was a very popular choice as Frank’s Group winner. Group 2 to the WSS - Sh Ch Cleavehill Brynberrys, a superb example of the breed, whose rich red and white coat gleamed under the dancing light beams. Group 3 to ‘Independent Image’ the elegant Curly, who completed a trio of bitches, with the Sussex lad celebrating his first CC - Niriti Brown Hairstreak pulled in as Group 4.

Just to pause a little to look at those narrowly beaten by the Group winners. In Pointers, the DCC made up Linda and Gordon Pimblett’s Hilldon Entrepreneur to be their fourth title holder. The RBCC went to another orange and white in Sue Welsh’s ‘Peaches’ - Sh Ch /Ir Sh Ch Hookwood Forever Smitten, a popular winner on both sides of the Irish Sea.

In Welsh Springers, the DCC went to Mandy Thomas‚ Sh Ch Fearnley Dillon, bred by Irish Setter expert Pat Rhodes, who was winning his 4th CC on the day. The RBCC went to Christine Knowle’s homebred Sh Ch Menstonia Mustique, who is based on six generations of Christine’s Menstonia bitches, with a double line to the famous Sh Ch Dalati Sioni. Worthy of mention is the RDCC which John Thirlwell awarded to the breed record holder - Sh Ch Russethill Royal Salute over Nyliram in his twelfth year. John gave him his 57th CC of 58.

Traditional

In Sussex Spaniels, the Group 4s litter sister Sh Ch Niriti Painted Lady won the BCC, and the RDCC was won by Sally and Pat Leslie’s Sh Ch No More Gemstones at Risdene.

And a final mention for those who were extolling the traditional role of gundogs at Crufts. Passing the Gamekeepers Ring, I stopped to chat with Teresa Piggott with an armful of rosettes and trophies, won both individually and as part of the Corrour Estate team. Our thoughts are with those estates and shooting grounds will continue to be affected by the implications of FMD long after show goers have forgotten the inconvenience of having to buy a new outfit to suit the warmer weather when the Crufts date was changed.