26-27.11.2005 in Moscow took place Russian Retriever Club Show "RETRIEVER - AUTUMN 2005".

To the show have been registered 350 retrievers (golden retriever, chesapeake bay retriever, flatcoated retriever, curlycoated retriever, labrador retriever).

The judge was mrs. CAROLE COODE (UK, kennel "Warringah")

Mrs.Carole Coode

PHOTOS FROM SHOW (author Tatiana Gass):

1. Chesapeake bay retriever, Flatcoated retrievers, Curlycoated retrievers

3. Golden retrievers, males

4. Golden retrievers, bitches

5. Labrador retrievers, males

6. Labrador retrievers, bitches

BOB: Jerar is Perovskogo Doma and BIS: Exotic Land Zolly

JUDGE'S OPINION

• At last I am able to get round to doing the report that I promised.
• Firstly let me say that I was looked after most royally, with the restaurants I ate in and the sights that I saw gave me a wonderful flavour of Russia. I could not have been taken care of better – thank you.
• Now to answer some of your questions.
• How long have I been Breeding Labradors, first litter was in 1975, 30 years ago, but I was showing from 1967.
• Why Labradors, My husband gave me a Labrador as a first wedding anniversary present, so it’s all his fault!!!!!
• How Many dogs in my Kennel, a total of 9 adults from 15 months to 10 years and four pups 3-4 months old. We breed all colours at the moment we have 2 Chocolate, 4 yellow and 7 blacks. We have a maximum of 2 litters a year.
• What qualities in Labradors do I prefer most of all? Correct confirmation, good temperament, biddable and gentle.
• My impression of the Retriever breeds that I judged, although only a few the Flatcoats, Chesepeakes and Curlies, were of the correct type that is seen elsewhere in Europe.
• I found the Golden Retrievers more to type than the Labradors, keeping within the size limits,and the colours that I am used to seeing & judging. Confirmation was on the whole more correct.
• I found great contrast in the male and female Labradors, the dogs were on the whole very large, way over the desired height, I have made up the tallest and biggest Labrador in Britain, but your boys would have made him look medium height. The girls were more typely but I would have liked a little more size on them. There should be very little difference between the two sexes in size. What did upset me was that I only found 4 well made fronts in all the Labradors. Nearly all suffered from very short and straight upper arm. They had the good length of neck, and well laid shoulder, but the upper arm from the chest to the elbow was short and straight, in all instances this effects the front movement, either turning the feet in “paddling” or letting them flap out. This is not just a cosmetic thing, dogs (especially working retrievers) are put together in a certain way to enable them to work efficiently, your dogs with incorrect fronts would be carrying all the weight of the bird or rabbit through its mouth, tiring it out very quickly. Whereas a well made dog carries the weight of the game through a series of levers, putting the load over the whole front end.
• You had really good coats and some excellent tails, real “otter”. Temperments were not bad at all, it would help if groups of friends or kennels got together sometimes to have a socialisation day, meet up in some of your parks, it would help the dogs and you could all help each other with your showing.
• I do not really understand the need for “Handlers” we all show our own dogs and get great pleasure from it. One or two of the “Handlers” were extremely good, but some of the young ladies could do with a few lessons themselves. I hate to see handlers treading on dogs feet to move them – very bad, it is a sloppy way of handling.
• If it is at all possible, try and use dogs and bitches with good fronts. If you put a poor front to a poor front, you will only get the same in the litter, and will “set” it in your line. The dogs I had in my senior positions all had merit, you are doing a good job seeing you are still “New” to the Showing game compared to other countries, perhaps one or two imports (or imported semen) are needed to cut down the size of the males, and to put correct fronts on the Labradors.
• Now about main winners. Chesapeakes only had the one, a bitch Caroway's Chess Queen of Russia, but correctly made with a very good Chessie coat, correct texture and length, and well constructed body.
• Flatcoats only fronted two, my Best of Breed was Radost is Istri Good News, a black male, had the correct racey lines, very pleasing head and good confirmation.
• In Curly Coats my Best Male and Best of Breed was from the Champion Class Caballus Ursus, he had an excellnt balanced outline, head was correct, neat ears, good neck and forehand, good depth through the chest and strong topline - and correct coat, a worthy ambassador of the breed.
• Golden Retrievers came up with a good entry and I was pleased with the animals that were shown under me, my Best of Breed and Best Male came from the Champion Class Jerar is Perovskoho Doma, very balanced dog with good outline and balance, pleasing head, good forehand, strong topline and well angulated rear quarters, moved soundly on good legs and feet, in excellent coat. My Best bitch was also from the Champion Class Exotic Land Zolly, a very pleasing lady, with excellent head and expression, very good forehand, and well turned stifles, just prefered the topline of the dog.
• Labradors came up with a huge entry. Best Junior Male winner was Yumir Tender Lad, pleasing yellow, beaten for Best Junior by the black bitch Elina Lucy Locket. Open Class males was won by Stenveyz Get Popular a pleasing chocolate dog who also to Reserve Best Male in Breed . My Champion Class in males was won by Goodquite's Let Me Know, a beautifully headed black, with kind and gentle expression, and a well balanced body. He took Best Male in Breed and Russian Retriever Club Winner.& Reserve Best of Breed. Veteran Male was taken by the good yellow Stretlaw West is Best, short cobby dog with good headpiece., he went Best Veteran in Breed. Veteran Bitch was won by Cherniy Chocolas Estephania , black bitch with all the essentials. Junior Bitch was won by Elina Lucy Lokket , a black of good type who also beat the boy to be Best Junior in Breed. Winners class was won by the good black bitch Vremia Mechti Afrodita, beautiful headed bitch with excellent balanced outline, clean lines all through. The Champion Class came up with my Best Bitch, Russian Retriever Club Winner and Best of Breed, in Vinedup Barberry Arabica Aravia, a yellow with the kindest of heads and expressions, good neck and forehand, excellent ribs, strong topline and good rear end great coat and super tail.

BOB: Windup Barberry Arabica Aravia