25th May

Today is our wedding anniversary, well, you may or may not be interested in that fact, but I thought I would share it with you anyway.

During the week I received an email from Bob Barnett, who has Isla's sister, Sammie. They live in South Africa and Sammie has been doing really well there, she has four CC's to her credit. In South Africa, the system is different from ours in that your dog must receive 5 CC's to become a Champion. They can earn CC's that count after 9 months of age, but they have to earn one out of thier province and one after 18 months of age. Sammie's next show is in September - so we will be keeping our fingers crossed for her and hope that she gets her 5th and crowing CC. Bob kindly sent me a photo of Sammie and if you CLICK HERE you will be able to see her.

14th May

Yesterday evening Isla was entered into Folkestone Hythe & District's Limited Show. I have not been to this show before, but found it to be very relaxed and enjoyable. Isla was entered in two classes, both of which she won, Any Variety Yearling and Any Variety Sporting Post Graduate. The judge was Yvonne Odell (Sukeshi) and she has Afghan Hounds.

My mum came with us and it was her birthday, so it was nice for her to get out for the evening. On the way home we got lost - well, we took the wrong turning off the roundabout and was on a duel carriageway that led to Dover - so we ended up coming home via Dover, which took about half an hour longer than it should have done- oh well !

We don't have any more shows now until June the 8th, but on the 1st of June we have the All Breeds Educational Seminar, that I am helping to arrange along with Jacky Beaton and Teresa Dunsdon. All proceeds from this seminar will be donated to the Cambridge University Research Project into Canine Hepatitis in the ESS. This is a subject very close to Jacky's heart, as she lost a two year old bitch to this illness a few years ago. The seminar promises to be a very good and informative day, and if you are interested in finding out more, just CLICK HERE. 

We'd love to see you.

11th May

We attended Mid Hearts Gundog Club Open Show today, under breed specialist Jacky Beaton (Peasblossom). Isla was 2nd in Graduate and 1st in Special Beginners. The venue was really hot and the dogs, and owners, were all flagging, but we met up with our friends and it was a really nice day.

Isla will be 21 months old on the 13th May, click here to see a photo of her taken at the show, by our friend Jane Eyeington

CRITIQUE: Petite and feminine bitch in super condition. Loved her balanced head and dark eye. Decent neck and shoulders, lovely deep chest with good bone and the neatest of feet. Very compact in build with moderate rear angulation. Falls away over the croup which can affect her topline a little. Moved soundly and well in spite of the heat.

5th May

There has not been much in the way of news lately. We have not attended any shows, the dogs have been having a break and just enjoying being dogs.

Yesterday I attended the Breed Education Day for the English Springer. It was very interesting and enjoyable. I was able to pick up some useful tips from some of our Championship Show judges, so it was very worthwhile.

I have added Isla's critique for the ESSC Championship Show as you will see below. It's doesn't say much - well, nothing at all really!

13th April

We've have a good weekend this weekend, yesterday, we attended the English Springer Spaniel Championship Show, and under Alan Bower (Bowswood), Isla was 2nd in Yearling Bitch (behind the Crufts BOB winner). She then went on to win Undergraduate Bitch and was also Second in Graduate bitch. Her half sister Calvdale Litigant, won the Bitch CC - so we send congratulations to Nicola and Martin on their successful day - a day which turned out to be a good day for the Calvdale Kennel all round.

CRITIQUE : Good outline. Needs time to mature to complete the picture. Moved well.

Today we went to East Anglian Gundog Open Show and Isla won Post Graduate and was awarded Res. Best of Breed. Our judge today was Sue Long (Tryhard).

CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTO'S FROM THE WEEKEND

30th March

At Gravesend and Medway Towns open show today, Isla wins BEST OF BREED. CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTO  The judge was Paul Carpenter (Ruphill)

16th March

At the SouthWestern English Springer Spaniel Club’s open show yesterday, Isla won Yearling and Special Beginner Bitch. The judge was breed specialist Teresa Dunsdon (Seaspring) to see photo CLICK HERE

This is a really nice little show, but for some reason is not well supported. It’s easy to find, just off the M4 motorway, they provide a lovely lunch and also delicious cream tea’s in the afternoon. This, coupled with a nice relaxed atmosphere make’s it a really enjoyable day.

Sadly this club is facing closure because of lack of resources. They are desperately in need of committee members to help those that are dedicated to the club turn it around and make it once again successful.

IF YOU – OR YOU KNOW OF ANYONE THAT WOULD BE INTERESTED IN JOINING THIS COMMITTEE, PLEASE CONTACT THE CHAIRMAN – KARL PAYNE ON esscepen@aol.com

CRITIQUE

Very compact bitch of good size, neat feet, attractive head with pleasing expression, strong deep body, a touch more length of back would give her better symmetry, broad thigh, moderately bent stifle, a steady mover who looked smart in profile but was a little close behind.

7th March

On Friday 7th March we attended Crufts. We had a nice day, Isla was entered in the Yearling Class, but along with a lot of other dogs she was unplaced. Her Grandfather Sh Ch Calvdale Softly Softly JW (Twist) however, did rather well by winning the Dog CC and Best Opposite Sex, so we send Congratulations to Angela Calvert, who handled him to his success.

Crufts is always a good place for meeting up with people, and yesterday was no exception, we spent much of our time there talking to people that we had not seen for awhile, as well as watching the judging, and of course, shopping!!

CLICK HERE TO SEE ISLA STRUTTING HER STUFF AND PHOTO OF TWIST,

2nd March

We had a nice time today at Folkestone , Hythe & District Open Show. Our judge was Geoff Cunliffe (Fallenleaf). Isla was in her first Post Graduate class in the breed and was placed 3rd. After this she was entered in Any Variety Gundog Post Graduate. She won her class and then went on to Reserve Best AV Gundog. The judge was Greta Ross (Autumnglow). CLICK FOR PHOTO

CRITIQUE

Very well put together bitch, moving well around the ring which won her the class and RBOB, well laid shoulders, correct bend of stifle, has everything in the right places.

Also, today was our friends, Lin and Alan Coles' first show with their young puppy Ronny, Greygoose Travelin Light (regular visitors to this site may remember him and his litter mates appearing on the puppy page). Well Ronny was 2nd in Puppy and 4th in AV Gundog Puppy, so we would like to say well done to them for his first show.

17th February

No show news this week. We don’t have any shows now until the beginning of March.

This weekend has been one of catching up on jobs around the garden, which was in desperate need of doing.

Click Here to see a photo of Grace taken this morning during our walk, doing her show pose, (which she would never do in a ring) and handled by Keith!! and CLICK HERE to see a short video of the dogs enjoying the frosty conditions.

Today has been a really nice day, although cold and frosty we have had blue sky and sunshine.

10th February

And now for something completely different, yesterday I attended the Border Collie of the Year. This event was put on by the Southern Border Collie Club of which a friend of mine is the secretary, and I was asked if I would like to go along to help out and enjoy the free lunch!!

It was a very well run event - all the qualifiers had won a CC or RCC during 2007, there were 54 in all. They were split into 3 groups and each group was judged by each of the three judges - points being awarded for different parts of the body, movement and breed type. At the end of the day the points were added and a winner was declared, and with a prize of 300.00 for the dog of the year this was not to be sneezed at. But I expect the honour of owning that dog far out weighs the prize. The best opposite sex received 200.00 and the two reserves 100.00.

500.00 was also raised on the raffle and was donated to the Kent Air Ambulance a really worthy cause.

It would be nice if we could do something like this within the English Springer Breed.

Not to go off the subject of ESS too much, on the 13th February, Isla will be 18 months old, and I took a photo of her today in the garden.

We also have good news about Isla's father Sh Ch Calvdale Call off the Search (Jacob), as he has now gained his Spanish and Portuguese titles and we wish him well in his quest for his International Champion title.

19th January

We attended Manchester Champ show today. Well what can I say, the judging was a disaster from our point of view. For the first time in her short show career Isla was unplaced!!! We’ve not had a good start to 2008, I hope it improves soon.

As she is almost out of Junior now, I will be limiting the shows that we go to, as she now needs time to mature and develop.

Anyway, I have updated the video page with a couple of short clips from our very muddy walk today – this is what dogs are all about – enjoying life and having fun! CLICK TO SEE VIDEO

5th January

Today we entered Boston and District Champ show, this is a new championship show and only a few breeds have tickets, sadly ours is not one of them. Our judge for the day was Ken Willey (Speeton) and Isla was 3rd in Junior. Here is a photo of her taken after the judging, being handled by our friend Jane Eyeington, whom I have to say does a better job than I do! Jane had a good day, taking Best Bitch, with her Calvdale Testimony of Meadowdale, and also winning the Junior class with her young bitch, Meadowdale Rosemary.