Does anyone know the name of the kennels considered to be the best show labs in the UK?
Cheers, Jake Luton

IMO  Sandylands and Lembas :) :)

one show i I was judging some years ago I judged a lembas  bitch she was lovely old fashioned type  i remember giving her the class and she went on to do very  well also gave BOB to another dog  the same day who became a show champion

Ask 10 people and you will get 10 answers. Heatherbourne, Carpenny and not forgetting Fullwell. (Fullwell does not breed many but Frolic is a dog to see! Not sure of his present total of CC's but it is high) Great names from the past, Kimvalley, Whatstandwell, Sandylands (Not yet sure about the modern Sandylands following the death of Gwen Broadley) and Knaith to name just a few.

Now ask about working Labs and I'll really be able to go to town!

Regards, John

Rocheby and Warringhah seem to consistently produce champions in the show ring.

John, would be an interesting question for working labs. Not many kennels consistently produce home-bred Field Trial Champions! Also, in many cases the best handlers/trainers are not necessarily the best breeders.

I agree with your comments on working Labradors Havoc. As I said on another thread, (Which I know you saw) many good handlers are restricted so much as regards to training time. Because we work full time, particularly in winter we are restricted to just a few minutes training two days a week, Saturday and Sunday, because at other times when we are home it is dark. (I do actually do some training with older dogs in the dark. It sharpens their noses up no end!). For exactly the same reason, an awful lot of breeders of good dogs will never get recognised. So many good dogs never actually see a Field Trial, being too busy picking up during the season.

As to dogs, because of the area I'm in I see so many Endacott dogs, certainly to me Ann is the top breeder in this area although Lesley Scutter's Cornwood dogs are both good workers and good lookers. Have a look at them in the Gamekeepers ring at Crufts. I often see Willowych dogs at training and am always impressed by them. I have two in my class, although both people are more interested in Working Trials and, because of the flashy way of teaching the hold both dogs would worry me about hard mouths. I stress that it is in the training rather than the breeding and I'm quite sure that with working gundog trained retrieve there would not have been this trait.

As to my favourite? As you know, the dog I picked out as a stud for my Anna. Tibilla Dusk Of Endacott!

Best wishes, John

I can empathise completely John. Young family + full time job + picking up/shooting = very few field trials. I think I've only run in about ten trials in the last few years (managed to get a place or win in about half of them).

I dont get the time to see many good dogs working, but the Championship videos provide a good resource.

I'd agree with you over the Endacott and Willowyck dogs.  I also like dogs that have come from the Brindlebay and Birdbrook kennels. Cant leave out Drakeshead, although Ive seen some that are a bit much for novice owners.

Handlers - John Halstead (Senior & Junior), Tess Lawrence, Alan Rountree (+ many others)

Favourite Dogs - FTCh Garendon Captain (awesome when I saw him!), FTCH Lafayette Tolley, FTCh Ulstare Style
Bitches - FTCh Tasco Trinket, FTCh Shorthorn Ninja of Mansengreen, FTCh Biney Belle

Current stud dog I would use? Probably FTCh Willowyck Henman or FTCH Endacott Shelf. (I havn't come across your favourite yet!)

Sorry to hi-jack the thread but working dogs are much more interesting than show dogs! ;-)

My own of course ;).  Others I would recommend, Carpenny, Oakhouse, Warringah, Rocheby, Lembas, Cambremer and Stajantor.

Just as a follow up to my post. Frolic went Res BIS at the Gundogs Society of Wales champ show today! Well done to his breeder "Mattie"!

Regards, John

Yep, I would agree with Sandylands - but I also like the Warringah and Cambremer labs as well.

Forgot Rocheby

My Ex-boss!  Bradking Labradors, still the only breeders (i think) of champions in all three colours, AND the breeder and owner of the breeds recordholder, Ch Bradking Hugo!  some kennel if you ask me.
Dawn.

To be honest, I think you should look not much further than Chris Rose and Joy Venturi-Rose (Leospring).   Their kennels are really and truly dual purpose - they can well hold their own at Champ shows, yet are regularly in the awards in Working Tests and Field Trials.

Isn't this what a labrador should be?

No exaggerated mastiff-type heads here!

Jo and the Casblaidd Flatcoats

I would say cambremer, bradking,  rocheby.carpenny,carromer, bowstones   get yourself a labrador club year book and look in there in my opinion sandylands was top breeding but gwen is now passed away and her expertise gone some dogs too heavy for my taste only in my humble opinion and i dont get to many shows now so may be not up to speed

I think you need to look further back than just recent animals.  There are a few foriegn dogs that look super too.

Have to agree with the working type though, how wonderful to see a Lab, running tirelessly, fit, athletic, agile, aaahhhhhh BLISS!
DAwn.

the old labs  breeding are the beginning of the current day labs we have so much to be grateful for the old breeders such knowlege saldy they are no longer around but hopefully the breeding is.

I can't believe no-one has mentioned Poolstead!  Behind many of todays kennels and over 40 years of consistent type breeding.  30 British champions and the same again in overseas champions.  The kennel must be considered up there with Sandylands as the two major influences on todays show labs.

What did I say? 10 people and ten choices! :)

Yes agree Poolstead ,

  One of my my own bitches  ( bred by jane and mark) is line bred poolstead  she produced  for  us two top winning show champions
sh ch fullwellfreebooter at halshimoor and sh ch fullwell frolic at Halshimoor  frolic going reserve best of breed at crufts out of 515 entries and  even doing  well now  in veteren

You may be best to get the Pedigree labrador book of the Uk and have a look through there also.  A lot of people like a particular type over others.  Some like them heavy , some like them  med/heavy but that could still do a days work no problem.