Southern Dachshund Ass 2002

Judge: Ian Seath

Dachshund (Miniature Smooth Haired)

I was pleased to be able to step in and judge the excellent entry Sue had drawn at the Southern and I know how disappointed she was not to be able to be at Bracknell due to her recent back operation. I was looking for well balanced hounds that could move, as well as 'look the part' when stacked. Too many failed to meet both criteria and I was concerned to see the appearance of wide fronts with loose elbows and tummy-tapping hind movement. Temperaments were mostly excellent, with little sign of the nervous behaviour currently found in some exhibits in the other two Miniature varieties. The quality of the bitches was generally better than the dogs.

MPD (5) 1 Fortnam's Cairo's Golden Nuggett. Neat little red dog with good front construction, tight fitting elbows and good length of ribbing, lovely head, good bend of stifle, tended to run up slightly behind and could perhaps do with a bit more length. 2 Shutt's Donnadoon Mystical Mover. Elegant b/t of slightly taller type, but with good length and overall balance, elegant neck and proud head carriage, slightly loose in elbow although reasonable length of upper arm, not the hind angulation of one, which meant he moved wider behind when moving away.

PD (5) 1 Coxon's D'Arisca Cut A Dash. Res Best D and Best D P. This little b/t d looks superb when posed, elegant, reachy neck with good head and expression, good length of upper arm, although appeared slightly wide coming towards me, held a level topline at all times, well angulated behind, used well to drive in profile. 2 Forster's Geffle's Dark N Sharp. A more houndy and rangy type than one, in really hard condition, elegant neck, very good forechest with tight fitting elbows, slightly better hind angulation than one, but moved wider moving away, good length and held a firm topline.

JD (4) 1 Lashbrook's Milfer Jack The Lad. Red dog with the neatest front construction in this class and good overall balance, reasonable forechest, topline held on the move, moved true both coming and going (unlike many others on the day). 2 Shutt's Donnadoon Distant Dreams. Slightly taller type than one and not as tight in elbow, lovely head and good ear carriage, good forechest, level topline, moved wide behind when going away. 3 Bassant's Shardagang Johnny Walker At Crancott.

PGD (4) 1 Punter's Clipperdown Basil Welcumen. Very elegant b/t dog, presented in lovely hard condition, one who looked better on the move than when posed, moved out with good length of stride both front and rear, elegant, reachy neck and prominent forechest. 2 Taylor's White Webbs Mahogany Flame. B/t who looked lovely stacked, but had a tendency to tummy tap behind in profile when on the move, low to ground and excellent body shape and good length of ribbing, held a firm topline on the move, good underline where many of the other d's were cut up after the keel.

LD (2) 1 Mendes' Scharmein Rajah. A compact little b/t d, good forechest and length of upper arm, although appeared rather loose in front when viewed in profile movement, ribbing could perhaps be longer, good hind angulation and looked true moving away. Topline held on the move.

OD (2) 1 Punter's Ch Clipperdown Loganberry Welcumen. Best D and RBOB. I have judged and admired this elegant red d before. He has excellent front construction, with good length of upper arm and ribbing goes well back, holds a firm topline on the move and has a neat underline, easily the best mover among the d's today, really steps out and covers the ground, lovely parallel hind movement going away.

MPB (2) 1 MacDonald's Bensarka Miss Pepperpot. Neat b/t of 8 mths with good front construction, tight fitting elbows and reasonable amount of forechest, she is slightly straight in hind construction which causes her to move close when moving away and a tendency to run up when standing. 2 Young's Youngline Ruby Royal. Taller type than one but whose hind angulation was better than one, nice head and expression, rather reluctant to move and therefore difficult to assess fully.

PB (5) 1 Coxon's D'Arisca Charm Offensive. Best B P and BPIB. Lovely b/t with super front construction, good forechest and who looks very mature for her 10 mths, elegant neck running into firm topline with good ribbing and a neat, flowing underline, although her hind angulation looked good when posed, she did move rather wide when moving away from me. Beat the d for BP on her front movement. 2 Pepper's Deercroft Shades Of Red. Red of taller type than one, good head and expression, tight fitting elbows and better front construction than three. Good forechest and well ribbed up. Slightly straight behind, but she stepped out well and held her topline. 3 Mendes' Scharmein Cassia.

JB (8) 1 Hunt's Carpaccio Travelling Light. Res BB. A beautiful b with excellent front construction where everything fits so neatly together, nothing loose and flappy on this one when she moves, nice head and elegant neck running into a firm level topline which she holds on the move, very well balanced and good length of ribbing, with a lovely neat underline, stepped out with drive, if I had to criticise her, I'd prefer if she had a bit more ground clearance, although when moving she is more upstanding than when stacked. 2 Taylor's White Webbs Black Lace. This b has more of the ground clearance I prefer and she moved really well round the ring, good head and neat front, well angulated behind but slightly longer in hock than one. 3 Pepper's Deercroft Shades of Red.

NB (4) 1 Bursey's Siouxline Isadora At Hartlake. Reserve from Junior class who had by far the best movement coming and going in this class, would prefer a bit more length and bend of stifle, which is where she lost out in Junior. Good depth of body and neat underline. 2 Kershaw's Hobbithill Elenwe. Red b who looked lovely in profile and was lower to ground and more balanced than one, she has an elegant neck running cleanly into a level topline, good length, however, her front movement coming towards me let her down. 3 Barton's Minimead Meriel.

PGB (6) 1 Reed's Deercroft Red Delight. A good all round b who I have admired before, she looks lovely in profile, good forechest and layback of shoulder, has the required ground clearance, level topline, kept at all times and neat flowing underline, would prefer if she was slightly less wide behind when moving away. 2 Punter's Welcumen Rebecca. Slightly longer type than one but with not quite the depth of body throughout, nice head on elegant neck, good prominent forechest, well angulated behind which she used to advantage on the move, firm topline. 3 Taylor's White Webbs Sliver O'Silver.

LB (8) 1 Voaden's Berrycourt Alicia. Best B and BOB. Best class of the day. Super b/t b, with everything in the right place when you place your hands on her. She doesn't fall apart on the move. Moved really well and certainly covers the ground, lovely neat front construction with tight fitting elbows, good layback of shoulder and length of upper arm, not overdone anywhere and her movement to and fro was absolutely parallel, none of the exaggerated crooked fronts or excessively wide rears found in many others in the earlier classes. Beat the dog for BOB on her better depth of body throughout her length. 2 Atkinson's Jaydax Jade Jewel. Another very well balanced, typy b with a good topline and tidy underline, lovely head and length of neck, good forechest but very slightly looser in front than one, although she did move well enough. 3 Young's Winnie Wilma For Willowheath.

OB (8) 1 Reed's Deercroft Lady In Red. Another from this kennel that I have placed before. Compact red b who held her good topline on the move, good front construction with tight fitting elbows, well laid back shoulder and not overdone forechest, tidy underline, could perhaps move with more drive behind but she moved true going away and was more parallel coming towards me than two. 2 Coxon's D'Arisca Germandach Sweet And Low. This b/t b was obviously desparate to relieve herself at the end of the class which may have affected how she held herself. Elegant neck, good forechest, slightly wide in front for my liking, really stepped out in profile movement, apparently she had just come into season which may account for her running up a bit behind. 3 Atkinson's Jaydax Sweet Jasmine.

Ian J. Seath