My thanks to Birmingham National for the opportunity to judge Smooth Dachshunds at this year’s show & to my stewards for their help on the day. I had an excellent entry both in numbers & quality & enjoyed my day.

A lovely entry awaited me, the quality overall was of a high standard & I was spoilt for choice in several classes. The puppy classes were particularly strong with lots of promising babies, a good sign for the future & it will be interesting to see how they all develop.

MPD (6) 1 Kent’s Lokmadi Bowetts Testarosso, smart red of just 6 months, pleased for size & type, well put together with lots to like, but still very much a baby, lovely shaped head & dark eye, well placed shoulders & good upper arm, well ribbed back & good rear angulation, moved soundly & freely, most promising; 2 Paget & Carroll’s Melriding Mr Wickam at Marvale, well constructed b/t of 8 months, lovely head & eye, well filled front, good ribbing & short loin, nice bone & neat feet, well angulated quarters, moved out smartly keeping a good outline, not quite as neat coming on as 1 today but liked him a lot; 3 Hughes’ Clentry Coppa Glow to Julidachs. PD (5) 1 Blackburn-Bennett’s Stargang Barracuda, eyecatching red boy of just 9 months, of a pleasing make & shape, well put together & presents a very smart outline, attractive conical head, dark almond shaped eye, well filled forechest, good ribbing which go well back, good top & underline, excellent rear angulation, moved soundly & freely keeping a good shape, must have a bright future. BPD; 2 Mutton’s Ygeia Ustinov, 10 months b/t, pleased for overall shape & neat all through, nice masculine head, good reach of neck, adequate forechest, good depth to ribbing, well angulated quarters, moved out smartly with good rear drive, just preferred front movement of 1; 3 Burton’s Swingletrees Warpaint. JD (3) 1 Callow’s Garthorne Gavin, I was very taken with this super b/t youngster of 14 months & loved his clean smooth flowing outline, he is well constructed throughout, has  well filled front with snug fitting elbows, ribs are well sprung & go well back, short strong loin, well angulated rear, loved his houndy head, reachy neck & good head carriage, moved soundly away & back with a free easy stride in profile, pleased to award him RCC; 2 Roberts’ Denver Darling James Bond, another well made b/t of a lovely size & type, with good bone & substance, well constructed throughout, balanced angulation fore & aft, elegant head carried on reachy neck, moved out smartly with good reach & drive, close up to 1, liked him a lot. YD (1) 1 Muggleton’s Mosiarto Mister Valentino, quality red boy who is really well put together & lovely to go over, loved his overall soundness & balance, masculine head, good reach of neck which flows into a firm topline, good front & well sprung ribbing, firm well muscled quarters which he used to really cover the ground, lovely outgoing temperament, well handled & presented. ND (3) 1 L Bowetts Testarosso; 2 Rudkin’s Dynastydax Peter Pan, 14 months shaded red of a pleasing size & type & neat all through, lovely shaped head & dark correctly shaped eye, good neck & ribbing, balanced angulated fore & aft, moved out smartly, not quite the forward reach of 1, but holds a good topline & shows well; 3 Burton’s Swingletrees Warpaint. PGD (6) Close decision between 2 typy b/t lads who I see have the same dam. 1 Scott’s Wolferlow Will Scarlet, smart 2 year old with a lovely houndy head, well constructed all through, strong neck & good topline, he is well angulated fore & aft & stands on good bone & neat feet, carries himself well on the move with good reach & drive; 2 Smith’s Wolferow Admiral Nelson, have done this smart b/t well last time I judged & I still like him, pleasing masculine head, good reach of neck, firm topline, well sprung ribbing with good reach of neck, firm topline, well sprung ribbing with good depth & well muscled rear, moved out freely using his short hocks to really drive, just preferred slightly better ground clearance of 1; 3 Gittin’s My Mr Bo Jangles at Boomerloo. LD (7) 1 Roberts’ Denver Darling Doctor Who, lots to like about this well constructed sh/r who holds a pleasing outline at the stand, with his firm well conditioned body, has handsome conical headpiece & dark eye, good neck & well filled front, ribs are deep & go well back, strong short loin, good bone & neat feet, moved true away & back & used his well made quarters to drive around the ring; 2 Williams’ Wilmarella Wells Fargo, this smart b/t of the type I like was close up to 1, he is well proportioned with good ground clearance & soundly constructed, has handsome houndy head, reachy neck, balanced angulation fore & aft, moved out freely but not quite the rear drive of 1 today; 3 Phillips’ Arbennik St Thomas of Robinswood. OD (6) Super class, quality all down the line. 1 Ergis’ Ch Sioxline Aaron, topped an excellent class of quality males, won PGD last time I judged & he has now matured to reach his full potential, ultra smart sh/r, super for size & type with a firm well knit body & lovely clean-cut outline, has a handsome head, good neck & proud head carriage, his front is well constructed with close fitting elbows, ribbing carried well back with short strong loin, well angulated rear, moved out soundly & carries himself so well with excellent reach & drive, in lovely coat & condition, happy showman. CC; 2 Barrett’s Ch Ayseebee Rumour Has It, have done this smart b/t well as a puppy & still like him, has matured into a well bodied boy with good layback of shoulder, super well sprung ribbing with good top & underlines, short loin & well muscled rear, stands on good bone & neat feet, he has a good head carriage & holds a firm topline on the move , really driving from the rear, just preferred the more positive front action of 1 today; 3 Callow’s Garthorne Jackson. VD (3) 1 Kent’s Ch Barrantini Jeeves at Lokmadi, hard to believe this quality boy is coming up to 9 years, smart b/t who presents an excellent outline & is really pleasing to go over, attractive masculine head, reachy neck flowing into a good topline, well filled front, long ribbing with good depth, well angulated quarters, shown on a loose lead & stands & carries himself so well, moved soundly with good reach & drive. BV; 2 Nolan’s Kelmbeck Lord Of The Dance at Eddyval, lovely headed b/t just rising 8 years, pleasing overall shape with a well filled neat front, good depth to rib, moved out smartly, not as firm in topline as 1, has a happy temperament & showed well; 3 Sim’s Little Wizard of Kelmbeck, sprightly 10 year old who completed a lovely trio of lads.

MPB (14) 1 Hunt’s Carpaccio Midnight Lace, delightful young lady who caught my eye immediately & for me she is absolutely lovely, sh/r who is very feminine, lovely for size & type, super in outline, beautiful head & eye, arched neck, well filled oval feet, good depth of chest & long ribbing, good top & underlines, well angulated quarters, short hocks & neat feet, very sound on the move with a free easy stride, is very composed for one so young, a star in the making. RCC & BP; 2 Dyer, Dyer & Oddie’s Riowood Tiger Socks, a lot to like about this 8 months r/br, very feminine in outlook, lovely shaped head & dark eye, neat front & good ribbing, presented a well balanced outline, moved soundly but not the scope of 1 in profile movement, still needs to strengthen in her rear, most promising; 3 Worswick’s Dolyharp Sonata. PB (9) 1 Melbourne, Paget & Carroll’s Garthorne Olivia Grace of Melriding, elegant b/t girl of almost 12 months with immediate appeal, loved her smooth flowing outline & super head carriage, well constructed throughout with good bone & neat feet, moved soundly away & back, strode out freely in profile keeping a good topline, in lovely coat & condition; 2 Roberts’ Denver Darling Dream Of Love, immaculately presented sh/r of a pleasing make & shape, lovely to go over & close up to 1, well constructed with good angulation fore & aft, good bone & neat feet, moved out soundly & carries herself well; 3 Scott’s Wolferlow Baby Jane. JB (10) 1 Mitchell’s Bronia Juanita, quality b/t whose good conformation & sound movement won her this very competitive class, loved her conical head, reachy neck, neat well filled front, good spring of rib, short loin & well angulated quarters, moved with both reach & drive; 2 Scott’s Wolferlow Miami, pleasing red girl, feminine head & dark eye, lovely overall shape, super for type & quality, good bone & neat feet, good front & ribs, well made quarters, moved out freely, at present lacks the maturity & finish of 1, liked her a lot; 3 Price’s Samlane Desdemona. YB (4) 1 Lombardelli’s Kelbeck De Montespan of Melriding, smart b/t who presented a balanced outline & is neat all through, attractive head with dark eye & pleasing expression, enough front, good ribbing & quarters, moved out smartly with good drive from the rear; 2 Zaivej & Domakhin’s UK Redgi Prado Sybella KC, 15 months  sh/r who is out of a larger mould & taller on the leg, conical head & dark eye, good neck & nice depth to rib, well muscled rear which she uses to really stride out on the move, just preferred the size & type of 1. NB (3) 1 Burton’s Swingltrees Star Arni Dahl, well balanced b/t who was placed in the good junior class, elegant head & pleasing expression, good neck & front assembly, nice body & quarters, moved out freely keeping a good topline; 2 Kitchen’s Dovestream Tich at Tarkdash, light red of almost 3 years, sweet head & dark eye, good bone & feet, neat front, ribs are well sprung with good depth but lacking in length, in good muscular condition, on the move although she strode out well, her topline was roached, has a lovely happy temperament. GB (3) 1 Smith’s Wolverlow Maid Marion, stylish feminine b/t, showing & moving really well with excellent forward reach & drive, very well constructed with well filled front, long ribbing with good depth & well angulated quarters, has lovely feminine head which she holds proudly on the move; 2 Rudkin’s Dynastydax Peri Winkle, this 13 month smart red is litter mate to Peter Pan & like ‘peas in a pod’, lovely body shape, very smart in outline, well balanced with appealing feminine head, good angulation fore & aft, on the move she was very collected moving out freely, still needs to strengthen a tad behind; 3 Merry’s Merryline Polly Pumpkin. PGB (5) 1 Ergis’ Siouxline Ester Rose, this top quality 20 months red, pleased for size & type & has a touch of elegance about her, she is very feminine in outline & presents lovely balanced outline, has good angulation fore & aft, long ribbing, good top & underline, short loin, good bone & neat feet, moved out with freedom & drive & was very sound away & back; 2 Reed’s Deercroft Deep Secret, well made b/t who is very smart in outline, loved her elegant head & soft expression, good neck & front assembly, nice body & quarters, moved very freely with good rear drive, just preferred the front movement of 1 today; 3 Lombardelli’s Kelmbeck Kaiserin. LB (11) 1 Muggleton’s Mosiato Miss Calculate, classy rich red of excellent type & quality who showed really well, very sound on the move & really covered the ground, lovely conical head, dark eye, good neck & topline, well constructed front with good keel, well sprung ribbing going well back, strongly made rear, good bone & substance, liked her a lot; 2 Hughes’ Siouxline Tiana to Julidachs, attractive red girl is completely different in type & shape, but also has a lot to like, she is well balanced & neat all through, sweet feminine head & dark eye, good neck & topline, good ribbing & short loin, well angulated rear, moved out smartly, just preferred the head & substance of 1; 3 Reed’s Deercroft Summer Serenade. OB (7) 1 Russell’s Russteck Plum Duff, super b/t of an excellent type & quality, so neat & sound & lovely to go over, very feminine, of an ideal size, beautifully balanced & so well put together, loved her head & expression, reachy neck into well laid shoulders, good upper arm & snug fitting elbows, her ribs are well sprung & carried well back with good top & underlines, short loin & well muscled quarters, moved so soundly with parallel action away & back & free easy stride in profile, in lovely coat & condition, well handled, pleased to award her CC & BOB; 2 Hunt’s Ch Carpaccio Blithe Spirit, stylish b/t of a lovely quality, ultra feminine with a smooth flowing outline & so sound & well balanced, liked her size & type, lovely feminine head & expression, well filled front, long ribbing, short loin & firm well angulated rear, good bone & neat feet, immaculately presented in lovely coat & condition & close up to 1, lovely girl & a worthy ch; 3 Blackburn-Bennett’s Ch Stargang Star Anise. VB (1) 1 Walker’s Brianolf Mystical Gem for Dorenian, stood alone but deserved her red card, attractive red & very spritely for her 10 years, pleasing outline, attractive head, well filled front, good ribbing & quarters, moved freely in profile, holding a good topline, in lovely coat & condition & a credit to her owner.