Many thanks to the Midland Club for a lovely day, and for my super steward. Obviously following on from the Houndshow in the same ring is the best possible option, but as the variety had the largest entry at both shows it meant a very long day for dogs and exhibitors. I was conscious that you were still being judged when all the other varieties had finished, and the Houndshow was calling for all the “Best Of” competitions.  Thank you for all for your lovely entry, your patience, and for keeping the ring flowing so smoothly. It is 9 years since I judged min smooths and I think that the breed has improved. I do like a dachshund to have ground clearance and there were still rather too many very low to ground types for me. In bitches I was spoilt for choice with many looking exactly like standards in miniature with strong heads, good front construction, long ribbing and good movement. I think my bitch CC line up is the best I have had in any variety and I could happily have awarded a CC to all of them. Several of both sexes were overweight, and some of these were placed as they had better construction and movement. Sadly, many lacked muscle tone. There were very few missing teeth, and teeth were all very clean, but rather small. I found one tail with an obvious kink, and several with fused vertebrae at the end of the tail. It was rather obvious that many dogs were not used to their tails being checked, and apart from not being happy with this, temperaments were good. Movement was either very good or awful – we were on a concrete floor in a large ring, so there was no obvious reason for the number of otherwise pleasing dogs who moved very wide behind, there were several lacking reach in front but fewer lacking hind extension.

MPD (4,1)

1.       Reed’s Deercroft Dream Chaser,  lighter red, best shape in profile and excellent profile movement, a little long in loin and tends to pin in both ends. BPD

2.       Dunhills’ Gellijams Russian Sun, better colour, sounder to and fro, giving away a lot in age and just standing with his hocks underneath him today 

3.       Jennings’ Jenivon Mr Mischief, larger b/t.

PD (3,1)

1.       McLennans’ Cheguevar Paddington Bear, lighter red, lovely shape on move when settled, very sound to and fro, good head and eye, would prefer shorter loin, lost out on BPD as not so settled in challenge and lost topline.

2.       Shutt’s Donnadoon Dusk Till Dawn, older b/t with a lovely head and expression, not so good in front, lost topline on move and too long for me.

JD (5,0)

1.       Hunt’s Wolferlow George Brown at Carpaccio, pleasing dark chocolate, compact with excellent ribbing and keel, good head and eye, well angulated both ends and very sound to and fro, would prefer more hind extension in profile movement

2.       Mason’s Teckeltown Something Magic, lovely b/t who moved better than 1 in profile but had not his front angulation, best hind movement in class and good length of ribbing

3.        Protheroe’s Picollo Teckel Tick-Tack at Royalmaple, lighter red, lovely shape, but too low to ground and moving very wide behind, not the temperament of first two.

PGD (6,3)

1.       Bullis’ Amaffrey Betcha By Golly Wow b/t,  close decision between 1 and 2 here,  1 had better shoulders and is slightly more compact, looks much better on the move than when stacked.

2.       Barrett’s Ayseebee Twinkling Star, b/t, looked lovely standing if a little low to ground, excellent ribbing and preferred his head, just lacking reach in front

3.       Hardy’s Glynlythe Digging For Gold, good coloured red who was not happy today and failed in front to others.

LD (7,1)

1.       Roberts’ Wingcrest Supersonic to Denver, b/t, sound active free mover, in excellent condition, lovely shape stacked and in profile movement, everything in balance, masculine head, good ribbing, very clean shoulders with good front construction, very sound to and fro,  his soundness and proportions won him the CC and very close up for BOB – loved him.

2.       Melbourne’s Ambreglo Storm at Melriding, lovely sized b/t with better hind angulation but tended to lose his shape on the move and just lacked the overall balance of winner

3.       Protheroe’s Royal Maple Fiddlesticks, well made b/t but too long and low for me and not the temperament of first two.

OD (9,1)  This was the strongest dog class, although several were just over 11lb.

1.       Coxon’s Ch Distinctly So D’Arisca RCC, lighter red, lovely shape, compact with good ground clearance, masculine head carried on good neck. moved really well and won this class on his superior hind action, in the challenge he looked a little heavier and was not as active as the Limit winner

2.       Barrett’s Ch Ayseebee Rumour Has It, very nice b/t of similar type to limit winner with good ribbing and very well balanced, just tended to goose step in front and in the final go round was moving wide going away from me.

3.       Blackburn-Bennett’s Stargang Barracuda, red who looked lovely in profile and very well made but rather loose in hind movement

ChD (1,1)

1.       Protheroe’s Ch Royalmaple Anky Panky, lovely colour and good compact shape, would prefer longer ribbing and was heavy over the shoulder, rather low

VB (3,0) A lovely class of senior ladies

1.       Melbourne’s Ch Golden Algonquinette of Melriding, BV, 8 yo red, wonderful profile with excellent front movement, feminine head carried well on good neck, good ribbing, short loin and well angulated behind, still moving as if she had somewhere to go

2.       Kent’s Ch Lokmadi Paper Tiger JW ShCM, 7yo b/t, not quite as clean in outline but another really sound mover, lower to ground than winner and not quite her hind drive, but well balanced with good ribbing

3.       Ch Garthorne Miss Toffee, 7yo red, in lovely condition, longer than winners and just not as positive behind

MPB (7,0) This was a very good class, but the first 3 bitches stood away, all 3 were dachshunds in miniature and there should be exciting times ahead for their owners

1.    Metcalfe-Bilgin’s Metadale Legacy To The Lark, RCC, BPIB, wow! Right up to the challenge I thought this would be my CC winner but in with the big girls she just lacked a little finish, not a fault at this age, a light red who is maybe a little proud of her tail but it signals her glorious temperament, super in every other department, just hope she has finished growing.

2.     Coxon’s Sundsdal’s Black Cadillac to D’Arisca, much smaller b/t who was also beautifully constructed and very very sound, just lacked a little bone and the joie de vivre of the winner

3.     Coxon’s D’Arisca So Delicious, another beautiful b/t who was not happy with me checking her tail and lost her composure after being on the table but I had seen enough initially to place her here, three lovely puppies.

PB (4,1)

1.       Coxon’s D’Arisca So Scrumptious, another beautiful b/t who is another standard in miniature, lovely shoulders and ribbing, moving very well in profile and to and fro,  sorry she could not stay to challenge but I can understand her owner’s concerns about the length of day.

2.       Price’s Samlane Happy As A Lark, longer lower shaded red with a lovely temperament, very sound but just not the free flowing action of winner   

3.       Dalton’s Victoria Paw Nami, rather on the leg red who was a little nervous today but could be worth persevering with as is very sound and holds her shape on the move

JB (18,2)  This was a cracking class, I short-listed 7 as I felt the 2 bitches I could not place were very sound, well made  and excelled in temperament and deserved to be acknowledged

1.       Russell’s Russteck Tea Cake, lovely b/t in excellent condition, lovely head and expression, very well constructed if slightly longer and lower than I prefer, really sound and could not be denied this class on movement and shape which she held at all times

2.       Harwood’s Picollo Teckel Sirena at Paradigm (Imp Rus), super sound brindle with just too much ground clearance here, would love to see her on grass, good head, good ribbing and good hind angulation, would just have liked her to relax a little more on the move, she tended to shorten in profile but very sound to and fro

3.       Merry’s Merryline Miss Moneypenny, very sound, well constructed red with correct proportions

PGB (20,9)

1.       Ergis’ Siouxline Rachel, pleasing b/t, feminine head and eye,  with best shoulders in class, although did sometimes tend to lift her front feet too high in profile, good ribbing, nice shape, very sound to and fro          

2.       Harwood’s Paradigm Cepheus Flare, not quite as balanced but nice type, sound although a little wide behind, good head, mouth and expression

3.       Fairchild’s Truly Madly Deeply In Love with Ardenrun, this feminine little red was so much nicer on the move than when stacked, she is well constructed, very sound and in good condition

LB (18,5) Another good class

1.       Oddie’s Riowood Tiger Socks, red brindle who excelled on the move, very free and active, she carries her tail a little high but that is an expression of her temperament as it is well set on, and did not detract from her outline, very well constructed front and rear and in excellent condition, very sound to and fro, has substance and bone, correct proportions and ground clearance, good ribbing and short loin, feminine head with strong jaw, she had to be good to beat the minor puppy and she was! CC, then BOB, in a very close contest, by virtue of her hind angulation,  and RBIS.

2.       Herrington’s Kathington Just By Chance JW,  well made red bitch who was also a free and active mover, not the muscle tone of winner today and was slightly lower to ground

3.       Mitchell’s Bronia Bellezza, well made shaded red who is just too low for me but could not be denied this place on her sound movement 

OB (9,1) The first three stood out here for type and movement

1.       Blacburn-Bennett’s Stargang Song Of Ice N’Fire, very well balanced b/t, lovely size with good head and eye, correct angulation at both ends, good proportions and ground clearance and very, very sound,  

2.       Mutton’s Poshpride Alfa Lady (Imp Ukr), pleasing b/t holding outline on the move, good proportions and ground clearance, just failing in hind angulation to winner

3.       Melbourne, Carroll & Paget’s Garthorne Olivia Grace of Melriding, good b/t with correct proportions, just failing in front movement in profile to above 

ChB (3,0)

1.       Ch Lokmadi Paper Tiger, won here on her proportions and soundest to and fro

2.       Protheroe’s Ch Picollo Teckel Never Say Never at Royalmaple (Imp Rus) JW, lovely type of b/t who is a little short in keel, super in profile movement but moving very wide behind

3.       Williams & Moes’ Ch Cwmdarhian Prty Lika Rushn, shaded red who was a good size and correct proportions, not as clean over the shoulders as first two and not moving as well in front