My thanks to the committee for this appointment and to the exhibitors for their entries. It is never easy judging your own breed as every exhibitor is a friend or acquaintance and apart from the young puppies, most of the dogs are known to us. Therefore one has to approach the task with total lack of sentiment and utmost detachment from every person and every exhibit and treat everyone as impartially as possible in the ring.

My overall impression of the breed was one of sadness it has to be said. The quality in males in particular is lacking throughout, to the extent that, with a very heavy heart, and after much soul searching, I found it necessary to withhold the reserve cc in males. This I did because the challenge was awarded to a baby puppy at his first show, and I did not know if this award would be upheld or not, and if it was for some reason rescinded by the KC, then the reserve placed male would have been elevated to the position of cc.

We are asked by the KC to be very clear before awarding the honour of a cc to an exhibit that the animal is of such outstanding merit as to be worthy of the title of Champion, and I really felt this was not something I could do on the day to another dog in the line up as I was seeing them. This was my reason for taking this drastic and unpleasant action.

I was aware that the winner of open dog left the ring upon hearing my decision, and I am sure others were disappointed too, but if one is to have principles and to stand up for what they believe is correct, then one must bear the cross of unpopularity and live with it. There was, and never will be, any malice or bad intent in my decisions, but it has always been my way to state my belief, my reason for it and to move on.

Having said that, looking at the finer points, I found temperaments better than I expected, maybe because after the dog classes some bitches were pulled, or maybe the nervous ones were left at home I don't know, but at least that is a good sign. One or two shied away and paid the penalty, but in the main they were reasonably good, and some were most definitely courageous to the point of rashness!

Mouths were a bit of a dilemma. All had scissor bites, which is good, however, several had missing teeth, and not only premolars. Two exhibits only had four bottom inscisors! However, my main concern was the bottom canines running up into the upper soft palate. This I did penalise as in my opinion it is detrimental to the dog and therefore should be bred away from. I am not in anyway a mouth fanatic�, but I do feel strongly about a fault which causes pain to the animal as in this instance.

Teeth were also presented in a dirty condition for which there is no excuse and again is bad husbandry.

I tried to move the dogs around several times in order for them to fall into their natural gait. Clever handlers can position a dog into a beautiful shape at the stack, but if a dog is allowed a loose lead and several circuits of a ring, eventually they will settle into a rhythm and hopefully the ringside can also see which ones look the best. Ours is after all a hunting breed and should be capable of moving round a ring a few times without falling over?!

Minor Puppy D 4/0

1st CC BP Fulton BROOKLIAD SIR AGRAVAINE TO BOTHLYN

At 6 months old this chocolate is well up to weight and may well go over, however, I was judging him today and not in the future. Not a colour I favour at all, but that said his jacket is of the harshest texture and is excellent right down to his well padded correctly shaped feet. He is well off for bone and has strong legs and good muscle for his age. Enough forechest without being overdone. Proper dachshund head with almond eye which is a colour acceptable here, although not one I particularly favour. However, one must judge the dog and not its colour. Good strong neck and well placed shoulder. Correct topline and movement was steady and sound. Perfect mouth. Maybe just very slightly over the 1;2 as required, but only just. Confident temperament. Well bodied. In the challenge I was really shocked to give him the cc, but could find nothing to beat him and when I weighed up all his virtues, he had to have the award despite his young age.

2nd Finney DOM PERIGNON VITORAZ

Rangy red who will fill out to make a stallion hound. Great temperament little fond of his stern but that will settle surely. Good head. Perfect mouth. Needs to settle in topline and not as finished as first, but he is what he is, a baby and that is no bad thing. Promising.

3rd McLeod and Hassall BRYTONIAN MYNYDDOG AT JANJAC naf.

Puppy Dog 6/2abs

1st   Fulton BROOKLIAD SIR AGRAVAINE TO BOTHLYN

2nd  Finney DOM PERIGNON VITORAZ

3rd Webster FOXEARTH FIELDGUN WITH WEBLINE

Junior Dog 3/1abs

1st Webster FOXEARTH FIELDGUN WITH WEBLINE

Came from third in previous class. Had better coat than two. Good head. Great temperament. Lengthy neck running into better laid shoulder than second dog.

2nd Stephenson HADOKA I'M A HANDSOME DEVIL AT WISTEX�

Good temperament and full of himself. Could be a shade more masculine for preference. Coat would benefit from more work. Moved quite well.

Post Grad Dog 1/0

1st Powell HIGH FLYER AT FORBELL

Very neat d with pleasing head and eye. Good coat and great temperament.

Correct height to length of 1;2 Stood alone but worthy of his place today.

Limit Dog 8/2abs

1st Res BD Boyns RYNDECKEL DIAMOND GEEZER�

Very animated and extrovert boy with excellent coat. Has a good head, enough forechest and is correct at 1;2 ratio. No questions about his temperament, which almost is his downfall as he is almost too over the top as when he moves he seems to want to go at a hundred miles an hour. This results in him moving very wide behind and I don't know if he were allowed to have his head whether he would improve in this area or whether he would fly his tail and take off. Either way I could only judge what I saw, and although I liked him I felt his back action to be too uneconomical in a working animal to be forgiven and so could not give the top award here. Maybe another day if he was outside on grass in a huge ring, or if his owner could run with him, who knows?

2nd Howell FALLOWMILL SERGIO�

Beautifully presented and shown. Held an excellent topline and underline. Typical head. Well ribbed back but too long for height to length ratio which cost him the class. However, a good dog gaining a place in one of the stronger dog classes.

3rd. Hayward FOXEARTH FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

Open Dog 8/2abs

1st Whitehouse ALSHTADT KINDER SURPRISE

Small compact dog of correct height to length ratio. Little feminine overall which precluded him from top honours. Movement was good in profile and his stronger hind movement won him the class over the second dog. He is a generally pleasing specimen with no outstanding faults or virtues. Steady temperament.

2nd. Phillips CH. CURTISEY BOOGY WOOGY

Lovely nature and good coat. Correct height to length ratio. His head is a rather domed and feminine and his back action was rather close today which cost him the class. Excellent coat well presented.

3rd Blackburn CH STARGANG CRUSOE

Veteran Dog 1/1abs

Good Citizen Dog 2/1abs

1st Stephenson MOLLONEY OH OH SEVEN VON WISTEX

What a bundle of energy this chap was! Good overall shape. Correct proportions. Moved well. Rather on the large size but great temperament.

The bitches were much better quality throughout than the dogs, and several classes had more than one winner in them.

Minor Puppy Bitch 10/3abs

1st BPB Russell RUSSTECK I DREAMED A DREAM

Very mature for age. Super coat, enough front, good neck, maybe a tad over long, but forgivable, particularly in a bitch. Moved with confidence and purpose. Didn't lose her shape at all. Promising.

2nd Kemp METCROFT BLUE JEANS ON VOSSMEAD

Very different type to first but very pleasing to go over. Excellent ribcage. Softer coat than first, but will improve with work, and neck will appear better then too. Sound on the move. Another lovely happy puppy.

3rd Blackburn-Bennett STARGANG WALKING ON SUNSHINE

Puppy Bitch 9/0abs

1st Marston-Teal LORDSCAIRNIE RHYTHM OF LOVE

Lovely make and shape on this puppy who nearly blew it by hesitating on the return to me after moving, however, I went to her on the stack and she stood her ground and so she had to have this large class as she was the outstanding winner. Beautifully prepared coat which gleamed and smelled divine! [unlike some of the exhibits today who smelled as though they had been dragged directly out of smelly kennels!] Movement behind needs to tighten but apart from that there is not a lot to change.

2nd Maidment DAXIDIN BRING ME SUNSHINE

Quite different to one in type being more rangy and less finished, but never the less a lovely puppy. Once her young handler got her going she showed promise and demonstrated her lovely neck and shoulder. Super coat. Should have some fun with her once she understands what you want.

3rd Gilkes MALRICH OREO AT BIRICHINO

Junior Bitch 10/2abs

1st Flowers and Buckle BENZDEN LACOSTE PINK

Really liked this bitch, to the extent that I had her back on the table in the challenge. Very workmanlike and sound. Coat needs attention but that's transient so didn't bother me as it was of good texture.Teeth need cleaning!

Super head, correct front, lovely body, correct ratio. Could muscle up a little more. Would like to see her again when fully mature.

2nd Price SAMLANE ALEXIS

Often said, shame to meet the winner�, but it really was the case here. Confident here today and moved well. Well presented coat. Moved with purpose. Correct ratio. Good head and eye. Another promising exhibit. Will be a great prospect in another twelve months or so.

3rd Billinghurst DRAKESLEAT SCENT SUEALL FOR JILJAC JW

Post Grad Bitch 11/ 6 abs

1st Baker LEVERSHAS MOCCASIN BRIE�

Overall a really pleasing exhibit. Good head and front. Lovely temperament which did mean she was a little happy with her stern, but this didn't detract from her topline and the set on was fine so it doesn't worry me. Reasonable coat, steady movement, enough bone. A useful b to own.

2nd Flowers and Buckle BINGOBONGO BEAN A LONG TIME

More kaninchen in size, good overall make and shape. Moved well and had a well proportioned head. Level topline. Ample front. Great character. Liked her very much too.

3rd Lewis TRIXHUND TATI ROMANOVA

Limit B 9/4abs

1st Res cc Daykin BARRATINI HOT GOSSIP JW

Fought hard in the challenge! Lovely head and eye. Ample front. Well presented coat. Enough bone. Neck and shoulders ok. Good character. Moved well up and back but just lost to the cc winner in profile movement after numerous circuits by dropping her topline slightly due to her being just a tad over the one to two in height to length. A good quality b who would be an asset to any kennel.

2nd Rigby WALDMEISTER MAUD FOR RIGADAC

Well proportioned b of great temperament. Moved very well both up and back and in profile. Coat a little soft in comparison to the winner, and not the feet of the winner. One has to be picky at this level. Another high quality exhibit.

3rd Grant HANISHAN WINNINGWAVES AT GRANHOWARD

Open B 9/4abs

1st CC BoB Meredith DEEPDAX CREDIT CRUNCH

Correct ratio of one to two and very workmanlike. Harsh jacket well presented. Typical head with defiant carriage, good eye shape and expression. Plenty of bone and giving a strong appearance. Well knuckled feet. Enough forechest. Level topline merging to strong round rump. She looked a power house that could go all day, and indeed, she kept going at the same pace and shape no matter how many circuits were asked of her. She appeared totally confident and undeterred and literally looked like she would keep going all day no matter what happened around her. A no nonsense, get on with it mini wire, you see what you get. My aim was to find an exhibit who was fit for function; whether as a show dog, as a pet or as a working animal, and I believe this one filled the bill in all departments. Her third CC today. Congratulations.

2nd. Marston-Teal CH. LORDSCAIRNIE LOVE LIFE

This exhibit was beautifully presented and her harsh jacket gleamed. She has a pretty head and a correct front. Her up and down movement is true. Whilst the first was a worker and no frills, this was a pretty glamour girl. She held her topline in profile, but lost to first on just being a tad less confident when moved on a loose lead.

3rd Price SAMLANE ZAFFIRO

Veteran B 4/2abs

1st BV Price SAMLANE PINK GIN

How this delightful young 8 year old enjoys her showing! Very well presented, lovely head and eye. Wonderful mouth. Moves so well. Excellent muscle tone. Correct proportions. Even took her sausage and ate it, we were honoured!

2nd Miller PALSUZ DREAM TIME

Game and on her toes. Knew what it was all about and made the most of her time in the ring. Wonderful harsh jacket. Really loved her sausages at the end of the class. Brilliant temperament!

Good Citizen B 1/0abs

1st Stephenson BOTHLYN INDIGO BLUE AT WISTEX

Was placed reserve in the hot limit class. Correct one to two ratio. Good head. Driving movement. Brilliant spirit and character which is what I really like to see.