East of England Championship Show 2013

Dachshund (Long Haired)

This was my first CC appointment in the Longs and I really enjoyed my entry.  I do like to be able to judge these dogs on the move, after all they are meant to be able to do a day’s work, so I’d like to thank the exhibitors and their dogs for coping so well in the heat.

Overall, as a breed, these dogs had lovely temperaments and put some in the other varieties to shame.  A couple were a little bit nervous on the table.

I was pleasantly surprised that size seems to be more under control these days, but many felt to be in soft condition and could do with exercise to tone up their muscles.  I wanted dogs that met the Breed Standard’s requirement for length:height proportions which meant some quality dogs were penalised for being longer than required, or for a lack of ground clearance.

Interestingly, breeders of Standard Longs don’t seem to have gone down the route of excess coat seen in many of the Mini Longs, which meant it was actually possible to assess movement in profile and when going away.

Puppy – Dog
Entries: 5 Absentees: 0

1st BRONIA MR PEPYS (MRS F MITCHELL) What a fantastic way to start my judging in this breed, with such a lovely puppy.  Good forechest, reachy neck.  Lovely bone and substance.  Correct proportions for length and height.  Held a really good topline on the move. Parallel movement coming and going away. Best Puppy.

2nd MELMINDS ZSYLVESTER (MS CHAPMAN) Slightly longer type than 1, but still with adequate ground clearance.  Prominent forechest and good length of upper arm.  Better length of ribbing than 1.  Moved true coming and going away.  Held a better topline than 3.

3rd TARRAMIST DOM PERIGNON (MR I & MRS L A NEGUS)

Junior – Dog
Entries: 4 Absentees: 0        

1st MELMINDS ZITANIC AT DARSOMS (MRS C & MISS E DARE & GUY) Handsome red dog who moved out really well.  Good proportions, not excessively long and with good ground clearance.  Elegant reach of neck.  Well-angulated behind.  Lovely topline at all times.  Presented in gleaming condition..

2nd BOURNDER REGENCY MALACHITE (MRS I A & MRS P M COOK & RHODES) I really enjoyed watching this B/T dog on the move as he does step out with drive.  He has a good forehand construction, with length of upper arm and prominent forechest.  Marginally longer type than 1, but a quality dog.

3rd AFRICANDAWNS LARRY’S LEGACY (MR T L JOHNSON)

Yearling – Dog
Entries: 1 Absentees: 0      

1st DARSOMS ZOTIS (MRS B D HORN) Larger type red dog, but with correct length to height proportions.  Moved slightly close behind when moving away from me.  Good, masculine head, held on reachy neck.  Good length of upper arm and adequate ribbing.

Post Graduate – Dog
Entries: 5 Absentees: 1                 

1st BADAMTAM’S VIA BALTICA AT FOLLYPAWS (IMP FIN) (MS M, MR D HAGAN & BORSUK) Post-grad is often a difficult class, with a mix of qualities and types.  My winner was a B/T dog of the correct size, who has the right amount of coat.  He’s a continental type, presented in firm, hard condition and has the required ground clearance.  His front construction is better than his rear and, unfortunately, going away, he has a rather rolling gait instead of the required parallel movement.

2nd ROGERMARDAX JACK SPRATT (MRS M F WOOD) Not as elegant as 1, with a shorter neck and more stocky body.  Correct proportions and adequate ground clearance.  Reasonably good bone.  Slightly turning out his right front foot when standing.

3rd AFRICANDAWNS NIGHT WILLOW (MRS B D HORN)

Limit – Dog
Entries: 7 Absentees: 0                                                                     

1st ABYDACHS RIDES THE STORM TO BOURNDER (MRS I A & MRS P M COOK & RHODES) This red dog is a slightly taller type, who has good ground clearance.  He has an elegant neck, good length of upper arm and a lovely head with a roman nose.  Good bone and substance all through.

2nd ABBALONGDAT THE VISITOR (MRS A C & MR I A BOOTH & ELSLEY) This really is a lovely dog, presented so well, but he was too long for my liking today.  He has a very well made front construction and excellent forechest.  Could do with being a bit shorter in loin.  Easily the best movement in this class, both in profile and coming and going away.

3rd AFRICANDAWNS RUMOR RUMBLE (MR T L JOHNSON)

Open – Dog
Entries: 7 Absentees: 1                                                               

1st BRYNALYN ROYAL WARRIER VIA LABBADAX SHCM (MS G MARKS) Handsome shaded red dog of the right size who moved like a dream in profile with good reach in front and drive from behind.  He also moved really parallel front and rear.  Lovely forechest and front construction. Dog CC; his 4th.

2nd ABYDACHS KICKS UP A STORM (MRS J F GEESON)  A slightly more compact dog than 1 and not the hind movement going away.  Slightly bigger than I’d prefer, but nevertheless, clearly a quality boy. Better forechest and a bit more bone than 1.  Lovely head, dark eye, reachy neck and presented beautifully.  Reserve Dog CC

3rd AFRICANDAWNS NIGHT HAWK (MR T L & MISS K A JOHNSOBN & MITCHELL)

Puppy – Bitch
Entries: 4 Absentees: 0                                                                                                    

1st TARRAMIST KRUG ROSE (MR I & MRS L A NEGUS)  Pretty shaded red bitch of the correct size.  Good amount of forechest and length of upper arm.  Could do with a bit more ground clearance.  Held her topline when moving.

2nd MELMINDS MALEFICENT (MS CHAPMAN)  Correct proportions for length:height, but would prefer a bit less depth of body. Good forechest. Reasonable length of ribbing. Moved slightly close behind when going away and not the hind drive of 1.

3rd GLENEDDEE LIQUROICE DIVA (MISS L WESTON)

unior – Bitch
Entries: 4 Absentees: 0          

1st AFRICANDAWNS LILLY’S LEGACY AT BRONIA (MRS F MITCHELL)   A really beautiful bitch who excels in front construction and has a lovely head.  Good bone and substance.  Adequate ground clearance.  Excellent topline, held at all times.

2nd BOURNDER RUBY EMPRESS (MRS I A & MRS P M COOK & RHODES)  A slightly longer type than 1.  Good forechest, adequate length of upper arm. Reachy neck and proud head carriage.  Moved true in both directions.

3rd SUECASEUS DESDEMONA (MRS S CHEESE)

Yearling – Bitch
Entries: 1 Absentees: 0

1st LABBADAX BLETILLA (MS G MARKS)  Red bitch who was on her own in this class and probably a bit longer than I’d want.  Moved with obvious crook coming towards me. Hard to tell what her hind movement was like with so much feathering.  Well-constructed in front; adequate amount of forechest.  Good head, held on elegant neck.

Post Graduate – Bitch
Entries: 6 Absentees: 2                            

1st MELMINDS MISS DIOR (MS CHAPMAN)  This bitch looked far better moving than stacked, where she didn’t really do herself justice (probably due to the heat).  Correct length:height proportions and good amount of forechest.  Would prefer more bunchy feet.  Moved true going away from me.

2nd ABBALONGDAT MS MARIONETTE (MRS A C & MR I A BOOTH & ELSLEY)  Red bitch of very nice type. I felt she was slightly loose in her front left elbow.  Good bone and better feet than 1.  Lovely head and good length of neck.  Good amount of forechest, but would prefer more ground clearance.

3rd DIMERLIN ISOLDE (MISS J M DIMON)

Limit – Bitch
Entries: 5 Absentees: 1            

1st DARSOMS ZOLENE (MRS C DARE) A lovely shaded red bitch, with the correct proportions and a good size, who I have previously admired. One of the few today with good length of upper arm and truly well laid-back shoulder placement.  Held her topline when in profile movement.  Absolutely true behind when moving away.  Reserve Bitch CC

2nd SOLO’S BILLION DOLLAR BABY AMONG TEKALHAUS (IMP USA) (MR P P & MRS D J CLARKE) This US import is of a very different type to 1 and I can imagine she’s either a “lover her or hate her” bitch, but I admired her qualities.  She’s not too long, which I preferred over 3 and 4 and she has the correct ground clearance which means she can stride out purposefully.  Well ribbed-up.  She could do with a bit more layback of shoulder.

3rd ABBALONGDAT ICE QUUEN (MRS A C & MR I A BOOTH & ELSLEY)

Open – Bitch
Entries: 6 Absentees: 1                                                                                                                                                    

1st CH ABYDACHS SUMMER WINE (MRS J F GEESON)  Both the first two in this class had superb front construction, with good shoulder placement and tight-fitting elbows.  My winner has a good forechest, lovely neck and super head with a distinctive roman nose.  Not excessively long.  Moved really true going away from me and powers out in profile movement.  Bitch CC and BOB.

2nd DARSOMS ZANGELINA (MRS C DARE) This five year old was very close-up to 1 and, like1, moved really well, holding a good topline at all times.  Correct proportions.  Good forechest.  She did appear a bit down on her front pasterns.  Lovely head and expression.

3rd CH ABBALONGDAT MS VOULEZ VOUS (MRS A C & MR I A BOOTH & ELSLEY)

Ian J Seath (Judge)