WIREHAIRED:

Another good entry and, as ever, a pleasure to judge - and the ringside seemed very alive! I last judged them at Crufts in 2001 and noticed a big improvement in the Dachshund shape, shoulder placement and freedom of movement. These have continued, the variety is still in a transition period, but coming along well. Heads, eyes, bone, bodies and outlines were generally good. Some dipped a bit behind the shoulder, coats ranged from superb to untypical, mostly good, and I found too many with very tight bites - a fault that has always been around but is hard to eliminate. Size in males is getting over the top, specially the younger ones. They are certainly very impressive but I was glad I wasn’t the one lifting them onto the table! This was my 10th time dishing out CCs in the variety in 30 years and BOB has gone to the bitch every time, which is odd in a breed where the males can look so impressive.

PD (4) 1 Phillips’ Tendrow Special Edition. Nearly 10 months dark brindle. A big lad but well balanced. Handsome head, well bodied and with a good coat. Well angulated both ends, hammy rear and a very free mover. Preferred his shoulder placement. 2 Clifford’s Ablebody Rock N Roll. Red of nearly a year and another very impressive free mover with good length, top and underline. Not quite the coat or balance of foreface to skull, but a very promising chap. 3 Moore’s Romanchi Witchita.

JD (4,1) 1 McCalmont’s Silvae Pioneer. Stunning big 15 month dark brindle son of Bone Appetit. Lovely head and eye, good body, shoulders and neck flows into topline smoothly. Thick, strong rear. A very free mover with great drive, but just needs to firm up in topline on the move and the tailset definitely detracts from the picture. Otherwise I loved him. 2 Borman’s Sonic Pickpocket. 16 month old brindle. Very nice and good for shoulder placement, type and a lovely coat. Better tail set but not as tidy in front. 3 Clifford’s Ablebody Rock N Roll.

PGD (2,1) 1 Norman and Ratcliffe’s Silvae Hotshot. Nearly 2 years old brindle of nice type. On his own but can win in good company. Good for head and eye, neck, topline, bone and depth of body. Very slightly bandy going away but a very free mover who retains a good outline. Another worthy son of Bone Appetit.

LD (7) A very difficult choice between two litter brothers by Pickwick. 1 Norman and Ratcliffe’s Ermewood Buzfuz. Good head and eye, neck, topline, body length to height proportions and well let down rear. Very free mover with drive and very tidy coming and going. Well deserved his Res CC. 2 Ticehurst’s Ermewood Fizkin at Wirecrest. Slightly larger and equally impressive. Super coat, similar remarks apply standing and moving. The deciding factor was that although his shoulder placement is good, he doesn’t stand quite as truly in front - but that’s really nit-picking to separate them and both should make their titles. 3 Harris and Millgate’s Ritlo Shooting Star.

OD (6,1) All diffrent and all with things to offer and admire. 1 Rollinson’s Ch Nosinllor Grenadier. Sh CM. 4 year old brindle who added up best overall. Oval fronted with good shoulders placement, coat, body, topline and underline. Moved freely and showed consistantly. 2 Moore’s Am Ch Raydachs Tom Cruisen On. It’s no secret that I’ve admired this 4 year old brindle since I put him up in Texas two years ago. So stylish, lovely type, very neat size with a good sweep of underline and nice to go over. Appears to be at an in-between stage since he came over here, needing leg hair to finish the picture and to regain his hind drive. 3 Clifford’s Winterstorm Symphony with Ablebody. Vet (5) Super class and a credit to the breed. 1 Paterson’s Ch Cichelvine Firedancer. Really cracking 8 and a half year old. My surprise Limit winner at Crufts and who still looks the same. A big dog in his day (but never coarse or lacking quality), but not compared with modern youngsters. Super outline, hard condition, moved so freely and showed impeccably. Better let down behind than the second, well angulated both ends and gave nothing away to win the CC. 2 Baxter’s Lankelly Saffron at Kharmina. Lovely bitch rising 10 and another I placed well last time. Hardest of coats, smashing shoulder placement and front although slightly too deep through chest. In really hard condition and had to pull out all the stops to go over a grear favourite. 3 Harris’ Ch & SA Ch Silvae Blacksmith at Ritlo.

PB (14,4) 1 Phillips’ Tendrow ‘O’ So Special. Where do you start with this one? Litter sister to the dog puppy but a better size and lifts his quality to an even higher level - absolutely super. Scores in coat, head, eye, great type, length, shoulder placement and hind angulation. Everything is in balance on the move - just flows and eats up the ground. Hope she isn’t too good too soon, but appears to have the lot - and what she might not have she wont miss. No hesitation in giving her the CC and Best of Breed. 2 Moore’s Romanchi Cochiti. Another lovely puppy. This 9 month old girl didn’t catch my eye to start with but grew on me, especially after the table examination. Less ready but very nice and will be slower to come to hand. Just loses her front slightly on the move, and naturally needs to harden up all over when she will take some stopping. 3 Vine’s Cishelvine Ocean Dream.

JB (12,2) 1 Heffernan’s Ritlo Maid Marrianne at Mamutik. Lovely neat little 16 month bitch by the same sire as 2nd in Puppy (Uno). Nice head and expression, neck flows clearly over shoulder and into topline, good bone and coat and scored heavily on the move. 2 Harris’ Ritlo Sweet An Dromeda. Nearly 13 months girl with lovely neck and all round Dacshund type. Lengthy and well angulated with a very short coat that is still acceptable. 3 Gibson’s Allfreys Shula.

PGB (12,1) 1 Harris’ Ritlo Be’Dazzler. Super typy red just over the year. Long, low and level, moved and showed well. Rather light in eye and definitely needs a firmer hand to bring out the best in her. 2 Munro’s Lankelly Just Jasmine for Stornum. Neat little brindle rising 4. Very hard coated and a lovely shoulder placement, but not the topline of the winner. Deserves to have been campaigned more. 3 Sexton and Knight’s Cloudside Rheane at Molloney.

LB (7,1) Very hard to separate the first two. 1 Phillips’ Saxonbury Playday at Tendrow. 2 and a half year old brindle, litter sister to the sire of the pups. Lovely type all round and moved very well. Had a great tussle with the second but first had a little more in front on the move. This kennel certainly has a strong team at the moment. 2 Kent’s Leibling’s Sweet Charity. Neat little three and a half year old brindle with that lovely Dachshund shoulder placement that her sire, Diamond, was so good at. Lovely head, neck, type and outline. My pre-show tip for the ticket but sadly she didn’t seem to settle on the day. One I’ve always loved and thought hard done by. Both these bitches deserve their titles. 3 Moore’s Cloudside Red Rose.

OB (7,3) 1 McCalmont’s Ch Silvae Pastiche. 2 year old brindle and a Bone Apetit daughter. First time I’ve had a good look at her and I liked what I saw. Bit proud f her tail but so free and typy on the move. Lovely all round and a cracking coat. Showed her head off to win the Res CC. 2 Davies’ Cempsey Centime by Atahira. Slightly heavier type brindle rising 3. Good head and neck, super coat. Lovely construction and all round type with nice hammy quarters. Another well deserving of a title. 3 Phillips’ Saxonbury Playtime at Tendrow.