Northern Counties Dachshund Association

I really enjoyed judging this variety at Ch level for the first time. All of the dogs were new to me apart from one lovely veteran, and I would say there were between 12-15 across the entry worthy of CCs on the day, which I think is quite a high proportion. Even in some of the middle classes, only minor details separated third and fourth, such was the quality of the dogs. Many thanks to the committee for the kind invitation, and to the exhibitors for the lovely entry and coping with the long day at the end of a long weekend.

Veteran Dog or Bitch

Entries: 7 Absentees: 4

1st) Ch Royal Pepper's Vice Versa (Imp Fin) (Mrs V Phillips), great start to the day and rather set the benchmark. Very good head and eye, well balanced with strength. Good forehand and keel, well laid shoulders and ribbing goes well back. Kept his topline standing and moving, and very accurate up and back. In good jacket. I thought the day wasn’t going to get much better than him, and it seems it did – but it also seems that was in no small part because of him, given the great sire he has been. Lovely hound. BVIB and ultimately BVIS.

2nd) Ch Boloria's Trick or Treat JW VW (Miss R Rowe), can see why she is a Ch, and she is most worthy. A little lower than the dog and carrying a touch more body, but balanced and feminine throughout. Keeps her shape both standing and moving and presented in first rate muscle tone and condition.

3rd) Tendrow I Am The One from Collidach JW VW (Mrs F Hutchings), one I have judged and done very well by before, still admire her greatly just carrying a few extra pounds today which shielded her outline.

Minor Puppy Dog

Entries: 1 Absentees: 0

1st) Kasalane Pietersite (Mrs K Wills) very nice young hound, still to come to hand but shows potential. Quite good to go over, good keen expression and strength. Fairly well angulated in front, and well ribbed back. Keeps his shape both standing and moving and presented in a good jacket. Could be a touch neater up and back I felt.

Puppy Dog

Entries: 1 Absentees: 0

1st) Atahira Finale (Mrs C Davies), see he is sired by the RDCC winner, and he has many of his father’s attributes. Very workmanlike hound and functional looking. Strong head and eye, good expression. Well balanced at both ends and his ribs go well back. Keeps his shape standing and moving and is very clean and accurate up and back. Lovely red jacket of the correct texture. BPD.

Junior Dog

Entries: 5 Absentees: 0

1st) Tendrow Will to Succeed (Mrs V Phillips), he does have the will to succeed, and it won’t be long before he carries a title. Grandson of the veteran dog and shares many of his attributes. Lovely head and eye, correct expression and balance of skull to muzzle. Well made in front, good shoulders and keel, ribs go well back & good hammy hindquarters. Full of himself and can play up at times; but he is so accurate and true on the move certain Ch.

2nd) Serengarth Bear with Me (Mrs L Adams), this red dog caught my eye when I first looked around the class & on the move in profile he really draws the eye. Very keen in expression, quite well made in front if perhaps a little short in upperarm. Ribs go well back but I would like him a fraction longer for ideal balance. Sound and free on the move and presented in a good jacket.

3rd) Tendrow Down to The Wire (Mrs C Akehurst)

Yearling Dog

Entries: 3 Absentees: 0

1st) Tendrow Rubens Hagrid (Mrs V Phillips), another grandson of Vice Versa with a lot to like. He too has that same head and expression, keen and alert. Very well made in front, good layback and return of upperarm; ribs go well back, and his hindquarters are well angulated. Powerful and accurate on the move and another Ch for this kennel I am sure. In great jacket.

2nd) Lallybrook Royale Jester (Mrs M M Mountford), this one rather grew on me as the class went on & took this place on his profile movement. Not the head of the winner, and prefer it a little more masculine for ideal. Shoulders fairly well laid, would like a little more return of upperarm. Ribs go fairly well back. Good harsh jacket and a lovely profile mover.

3rd) Serengarth Bear with Me (Mrs L Adams)

Post Graduate Dog

Entries: 6 Absentees: 1

1st) Feldhund Moonlight JW (Mrs A J & Mr A Beagrie), difficult to fault this dogs head and expression as it is lovely and so typical. Well made in front, with good shoulders and keel. He is a little long in back and his ribs could go further back for ideal so he can lose his topline standing. Excellent on the move where his topline does hold & he is powerful at both ends. First class presentation and handling.

2nd) Serengarth Bear with Me (Mrs L Adams), repeat of Junior Dog.

3rd) Teckelgarth Love Bug (Mrs M M Mountford)

Limit Dog

Entries: 9 Absentees: 1

1st) Cloudside Vincent (Mr W Moore), caught my eye as soon as I turned around from the table for his outline and balance. I thought he was a lovely size, beautifully balanced and shapely. Super head and eye, has strength without being coarse and correctly balanced from skull to muzzle. Excellent forehand and keel, ribs go well back, and I thought they were some of the best of the day. Excellent mover from all angles & kept his shape in profile. An easy showman and a totally honest hound. I thought he was lovely, presented in a super jacket of the correct texture. CC & BOS, his second I understand, and I hope his third is not too far away.

2nd) Boloria’s Mr Tom JW (Miss R Rowe), also liked this young dog very much who ran the winner close. Not a lot to fault with his head and eye, and he is well made throughout. Balanced angulation at both ends & he stands on good legs and feet. Not quite the ribbing of the winner who was exceptional there, but a very nice hound & he moved with decent accuracy up and back.

3rd) Ellesophia Fly Me to The Moon JW (Mrs L Adams)

Open Dog

Entries: 6 Absentees: 0

1st) Ch Sunsong Dare to Dream (Mrs S Seath), first two here gave me a headache! Liked them both very much for different reasons and I ultimately swapped them over in the end when I moved them up and back one final time. Liked Dare to Dream’s head and expression very much, but where he particularly appealed was his ease of footfall and virtually effortless strides. Beautifully proportioned and well-made quarters. He is a self-assured and unhurried showman presented in a good jacket, so typically houndy in his outlook and balance, and this ultimately took him to the RDCC over some good, classy males.

2nd) Ch Tendrow Malibar JW (Miss R & Mrs V Howlett & Phillips), possibly more in keeping with what I was looking for on the day in terms of shape and outline, and I admired him very much in all respects. Little to fault with his head and eye and he is very well mad throughout. A tiny bit slack behind when it mattered which cost him the class, but he is a quality dog and a really worthy Ch. Super jacket and presentation.

3rd) Collidach Percy Cute at Samlane (Mr A & Mrs N Hutchings & Price)

Special Beginners

Entries: 8 Absentees: 1

1st) Knottsrose Olaf (Mrs L Sanders), 4th in a good PGD class but won this class here on his outline and shape going around. A mite round in eye and would prefer a little more strength to his muzzle. Fairly good shoulders and upperarm, could have a little more chest. Well ribbed back carries his tail well and was presented in good coat. Very well handled and looked good.

2nd) Hopewood Dream Come True (Miss Eliza Sirrell) a plump little cutie! Lots to like about her for shape and balance. Would like her head to strengthen a little as she ages. Good forehand and ribbing, carrying a little too much weight at the present but she has time to lose that. Fairly good hindquarters though they could strengthen. Promising.

3rd Place 344 - Bramalodge Beeswing (Mr M Whittaker)

Minor Puppy Bitch

Entries: 2 Absentees: 0

1st) Mereblake Agnes (Mrs K Buxton), won this class on her shape and outline going around. Pretty head and quite expressive, might like a little more strength to jaw. Forequarters fairly well made, and forelegs are just straight enough. Well bodied and in good order, showing promise. Good hind action and fairly true in front. Correctly textured jacket put down in good order.

2nd Place 345 - Kasalane Apache's Tear (Mrs K Wills), smart puppy and another who I might like a little more strength to her foreface, but she has time. I initially thought she would be the winner, but just marginally preferred the forehand of the winner when going over them. Sound and free on the move, but could be a little cleaner in front. Good jacket and correct texture.

Puppy Bitch

Entries: 2 Absentees: 0

1st) Tannahill Lovely Day (Miss A Binks), quality puppy with a lovely shape and outline. Loved her head and eye, has strength but still feminine. Excellent forehand and keel. Ribs go well back, and she keeps her topline standing and moving. Good hammy hindquarters which she used well on the move. So accurate and free when she isn’t being the puppy that she is! Loved her and thought she was a good prospect for the future.

2nd) Hopewood Dream Come True (Miss Eliza Sirrell), see 2nd SB.

Junior Bitch

Entries: 8 Absentees: 0

1st) Ch Boloria Oh Darling JW (Misses R & R Howlett & Rowe), late arrival to this class and I was glad she came, but I suspect the others weren’t! Headed this class where the first 3 were really good bitches. Thought her shape and outline were something else standing; and upon going over her I found nothing to change my mind. Beautiful head and expression, houndy but feminine. Excellent keel, super shoulders and return of upperarm; ribs go well back and topline held at all times. Excellent hindquarters, well angulated and choc full of muscle. On the move her footfall is so accurate and in profile she is so free and easy. I did think at this point she may be the one to beat, and it turned out I was right. CC, her 4th I understand, and BOB. Handled and presented to perfection, fell in love with her.

2nd) Brumberhill Biscuit to Ambiesque (Mr P & Mr B Paterson), another bitch who I thought was absolutely lovely. Excellent head and eye, so expressive, beautiful front and quarters, her ribs go well back and she is well knit throughout. Top quality coat and condition, and on the move her footfall is very accurate and she is very free. She had a hard time matching the profile action of Oh Darling, but I called her back in for the resCC and she continued to impress me, so she won it over the lovely Open Bitch. Another first-rate bitch I thought.

3rd) Tannahill Day by Day (Miss A Binks), I really liked this bitch too, obviously younger and a little more wayward than the two experienced bitches above her; but I thought she was tremendously worthy of BPB and BPIB, and she ultimately finished the day as BPIS. She and her sister are two exciting bitches for this kennel.

Yearling Bitch

Entries: 10 Absentees: 3

1st) Derdledash Skyfall at Dakotadax JW (Miss A Dickinson), lovely houndy sort of bitch with a really smart outline. Liked her head and expression, just strong enough. Well laid shoulders and good return of upperarm, if perhaps she could have a little more for ideal. Ribs go just far enough back, and she keeps her topline. Quite accurate and sound on the move and particularly in profile, which is what took her to the class.

2nd) Vixendax Make Me A Winner (Mrs A Ellis), another quality bitch, not quite the strength of head of the winner, but she is attractive there. Enough neck and keel; firm topline and ribs go just far enough back. Not the hindquarters of the winner, but in profile she draws the eye and carries herself well.

3rd) Salixian Gracious Wings (Mr I S & Mrs F E Smith)

Post Graduate Bitch

Entries: 10 Absentees: 2

1st) Tannahill Thalia (Mrs H Downie), quite a workmanlike bitch and initially had her second in my mind; lots to like when going over her, she is a lovely shape and size, and her head and expression are quite delightful. Very well knit and balanced at both ends. Stands on good legs and feet and on the final go around, I felt she stepped it up a gear in profile and she had to take the class. Excellent jacket and in first rate muscle.

2nd) Hototo's Village Gossip (Miss C J Chambers), very close up and a really lovely hound. More refined than the winner and her head and expression too are quite delightful. Good to go over and all of a piece, beautifully balanced and very shapely. I felt on the final go around the winner put that little more in, but they could easily swap, and both are first class bitches.

3rd) Feldhund Show The Way JW (Mrs A J & Mr A Beagrie), not disgraced by standing third here and she too is a very smart bitch.

Limit Bitch

Entries: 8 Absentees: 3

1st) Sunsong Hopes and Dreams (Mrs S Seath), beautiful bitch, I thought she looked so houndy and so functional which is what won her this class. Lovely head and eye, good strength but retains femininity. Excellent forehand and ribbing. Topline held at all times, she is just a little flabby underneath at the moment; but I forgave this because of her other merits. Excellent mover; very considered but perfect footfall. Close up in the challenge and presented in a perfect jacket. Liked her a lot.

2nd) Elderkine’s Austen (Mr A & Mrs T Arthurs) also liked this bitch very much. Not quite the head or expression of the winner and felt she could be a little more “houndy” but she is quite typical in body and her proportions are very good. Very well-conditioned and quite accurate on the move, if not the neatness up and back of Hopes and Dreams. Presented in a very good jacket.

3rd) Bramalodge Baby I'm Your's (Miss E G Howe)

Open Bitch

Entries: 6 Absentees: 2

1st) Ch Tendrow Makes The Right Turn JW (Miss R & Mrs V Howlett & Phillips), headed a class of four very lovely bitches where only minor details separated them and personal preferences came into play. Loved her head and eye, so well made throughout and in first class condition for both body and muscle. Balanced at both ends and keeps her lovely shape both standing and moving. A real showgirl, minor details separated her from the eventual CC and ResCC winners, but the precocious Junior Bitches pulled out the stops in the challenge and really stepped it up a gear, particularly in profile. I would have been happy to have signed a CC for any of these bitches.

2nd) Ch Boloria Nice'n Spicy JW (Miss R Rowe), vey close up to the winner and a little more streamlined. Just preferred the substance of the winner on the day, but there is no denying that this bitch is a class act and a really effortless and powerful mover. The dogs presented by the winner of this class and the owner of this bitch were a credit to them, in first class condition and muscle-tone and without fail, all in peak fitness.

3rd) Ch Collidach Brook Ling ShCEx (Mrs F Hutchings), completed a trio of lovely bitches.

Evan L Ryan (Cavallibrook/Feorlig)