West of England Dachshund Club 2008

BEST IN SHOW

It was a great honour to be invited to judge B.I.S. at this extremely well run and friendly show, where there was a lovely atmosphere, and everyone was made to feel very welcome. I had six very good representatives of their breeds to choose from, it was not an easy decision but to my mind two stood out and these were the wire and the smooth, of the other four they all had things to recommend them, but could not match these two for overall construction and soundness. B.I.S. was Dible and Moon's Ir Ch Lieblings Cross The Pond To Barmaud, a red of just over two, whose coat and presentation were of the highest standard, he has a lovely masculine head and expression, with a dark eye. Excellent reach of neck, which runs into well placed shoulders, level top line both standing and on the move, good ribbing carried well back, prominent forechest. Lovely rump with good angles. Excellent feet and bone. He moved out with purpose, extending in front and driving from behind, something that is lacking in so many wires today. I hope it will not be long before he gains his English title. R.B.I.S. McNaughton's standard smooth Cedavoch Honour Bound, a youngster of just a year old and with an excellent temperament, he is almost jet black in colour with a stunning masculine head and eye, great feet and bone. Good reach of neck leading to well placed shoulders, prominent forechest, he is balanced fore and aft. Level topline both standing and moving. Is possibly a little long in the loin. He moved out freely in front with good extension, and his rear construction is such that he should move with full extension, showing a clean pair of heels which he did not do all of the time, but he did enough to show me that he can move truly, I suspect that with outdoor shows he will come into his own. With his overall construction and performance he could not be denied this place. BEST PUPPY IN SHOW. The six puppies all had things I liked about them and have much to offer their breeds but again two caught my eye and it was then splitting hairs with them, my decision could have gone either way, BUT there can only be one winner and that was the long haired Mitchell's Bronia Devil Woman, a young lady of just nine months, who I am sure will have a great career in the ring, she is a perfect size for her age, she has excellent bone and feet but is still feminine, dark eye, excellent reach of neck, well place shoulders, she kept a level topline at all times, good spring of rib, short coupled, round rump with good angles. She moved out freely with drive and extension. R.B.P.I.S. The miniature wire haired Dance's Emem Hot Gossip, who is not quite a year old and I see he is by an old favourite of mine Ch Emem Nipper In The Air. He is a great character and never stopped wagging his tail, he has a impish expression, masculine head dark eye with good reach of neck. Front and rear construction allowed him to move out freely. Good ribbing with a level topline, excellent coat and presentation. I wish him well and will follow his progress. BEST VETERAN IN SHOW This was always going to be between the standard wire and the miniature smooth. The wire was Ferguson's Allfreys Rainbow At Teaslewood, who is eight and a half and Mitchell's Ch Switherland Lucia Of Bronia, who is ten and a half, neither look like veterans, for they move out freely and both maintain a level topline. Both are a great credit to their owners. Lucia was two yeas older than Rainbow and this was the deciding factor. Lucia I have always like since I gave her, her first C.C. with B.O.B. when she was nine months old and at that young age she was then short listed in the group. Congratulations to all the veterans, all of whom carried their years well.

Pamela J Poulter