DACHSHUND - MINIATURE SMOOTH HAIRED

My sincere apologies for the late entry of this critique. I would like to express my thanks to the committee and the officials for the invitation to judge Min Smooth Dachshunds. Thanks for their hospitality shown to me and huge thanks to the very efficient stewards and the exhibitors for a good entry. It was difficult for the first two classes for the exhibits due to the ring being flooded, making it difficult to move around, fortunately, an empty ring next door was available for the rest of my judging. Overall I found quality was better in the bitches and was easier to keep to type, in the dog classes this was not the case as some exhibits were of a small size, fine boned and some exhibits still have round eyes, hindquarters were to be desired and as the grass was not short this affected movements of some exhibits, temperaments on the whole were good.

MPD(3, 1) 1 Callow's Nordham Man In Black At Garthorne. A nice masculine 8 mth old black and tan, masculine head with good eyes and good strong jaws, good reach of neck into prominent forechest, good shoulders with good ribbing and follow through, kept level topline, well set hindquarters which were well muscled, has substance but not overdone, covered the ground well using good front and back movement. 2 Hunt &Tarns' Poughleyvale Magic Man At Carpaccio. Red, 7 mth old, another promising youngster, smaller type to winner, similar remarks as first, not as prominent in forechest, good shoulders with good ribbing and follow through, good topline and well set hindquarters, moved well, just not the maturity as first.

PD(3) 1 Ergis' Siouxline Zebedee. A very nice black and tan male of quality. Good head and eyes, lovely reach of neck into correct front construction, good ribbing and follow through, level topline on the move with well angled and muscled rear, good bone and substance not overdone. Nicely balanced throughout, a pleasure to go over. DCC and BPIB. 2 Wolsey's Endless Beauty At Glyndwr. Nice head and eyes, good reach of neck, reasonable front, not as good in shoulders as first, enough rib length, good hindquarters, moved well, just lost topline on the move slightly. 3 Scott's Wolferlow Captain Bellamy.

JD(5, 2) 1 Roberts' Denver Darling Harry Potter. Clean outlines, nicely balanced throughout. Strong head and nice eyes, lovely reach of neck, good front, good shoulder lay and good ribbing length carried back, level topline, strong hindquarters, moved well in front and in the rear keeping a level topline. 2 Jones' Cwmdax Red Robin. Not as clean in outline as winner, preferred front construction on winner, still quite pleasing to go over, nice head and good eyes, enough reach of neck, reasonable front, good ribbing, just enough length and good hindquarters, moved well. 3 Sheppard's Thystine Summer Holiday.

PGD(3, 1) 1 Shutt's Donnadoon Le Mousqetaire. A compact and balanced male, nice head and good eyes, strong jaws, reasonable reach of neck into good forechest, good shoulder lay, enough ribbing and length, just enough angulated hindquarters, moving well keeping his topline. 2 Burton's Swingletrees Just-In-Time. Masculine head and dark eyes, strong jaws, nice reach of neck into reasonable shoulders, preferred shoulders on winner, enough follow through and ribbing. Good length and reasonable hindquarters, moved well.

LD(6) 1 Kent's Lokmadi Ocean's Eleven JW. Lovely shape and size, nice shaped head with dark eyes, lovely reach of neck, good front, forechest good, enough ribbing and length, muscled hindquarters, moved well in front and rear keeping topline. 2 Shelton's Barisse A Touch Of Magic. Another nice male, similar to winner, just preferred the positive movement on winner. 3 Phillips' Jentiki Red Chilli Pepper Of Robinswood.

OD(4) 1 Herrington's Kathington Coeur De Lion. Nice shape and outline with good substance, good head and dark eyes, nice reach of neck into good front and shoulder lay. Prominent forechest with enough follow through and ribbing, level topline and sound hindquarters, moved covering the ground well. Res DCC. 2 Williams' Cwmdarhian Can't Touch This. Another nice type of bone and substance, all remarks as winner, just wasn't as positive on the move, could have been the ground conditions. 3 Jones &Williams' Cwmdarhian Billy The Kid.

MPB(4) 1 Callow's Garthorne Little Eva. Nicely balanced red bitch of lovely size and shape, feminine head, dark eyes, good reach of neck with a good forechest, good shoulder lay, good length of ribbing, carried back, sound hindquarters, kept her topline on the move, moved well in front and rear with good bone and substance. Best PB. 2 Mitchell's Dubreys Copper Princess. Another nice bitch with similar remarks to winner, very promising little bitch. Close decision. Class winner just had the edge on movement on her today. Long grass could have been the reason. Can see these two changing places at other shows. 3 Salisbury's Brocklewood Calypso.

PB(7, 2) A very nice class of quality. 1 Shelton's Barisse Arbennik Isoldes Endeavour. Lovely shape and clean outlines, feminine head and dark eyes, reach of neck good, well laid shoulders into good forechest, enough follow through, good length of ribbing, keeping level topline, sound and angulated rear, clean movement from front and rear. 2 Lewis' Trixhund Miss Mini. Smaller type to winner but balanced with lovely shape and outlines. Similar remarks to first with regards to head, eyes, reach of neck and shoulders. Good length of ribbing, good hindquarters, moving well, just preferred substance of first. 3 Kent's Kiswahili Linda Lokmadi.

JB(9, 4) 1 Ergis, Melbourne &Holdsworth's Sioux Alliance With Melriding. Nicely balanced and not overdone. Good bone and substance, lovely feminine head and dark eyes, reach of neck good, prominent forechest, good shoulder lay, follow through nice and enough length of ribbing, angulation at rear good, covered the ground keeping her topline on the move. CC and BOB. 2 Melbourne, Holdsworth &Ergis' Golden Algonquinette Of Melriding. Litter sister to winner. Another very nice bitch, just preferred the front on winner and the cleaner outline. Similar remarks apply, pleasing to go over and covered the ground well. 3 Roberts' Bronia Caprice To Denver.

PGB(7) 1 Melbourne's Melriding Berengaria. NIcely balanced, nice head and dark eyes, lovely reach of neck with good shoulders with good front with enough depth and follow through, ribbing carried back, hind angulation is good, moved well covering the ground keeping a level topline. 2 Kent's Lokmadi Crouching Tiger. Another nice bitch, similar remarks as winner, just preferred the tight shoulders on winner. Again moved well keeping topline. 3 Lewis' Trixhund Gladys Fridays.

LB(10) 1 Blackburn's Lokmadi Coral Sea At Stargang. Lovely feminine outline, nice head and dark eyes, good reach of neck into a good shoulder lay, good forechest, well ribbed and carried back, kept topline on the move, hind angulation good. 2 Callow's Garthorne Amelia. Another nice quality bitch, very close between these two, just lost out on movement to the winner as it wasn't as positive. 3 Mitchell's Bronia Fabrizia. Again another nice bitch.

OB(4, 1) 1 Hunt's Cwmdarhian Back To Alabama At Carpaccio JW. Good head and dark eyes. Enough reach of neck into prominent forechest, good shoulders, enough length of ribbing, kept topline on the move, strong hindquarters, covered the ground well, has substance and enough bone. Res BCC. 2 Blackburn Bennett's Lokmadi Sea Holly At Stargang. Another nice exhibit. Splitting hairs between these two, just didn't drive as winner but same remarks apply. Very nice to go over. 3 Kent's Toniajavae Indian Passion At Lokmadi JW.

Andrew Bethel