A VERY Hot Day in Richmond, Virginia
Download this page in PDF formatI had a great trip down to Richmond, VA and had a safe ride back to my Motel. Having Phyllis Messarole and her husband as Hospitality Chairmen as the Dachshund Fanciers of Central Virginia made my life a whole lot easier and they were both delightful company. The next morning, I was up and eager to start judging Dachshunds at 12:45 PM. My first Variety was the Smooths and I soon saw many gathering to show me what they brought for me to give my opinion on. The Smooth entry 6-6 (8-6) with 2 veteran bitches added, so that was indeed a pretty nice entry for this day and age.
After judging the Dog Classes, I brought the winners back in and gave the WD to the Open, Standard Dog, Hildisvin Wurdig the Mansplainer SS, owned and shown by Denise Siemssen for the dog’s style and demeanor and with a nice way of moving around the Show Ring, He had a nice length of neck and a level topline so he was a great choice for what I am looking for. In RWD, I placed the 12-18 m0nth, Speechless Dante’s Inferno of Silverado, owned by Jessie Barringer and Janice Warder, and the dog was a little immature and gangly, but had an outline that you hoped he would grow into later.
In Smooth Bitches, I brought in the Class winners and soon easily found my WB from the 6-9 month class, Badgerhunds The Duchess of Windsor RSS, owned by James and Lori Day and shown by Angie Lloyd. This one caught me eye immediately as she moved around the ring as she did have the style and conformation that I liked and knew what to do with it standing or on the move She was a pleasure for me to find. For RWB, Denise Siemssen and the late Jimmie Lloyd won that with the Open Class winner, Hildisvin The Heart Wants What the Heart Wants SS, as she again had that Dachshund Style that I am always on the look for and so glad to see in the Show Ring. Again, I have talked so much about what I look for in conformation, that you know that the forechest, shoulders and neckset are going to be there when I am done judging the classes. I pretty much demand that.
Next is the Veteran Bitches and there were two nice ones enterred and I gave Best Veteran to the Smooth Bitch, GCH DC Stardox When Irish Eyes Are Smilin’, owned by Cathy Kelley and Maggie Kelley. She again had the nice look that I always look for and, from that outline, I knew where her ancestry came from and it made me happy to still see that line in the Show Ring.
Then it is time for the Smooth Best of Variety judging and there were eight male Specials, six bitch Specials, a Veteran bitch as well as WD and WB. I went over them all and moved them a couple of times alone or as a Group and then I made my cut of the keepers that I wanted to give more attention to. Seeing them all stack and move made me very pleased with them and I kept a red Miniature male, tw0 B&T Standard males, a B&T Standard bitch, a red Standard bitch, a red Standard veteran bitch and the WD and WB. In my mind, I was pretty sure who the winners were going to be, but I wanted them to show me how much they desired that win, too. I loved looking at them stacked and there were a couple of Dachshunds that really caught me eye with their beautiful necksets, angulation and gorgeous topline. That look they had will always stay with me as it so epitomized that elusive Dachshund style that we all should be looking for in the Dachshunds we exhibit. Remember, that style should be there for us to see and recognize and absolutely must be on your mind when you keep a show dog.
Anyway, I looked them over and, in a few of them, I loved the head and expression I was seeing in these dogs and I certainly admired the fronts and rears that, to me, they all should have. I then started working them by sending two of them together and picking out the best movers with each group and that certainly made it easier for me to know the ones who moved with style as well. I did that with dogs and bitches and there was one dog who just got better everytime I saw him go around the Show Ring. In my mind, the red Miniature male, CH Sunrise-XO Japev’s Bad Bunny MS, shown by Jason Bradley for his breeders and owners Valerio Hernandez Colon, E Vargas-Detres, JA Perez Acosta and Patricia Guthrie, was the easy winner in this strong line up of Champions and so I awarded him BV from this lineup. He caught my eye as he entered the Ring and he looked better evertytime I looked at him all day. He had such a length of neck, great shoulder angulation and a beautiful neckset that he really filled my eye and was a great mover along with it. His long arched neck looked so good merging onto that neckset and flowing into that beautiful body with those short little hocks driving away and making him move smoothly around the way. His handler kept trying to point this out and showing me what I could clearly see myself that I wanted to say, “Relax, I saw him when he walked in and he still gets better!” Bad Bunny was quite a start to this day of judging Dachshunds in Virginia.
My Smooth BW was the puppy bitch, Badgerhunds The Duchess of Windsor RSS, shown by Angie Lloyd and owned by James and Lori Day, as she was the easy choice as she was the best mover and the best in conformation in the classes and Angie Lloyd made sure you saw that and, when the bitch is of this quality, the bitch wants you so see it as well. My BOSV was a B&T Standard, GCH Turningpt Black Onyx Cameo Appearance, shown by Nancy Zumwalt Prouty for Randy and Pete Eltringham who again was a great mover showing me that profile that I am always looking for with that great front and level topline along with that beautiful neckset that I insist on. She, too, was a good one. For Selects Dogs, I brought two to choose from and looked at them and decided that, while I like the type, quality and movement of both of them, one of them was just , in my mind, a little too much dog as he was much bigger and longer than the one I chose and that size difference did make that smaller dog more of what I liked to see in the Show Ring as, again, the size did throw off the type for me and it did make the B&T Standard Smooth Dog, GCH Sanwood Stand By Me-SS, owned by Jane Fowler and shown by a handler whose name I did not catch, Select Dog. This was a nice powerful dog with, again, a great outline and a beautiful topline who moved easily around the Show Ring . The Select Bitch was a red Standard, CH Speechless Silverado Forever Alessia diTurboland, shown by Breeder-Owner Jessie Barringer for co-owner Janice Warder, and she was a nice young bitch who looked nice going around the ring as she was a nice type, but she was not quite as good on the up and back and her topline was a tad soft when she stopped moving. She was a nice one though and I certainly hope she grows into herelf as she hopefully will look better as she matures.
In Wires, I had an entry of 3-3 (5-6) and sure hoped I had some quality to choose from. I started with Wire Dogs and gave WD to a 9-12 month Puppy, Willowood Sandale Bourbon Street Blues SW, shown by co-breeder Donna Maloney showing for Breeder-owner Dale Tarbox and owner Ivy Frank. This Winners was a nice biggish Standard Wild Boar who did have some great conformation points and a lot of Dachshund style as well as being a nice mover from the side, but could have had a tad more forechest to make him competitive today. He was a nice one but, as you all know, I like that forechest to make a great Dahshund. RWD was another Wild Boar Standard from the 12-18 month class and that was Starbarrack Maximum Temptation SW, owned and bred by handler Mary E Heywood. He was another nice dog with great style and coformation and a little better coat, but again could have had more forechest as that is what all the really great ones need in my opinion.
In Wire Bitches, my WB was from the Bred-By, 12 months and over class, and that was a Wild Boar Miniature bitch, Alegna’s Francine Nevarez MW, handled by co-owner/co-breeder Angela Lloyd showing for co-owner/co-breeder Flor Nevare. Beautiful typy little bitch who had a dead level topline, great coat and great rear moving away, but she also needed a tad more forechest to give me what I needed to see looking at one that needs to produce that greatness for that next generation. She was a nice one certainly except for that as she was really a typy small one that hopefully will fulfill her promise in the whelping box. RWB was a red Miniature, Roundabout Betty Ford, shown by Tyler Mills for breeder/owner Travis Wright. Nice bitch again with lots to offer in the conformation points, but, unfortunately, was also a little lacking in forechest and shoulders. I am not criticizing because I like to do it, but because I REALLY want breeders to know why their dogs are not making those higher placings. I criticize to actualy help out breeders and show them where they really need to make improvements to insure that they do indeed get that next generation better and to change the things that precludes me from using their Dachshunds any further in the competition I am judging. I always try to be kind, but there are a few things that I demand that a great Dachshund has to go on further. I hate to keep saying this, but, when I am judging, I see great parts that I love and parts that need help, and I always want to help people make their best decision to improve their dogs and make their line more competitive and wind up higher in the placings the next time I see them. That is my goal in judging and why I still love to judge to make the Dachshund breed better.
When the Wire variety entered the Show Ring, there were five Male Specials, seven Female Specials and WD and WB for me to choose from. I was eager to see what was coming next as I was so pleased with the Smooth Winners I had earlier. I watched them all go around in a circle, went over them and then gaited individually. By that time, several of them had caught me eye and so I gaited them one by one and then brought several out to be picked for the greater awards. There were two Miniature bitches, both reds, that had really caught me eye as they looked great moving around the ring and then, when I watched them pose, their outlines drew me to really go over their attributes. I worked them both, posed them and thought long and hard about which one I would prefer to breed. I liked the longer, younger bitch the best at first, but the shorter one really captured my eye as well. I looked and looked and then decided that the length made her look great, but she was not as together as that shorter bitch. One had the better coat and one was shorter in length and more together and so, finally, I chose the red Miniature bitch, CH Watermark’s Phabulous Phiona MW, shown by co-owner Tyler Mills for her co-wners Bill Gorodner and Joe Metheney, for BV Wire at the Dachshund Fanciers of Central Virginia Specialty. As I said, her general outline drew her to me and she surely loved to show as well. BW was the WB, Alegna’s Francine Nevarez MW, who again was right at the top with her straight topline and great coat. I liked her a lot. BOSV was a Wild Boar Standard Wire, GCHG CH Willowood-Sandale Get The Show On The Road, handled by co-breeder, co-owner Donna Maloney showing for co-owner, co-breeder Dale Tarbox who was a big nice moving Standard with many great conformation and style points and he could cover ground as well. There was nice competition in this Variety as well and that is what I wanted to see in my mind as I kept judging. Select Dog was a red Miniature, GCHS CH Alegna’s What Is It Now MW, who had a great coat and was a nice moving one,too. He had a nice body and that dachshund style that we all should be after. For Select Bitch was the red Miniature bitch that was closest to being BV Wire and that was CH Newdachs Scaret Letter MW, shown by Breeder-Owner Jared New and she put on a great performance that day. She again had the style, movement and conformation that almost won her a plaque that day. I was a fan of her. Again, I was pleased to have such close competition in this Variety as and so was feeling great about the entry I had and already wondering what the Long entry held to surprise me.
In looking at the entry at this small show, the Longhair Dachshund entry was the largest Breed entry there was, so I was wondering by then who was going to be showing to me. It made the day a little interesting. The entry situation was 8-13 (5-7) with three Veteran dogs so I was ready to start going over them.
In the Longhair Dogs, I gave WD to a red Standard male from the Puppy class, Leoralees JBs How Dizzy Joe Got To Heaven SL, shown by Tyler Mills for owners Cathy Kelly and Marietta Singleton, and he was a grand moving little Dachshund with a gorgeous type and sort of captured the Show Ring when I saw him. He had so many conformation points that I hold dear as well as being full of Dachshund style and showed it all off very well. A very nice one indeed. For RWD, I placed a red Standard from the Bred By class, Briardachs Midnight Cowboy, shown by breeder/owner Paul Martin and breeder/owner Monica Martin. Nice dog with a lot of coat, reallly nice conformation and with nice forechest, long arched neck and beautiful neckset, however the size on this one is getting a little too much and we see sort of a less typy Dachshund because of it. I liked the dog, but I believe I would perhaps be looking for just a little smaller in size.
Next was WB and when they all came in, there was one I wanted to see again as she really stole my heart when I saw her in the Bred by class earlier and, I have to say, that outline was there and I hope people saw that and realized what you can do with it. She was indeed beautiful. Anyway, I worked them all, gaited them and then chose that red Miniature, Sleepytime’s Always The Star ML, shown by breeder/owner Susan Jones. My eye was captured by her when she was in the Bred By Class and, after seeing her in the Winners class, she totally filled my eye and I hoped she would really move out and show me what she had. Her outline is so simple that anyone ought to appreciate it. Her head is gorgeous, set on that long, well-arched neck that blends so smoothly into that neckset where those shoulders end as well, giving her more angulation and putting all that forechest out front to give her support in the field. Her body blends nicely with the front legs set right under that neckset and her long body has those beautiful short hocks to end it off with. She was a great mover as well and was a well-deserved winner of this Specialty. Do I have to say that I liked her? Anyway, RWB was a red Standard from the Bred By Class, Jarbsy’s Left to Own Volition, handled, owned and bred by Sandy Arnold. I loved this bitch a lot as her outline really filled my eye and her look set the tone that I hoped the great ones to follow her would bring in. She was gorgeous standing or moving and I keep saying I am looking for Dachshund style, these two bitches (WB and RWB) both had it oozing out of them and I hope people see the need for having that attitude in their Show Dogs. I really liked her a lot, but, in gaiting, she lost to Susan’s bitch on the down and back. Both were great bitches to bring into the Show Ring. Next was the Veteran Dog Class and was easily won by the dapple Miniature, GCHB CH Kenmar’s I Jsut Can’t Wait To Be King MLD RI CGC TKN, shown by his breeder-owner Marianne McCullough. He had a great time being back in the Show Ring and it pleased me to watch it.
For BV, I had seven Male Specials, seven Female Specials, one Veteran Dog and WD and WB. I was alll ready to see what awaited me in the Show Ring. After we got all those in the Ring and in correct order, I started by sending them all around as a group and then started gaiting them individually to give them all a chance to show what they were bringing to show to a Judge who is, I believe, noted for his admiration of a great front. After that, I sent them all alone around the Show Ring and soon started making a cut around picking out the best to give the final BV awards to.
I pulled out two Red Standard longhair males, a red Miniature female, a red Standard female and WD and WB and excused the rest. I then worked each individually, watch them get stacked ad then worked two at a time and so came up with my winners that way as I do love that comparison between the ones still in competion with each other. I gaited the two dogs first and decided on which I preferred and then I gaited the WD and BW and chose BW then. I then gaited the two longhair biches and decided on that winner. Then, when I had three winners to pick from, my mind was wondering which it would be so I then sent the best male special around with the femle special and decided which one i would choose. Then sent that one around with the class animal to decide which would be BV. After that me decision was made and so I gave the red Miniature, GCHB CH Dikerdachs Leora, shown by Angela Lloyd for breeder/owner Valerie Diker, BV in this large entry of longhairs. She was beautiful to look at and she was a decent mover as well. She was absolutely great to go over and must have made the handler proud the day of the Specialty Show. She was a very nice one also. BW was the hardest as I gave it to the red Miniature Bitch, Sleepytime’s Always The Star ML, owned by Susan Jones. I loved her outline and it was one of the best of the day, IMO, and she was a great mover, but, towards the end, she just gave out a little and so lost to the longhair BV bitch. This bitch deserves all my aclaim as she is a very special one. BOSV was the red Standard male, Altadach Canis Major L, shown by a handler and breeder/owned by Tatyana Godin. This Dachshund was one that really caught me eye and when he stacked and I went over that front of his, I knew that is exactly what I am looking for. He was pleasing on the ground and on the table and showed me the front that I always want to see. It was a nice one and he was, easily, my BOSV. Select dog was GCHB Altadah Aston Martin SL, shown by handler Emily Burdon for the owner Tatyana Godin who also was the owner of the Select Dog as well. This dog here was also great to go over and had those conformation points that I insist on. He again could really cover ground and had that true Dachshund outline on him. I would perhaps like to see less hair sticking out above the forechest he has to give him a cleaner look, but even with it, he was a nice winner today. Select bitch was a red Standard, GCH Jarbsy Hiroad Wild As The Wind, handled by breeder/owner Sandy Arnold and co-owners Melissa Heymann and Lotus Sapitula, who again wasa nice mover and had that great body on the table and the ground. She had a nice front and a level topline and was intent on showing it off. She again was a nice one.
In looking back, there was true quality in each of the coats and so now I was ready to go in and make my choices for BB, BOSB and Best Veteran. Judging such a nice entry made it a very worthwhile project to try to show where we all should be headed with your breeding program, because that is why we hold these shows to try to steer where you want the breed to go.
As they brought in the BV Smooth, the BV Wire and the BV Longhair. I realized that I gave each award to a Miniature. To be honest, that in fact said something and that was that these Miniature breeders are dong things to improve their dogs and evidently they showed me that they had indeed made a lot of progress. That was a nice feeling.
When I stood there and looked down at these winners from the Dachshund Fanciers of Central Virginia Specialty Show, I liked what I found there and could see different things that each dog had to make it stand out. I sent them all around, gaited them up and back and sent them around again. Then I stood there looking at them all and one dog stood out and, with that long neck, great neckset and wonderful forechest along with his total style and Dachshund presence, I chose the Minature Smooth, CH Sunrise-XO Japev’s Bad Bunny MS, shown by Jason Bailey for owners and breeders Valerio Hernandes Colon, Patricia Guthrie, E Vargas-Detras and J A Perez Acosta. I was very proud to award the progress you have made with this dog. It was an honor to have judged him here.
For BOSB, they brought in the Smooth BOS and I went through the same process and I was soon down to the Smooth Standard bitch and the red Miniature Longhair BV winner. I sent them around separately and soon the Standards level topline and neckset with that correct forechest gave her the win. My BOSB was the B&T Standard Smooth, GCH Turningpt Black Onyx Cameo Appearance, handled by Nancy Prouty for breeder/owners Randy and Pete Eltrigham. I guess it was a great day for Smooths, but I was pleased with how they looked in the ring for me.
For Best Veteran, there was a red Smooth female and a dapple Miniature Longhair male and so I went through the paces and decided to give the award to the great little Smooth Bitch, GCH DC Stardox When Irish Eyes are Smilin, owned and shown by Cathy Kelly and Maggie Kelly. It pleased me no end on giving this dog best Veteran as she, as I said earlier, was such a reflection of what went on before her in the Show Ring.
The next day, after saying good bye to the Messeroles and the Club memberss I flew home and had much to think about my time judging the Specialty. It was, as always, a great time as, when I am working with Dachshunds, my life is always full.