Basset Hound Club Of Northern Ireland

Basset Hound Club of Northern Ireland Open Show

             Sunday 11th October, 2026

Firstly I’d like to thank the committee of The Basset Hound Club of Northern Ireland for inviting me to judge this open show, the first such show the club has held for many years. When I accepted the appointment I lived in Scotland however have since moved to Northern Ireland meaning a much longer and more intricate journey !

I’d like to thank my ring steward Kelly Blevins for efficiently keeping things moving and having the exhibitors in the right place at the right times. I’d also like to thank the exhibitors for affording me the opportunity to go over their hounds. I appreciate that for many with long journey’s ahead of them, there would’ve been great temptation to get their journey completed in daylight. 

It has been two years since I judged a breed club open show and whilst there have been big improvements in things such as eyes, ground clearance and reduction of excessive skin there seems to be more level bites and turning of front feet since my last appointment. Having said that I was presented with some lovely hounds to put hands on.

Class 1 – Baby Puppy Dog 5(3)

1st Blevins Blevwil Oh It’s Oswald, 5 mth old tri coloured dog, already very professional and composed in the ring. Good head planes, clean dark eyes, correct earset, balanced front and rear providing good movement and holding a firm topline on the move. Best Baby Puppy in show

2nd Manson’s Kenaspire Spock Hidden, 5mth old r/w dog, pleasing head with clean dark eyes, good leathers, good front construction. He was unsettled in the ring and this hampered his movement.

Class 2 – Minor Puppy Dog 1(0)

1st Melbourne, Murray and Newman’s Woferlow Dettorri at Diheath. 6mth old tri coloured dog, Provides a good outline with good head planes, clean eyes, correct earset with supple leathers, good front construction with tight elbows and well sprung ribs that extended well back. Good true movement out and back. I look forward to seeing this boy develop. Best Puppy Dog

Class 3 – Puppy Dog 2(0)

1st Cruikshanks Culsalmond Bling It On, 9mth old red blanket dog, masculine head with good eyes, nostrils and bite, correct earset with good leathers, well boned with good lay of shoulder. Well balanced and moved well out and back. Would have preferred a firmer topline but there is ample time for that to develop.

2nd Hirst, Hirst, Melbourne and Campy’s Diheath Crackerjack for Kejana, 9mth old tri coloured dog, mature for his age with a masculine head. Good ribbing which extends well back. Handler tends to move too fast for this dog but when she slows down he moves well. Lost out to No1 on bone and front construction.

Class 4 – Junior Dog 1(1)

Class 5 – Graduate Dog 2(1)

1st Jones Clanwillow Love and Dreams, 12 mth old tri coloured dog, full of breed type with masculine head that had a soft expression, dark lozenge eyes, good earset, strong neck leading into good lay of shoulder, well sprung ribs that extend well back, good angulation front and rear giving him balance to power round the ring. No exagerations. Eye catching in the ring and I look forward to watch his progress. Best dog and Best in Show

Class 6 – Post Graduate Dog 2(0)

1st – Lane’s Goldenessence Deep Impact Over Laneburn, 2yr old black blanket dog, a dog that catches your eye when he enters the ring – well balanced, good drive and a good topline that he holds well on the move, good head planes, clean dark eyes, good earset, strong neck leading to well sprung ribs that extend well back.

2nd – King’s Zawadi Life of Pi, 2 1/2yr old r/w dog, masculine, well boned dog with good head planes, dark lozenge eyes, good scissor bite, strong neck, good lay of shoulder, balanced giving him good drive. Would have preferred better sprung ribs.

Class 7 – Limit Dog 5(2)

1st Jones Clanwillow Fire and Ice JW, 2 1/2yr old tricoloured dog, a dog that shows himself well in the ring and looks as though he enjoy’s the limelight, masculine head with dark lozenge eyes, good flews, correct earset with supple leathers, strong neck leading into good lay of shoulder, tight elbows and ribs extending well back. Lost out to his kennel mate for best dog due to slightly better rear angulation. Reserve Best Dog

2nd Bowers Sasilasy Edge of Chaos at Lyonglen, 35mth old tri coloured dog, a lot to like about this dog. Good head planes with a pleasing expression. Good front construction, well sprung ribs extending well back. Balanced front and rear giving good drive. Good ground clearance. This was a very tight decision but lost out to No 1 on bone. This dog has been on some journey and it’s now good to seeing him realising his potential.

3rd – McNamara’s Burnvale Echos and Shadows JW

Class 8 Open Dog 6(3)

1st Jones AMGS ITCH Clanwillow Back To The Future, 4yr old dog. Masculine head, well balanced with good reach from the front and drive from the rear. Classic breed outline. Good head planes, clear dark losenge shaped eyes, good flews, well sprung ribs that extend well back. Good clearance with no exaggerations. A stallion hound presented in immaculate condition.

2nd Sutton’s Ch Reveros Power Of Love, 2 1/2yr old r/w male, a dog I have seen winning a lot but for me on the day I thought he lacked a bit of condition and a few lbs. Classic outline full of breed characteristics. Soft expression with clear lozenge shaped eyes. Good scissor bite, well set ears with supple leathers.

3rd Johnston’s Blevwil Ron Like The Wind To Burnvale

Class 9 – Veteran Dog 0

Class 10 – Baby Puppy Bitch 6(4)

1st Blevins Blevwil Here Is Hilda, 5mth old tri coloured bitch, a well boned bitch with many good breed qualities. Feminine head with clean dark eyes giving a soft expression, good front construction, good ribbing extending well back. Moved round the ring like a consummate professional showing herself off. Best Baby Puppy Bitch

2nd Manson’s Kenaspire Xena Demelza, 5mth old tri coloured bitch, feminine head, eyes slightly looser than I’d like, good front construction, didn’t settle in the ring so made her handler work hard. Needs time to mature.

Class 11 – Minor Puppy Bitch 0

Class 12 – Puppy Bitch 2(1)

1st Cruickshanks Culsalmond Diamond Bling, 9mth old r/w bitch, well grown and mature for her age with good bone and ground clearance. Feminine head with soft expression, strong neck leading into good lay of shoulder, good ribbing extending well back, well balanced with plenty drive, good tail set. Best Bitch, Reserve Best in Show, Best Puppy in Show

Class 13 – Junior Bitch 1(0)

1st Manson’s Kenbloom Destinys Call, 17mth old blanket tri bitch. Pleasing expression, eyes slightly looser than I’d like, good scissor bite, good sternum, tight elbows, good ribbed extending well back, moved well out and back.

Class 14 – Graduate Bitch 2(0)

1st Unett’s Harvidene Breaking Dawn, 18mth old r/w bitch feminine head with dark lozenge eyes, good front construction, strong neck leading into well sprung ribs. Good balance between front and rear giving good drive around the ring.

2nd Hirst, Hirst and Melbournes Diheath Tinsel at Kejana, 22mth old tri coloured bitch. Unfortunately she was not enjoying her time in the ring ! On the ramp her whole body was quivering. Smaller framed than 1st, dark clean eye, good bite, good ribs extending well back. Difficult to assess he movement on the day.

1st Jones Clanwillow Kiss The Girl, 20mth old r/w bitch, a well boned bitch with good breed characteristics. Good outline and balance with good ground clearance, moved well and held a firm topline, feminine with no exaggerations. Soft expression, good front construction, well sprung ribs extending well back. Reserve Best Bitch

2nd Manson’s Kenbloom All In, 17mth r/w bitch, not as well boned as No 1, feminine with clear lozenge shaped eyes, good bite, nostrils and flews, correct earset with supple leathers, strong neck leading into good lay of shoulder, balanced and moved happily around the ring.

Class 16 – Limit Bitch 5(4)

1st Unett’s Harvidene Cuckoo In The Nest, 35mth old tri bitch, a bitch of good bone and substance, soft feminine expression, balanced with a good topline that she held on the move. Lacked drive whilst moving around the ring.

Class 17 – Open Bitch 4(4)

Class 18 – Veteran Bitch 0

Alan Meldrum

Cintal