• Show Date: 21/08/2026
  • Show Type: Championship Show
  • Judged by: Espen Engh Contact Judge
  • Published Date: 16/09/2026

Welsh Kennel Club

Breed: Basset Griffon Vendeen (Grand)

Critique Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen, 

Welsh Kennel Club 2026

One of my favourite breeds to judge. Partly because of the attraction of the breed itself, but also because of the percentage of really good dogs and the great sportsmanship of their owners. And today was no exception.

Limit Dog (1)

1ST Soufriere Paserelle Bateau (Mrs S Marshall)

A masculine dog with a lovely temperament. Excellent length and shape of head with quality. Lovely expression. Bite not his fortune, and at times he is showing his tongue. Well folded ears. Long neck. Firm topline. Well set and carried tail. Very good coat quality. Moved with a pleasing topline and balance for the side and quite sound in front, if not as impressive from behind.


Open Dog (6)

1ST Nld/aus Ch Tumtums Baba Ghanoush (Mrs A.n. & Mrs G.m. De Kool-Huikeshoven & Huikeshoven)

A very impressive dog, strong, masculine and handsome, he has an aura of quality and class about him. Very attractive head with good length and parallel planes. Well set and folded ears. Long and strong neck. Excellent topline. Long enough in his body proportions, excellent length of leg. Well angulated behind. Excellent coat quality. Most impressive on the move from the side and from the front, if rather wide behind which does not take away from the fact that he is an outstanding representative of his breed and sex. CC & BOB

 

2ND Ch. Tarmachan Mac Talla (Mrs F & Mr M Buchanan & Maclaren)

Another very attractive dog as for proportions, well up on legs and covering plenty of ground. Still obviously young, which shows up in his front movement. Lovely head and expression. Excellent ears. Long neck with an attractive arch to it. Firm topline, a little high behind when standing, but levelling out on the move. Excellent coat structure. Ling on his feet and well balanced on the move, as well as particularly good going away. ResCC

 

3RD Ir Ch Claela Lets Drink A Toast (Mrs P & Miss C Mcgregor)

Veteran (5)

1ST Multi Ch Gairside Good Lord JW ShCM ShCEx Cw19 VW (Mr C & Mrs A Makey)

A very well proportioned dog. He is well up on his legs, but he carried a lot of coat today which made him look shorter on legs than he is. Masculine head with enough length. Attractive neck with a nape. Firm topline. Well set and carried tail. Very good coat structure, but would benefit from somewhat less of it. He moved soundly and is in remarkable condition for his 11 years old. Best Veteran

 

2ND Ch Tioga Lautrec with Grandoreille (Ms D & Mrs B A Machent & Milton)

Eye-catching dog. He has an exceptionally beautiful head with excellent length and expression and well folded ears. Attractive neck. Long body with a firm topline. Reasonable coat. He moved well for his age.

  

3RD Soufriere One Vision JW VW (Mrs S Marshall)

Junior Bitch (1)

1ST Tiara Dusza Lesna at Arapelo (Imp Pol) (Ms K A Bayliss)

An attractive bitch, well up on legs and covering enough ground. Quite attractive, feminine head with good length of foreface. Moderate neck and front angulation. Could do with some more angulation behind. Excellent topline and tailset. Good coat quality, if not a lot of coat at this time. She moved light on her feet and pleasing coming and going. 

 

Post Graduate Bitch (2)

1ST Tarmachan Toscanello at Madifrey (Miss A O'day)

An instantly attractive bitch. She is indeed easy on the eye when stacked. Well up on legs, long enough in body. Very feminine head with a lovely expression from her very dark eyes. Well set ears. Long neck, also well set. Moderate, balanced angulation both ends. I would prefer a bit more bone and substance and her coat is yet to develop fully, but it has very good quality. Excellent topline. Moved very light on her feet and co-ordinated.

  

2ND Claela Laughter Is Timeless with Soufriere (Mrs S Marshall)

A long bitch with a very long head of excellence. Strong neck. Quite firm topline when standing, but lost some of it on the move and did not carry herself as well as I would have liked. Plenty of coat of very good structure.

 

Open Bitch (5)

1ST Ch Wilmit Jugeote (Mrs B Milton)

A very well constructed bitch with a fabulous head of excellent length and lovely expression and ears. Deep and capacious in her body, I would not want any more body than this. Excellent forechest. Moderate, balanced angulation both ends. Firm topline. Excellent coat. She truly came alive in movement and moved very well indeed from all angles. CC

 

2ND Ch Tarmachan D'ora Ligure (Mrs A Roberts)

An instantly attractive and very smart bitch with excellent proportions and excellent type. Somewhat strong in head for a bitch. Long and well set ears. Long neck, well set. Firm topline, covering plenty of ground. Very good coat quality. Moved with balance, keeping her outline, if not quite the strength of the winner. Very well handled to win the resCC

 

3RD Ch Tarmachan Clootie Dumpling (Mrs F & Mr M Buchanan & Maclaren)



Espen Engh (Norway), judge