Her great-grandson, BIS and multiple BISS Ch Topsfield-Sanchu Pop Art O’Bridi, earned both Winners Dog and Best of Winners at BHCA National Specialty show. A few years later, he then went on to win Best of Breed at the Nationals. More recently, about 15 years after the Topsfield and Sanchu partnership began, GCh Topsfield-Sanchu Eenie Meenie Miney Moe, aka, Tiger, a great- great grandson of Ginger, earned a National Specialty Best of Breed. Tiger became the top ranked Basset in 2013 and 2014 as well as the 6th ranked Hound in 2014 ( Sight & Scent ). Tiger retired in 2015 after winning back to back Group first wins at the prestigious Palm Springs Kennel Club shows. Tiger’s record overall included 98 Group wins, 12 Bests in Show, 6 Reserve Bests in Show, a Group 2nd and a Group 3rd at Westminster and an AKC–Eukanuba Invitational winner. Tiger’s litter sister, Best in Show win- ning Topsfield-Sanchu Bibidy-Bobidy- Boo, earned the slot of number one Basset Hound bitch in 2013, handled by Sue Frischmann. Currently, Ginger’s great-great granddaughter, Ch Blossom Hil’s Tops- field-Sanchu A Little Princess, aka, Sweet Pea, bred and owned by Sukey Shor of California, continues the Ginger legacy. That legacy contains multiple Best in Show and Best in Specialty show winners. Kitty and Claudia remind us, however, that such an amazing legacy takes ‘two to tango’, and her offspring also inherited the balance and correct phenotype of the sires”. In pondering the temperament of Ginger, which she also passed on to her offspring, Kitty and Claudia are fond of how, “They look at the judge and, at the same time, wag their tails A notable great-grandson of Ginger, BIS and multiple BISS Ch Topsfield-Sanchu Pop Art O’Bridi showing off the excellent type that Ginger stamped on her progeny. Handler, Sue Frischmann. Photo by CC Photography, Cory C. Manaton photo.
when examined. This (behavior) dis- plays their love of people and what they are doing—their outgoing temperament so typical of a Basset Hound. One of Gin- ger’s greatest contributions to our pro- gram was her excellent temperament for which she was prepotent. Bassets have a mild and sensitive temperament and are never sharp or timid. Ginger was also an excellent mother and a good whelper.” Both Kitty and Claudia believe that maintaining the breed’s working abil- ity is extremely important. As Claudia explains, “The Topsfield breeding pro- gram was founded on hunting blood- lines. When Ginger came to the kennel, we were focusing heavily on Bassets for the show ring. In the last few years, however, we have been redirecting our efforts on producing conformation Bas- sets that can hunt. Ginger’s grandson, Ch Topsfield-Sanchu Hawaiian Punch, was sent to Gillie Tankard and Gail Allen, of the esteemed Tailgate Basset Hounds. There he sired the beautiful dual champion, DC Ch Tailgate Light- ning Jack. Jack was then bred by to a Ginger great-granddaughter and pro- duced an impressive hunting hound called Ch Topsfield-Sanchu Fireworks, who became a founding member of our Topsfield-Lebrera hunting pack in Spain.” This pack is owned by Clau- dia Orlandi and her Spanish husband, Guillermo Gonzalez. Kitty is forever indebted to those breeders with whom she worked: Gin Dic Kennels, Mary Smizer and Ed of Maredge Kennel, Belen Herner of d’Tiaben, Rick and Barb Cromley of Lochopt, Ann Jerman of Tal-E-Ho, Mimi and Jim Tysseling of Silverado, Jim and Sharon Dok of Castlehills, Flemming and Annette Hansen in Denmark and Ruth Binder-Gresly and Brita Meyer in Switzerland. Ginger’s great-great grandson, Tiger, winning BOB at the BHCA Nationals, pictured with breeder-judge Gale Yamaguchi and handler, Mike Stone. Tiger was bred and owned by Kitty and Claudia. Photo by CC Photography, Cory C. Manaton photo.
Here is BIS winning Boo earning an Award of Merit at the 2012 BHCA National Specialty under breeder-judge, Gene McDonald and handled by Sue Frischmann. Photo by Mike Wilkinson photo.
Claudia and Kitty feel so grateful to Sue Frischmann at Topsfield for her yeoman’s work with mating, whelp- ing, training and showing their dogs, to Bryan Martin who specialed their dogs over a 12 year period, to Mike Stone who took over the handling duties of Tiger when AKC abruptly hired Mar- tin, and to Sukey Shor who joined them with “Tiger” (Eeni-Meeny-Miney-Mo) along the way. As Claudia stated in her book, The ABCs of Dog Breeding : “A dog who has proven its ability to pass on particular traits on to offspring in a predictable manner is said to be prepotent. Prepo- tency tends to increase with the degree of inbreeding and resulting homozy- gosity. Effects of prepotency are seen in uniformity of offspring and when phenotypes of offspring resemble those of the parent. Prepotency increases if the homozygous alleles are mostly dominant.” (page 103) There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Ch Sanchu’s Ginger has fulfilled all of the requirements of a prepotent bitch—a true “genetic giant”. My heartfelt appreciation go to all of the breeders and owners who so gen- erously contributed to this article. Sweet Pea, aka, GCh Blossom Hil’s Topsfield- Sanchu A Little Princess, shown winning a Best in Show at the Butte County Kennel Club show. Photo by M. Callea.
Until Next Time, Sandra horsnhound@gmail.com
34 • S IGHT & S CENT , A UGUST 2015
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