Topsfield Foundation and Linebreeding

Foundation and Early Mentors

In the early 1990’s, Dom and Claudia began focusing more attention on breeding Basset Hounds for the show ring. Mentors at that time included Randy and Penny Frederiksen (Ambrican), Mrs. Joan Urban (Ft. Merrill), Jinny and Frank Kovalic (Stoneybluff) Knox and Bette Williams (Briarcrest) and Gwen McCullagh (Brendans). Their contribution to the kennel, be it through bloodlines they contributed or guidance they have given, strongly influenced Topsfield's early years.

The Orlandi’s are also indebted to Joy Brewster for professionally handling their early Bassets and for being a mentor in and out of the ring.

Joy Brewster and

CH Topsfield Brahms

Breeding Program

Averaging between forty to fifty Basset Hounds, the Topsfield breeding program incorporated three early foundation strains: Ambrican, Strathalbyn, and Bone-A-Part. The male, CH Bone-A-Parts Cuervo Gold, was bred to the pack hound, Timber Ridge Tatiana, herself linebred on Tantivy Blonde Sidonia, ROM.

The Cuervo Gold/Tatiana mating marked the start of the Topsfield show line. In addition to receiving an Award of Merit, the multiple group-placing Cuervo Gold went on to win the Stud Dog class at the 1994 Basset Hound Club of America National Specialty.

CH Bone-A-Parts Cuervo Gold

CH Topsfield Ambrican Quartz

CH Topsfield Snickers, ROM

In 1996 and1997, bitches were bred to A/C CH Ambrican Lipizzan, ROM, and Ch Brevis Olympian, CDX, TD, resulting in BISS CH Topsfield Ambrican Quartz (above left) and BISS CH Topsfield Snickers, ROM (above right).

CH Topsfield Jingle Bells, ROM

CH Topsfield

Bumper Cars,CD, ROM

Top Producing Basset Hound Bitch in the history of the Breed

Best of Breed

2003 BHCA National Specialty

In 1998, CH Topsfield Jingle Bells, ROM, a daughter of Lipizzan was bred to CH Topsfield Snickers. CH Topsfield Bumper Cars, CD, ROM was the result of that litter. Bumper Cars went on to be Number One Hound, All Breeds in 2001 and Number 2 Hound in 2002. He is the top Group Winning hound in the history of the Basset Hound breed with 250 group firsts, 45 All-Breed Bests in Show, 23 Specialty Bests in Show, including BOB at the Basset Hound Club of America National Specialty.

Pictured right are Claudia and Dom Orlandi, and Bryan and Nancy Martin at the 2001 Dog of the Year Award Dinner. Bumpers was Number One Hound All Breeds and winner of the Nature's Recipe Award for the most hound group firsts in a calendar year with a total of 117 Group wins. At the time of this writing, no hound has broken this record.

Dom & Claudia Orlandi & Bryan & Nancy Martin

Sanchu Basset Hounds

Claire "Kitty'" Steidel

photographed awarding

Best in Show

Topsfield formed a partnership in 1999 with the Sanchu Bassets of Chuck and Claire "Kitty" Steidel, when it acquired CH Sanchu’s Ginger, ROM, who they co-owned with Kitty.

CH Sanchu’s Ginger, ROM

BOW - 1999 BHCA National Specialty

Ginger was subsequently bred to CH Topsfield Bumper Cars. The puppies from this mating added an additional strain (Sanchu, which was founded on Tal-E-Ho) within Topsfield's breeding program.

The two males pictured below, sired by Bumper Cars and out of Ginger, were the first two littler mates to go Winners Dog at the BHCA National Specialty. Go-Cars in 2000 and his brother, Sports Car in 2002. Sports Car went on to be Number One Basset Hound, all systems in 2003 and 2004.

The very successful partnership between Topsfield & Sanchu continues to this day. It has been a great pleasure and honor to work with Kitty.

CH Sanchu-Topsfield Go-Cars

CH Topsfield-Sanchu Sports Car, ROM

Ginger was then bred to Bumpers' brother, BISS CH Topsfield Calypso. Yahtzee is the result of that breeding. With limited showing in 2004, Yahtzee became a Best In Show winner and a top ten Basset Hound.

BIS CH Sanchu-Topsfield Yahtzee

CH Topsfield Calypso

CH Topsfield Calliope, another sibling of Bumper Cars, was bred to A/C CH Soundtrack Roll Me Away, CAN CD. The offspring of that breeding is CH Topsfield Fresca, pictured right.

She was Winners Bitch and Best of Winners at the 2002 BHCA National Specialty. She is pictured right with her breeder/owner/handler, Claudia Orlandi.

CH Topsfield Fresca

Bumper Cars' sister, CH Topsfield Loop-The-Loop, was bred to CH Topsfield-Sanchu Sports Car, ROM. This litter resulted in five finished offspring. With the one litter, Loopie earned her ROM (Register of Merit) and was in a 2 way tie for the Top Producing Basset Hound Dam in 2003.

CH Topsfield Loop the Loop

CH Topsfield Jingle Bells was bred to a Bumper Car son, CH Topsfield Orion, ROM. That breeding resulted in a wonderful litter, including two very special males, CH Topsfield Mozart and CH Topsfield Beethoven, pictured below.

CH Topsfield Orion, ROM

CH Topsfield Beethoven

BISS CH Topsfield Mozart

Beethoven is the sire of CH Topsfield Vision Silver Noodles, RN, CGC, who was Winners Bitch and Best of Winners at the 2004 BHCA National Specialty. She has since become the top winning Basset Hound Bitch in Breed history.

She is owned by Claudia Orlandi, Nancy Richmond, Anne Testoni, Bjorn Zetterlund and Claire "Kitty" Steidel.

Noodles is the daughter of CH Vision Keep the Faith, ROM a daughter of CH Topsfield Snickers, ROM.

CH Topsfield Vision Silver Noodles, RN, CGC

Vision Basset Hounds and Spectrum Bassets

Topsfield has also worked extensively with Nancy Richmond of Vision Bassets and Anne Testoni and Bjorn Zetterlund of Spectrum Bassets. The combined efforts have resulted in many nice offspring, including the top winning Basset Hound bitch of all time - CH Topsfield-Vision Silver Noodles, RN, CGC. Anne, Bjorn and Nancy are pictured right with Noodles.

It is a pleasure to work with our friends and we can't say enough about our relationship with these fine people. Our appreciation to them all. Noodles, is good example of breeders can achieve when they work together.

Noodles with Bjorn, Nancy & Anne

Cloverhill Basset Hounds

Judy Tuck has been a dear friend of Topsfield for more than 20 years. She has had many nice dogs over the years and is a wonderful lady to work with. Some recent co-breedings between Topsfield and Cloverhill have been very satisfying.

One example is CH Topsfield Cloverhill Buggy Bumpers, pictured above. He was bred by Judy Tuck and Claudia Orlandi. Judy is pictured right with CH Me-Don's Cloverhill Encore, ROM.

CH Topsfield Cloverhill Buggy Bumpers, ROM

CH Me-Don's Cloverhill Encore, ROM & Judy Tuck

Another example of the successful co-breeding with Judy and her Cloverhill Bassets is CH Fort Merrill Topsfield Yahoo.

Yahoo was bred by Claudia Orlandi & Judy Tuck.

Yahoo is now owned by Joan Urban, Aaron Costilla, Claudia Orlandi, Claire Kitty Steidel. Yahoo began his specials career with Bryan Martin in 2011.

CH Fort Merrill Topsfield Yahoo

In 2005, CH Topsfield Sanchu Fun House was bred to CH Maredge Good To Go. The result was a litter of three champions. One of the litter, GCH Topsfield-Sanchu Pop Art O'Bridi, was Best of Winners at the 2007 BHCA National Specialty and Best of Breed at the 2009 BHCA National Specialty.

He was handled by Topsfield resident handler, Sue Frischmann.

GCH Topsfield Sanchu Pop Art O'Bridi

CH Topsfield-Sanchu American Express is the son of CH Topsfield-Sanchu Pop Art O'Bridi & CH Topsfield-Sanchu Soda Pop, CD, RN.

He is handled by Bryan Martin and was a top Basset Hound in both 2008 and 2009.

He had the distinction of going both Best in Futurity and Best in Maturity in successive years at the Basset Hound Club of America National Specialty.

GCH Topsfield- Sanchu American Express

We are proud of the past accomplishments that our Topsfield hounds have achieved. In 2008, Topsfield reached the milestone of 100 All Breed Bests in Show for Basset Hounds owned and/or bred by Topsfield. Each year presents new and exciting challenges. We are grateful to those who have served as mentors in the past and look forward to continuing our relationships with our fellow breeders in the future.

The Topsfield breeding program places supreme importance on soundness and good health and performs genetic testing for health problems common to the Basset Hound.