Topsfield Foundation and Linebreeding

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.

Joy Brewster and

CH Topsfield Brahms

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.

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.

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.

Sanchu Basset Hounds

CH Sanchu’s Ginger, ROM

Topsfield formed a partnership in 1999 with the Sanchu Bassets of Chuck and Kitty Steidel, when it acquired CH Sanchu’s Ginger, who they co-own with Kitty. Ginger was subsequently bred to CH Topsfield Bumper Cars. The puppies from this mating comprised an additional strain (Sanchu, which was founded on Tal-E-Ho) within the Topsfield 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.

Best of Winners

1999 BHCA National Specialty

Sports Car went on to be the Number One Basset Hound, all systems in 2003 and 2004.

CH Sanchu-Topsfield Go-Cars

CH Topsfield-Sanchu Sports Car, ROM

CH Topsfield Calypso

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

BIS CH Sanchu-Topsfield

Yahtzee

Another Bumper Car sibling, CH Topsfield Calliope, was bred to A/C CH Soundtrack Roll Me Away. CH Topsfield Fresca, pictured right, was the result of that breeding. She was Winners Bitch and Best of Winners at the 2002 BHCA National Specialty. She is pictured right with breeder/owner, Claudia Orlandi.

CH Topsfield Fresca

Bumpers' sister, CH Topsfield Loop-The-Loop, was bred to CH Topsfield-Sanchu Sports Car, ROM. This litter resulted in five finished offspring. Loopie was Top Producing Basset Hound Dam in 2003 (2 way tie).

CH Topsfield Jingle Bells was bred to a Bumper Car son, CH Topsfield Orion. 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, Winners Bitch and Best of Winners at the 2004 BHCA National Specialty. Noodles is owned by Claudia Orlandi, Nancy Richmond, Bjorn Zetterlund, Anne Testoni and Claire "Kitty" Steidel. Noodles is the top winning Basset Hound bitch in breed history,

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

CH Topsfield Vision Silver Noodles

Vision Basset Hounds and Spectrum Bassets

Topsfield has also worked extensively with Nancy Richmond of Vision Bassets and Anne Testoni and Bjorn Zetterlund, 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. 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 one example of our collaboration.

Cloverhill Basset Hounds

CH Topsfield Cloverhill Buggy Bumpers

Best In Maturity at the 2007 BHCA National Specialty

Exclusively Handled in 2007 and 2008 by Mike Stone

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

One current 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.

More recently, CH Topsfield Sanchu Fun House was bred to CH Maredge Good To Go. The result was a litter of three champions. One of them, CH Topsfield-Sanchu Pop Art O'Bridi, was Best of Winners at the 2007 BHCA National Specialty. He was handled by Topsfield resident handler, Sue Frischmann.

CH Topsfield Sanchu Pop Art O'Bridi

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.