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, through bloodlines they contributed or guidance they have given, strongly influenced Topsfield’s early years. The Orlandi’s are indebted to Joy Brewster for professionally handling their early Bassets and for being a mentor in and out of the show 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, “Hodie”, 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

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 Snickers, ROM

CH Topsfield
Jingle Bells, ROM
Top Producing Basset Hound Bitch
in the history of the Breed

CH Topsfield
Bumper Cars,CD, ROM
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

Cloverhill Basset Hounds

Judy Tuck of Cloverhill Basset Hounds has been a dear friend and co-breeder for over 30 years. Numerous outstanding dogs have come out of her breeding program and it has been a privilege to work with her and her bloodlines.

Left: CH Me-Don’s Cloverhill Encore,ROM & Judy Tuck

CH Topsfield-Cloverhill Buggy Bumpers (pictured right) was co-bred by Claudia Orlandi & Judy Tuck and was owned by Claire “Kitty” Steidel and Sukey Shor while he was specialed on the west coast by Mike Stone in 2007 and 2008.

CH Topsfield-Cloverhill
Buggy Bumpers

Another example of the successful co-breeding with Judy and her Cloverhill Bassets is CH Fort Merrill Topsfield Yahoo, who was bred by Claudia Orlandi & Judy Tuck.

Yahoo (pictured left) began his specials career with Bryan Martin in 2011.

GCHG Cloverhill Topsfield Lebrera Chardonnay (“Maddie”) was bred by Judy Tuck and is owned by Judy Tuck, Claudia Orlandi & Guillermo Gonzalez. Maddie was the Number 1 Basset Bitch in 2022, handled by Candy Carswell.

GCHG Cloverhill-Topsfield Lebrera Chardonnay (“Maddie”)

CH Cloverhill-Topsfield-Lebrera Sangria (“Luna”)

Pictured left, Sangria (“Luna”) is a sister to Chardonnay. They were born on 08/27/2019 and were bred by Judy Tuck. Luna is owned by Claudia & Guillermo.
Vision Basset Hounds

Topsfield has worked for over 30 years with trusted breeder and friend, Nancy Richmond of Vision Bassets. Our combined efforts have resulted in many wonderful offspring, including the top winning Basset Hound bitch of all time, MBIS MBISS CH Topsfield Vision Silver Noodles CD BN RA NAP NJP GCG TDIRN, CGC. Noodles, pictured below left, was bred by Nancy Richmond, Bjorn Zetterlund, Anne Testoni and Lisa Brackett, and sired by CH Topsfield Beethoven. Bjorn (Anne’s husband), Nancy and Anne are pictured below right with Noodles. The numerous performance titles Noodles achieved are thanks to Anne’s hard work and expertise.

For many years, Nancy has focused on breeding the dual purpose Basset Hound and has enjoyed great success in the field. We are indebted to her for allowing us to co-own GFCH Vision Itsy Bitsy Vanila Cream of Cloverhill, the dam of many field trial and dual champions, including Scarlett, pictured below.

GFCH Vision Itsy Bitsy Vanila Cream of Cloverhill, ROM

DCH Topsfield – Lebrera Vision Gone With the Wind (Scarlett). ABSOLUTE WINNER BHCA National Field Trial 2021. Bred and owned by Nancy Richmond, Claudia Orlandi and Guillermo Gonzalez. Handled by Ben Marley
Chips is another beautiful dual champion out of Bitsy and was bred and is owned by Claudia Orlandi, Guillermo Gonzalez and Nancy Richmond. He is proving to be a wonderful producer as well.

DCH Topsfield-Lebrera Vision Goodbye Mr. Chips

Beauchasseur Basset Hounds (Australia)
Topsfield’s relationship with Chris Lawrence of Beauchasseur Basset Hounds in Australia began over 15 years ago when we sent her CH Topsfield Sanchu King of Queens. Chris’s eye for a dog and a knowledge of genetics have contributed to her unsurpassed success in breeding quality Basset Hounds for over 40 years.
Chris (pictured left) with a promising young male sired by Aus & Am Ch Topsfield Sanchu King of Queens (pictured below).

We soon learned that Chris’s bloodlines and ours nicked very well resulting in our bringing several of her Beauchasseur hounds to the states, including AUS Ch Beauchasseur Hewgo Boss and AUS CH Beauchasseur Allo Allo (pictured below), both of whom quickly completed their championship here and added valuable outside blood to our breeding program.

Am GCH and AUS CH
Beauchasseur Hewgo Boss

Am GCH and AUS CH
Beauchasseur Allo Allo

Am GCH and AUS CH
Topsfield Sanchu Cannoli

We also sent Ch Topsfield Sanchu Cannoli in co ownership with Longbay bassets to Chris.

We always look forward to Chris’s visits to Topsfield and attending the BHCA Nationals with us. Working with her has been a highlight of our breeding program and we will be forever grateful for her friendship and the role her bloodlines have played in our success.
Spectrum Basset Hounds

Anne Testoni and Bjorn Zetterlund of Spectrum Basset Hounds have worked with us for close to 30 years. Together we have produced some beautiful Basset Hounds, including the top winning Basset Hound bitch of all time, MBIS MBISS CH Topsfield Vision Silver Noodles CD BN RA NAP NJP GCG TDIRN, CGC.

Noodles was bred by Nancy Richmond, Bjorn Zetterlund, Anne Testoni and Lisa Brackett, and sired by CH Topsfield Beethoven. Bjorn (Anne’s husband), Nancy and Anne are pictured below left with Noodles. In addition to conformation, Anne specializes in performance Basset Hounds and put the numerous titles on Noodles. Bjorn took the fabulous movement photo of Noodles on the right.

MBIS MBISS CH Topsfield Vision Silver Noodles CD BN RA NAP NJP GCG TDIRN, CGC
Anne and Bjorn have always focused on the dual purpose Basset Hound. In addition to Noodles, the below dogs have successfully earned titles in numerous areas of scent and obedience work. It’s a privilege to have Anne working so successfully with our bloodlines.

CH Topsfield-Lebrera
Nursery Rhyme of Sanchu
BN RI SWN CGC

GCH Vision Spectrum Topsfield
Love A Mystery CD BN RA NJP CGC 

CH Spectrum Topsfield Pippin
of Sanchu BN RN C-SN C-CD
NAP NJP NFP CGC TKN TDI 

As can be seen by his list of titles, Pippin, pictured left, can be called Anne’s genius dog! In addition to his ring championship, he has earned numerous obedience and scent work awards.
Soundtrack Basset Hounds

Topsfield began working with Miriam and Mike Tefts of Soundtrack Basset Hounds over 25 years ago when they bred to A/C CH Soundtrack Roll Me Away, ROM, Can CD (“Spot”), Spot (pictured below left) sired Ch Topsfield Fresca, (pictured below right) BOW at the 2002 BHCA National Specialty.

A/C CH Soundtrack Roll Me
Away, ROM, CAN CD (Sire)

Ch Topsfield Fresca

Since that time, Soundtrack and Topsfield have combined forces to produce many fine Basset Hounds in both conformation and performance. Soundtrack is under the guidance of Miriam and Mike Tefts and we are extremely grateful to them for entrusting us with Basset Hounds of excellent hunting ability, including DCH Soundtrack Topsfield-Lebrera Talking to the Moon (“Fresca”), Soundtrack Topsfield-Lebrera Feeling Good (“Tristan”) and FC Soundrack Topsfield-Lebrera Morning After (“Isa”).
Miriam Tefts and 4th from left, Mike Tefts, with Soundtrack Topsfield-Lebrera Talking to the Moon (“Fresca”) finishing 1st in the Open Bitch Class as the 2022 BHCA Nationals Field Trial competition, owned by Ben Marley and Samantha Fox, Claudia Orlandi and Guillermo Gonzalez and handled by Ben.

FC Soundrack Topsfield-Lebrera
Morning After (“Isa”),
bred by Miriam and Mike Tefts

Soundtrack Topsfield-Lebrera
Feeling Good (“Tristan”), bred
by Miriam and Mike Tefts.

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