[dean wickwire]

The general theory is that show bassets are fat, overweight and out of shape. Field bassets are thought to be light weight, leggy and small. There was some truth to both sides. Both the show and field breeders generally breed for one thing only. Now it is more difficult to see the difference between the two.
Y.Lee Coyote at 75 lbs is certainly not a small, leggy basset, but he is a good rabbit hound and a field champion. Many show bassets will readily start running rabbit if given a chance.