BEACHES AND BITCHES

Virginia Beach

“Virginia Beach Is For Lovers” proclaimed the old tourist billboards, but this weekend Virginia Beach is for dog lovers with four days of all breed dog shows. Yesterday the Harrier’s, CH Downhome Family Tradition, decision to stay close to home paid off with a Best In Show award. Although Coda was the only top ten dog attending the Middle Peninsula Kennel Club of Virginia event, he did not go without serious competition. Among the other Group winners were three top 20 dogs, the Weimaraner, CH Colsidex Seabreeze Perfect Fit, the Boxer, CH Dramatic Story Of Sherry Shoot JP, and the German Shepherd Dog, CH Woodside Pacino, all multiple BIS winners. Also showing up in Judge Rosemary Shoreman‘s ring were the Scottish Terrier, CH Blueberry Surely You Jest, the Long Coat Chihuaua, CH Will-CM Paloma Blanca, the Minature Poodle, CH Surrey Sweet Spice, also BIS Winners.

There’s still lots of weekend left and lots of dogs to see.

TOP DOGS DESCEND ON FORT WAYNE

Judge Ralph Lemke must have been feeling a little bit overwhelmed yesterday. Not only did he have four of the top ten dogs in his final seven, but the other three were all multiple BIS winners. In a ring that looked more like Westminster than the La Porte Kennel Club of Fort Wayne, IN, there was the Pointer, CHCookieland Seasyde Hollyberry, the Basset Hound, CH Topfield-Vision Silver Noodle, the Giant Schnauzer, CH Galilee's Pure Of Spirit, the Scottish Terrier, Roundtown Mercedes Of Maryscot, the Brussels Griffon, CH Cilleine Masquerade, the Bulldog, CH Cherokee Legend Rock, and the Puli CH Cordmaker Field Of Dreams.

CH Cherokee Legend Rock

The day would go to the Giant Schnauzer, Spirit, tightening her grip on the number one position. However, this was the first of five all breed shows in Fort Wayne this weekend and we‘re sure to see some upsets before Tuesday. Be sure to check here for results.

THE LONG, LONG WEEKEND BEGINS

We start a long, long weekend with results from Virginia Beach, VA, where one of our top ten dogs was in action. The Harrier, CH Downhome Family Tradition, drew the first blood of the weekend with an appearance Wednesday at the hounds only Potomac Hound Club, taking a Group 1 from Judge Lee Canalizo. Thursday, Coda would repeat his Hound Group win, but this was the Middle Peninsula Kennel Club Of Virginia all breed show and Judge Ronald H. Menaker would give the top prize to the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, CH Pinecrest Rock The Boat.

CH Pinecrest Rock The Boat

“Rocky”, the country’s number ten toy dog and a multiple BIS winner, was bred by Ted Eubank & Mary Grace Eubank and is owned by the Eubanks & Erica Venier of Copper Canyon, TX.

FEW AND FAR BETWEEN

If you are looking for a dog show this weekend, they are few and far between. Six towns will host a total of 19 all breed shows this weekend, Bloomsburg PA, Fort Wayne IN, Irwindale CA, Knoxville TN, Tulsa OK, and Viginia Beach VA. The good news is that so few locations means that some lucky folks are sure to see multiple dogs from the top ten dogs. Fort Wayne is likely to see several of the top dogs with five shows scheduled Thursday through Monday, but Tulsa has the largest entries and AB events Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Virginia Beach has four shows Thu-Sun, but has drawn small entries in years past. The same is true for the three shows in PA and the two in TN. Irwindale only has two shows scheduled, but they should draw 1500 dogs for both Saturday and Sunday, a benefit of being the only shows for 2,000 miles.

CH Tupelo Shoboat Tu China Tu

So where are we in the standings? The good news for our top ten dogs is that they have out distanced the would be spoilers. The number eleven dog, the Pug, CH Tupelo Shoboat Tu China Tu, trails the number ten dog, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, CH Coventry Vanity Fair, by over 5,000 points. It is unlikely the pug or any other dog will crack the top ten in the next eight weeks. Within our little privileged group the scrambling for a higher position is fierce. Number one and number two are separated by only 1500 points, a distance of one BIS at a large event. Numbers three and four are in a virtual tie. Six trails five by only 1400 points. There are fewer than a 1,000 points between seven and eight. Nine trails eight by 2,000 points and leads ten by a scant 1100.

OK, OK…I admit it. I’m a numbers nerd, but from where I sit, a close race and so few shows virtually guarantee changes in the standings come next weekend AND you will read it here first.

DOGS HERE AND THERE

We began this site thinking of readers here in the US, but we have developed a faithful following from all over the world for which we are eternally grateful. The dog fancy is truly a universal interest. One of our regular readers, Sofie Wilbraaten from Norway, writes suggesting we begin a discussion on the differences between purebred breeds here in the US and in Europe and the UK. It’s a subject near and dear to my heart. It’s also a subject that never fails to stir up a lively debate. We have seen some excellent European dogs here as well as at least one Asian dog. So everybody join in, but keep it civil ;-)

Ok, I write this blog, so I will go first. When I got into this game some 40 years ago, we in the US looked to the UK for the best examples of many breeds, virtually all the terriers, and several other breeds as well. While the British terriers were imported to improve soundness and type, I remember British Pekingese were more extreme (larger heads, flatter faces) than American examples of the breed. Later in the 1970s and 1980s German Rottweilers and German Shepherd Dogs were imported to improve substance and soundness.

CH Hjohoo's Best Wishes To Hjo

Just recently we have seen a couple of Swedish imports that I believe will be an important influence here, the beautiful Bedlington Terrier, CH Velvety Angel Eyes, and a fine example of my own breed, the Cairn Terrier, CH Hjohoo's Best Wishes To Hjo (Hjo is a town in Sweden and is pronounced “you”) bred by Swede Elisabeth Theodorsson, owned by Brazilians Mario Duarte & Victor Malzoni and shown here in America by Armando Morales.

CH Exl's Leather N Lace
Number One Cocker Spaniel in the US

As far as consistent differences between American dogs and British and European dogs. Here’s my own, very personal opinion. We have here in the US many talented professional handlers and many breed enthusiasts who are master groomers. As a group Americans like their dogs like their movie stars, not a hair out of place. This leads to extremes in grooming like the sun flower faced West Highland White Terriers or the walking dust mops that are American Cocker Spaniels. In many breeds, the standard set by Americans is what the rest of the world aspires to. You simply do not see poor examples of grooming in our Poodle, Maltese, or Pekingese rings. I do not mean to imply that dog fanciers outside the US are poor groomers, but that outside the US, a more natural look is generally preferred.

CH Camcrest Bebe Queen Of Trouble
Number One West Highland White Terrier in the US

Another characteristic, this one lamentable, is the tendency of American breeders to refine breeds to the point of losing sight of the breeds original purpose. Four examples, happily now in the past, were Doberman Pinschers, Boxers, Vizla, and Irish Setters of the 1980s. In an attempt to achieve a racy, elegant silhouette, some of the highly regarded dogs of the era were overly refined and lacked the substance to do the job for which they were bred. I could cite specific examples, but on the advice of my attorneys, I won’t.

An excellent examle of a US Doberman Pinscher
BIS Winner CH Aquarius Garbo V Tiburon

Finally, as I have written before, radical animal rights groups have had an impact on British and European breeds. I fear that some of our breeds will either evolve to an unrecognizable version of the breed or disappear all together. The same people that clamor over the Walrus, one of God’s most awkward designs, would deprive us of the Pekingese we have lived with for thousands of years. But enough of my ramblings, let us hear the your opinions. We will print all responses, excepting those not suited for the eyes of my 77 year old mother, who is my most dedicated reader.

SURPRISE SMASH

CH Smash JP Moonwalk

The country’s number two dog, the Pointer, CH Cookieland Seasyde Hollyberry, won Saturday’s match up with the country’s number three dog, the Sealhyam Terrier, CH Efbe's Hidalgo At Goodspice, at the Middleburg KC show in Leesburg, VA. So who won Sunday’s rematch? Would you believe neither? The two dogs were surprised by the toy poodle, CH Smash JP Moonwalk, when the little dog and handler Kaz Hosaka caught the eye of Judge June A. Penta. When this lovely, little dog entered the 2008 campaign too late in the year to crack the top ten, we predicted that he would be a dog to watch nonetheless. So would somebody tell me where I can get a current photo so we can retire the above puppy picture?

YOU CAN RUN, BUT YOU CAN'T HIDE

CH Torquay Demitrio

As we remarked earlier, the Affenpinscher, CH Tamarin Tug, spent Thursday in Georgia and Friday in Massachusetts. We don’t know if it was some airline mixup or purposeful venue shopping, but Taser showed up in Sioux Falls, SD, Saturday to accept the Sioux Empire KC Best In Show silver from Judge Barbara Alderman. Sunday, Taser would play bridesmaid to Judge Paula Nykiel’s BIS selection, the Smooth Fox Terrier, CH Torquay Demitrio. The country’s number four terrier, a multi Best In Show winner, was bred by Marco Botelho, and owned by Marco, Clay Coady & Evelina Martini, of Paradise Valley, AZ, and Susan A. Kipp.

TOP TEN TRACKER

Five of our top ten dogs spent the weekend in sunny California, although it was partly cloudy skies for some of our four legged atheletes. Up in the north state in the town of Dixon, the Sacramento Dog Fanciers hosted two shows. After failing to make it out of the Working Group on Saturday, the Giant Schnauzer, CH Galilee’s Pure of Spirit, took the BIS from Judge Douglas A. Johnson. Unfortunately, here traveling companion, the Scottish Deerhound, CH Jaraluv Ouija would fail to be noticed by Hound Group Judge Kitty Steidel.

Three of our top ten would have mixed results in southern California at the Riverside KC double header. The Standard Poodle, CH Randenn Tristar Affirmation, made the most of it taking both Best In Show trophies, the first from Judge Debbie Campbell and the second from Judge Jerry Roszman. After being surprised in the breed on Friday at the Herding Dogs only event in Dixon, CA, the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, CH Coventry Vanity Fair, decided to head south for warmer weather and a warmer reception, resulting in two Group 1 awards. The Scottish Terrier, CH Roundtown Mercedes Of Maryscot, also would go home with a Group 1 win Sunday after failing to get a major award on Saturday.

CH Cookieland Seasyde Hollyberry

The rest of the top ten would scatter over the US in search of top awards. The Pointer, CH Cookieland Seasyde Hollyberry, took the top prizes on Thursday and Friday at the two Griffin Georgia KC shows, but decided to drive over 600 miles east from Marietta, GA, to Leesburg, VA, to watch Judge Linda More hand the big rosette to the Sealhyam Terrier, CH Efbe's Hidalgo At Goodspice. The Brussels Griffon, CH Celleine Masquerade, after starting the weekend on Thursday in Marietta, GA, with a group win, rode a 1,000 miles west to Austin, TX, to take two BIS at the Saturday/Sunday events hosted by the Travis County KC, Judges Jean Fournier and Jon R. Cole presiding. It’s not exactly a tribute video, but here’s a video of the 2008 Brussels Griffon National Specialty which Lincoln won. I think you’ll see why everyone thinks this dig is special.



As we previously reported, the Affenpinscher, CH Tamarin Tug, continues to play a game of “Where in the World is Canine San Diego” appearing in Marietta, GA, on Thursday (Group 2) and in West Springfield, MA on Friday (BIS). We are still checking the GPS to find out where he was Saturday and Sunday. We also are waiting for the results of the rematch Sunday in Virginia between the Sealie and the Pointer. Check back here tomorrow for more results. The number one ranking hangs in the balance!

LOVE THOSE ANONYMOUS COMMENTS

CH Windbourne High Performance

An anonymous commenter has identified the above photo as the winner of the Hound group at Saturday’s Queensboro KC show in Springfield, MA, “…the gorgeous up and coming Black & Tan Coonhound bitch, Ch Windbourne High Performance aka Maserati". Maserati, who won the group over top ten dog, the Harrier, CH Downhome Family Tradition, was bred by Shelley Campbell, is owned by Shelley & Emily McCarthy & Seth Tasker of Arlington, MA, and handled by Alessandra Folz. We sincerely thank the commenter for the information and the photo of this lovely bitch. We wish Maserati luck in what appears to a very promising show career.

GREAT DOGS, SOME FAMOUS, SOME NOT

Two of our top ten dogs were in the Sacramento Valley in Northern California Saturday, but neither would make it into the BIS ring. The Giant Schnauzer, CH Galilee’s Pure of Spirit, would finish a disappointing third in the Working Group, while the Scottish Deerhound, CH Jaraluv Ouija, could do no better than fourth in the Hound Group. Judge David J. Kirkland would give the Sacramento Valley Dog Fanciers Association Best In Show award to the Dutch import, Welsh Terrier, CH Noraly Of The New Husken, bred by P M J Krautscheid, owned by Bruce Schwartz & Richard Berg & Samantha Curran of Los Angeles, CA , and handled by local guy Wood Wornall. A dog that did make it to the final seven was he Pembroke Welsh Corgi, CH Caamora All Dolled Up PT, who had taken the breed over top ten dog, CH Coventry Vanity Fair, on Friday. Saturday, handler Sharon Stone and her charge would have an easier path to the BIS ring, when the country's number one Herding Dog decided to skip the breed judging.

CH Noraly Of The New Husken

As infrequent an event as it is to see top ten dogs not make it into the final ring, this is a testament to how tough the competition is out there. The Welsh Terrier is a multiple BIS winner and is owned by Bruhill Welsh Terriers, a kennel that’s been around for 35 years and has 150 BIS to its credit. Handler Wood Wornall may not be a household name, but he is one of the best around. Anyone who watches dog shows on television will recognize him from the Eukanuba and Westminster broadcasts. We admit to concentrating on the top ten dogs here, but our readers should not forget that many owners of truly great dogs choose not to put those dogs through the stress of a national campaign.