POINTER BIS IN KNOXVILLE

GCH CH Oncore Mykyna Storm

Dr Steven Keating was in Knoxville TN yesterday to call the BIS for the Tennessee Valley Kennel Club.  His options were the Pointer, GCH CH Oncore Mykyna Storm, the American Foxhound, GCH CH Kiarry’s Pandora’s Box, the Giant Schnauzer, GCH CH Kenro's Witching Hour, the Russell Terrier, GCH CH Goldsands Columbus, the Pug, GCH CH Caper’s Sirius Endeavor, the Dalmatian, GCH CH Bret D Gabriel’ s Lost Art CD BN RAE RD CGC, and the Pembroke Welsh Corgi, GCH CH Riverside Get Over It.

GCH CH Caper’s Sirius Endeavor

Finishing one/two were the Pointer, Stormy, and the Pug, Rufus.  It was Stormy’s second BIS in 14 final outings this year.

GREAT DANES BEST TOP TWO

GCH CH Marlex Classic Red Glare 

(Photo by Rhonda Cassidy)

They say "Man Bites Dog" is news.  In the show world it is news when our Top Two Dogs All Breeds fail to win a Best In Show.  Yesterday saw our Top Two both finish behind a couple of Great Danes.  The nation’s Number Two Dog, the Portuguese Water Dog, was judge Patricia Hess’ Working Group Two behind the Great Dane, GCH GHDD Seamus Lord of The Dance, at Friday’s Tidewater Kennel Club Of Virginia show in Virginia Beach VA. 

GCH CH Militza’s My Cherie Amour

Joining Seamus in judge Terry Stacy’s final were the Irish Setter, GCH CH Militza’s My Cherie Amour, the Bloodhound, GCH CH Flessner's International S'Cess, the West Highland White Terrier, CH Glenns Monte Carlo, the Miniature Pinscher, GCH CH Marlex Classic Red Glare, the Tibetan Spaniel, GCH CH Kan Sing Tenzin, and the Bearded Collie, GCH CH Ha’Penny Mirimar The Fab Fawn.

Judge Stacy would go with the country’s Number Three Dog, the MinPin, Classie, as his BIS and the Irish Setter, Adele, as his RBIS.  It was the 53^rd BIS in 104 trips to the final ring this year for AKC’s winningest Miniature Pinscher in history.

GCH CH Longo Miller n Lore Diamond Lil

In Fort Wayne IN the US’ Number One Dog All Breeds, the Wire Fox Terrier, GCH CH AfterAll Painting the Sky would be judge Christina Hubbell’s RBIS behind the Great Dane, GCH CH Longo Miller n Lore Diamond Lil, at Friday’s Sturgis Kennel Club show.

GCH CH AfterAll Painting the Sky

(Photo by Infocusbymiguel)

Judge Hubbell also considered the English Springer Spaniel, GCH CH Cerise Dixieland Dutchess, the Afghan Hound, GCH CH Tells Matrix Reloaded, the Shih Tzu, GCH CH Hallmark Jolei Bells Will Be Ringing, the Chinese Shar-Pei, GCH CH Shine’s Deck The Halls, and the Shetland Sheepdog, GCH CH Grandgables The Frat Boy.

Scout, AKC’s Number Nine Dog All Breeds, is the top winning Great Dane of all time with 38 career BIS.  She has 21 BIS and 45 Working Groups this year.

SOUHEGAN KENNEL CLUB

GCH CH Whistlestop’s Riley on Fire

Friday was day two in Milford NH and it was the Souhegan Kennel Club’s turn to host.  They asked judge Gloria Kanpp’s to choose her top two from the Irish Water Spaniel, GCH CH Whistlestop’s Riley on Fire, the Afghan Hound, GCH CH Exlysta Aries Ciel Noir, the Doberman Pinscher, GCH CH Tiburon Ariel Bella Dona, the Airedale Terrier, GCH CH Joval Angel’s Whisper, the Miniature Pinscher, GCH CH Kimro n Spivas Super Trooper, the Tibetan Terrier, GCH CH RinChen's Blazing Black Icon, and the Briard, GCH CH Deja Vu Mia Cool As A Cucumber.

GCH CH Tiburon Ariel Bella Dona

She chose the IWS, Riley, as her Best and the Doberman, Bella, as her Reserve.  Currently the Number Seven Dog All Breeds, the win, her 17^th in 62 final appearances this year, puts her right on the heels of the Numbers Five and Six. 

ONE MORE BIS FOR NUMBER ONE

GCH CH AfterAll Painting the Sky

The country’s Number One Dog, the Wire Fox Terrier, GCH CH AfterAll Painting the Sky, extended her 2013 record to 70 BIS and 122 Terrier Groups by taking the top prize at yesterday’s La Porte County Kennel Club show in Fort Wayne IN.

GCH CH Hil-N-Don & Canyonwood Seemore Of Me

Judge Stephen Hubbell also considered the English Springer Spaniel, GCH CH Hil-N-Don & Canyonwood Seemore Of Me, the Afghan Hound, GCH CH Tells Matrix Reloaded, the Great Dane, GCH CH Longo Miller N Lore Diamond Lil, the Maltese, GCH CH Scylla Small Kraft Re-Lit, the Bichon Frise, GCH CH Vogelflight’s “Honor” to Pillowtalk, and the Shetland Sheepdog, GCH CH Grandgables The Frat Boy, before naming Sky his Best and the Springer, Seemore, his Reserve.  Sky joined hit the 100 career BIS milestone the first week of October and now has 106 big rosettes on her wall.

REST IN PEACE, LOVELY LADY

 Michele Billings with CH Dahnwood Gabriel

In my very first post here on Dog Show Poop, Dog Show Junkie,  I related how I was introduced to the dog show world:

I went to my first dog show in 1968. My family had just purchased our first AKC registered dog, a Saint Bernard, we called Brandy. I remembered that none of the dogs looked like any of the dogs in my neighborhood. That show was won by the Afghan Hound, CH Dahnwood Gabriel, the top Hound of 1968,  handled by Michele Leathers Billings. The two of them were like rock stars, glamorous and larger than life. I was a short, plain looking kid with glasses from Memphis, Tennessee, and, for me, these two were celebrities. Now, I knew I was never going to be another Elvis or James Dean, but here was a world where mere dog owners were superstars. Now 40 years later, Elvis and James Dean are dead, but I'm still going to dog shows.

I would run into Ms Billings more than 40 years later in Jackson TN where she was judging.  I approached her and said, “It’s all your fault.”  She looked at me somewhat taken aback and I said, “I saw you go BIS in 1968 at the very first dog show I ever attended and I’ve been hooked ever since.”  She smiled and told me how happy she was that I was still going to dog shows 40 years later.

Over the years I have seen Ms Billings judge many times and even shown under her several times.  She was always gracious, elegant, and professional.  She will always be the standard by which I hold every AKC judge and exhibitor.  Rest in peace, lovely lady.

PUG BIS IN TENNESSEE

GCH CH Caper’s Sirius Endeavor

Here in Tennessee the Oak Ridge Kennel Club kicked off a four day set in Knoxville.  Judge Carol Kniebusch Noe had the day one final and her pick of the Pointer, GCH CH Oncore Mykyna Storm, the American Foxhound, GCH CH Kiarry’s Pandora’s Box, the Giant Schnauzer, GCH CH Kenro's Witching Hour, the Russell Terrier, GCH CH Goldsands Columbus, the Pug, GCH CH Caper’s Sirius Endeavor, the Dalmatian, GCH CH Bret D Gabriel’ s Lost Art CD BN RAE RD CGC, and the Smooth Collie, GCH CH C And J Silver Charm Of Chrysalis.

GCH CH C And J Silver Charm Of Chrysalis

Finishing one/two were the Pug, Rufus, and the Collie, Ashley.  Rufus is the nation’s Number One Pug and Number Two Toy Dog with ten BIS and 30 Toy Groups this year.