WWW: THE NON-SPORTING GROUP

GCH CH Dawin Hearts on Fire

(photo by Michael McGuire)

Whom to Watch at Westminster (WWW), The Non-Sporting Group.  We often think of the Non-Sporting Group as the “Rodney Dangerfield” group.  Apart from the ubiquitous Standard Poodles, the group is full of breeds that are often overlooked. 

We do have two Standard Poodles at the top of our list this year.  The bitch, GCH CH Dawin Hearts on Fire, and the dog, GCH CH Del Zarzoso Salvame From Afterglow.  The bitch, Flame, was last year’s Number One Non-Sporting Dog and Number Three Dog All Breeds with 47 BIS and an impressive 121 Group Ones.  This year she has  two BIS and 11 Group Ones.  Flame was bred by and is owned by Linda Campbell and handled by Sarah Perchick.

GCH CH Del Zarzoso Salvame From Afterglow

The dog, Dino, finished 2014 as the Number Six Non-Sporting Dog with six BIS and 55 Group Ones so far this year he has picked up one BIS and Four Group Ones.  Dino was bred by Carlos Renau & Lazaro Anelo, is owned by Sloan Barnett, George Linderman Sr, Michael Gadsby, & Jason Lynn, and is handled by Amy Rutherford.

GCH CH Shine’s Deck the Halls

One dog who could dethrone the Poodles is the top winning Chinese Shar-Pei in AKC history, GCH CH Shine’s Deck the Halls.  Tinsel has been the Number One Chinese Shar-Pei these last two season and leads the Non-Sporting Group this year with three BIS, three RBIS and eight Group Ones.  Tinsel was bred by and is owned by Rebecca Pentecost DVM with Deborah & Robert Cooper & Linda Teitelbaum, and handled by Nina Fetter.

GCH CH Skyline's Unit Of Measure

Another dog who might get past the Poodles is the Keeshond, GCH CH Skyline's Unit Of Measure, who frequently goes head-to-head with Dino, the current Number Two Non-Sporting Dog with two and nine Group Ones.   Cubit was bred by Kristen Cullen DVM & Susan Cullen, is owned by Joshua Hargis, and handled by co-owner Jean Gauchat-Hargis.

GCH CH Dowat’s the Gladiator

Finally, we will always root for the Bulldogs and we have two great prospects this year, GCH CH Dowat’s the Gladiator and GCH CH Wilson’s I’m Your Handyman.  The former, Don Juan,  was 2014’s Number One Bulldog and Number Seven Non-Sporting Dog.  He was bred by Lucky and Donna Watson and Alisha and Sean Worleyand is owned by Jamie Vasquez, Randall Jenkins, &  Linda Scott, and handled by Dennis O’Connor.

GCH CH Wilson’s I’m Your Handyman

The latter, Decker, has just begun his career under the auspices of Bulldog maven Jay Serion,  Decker already has two BIS in just three final appearances this year.  Decker was bred by Cindy and Joel Wilson, is owned by Landon and Jennifer Jordan, and handled by Jay.

Next, the Herding Group.