WWW THE NON-SPORTING GROUP

What to Watch for at Westminster
The Non-Sporting Group

Evaluation of the Non-Sporting Group presents some problems for us. First, there was only one Non-Sporting Dog among the 2008 top twenty. Now that does not mean that there were not quality dogs aplenty. It simply means that they were not as visible as some of the other top dogs. First the Non-Sporting Group is the smallest of the groups, with 18 breeds (We are counting the Poodles separately). Second, few, if any, of the Non-Sporting dogs campaigned outside their own region.

CH Randenn Tristar Affirmation

Even the 2008, number one Non-Sporting Dog, the number four dog over all, the Standard Poodle, CH Randenn Tristar Affirmation, pretty much spent 2008 close to her home in Washington state, rarely leaving the West Coast. However, she made the most of it winning 48 BIS in 2008. “Yes” ended the year by winning her group at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship. In her first outing this year she went three for three, winning BIS all three days in Puyallup WA. Yes was bred by Dennis McCoy, Randy Garren, & Joe & Joan Lacey, is owned by Toni & Martin Sosnoff, and is handled by Timothy Brazier.

Last year’s Westminster Non-Sporting Group Three winner has a daughter that just hit the show circuit, the Bichon Frise, CH Paray Rime Time. “Sloan” started off her 2009 campaign with a bang winning the group at the US’ largest show, the Palm Spring KC. She then thrilled the crowds at the giant Portland shows by winning one of the four Non-Sporting Groups and placing in the other three. Since then she has won the group at both shows she entered. “Sloan” was bred by Deb Wentz, is owned by Laura Rosio & Dr Martin Winston, and is handled by Raymond (Tray) Pittman.

CH Hillwood Dassin De Lovely

We will be watching the Standard Poodle breed judging closely as the four most famous names in Poodles field their latest entry, the Standard, CH Hillwood Dassin De Lovely. The three and half year old bitch completed 2008 with eight BIS and 35 Group firsts and, in a textbook illustration of momentum, has won ten of the last eleven groups she has entered. Breeder/owner/handler Dr. Joseph D. Vergnetti of Medina, OH, co-owns the country’s number two Standard Poodle with Ellen Charles, Karen LeFrak and Wendell Sammet. Dr. Vergnetti is the top champion-producing Poodle breeder of all time.

CH Player’s Protocol,

Another second generation Westminster entry is the Tibetan Terrier, CH Player’s Protocol, whose father was the breed winner in 2008. The three year old bitch won one BIS in 2008 and 30 Group Firsts and a very impressive Group 4 at the National Championship. This year she has won four Group Ones in five outings. She was bred by David Murray & Laurel MacMinn, is owned by DavidMurray & Louis Krokover, and is handled by David. Krokover was a consultant for the film, “Best In Show”, coaching the actors on how to be believable show dog handlers.

Next, the Herding Group

WWW THE TERRIER GROUP

What to Watch for at Westminster, the Terriers

Ch Braeburn's Close Encounter with handler, George Ward

The Terriers always get a good look at Westminster. As a matter of record, Terriers have won BIS 44 times, three times more often than any other group. Wire Fox Terriers have won BIS 13 times, twice as often as the second most successful breed…Scottish Terriers with seven. One of the top winning dogs in AKC history was the 1985 BIS winner, the Scottish Terrier, Ch Braeburn's Close Encounter, who won a incredible 214 all breed Best In Shows.

CH Dersade Bobby's Girl with Handler Peter Green

No one knows Terriers better than this year’s Terrier Group Judge, Peter J. Green. Peter Green is one of two people to win BIS both Westminster, which he has done four times, and Crufts, the giant (20,000 dogs plus) British dogo show. He also was the handler of five number one all breed dogs. He judged the FCI World Show in Sweden in 2008 and will judge Best in Show at Crufts in March this year.

CH Efbe’s Hidalgo At Goodspice

One of Green’s Westminster wins came with the Sealyham Terrier, CH Dersade Bobby's Girl, and 2008’s best Terrier, the Sealyham, CH Efbe’s Hidalgo At Goodspice, is the winningest one ever, with a lifetime 91 BIS, including four this year. “Charmin”, the 2007 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship winner and the 2008 Westminster Terrier Group winner, was bred by Frances Bergeron and is owned by handler Margery Good, Richard Good, and Sandra Middlebrooks.

CH Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot

Last year‘s Terrier Group runner up and the 2008 number two Terrier is the Scottish Terrier, CH Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot. “Sadie” won 24 BIS last year and has won two this year. Sadie was bred by Mary O'Neal & Anstamm Kennelss (2008 Terrier Breeder of the Year), is owned by Amelia Musser, and handled by Gabriel Rangel. However, last Sunday, Rangel won a BIS over the number one dog in America, the Giant Schnauzer, CH Galilee's Pure Of Spirit, with a West Highland White Terrier, CH Arbroath’s Rosewood Rise ‘N’ Shine.

CH Hi-Kel Terrydale Soldier of Fortune

The Lakeland Terrier, CH Hi-Kel Terrydale Soldier of Fortune, returns to Westminster hoping to better her breed winning performance last year and the odds are good that “Ranger” will do so. She finished 2008 twelfth over all and third among the Terriers, with 24 BIS. She is well ahead of that pace with five BIS already. Ranger was bred by Maripi Wooldridge & D Hull McIndoe, owned by Carol Dowd & B Dowd & C Ruggle & Terrydale Kennels, and is handled by Scott Sommer.

CH J'cobe Kemosabe Vigilante Justice

Westminster is often a coming out party for dogs beginning a national campaign. One such dog is the young Smooth Fox Terrier, CH J'cobe Kemosabe Vigilante Justice, who last month took three out of four rounds with the Sealyham, Charmin, winning three Terrier Groups and a BIS along the way. “Dodger” was bred by William Dalling & Stacy Turner, is owned by William Dalling and Phil & Amy Booth, and handled by Amy.

CH Sanherpinc Paisa

Another new kid on the block is the Welsh Terrier, CH Sanherpinc Paisa, who came out of the classes in December to win the Terrier Group at the Shoreline DFA of Orange County, beating the Scottish Terrier, Sadie. Since that time, she has never looked back winning the group on both days of the Palm Springs, Kennel Club, the country’s largest shows and snagging his first BIS She capped off January with her first BIS on 18 January. “Paisa” was bred by Santiago Pinto, is owned by Bruce Schwartz & Larisa Hotchin, and is handled by Terrier expert Wood Wornall.

Next, the Toy Group.

WWW THE WORKING GROUP

What to Watch for at Westminster, the Working Group

CH Galilee's Pure Of Spirit

The Working Group is dominated by the 2008 highest scoring dog in conformation, the Giant Schnauzer, CH Galilee's Pure Of Spirit. Spirit didn’t just beat the competition, she obliterated it, defeating 45,755 more dogs in 2008 than any other dog that will be at Westminster. Spirit won 71 BIS 2008 and has already added seven more including the two Palm Springs shows, the largest shows in the US. Spirit, bred by Maryann Bisceglia & Mary Hayes, is owned by Mary Hayes & Joe & Carla Sanchez, and handled by Taffee McFadden.

CH Cambria’s Victoria’s Secret

But this is Westminster and the normal rules do not apply. Many a favorite has come to the Garden and left with a consolation prize. Every Westminster veteran will tell you that the Breed and Group rings are nerve racking. Among the dogs gunning for the front runner is the 2008 number two Working Dog, the Doberman Pinscher, CH Cambria’s Victoria’s Secret. “Reginy” picked up 13 BIS last year, good enough to put her in the top twenty all breed rankings. Reigny grabbed a Group 2 last year, but will have to fight her way out of the breed.

CH Allure Blazing Star Alisaton

The new girl in town is the Doberman Pinscher, CH Allure Blazing Star Alisaton, a three year old bitch who has caught fire in the last month, winning three BIS in January, beating Reigny twice in the breed. CJ was bred by Carmen Pitts & Gwen DeMilta, is owned by Pitts, Nancy Bosley & Julie Porter, and handled by DeMilta’s daughter, Carissa DeMilta Shimpeno.

CH White Eagle's Celestial Sky

A breeder/owner handled dog, the Samoyed, CH White Eagle's Celestial Sky, finished 2008 as the fourth highest scoring in her breed, but she won one more Working Group than the top Samoyed and won the same number of BIS (3). However, in just three weekends last month, “Celeste” won two BIS, four Group Twos, and one Group 4. Celeste, bred and owned by Rev Terry Litton & Mary & Jim Augustus, is handled by Mary.

CH Drakyi Gold Standard

Our dark horse in this group is the first Tibetan Mastiff to win a BIS, CH Drakyi Gold Standard. “Midas”, was bred by Rick Eichhorn, who co-owns the four year old dog with handlers Michael & Linda Brantley. Midas, the number one Tibetan Mastiff of all time and the 2008 Best TM, is rolling into Westminster with three Group 1s in a row, including the one on the way to that historic Best In Show.

Next, the Terriers.

WWW JUST BOXERS

What to Watch for at Westminster, the Boxers

We started reviewing our notes on the Working Group and soon realized that a separate discussion of Boxers is called for. Before we go any further, we should caution, that we do not know for certain if all of these dogs will be at the Garden. Exhibitors at this level of the dog game are very circumspect about their plans. We have heard from some of these dogs and we are assuming that the others will be present and you know what they say about that. If we mention your dog, it’s because we admire your dog and we have been told by others they admire your dog. Feel free to correct us. We are never shy about admitting we were wrong.

CH Ein-Von's Just A Rumor

In the top 20 all breed dogs in 2008, the top winning Boxer is CH Ein-Von's Just A Rumor, with ten BIS. Jasmine is also the defending Westminster BOB winner. She was bred by Leontine M Branam & Zwei A Pierson, is owned by Jefff Bennett & C Desmond & Z & V Pierson, and is handled by Kimberlie Steele-Gamero, daughter of Boxer legend, Gary Steele.

CH Dramatic Story Of Sherry Shoot Jp

Also in the top 20 all breed last year was the Boxer, CH Dramatic Story Of Sherry Shoot Jp, who finished just behind Jasmine with eight BIS. The four and half year old bitch was at Westminster last year, but failed to collect any award. However, last August in Ballston Spa NY, she went BIS defeating three top ten dogs along the way, including the Giant Schnauzer, Spirit, the Pointer, Holly, and the Deerhound, Ouija. “Jane” was bred by Shinoyo Teragaki, owned by Teragaki, Dr & Mrs William Truesdale & Masao Hanabusa, and handled by Kim Pastella-Calvacca.

CH Hi-Tech's Southern Belle

However, Kim has been seen lately with another, younger, Boxer bitch from the Truesdales, CH Hi-Tech's Southern Belle. Dixie is only just two years old and has been consistently winning Groups, the latest coming last Saturday at the Boardwalk Kennel Club in Wildwood NJ. Dixie was bred by G Alix & T Alix & Zoila Truesdale & Dr William Truesdale, and owned by Jeri Poller & Tina Truesdale & Gail Alix. In a small dog world aside, Dr and Mrs Truesdale are the co-owners of the number one Hound, the Harrier, CH Downhome Family Tradition.

CH Capri's Magic Maker Of Sassy

Finally we come back to the man whose name is synonymous with the breed, Gary Steel, who showed up last month in Puyallup WA with CH Capri's Magic Maker Of Sassy, a four year old dog, and won back to back Working Group firsts over some very stiff competition. “Dante” has been out and about for the last two years with different handlers and owners, but seems to have new life with Gary. Dante, bred by Sydney Brown & Kristine Anderson and owned by Richard & Marsha Servetnick & Barbara Bachman, closed out 2008 by beating the top two Boxers of 2008, Jasmine and Jane, at the Oakland Kennel Club show on 30 December.

Next, the rest of the Working Group.

CNBC WESTMINSTER SPECIAL

CNBC, which is airing the second half of Monday night’s Westminster broadcast, is airing a behind the scenes look at the show on Thurday, 5 February at 9:00 PM EST. The special, “American Originals: Westminster Dog Show” is hosted by Trish Regan, co-anchor of CNBC's "The Call". Regan interviews handlers, owners, and judges about the money, time, and dedication required to compete at the Westminster Dog Show. Go here for more on the program.

WESTMINSTER PARTY

We are please to announce that we will host a Westminster cyber party room here on Monday and Tuesday, 9 & 10 February, from 6:45 PM to 10:15 PM CST. So bring your favorite snack, beverage and Westminster story and join us. We’ll provide analysis, commentary, Westminster trivia, and a place were you can root for your favorites. It will be the next best thing to being there.

Laurie Williams and Andrew

As a warm up, we did an interview with Laurie Williams, host of the Dog Sports & Performance Network (DSPN) on Pet Life Radio, about Westminster. Laurie is a dog trainer and was one of the competitors featured on CBS’ Greatest American Dog reality show. Read about Laurie and her Maltese, Andrew, here. Check it out and see who we think are the top contenders at this year’s show. The pod cast will be available on Tuesday, 3 February. Let us know if we sound better than we write.

PETA TO USA NETWORK "DON'T AIR WESTMINSTER"

Just this morning I was talking with AKC about the broadcast of the Eukanuba National Championship. Now I get this heads up from Robin over at The Endangered Owner. PETA is lobbying USA network to follow the BBC lead and dump the Westminster Broadcast.

After I ran around the house, shrieking like a mad man, swearing a blue streak, and foaming at the mouth, I asked myself what is the most effective way to deal with this. And then I thought of you all. Please, please go to the LA Times and read what people are saying. You will be stunned to see how many people think that this a good idea. The more dog people that add their comments to the LA Times site, the better. We must let everyone who reads this dribble know that the PETA supporters are the minority.

After you have explained to the LA Times readers how PETA simply wants to do away with pets in general, especially the purebred dog, go to the USA website and tell them how much you would miss the Westminster broadcast because you and everyone you know has watched it year after year after year. Then go back and hug your dog and reassure him/her that you will do everything you can to make sure the bad PETA people never take them away.

And you thought this only happened in Europe. Wake up, people!

BBC PULLS THE PLUG ON CRUFTS

Once again the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has capitulated to the animal rights wackadoodles. The BBC, that venerable institution of all things British, has announced that it will not broadcast the Crufts Dog Show, a British institution since 1886, long before the BBC. The BBC had demanded that the British Kennel Club, the equivalent of our AKC, ban twelve “at risk” breeds from competition at Crufts: the Clumber Spaniel, the Basset Hound, the Bloodhound, the Dogue de Bordeaux, the Mastiff, the Neapolitan Mastiff, the Pekingese, the Shar-Pei, the Chow Chow, the German Shepherd Dog, the Bulldog, the Saint Bernard, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and the Rhodesian Ridgeback. The Kennel Club admirably refused to ban the named breeds and the BBC pulled the plug.


For those who don’t know, Crufts is the world’s largest dog show with a remarkable 22,000 dogs competing. That’s seven times the size of our largest show. Last year the British TV audience alone was over 14 million. You would think that alone would let you know on which side the British people are on this debate. Yet, the PETA thugs run about pretending they represent the public. The British are legendarily reserved, but they better get off their butts before there is not a dog left in England. Ban the Bulldog? Churchill must be turning over in his grave.

For all of you isolationists out there that think we here in the US are exempt from such extreme interference in our lives, visit the PETA site and read the lies and slander these anti pure bred dog trolls spread after the 2008 Westminster broadcast, alleging that the winner, the Beagle, Uno, and the other finalists were carriers of multiple life threatening congenital defects. I can remember one Westminster show in the 1970s where they invited several previous BIS and Group winners back including the Miniature Pinscher, Ch Rebel Rod's Casanova Von Kurt, the 1963 Toy Group winner. He was 14 years old at the time and still covered the big ring without missing a step. It is simply a myth that pure bred dogs are less healthy than mixed breeds. Making dogs better is what we breeders do. That includes breeding out health problems.

CALIFORNIA DREAMING

My Momma says. “Nothing great was every done by a moderate.” If you’ve ever spent any time in California, you know that most of its natives practice that philosophy. When I lived in New York, I subscribed to the Woody Allen observation that the only cultural advantage to living in California was being able to turn right on a red light. However, after living in California for 21 years, I now believe that Neil Simon had it right when he penned, “New York isn’t Mecca. It only smells like it.”

Angelyne, Sunset Strip Billboard Perennial

So from the land that of excess that gave us Paris Hilton and five Rocky movies, comes the ultimate dog show gluttony, nine days of all breed shows starting on Friday, 5 December, culminating in the Best In Show at the Eukanuba National Championship on 14 December. That’s right, dog lovers, nine out of ten days of every purebred dog in the AKC registry, nine days of celebrity watching in and out of the ring, nine days of shopping at the ultimate doggie boutiques, nine days to abuse the silly PETA people that dare show up.

Rodeo Drive

All of this will take place in just two locations only 19 miles apart. The first four days will be at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa with shows sponsored by the Shoreline Dog Fanciers Association Of Orange County and the Malibu Kennel Club. Then the action heads up the Pacific Coast Highway to the Long Beach Convention Center, for three shows sponsored by three kennel clubs, Beverly Hills, Los Encinos, and Long Beach. It all wraps up with the Eukanuba National Championship, by invitation show, which brings dogs in from all over the world for conformation, obedience, and agility. While I am among the traditionalists that believe that Westminster is really our National Championship, the Eukanuba show has captured the public’s imagination and is an extravaganza worthy of it’s host state.

MRS. IRENE BIVIN

I am sad to report the passing yesterday of AKC Judge Irene Bivin. Those of you who attend dog shows regularly know her as a gracious lady and respected professional. More casual dog show observers may remember her as the judge who awarded Best In Show to the Kerry Blue Terrier, Ch Torums Scarf Michael at the 2003 Westminster Kennel Club Show. Irene is the wife of Ed Embry Bivin, one of AKC most distinguished judges and a frequent commentator on televised dog events. Our condolences to Ed and daughters, Jesanne and Teresa.