NUMBER ONE FOR ONE MORE WEEK

The country’s number one dog picked up another Best In Show today in Ladson SC. The Irish Setter, CH Shadagee Caught Red Handed, was Barbara Dempsey Alderman’s choice for BIS at the day one show of the Charleston Kennel Club.

CH Shadagee Caught Red Handed

Also in the hunt for the top prize were the Whippet, CH Sporting Field’s Bahama Sands, the Siberian Husky, CH Indigo's Hilltop Istate, the Norwich Terrier, CH Winsome’s Aston Martin, the Toy Manchester Terrier, CH Burmack’s Rosie V Evrmor, the Chinese Shar-Pei, to be named later, and the Bearded Collie, CH Tokien Raintree Mister Baggins.

Although we don’t have all the weekend’s results in yet, we can tell you that the Irish Setter, Emily, will retain the top position in the traditional rankings for at least one more week.

DEMRY IS GOING TO CRUFTS!

Demery Paladichuk
2009 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship
Best Junior Handler In Show

We have been advised that the goal for sending Junior Handler Demery Paladichuk to Crufts has been reached. We thank all of you for your generosity and proving once again that dog people are the nicest people around. We will certainly keep you posted on how Demry does.

CANINE BLITZKRIEG

We went to college in upstate NY where snow never stops the action. There was plenty of doggy action today in Queensbury NY courtesy of the Saratoga New York Kennel Club.

PalaceGarden Malachy

Beverly Capstik final included the Basenji, CH Wakill Signet Dooney, the Great Pyrenees, CH Dieudonne William Of Orange, the Airedale Terrier, CH Buon Maras Little Me, the Pekingese PalaceGarden Malachy, the Bulldog, CH Kepley’s Showbiz Razzle Dazzle, and the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, CH Roragyn’s Tuff Enuff.

Her choice was the Peke. How do you win three BIS and still not have the CH in front of your name? Is there a canine equivalent of blitzkrieg?

THERE'S ALWAYS SNOW IN ERIE

While some in the US are bemoaning the winter weather this weekernd, those in Erie PA would think a January without snow would be like a Saturday without a dog show.

CH Hillwood Dassin De-Lovely

The Saturday dog show in Erie was the first of the Erie Kennel Club’s two shows this weekend. Dr Robert Indeglia saw the German Shorthaired Pointer, CH Seven Hills Custom Tailored For Sonnenschein, the Basenji, CH Klassic’s Slam Dunk, the Bernese Mountain Dog, CH Avatar’s Try Try Again, the Skye Terrier, CH Gleantann ComeFlyWithMe!, the Blenheim & Prince Charles, CH Loujon Bacroads To Paris, the Standard Poodle, CH Hillwood Dassin De-Lovely, and the German Shepher Dog, CH Imp-Cen Rowland’s Tough Love.

It was last year’s number two Non-Sporting Dog, The Standard Poodle, Sissy picking up her second Best In Show of the new year. She is obviously anxious to move into that number one Non-Sporting Dog spot.

#2 GETS CLOSER TO #1

Beth Speech & the Greater Gainesville Dog Fanciers Association did not have to contend with snow today just some fierce competition today in Ocala FL.

CH J’Cobe Kemosabe Vigilante Justice

The seven with the stamina to make it to the final were the German Wirehaired Pointer, CH Star K’s Mile Hi Valentine, the 13” inch Beagle, CH Roirdan Lanbur Motor City, the Giant Schnauzer, CH Kenro’s Happy Hour, the Smooth Fox Terrier, CH J’Cobe Kemosabe Vigilante Justice, the Miniature Pinscher, Marlex Classic Red Glare, the Standard Poodle, CH Chrystal’s Totally Chromed Out, and the Border Collie, CH Sportingfield’s Reflection O Borderframe.

We haven’t finished January yet, but the Smooth Fox, Dodger, has collected his sixth BIS of the young year. Will it be good enough to move into the number one slot? We will have to wait until Monday to find out.

LET IT SNOW

Sleet, ice, & snow hve dogged the nation these past few days and the dogs in Doswell VA were faced with the white stuff today, but the following seven stayed the whole day to vie for Best In Show at today’s Middle Peninsula Kennel Club Of Virginia show.

CH Winfall Brookwood Styled Dream

Dr Harry Smith saw the Irish Setter, CH Ramblin’ Red Luxury Tax, the Scottish Deerhound, CH Foxcliffe Hickory Wind, the Boxer, CH Winfall Brookwood Styled Dream, the Parson Russell Terrier, CH Thunder Hill Soul Journey, the Miniature Pinscher, CH Altanero Code Red, the Bichon Frise, CH Risgae Duke of Wessex, and the Shetland Sheepdog, CH Emperor Homeward Angel.

BIS went to 2009’s number seven dog all breeds, the Boxer, Scarlet. Scarlet finished the year with 21 all breed Bests & 61 Working Group top prizes. Congratulations to breeders Tina Porter & Lee Stanton, owners Debbie McCarroll, Mark Fagan, Mrs J Billhardt, & S Tenenbaum, and handler Diego Fernando Garcia.

FROM ALASKA & HAWAII

We don’t often get results from our 49th & 50th states, but we did hear about shows in both Alaska and Hawaii this weekend.

Dulittle's Takhini Gotta Secret Crush
(Photo by W Roger Hale)

Up in Anchorage AK, the Pug, Dulittle's Takhini Gotta Secret Crush, catapulted from the 9 to 12 Month Old Puppy Bitch class to go all the way to BIS at Saturday’s Kenai Kennel Club & Sunday’s Alaska Kennel Club under Vincent T Grosso & Kathleen M Grosso respectively. Back2Back BIS are rare enough, but from the puppy class? Amazing. Our congratulations to breeder/owner Deanne Broyles Little and owner/handler Jacqueline Minatra.

Inisfailte Manasseh Of Wisdom

Out in Paradise aka Hawaii, the West Oahu Kennel Club hosted two shows in the hamlet of Ewa. On Saturday another class dog was Muriel Purkhiser BIS, the Saluki, Inisfailte Manasseh Of Wisdom, bred & owned by Bobbi Steer, Twyla-Dawn Steer, Sonia Faust & Carol Waymire. Sunday, it was the multi BIS winner, the Shih Tzu, CH Xeralane’s Face The Music, who caught the eye of Marjorie J Underwood and walked away with the top prize. The three year old finished 2009 with three all breed Bests & 17 Toy Group Firsts. He was bred and is owned by Xeralane Kennels. We congratulate both these two and their breeders & owners.

OUR APOLGIES TO AKC & EUKANUBA

In our fervor to assist a needy Junior Handler we went off half cocked and mislead all of you. We did not research the issue sufficiently. While we did review the premium list for the AKC/Eukanuba we did not go beyond the cash prizes. We just received the following e-mail from AKC.

Hello Bill:

I read with great despair your news and reporting on the AKC/Eukanuba national championship awards to Junior showmanship winners. As you can see from the information provided (from the official premium list) that is far from accurate. Your report makes it seem that our event does nothing for the Juniors when in fact in addition to the prizes offered they are provided a free luncheon, meeting opportunities, and free admission for themselves and a chaperone for all events. Are we to infer that a free trip or social incentive should outweigh the huge offer of scholastic advancement and support…I think not! While your intentions to generate a drive to send the winner to Crufts are well founded…it should not be at the expense of our events reputation. I would think an immediate retraction would be in order. Thank you for your rapid response to this request.

Michael

BEST JUNIOR HANDLER
The American Kennel Club offers a walnut plaque listing the Best Junior Handler for Each year, along with the breed and name of the dog shown, to be on permanent display in the AKC Library.
Best Junior Handler will receive a solid 14K yellow gold custom designed lapel pin enhanced with pink synthetic Corundum and genuine green Peridot stones. It will read: “Best Junior 08”. This pin is designed and donated by 14K9.com
Best Junior Handler will receive an 11-inch engraved silverplated tray offered by the AKC.
The 12 finalists will receive an Eukanuba Tack Box offered by Eukanuba Dog Foods.
Rosettes for each of the finalists.
Rosettes for First, Second, Third and Fourth in the Finals class.
Each Junior exhibiting will receive a T-Shirt offered by Take the Lea
SCHOLARSHIPS FROM EUKANUBA DOG FOODS WILL BE AWARDED AS FOLLOWS:
First - $2,000 Second - $1,500 Third - $1,200 Fourth - $1,000

Michael L. Canalizo
Director AKC Event Management
The American Kennel Club

We apologize to all the hard working people at AKC and Eukanuba who have worked so hard to make the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship into the marquee event it is. We did not mean to imply that they do not care about Junior Handlers. We want to support Demry’s to go to Crufts. We have made a donation in her behalf and we encourage to do so as well. Now, we are off to a lunch of crow.

RETRO WEEKEND

In an incredible retro, Mad Men, kind of coincidence, all of our shows this coming weekend are traditional two day offerings. What’s next Beaver Cleaver as clean up boy?

The Charleston Battery

We start in upstate New York with the Saratoga New York Kennel Club & Glens Falls Kennel Club setting up in Queensbury. Dress warmly, boys & girls. Next Mid Atlantic residents can head to Doswell VA, 75 miles south of DC for the Middle Peninsula Kennel Club Of Virginia two shows. Continuing on down the coast to one of our favorite southern cities, Charleston SC for the Charleston KC’s weekend in the suburb of Ladson. Head even further south to Ocala FL and join the Greater Gainesville Dog Fanciers Association for much awaited warmer temperatures.

Texas Longhorn

Moving inland our first stop is Erie PA where the hometown Erie KC stages a pair of shows, or further west in Grayslake IL you can spend Saturday & Sunday with the Park Shore & Chain O’Lakes Kennel Clubs. In the heartland there is the St Charles Missouri Kennel Club in Lake St Louis MO It’s gumbo & Greyhounds in Alexandria LA with the Alexandria KC or Longhorns and Lhasas in Abilene TX with the Abilene Kennel Club.

San Francisco's Cow Palace

It’s 1,000 miles from Abilene to San Bernadino CA where the Orange Empire Dog Club will give us two and a world away in San Francisco where the Golden Gate Kennel Club does it as only the City by the Bay can with a very upscale show in an arena named after bovines. Because there are no four day clusters and because we have shows distributed evenly around the nation, we expect there to be great dogs at every venue. It’s another great AKC dog show weekend. So pour yourself a Manhattan and prepare yourself for the kind of fun you had when Eisenhower was in the White House.

HELP SEND DEMRY TO CRUFTS

Demery Paladichuk
2009 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship
Best Junior Handler In Show

Only once in our history have we encouraged you to open your hearts and reach into your purses and donate money to a worthy cause. That was to support one of our community in her participation in Tampa Bay’s Race For the Cure to benefit the fight against breast cancer. Yesterday Maggie Peat of Pramada Kennels contacted us about a cause that we could not resist.

Last month’s AKC/Eukanuba National Championship was the wealthiest prize in dogdom with a total of $225,000 in prize Money. The winning dog got $50,000. The winning dog’s breeder got $15,000. The Best Bred By Exhibitor got $15,000. The winner of the World Challenge got $15,000. However, although the Best Junior Handler In Show gets some nice prizres including a $2,000 college scholarship, they get no cash. To make matters worse, the championship qualifies the winning junior handler to compete at the United Kingdom’s Kennel Club’s marquee show, Crufts in March. As difficult as it is for the ordinary exhibitor to put together the money to travel to England, it is next to impossible for a high school student to put together the necessary funds.

The 2009 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship Best Junior Handler In Show is Demery Paladichuk. Here’s what Demry told us,

I have been involved with AKC dog shows for nearly 7 years. I started out as an awkward girl just going to local dog shows and competing in juniors, little did I know that dog shows would later consume my life. I am a senior in high school, and will be graduating this June. I plan to begin my studies at a University this fall, in order to attain a BA in Business Management before pursuring a career as a professional handler.

During this past December's AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Long Beach, CA my English Springer Spaniel "Gleason" and I were selected as the Best Junior Handler. This title also qualifies me as the representative for the USA in the International Junior Handling competition at Crufts. Along with being awarded BJH at Eukanuba, Gleason and I have been ranked in the Top 5 Juniors in the US the past two years, as well as being the #1 Sporting Junior in 2008 with over 30 all-breed Best Junior's to our credit. I will be aging out of Juniors this coming April, and the opportunities that have been made possible for me, such as competing at Westminster, Eukanuba, and now Crufts are a complete dream come true. Any and all funds are sincerely appreciated, especially for a future starving student

Maggie has agreed to act as a trusted administrator to collect funds to pay for Demry & an adult chaperone to attend Crufts. If you have questions you can contact Maggie at pramada.kennels@gmail.com. Donations have closed.

Update: 1/30/2010 We have been advised that the goal for sending Junior Handler Demery Paladichuk to Crufts has been reached. We thank all of you for your generosity and proving once again that dog people are the nicest people around. We will certainly keep you posted on how Demry does.