ALMOST AN ALL BREED

The Southern California Sporting Dog Fanciers and the Inland Empire Hound Club Of Southern California joined the Desert Empire Terrier Club Of Southern California, the Toy Dog Breeders Association Of Southern California, and the Sand To Sea Non-Sporting Association Of Southern California on the polo fields in Indio CA as opening acts for today’s Kennel Club of Palm Springs.   All of the winners had substantial experience in 2012. 

GCH CH Clussexx Collaboration with Traddles

The Clumber Spaniel, GCH CH Clussexx Collaboration with Traddles, who was Desmond Murphy’s Group One, had seven BIS and 31 Sporting Groups last year.  Judge Murphy also liked the Labrador Retriever, GCH CH  Broyhill Naughty Knickers, the Irish Water Spaniel, GCH CH Whistelstops Fire & Ice, and the English Cocker Spaniel, GCH CH Lynann’s Hallmark.

GCH CH Quest Rachel Alexandra Of Kerryarc

Nikki Riggsbee’s huge Hound Group (712 entries) was topped by the Irish Wolfhound, GCH CH Quest Rachel Alexandra Of Kerryarc, who picked up two specialty wins in 2012, making her the Number Two Wolfhound in breed points.  Rounding out the placements were the Harrier, GCH CH Downhome Hitech Innovator, the Bloodhound, GCH CH Quiet Creek’s Kiss and Tell, and the 13” Beagle, GCH CH Bougain’e Naughty-N-Lovely.

GCH CH AfterAll Painting The Sky

(Photo by Infocusbymiguel)

Kathleen Ferris’ four picks were all BIS winners in 2012, last year’s Number Four Dog All Breeds, the Wire Fox Terrier, GCH CH AfterAll Painting The Sky, the Lakeland Terrier, GCH CH Larkspur Acadia Save Me A Spot, the Miniature Bull Terrier, GCH CH Dytona VIP, and the Scottish Terrier, GCH CH Friendship Hill Stars And Stripes.

GCH CH Victory Spencer

The Japanese Chin, GCH CH Victory Spencer topped  Christine Salyers Anderson’s Toy Group.  He was challenged by the Brussels Griffon, CH Paragons Sharp Dressed Man At Greengates, the Miniature Pinscher, GCH CH Brackley My Amazing Warrior, and the Pug, GCH CH Winsome-Nircana-Blaque Triple Play, who finished Group Two, Three, & Four.

GCH CH Coco Vialatte Robobull Hot Flash

David Miller chose the French Bulldog, GCH CH Coco Vialatte Robobull Hot Flash, to lead his Non-Sporting Group.  He also liked the Bulldog, Newcomb’s Pandamonium @ Beda, the Chow Chow, GCH CH Dreamland’s Wanna Be A Billionaire, and the Schipperke, CH Tangerea’s Where’s The Beef.

We don’t expect results from today’s KC of Palm Springs show before 7:00 PM PST, but check back with us this evening for the whole story.

THE FIRST ALL BREED OF THE YEAR

GCH CH Grandgables The Frat Boy

The Columbiana County Kennel Club held the country’s first all breed show of the year today in Tallmadge OH.  The seven hoping to be among the first to win a Best In Show this year were the Curly-Coated Retriever, GCH CH Down DaTrail Hunting Thrills CD, the 15” Beagle, CH Tashtins Lookin For Trouble, the Doberman Pinscher, GCH CH Protocol’s Veni Vidi Vici, the Welsh Terrier, GCH CH Darwyn Esmeralda In Sanherpinc, the Japanese Chin, GCH CH Pem We-Syng Lucky Mi, the Schipperke, GCH CH Dante Fire When Ready HOF, and the Shetland Sheepdog, GCH CH Grandgables The Frat Boy.

GCH CH Pem We-Syng Lucky Mi

Loraine Boutwell’s BIS was the Sheltie, Brother, and her RBIS was the Chin, Mimi.  Brother was 2012’s Number One Shetland Sheepdog, with two BIS and 24 Herding Groups to his credit. Congratulations to breeders Guy Jeavons & Mark Houston-McMillan, owners Pamela Buckles, Andre Buckles & James Moses, and handler Sarah Karger Krickeberger.

PALM SPRINGS DAY ONE

GCH CH AfterAll Painting The Sky

(Photo by Infocusbymiguel)

We got our first look at some of the 2013 contenders today on the polo fields in Indio CA just outside of Palm Springs.  Ken Kaufmann’s Group One at the Desert Empire Terrier Club of Southern California show was no surprise.  The Wire Fox Terrier, GCH CH AfterAll, returned after her triumphant visit to Orlando last month, ready to take on all comers.  His Group Two and Three, the Miniature Bull Terrier, GCH CH Dytona VIP, and the Lakeland Terrier, GCH CH Larkspur Acadia Save Me A Spot, were also among the top Terriers of 2012.  The Group Four, the American Staffordshire Terrier, GCH CH Chavez Let It Ride At Bonsai, is a dog we only saw infrequently last year.

GCH CH Brighton Lakeridge Encore

Faye Strauss’ top dog at today’s Sand to Sea Non-Sporting Association of Southern California show was equally familiar to fanciers, the Standard Poodle, GCH CH Brighton Lakeridge Encore.  Rounding out her placements were the French Bulldog, GCH CH Coco Vialatte Robobull Hot Flash, the Tibetan Spaniel, GCH CH Shilo Time For A Good Time, and the Bulldog, Newcomb’s Pandamonium @ Beda.

GCH CH Tamarin Tarheel

However, Lee Whittier’s Toy Dog Breeders Association of Southern California winner was a dog that is just coming into his own, the Affenpinscher, GCH CH Tamarin Tarheel.  Her Group Two, the Japanese Chin, GCH CH Victory Spencer, was the Number Two Japanese Chin of 2012, with one BIS and 12 Toy Groups.  The Group Three and Four were relative newbies, the Pomeranian, Aljens Manny Pacquiao Of Lenette, and the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, GCH CH Crizwood Undeniable.

All three clubs will return tomorrow and so shall we.

TAKE A LOOK AT WEEK TWO

While we wait for results from the limited breed shows in Palm Springs, let’s look at our upcoming shows for next week.

A chilly Niagara Falls 

It will be a week where exhibitors stamina will be challenged along with their dogs.  Five day clusters will available in three different locations.  It will be cold in Hamburg NY, some 13 miles from Buffalo, but Wednesday the Kennel Club of Niagara Falls will kick off their two days with the Nickel City Cluster.  The Kennel Club Of Buffalo will follow with two, and the Ashtabula Kennel Club will close the stop on Sunday.  There will be a very respectable 5500 points up for grabs.  It may be a cliché, but Niagara Falls is worth a DRIVE BY, especially in winter.  Local Sharon Skelley recommends a tour of Graycliff, a Frank Lloyd Wright designed estate, perched on a cliff above Lake Erie.  Sharon also has a DOGGY BAG suggestion, the Armor Inn Tap Room at 5381 Abbott Road in Hamburg, a serious pub grub establishment with a nice beer selection.  I spent a year traveling around upstate New York and I discovered that such taverns to be the only way to survive the winters.

If you want a little bit more bearable weather, try the “Celebrate Virginia” Cluster starting also starting Wednesday.  The Northern Neck Kennel Club Of Virginia, the Greater Fredericksburg Kennel Club, and the Chesapeake Kennel Club Of Maryland will host the quintet.  However, the week’s main attraction is the beginning of the Florida Marathon, twelve shows in seventeen days, all at the Greater Ocala Show Grounds.  The first leg, officially called “The Florida Gulf Coast Cluster I”, consists of five shows beginning Friday, January 11^th followed by three shows running Friday, January 18^th through Sunday, January 20^th, all hosted by the Clearwater Kennel Club, the Manatee Kennel Club, the Tampa Bay Kennel Club, and the Pasco Florida Kennel Club.  The first two legs will be followed by the “The Gat-R-Done Cluster”, four days with the Lake Eustis Kennel Club and the Greater Gainesville Dog Fanciers Association.  Once it’s all over, the judges will have done almost 15,000 examinations.   How about a national ranking and a tan?

The largest single shows of the week are in Puyallup WA where the Tacoma Kennel Club, the Sammamish Kennel Club, and the Puyallup Valley Dog Fanciers have drawn over 6000 dogs to the “Western Washington Cluster” starting Friday.  If you only have Saturday and Sunday off try the Corpus Christi Kennel Club’s two shows in Sinton TX, the  two shows hosted by the Golden Triangle Kennel Club Of Mississippi in Starkville MS, a weekend in Oshkosh WI with the  Winnegamie Dog Club and the Oshkosh Kennel Club, or the Greater Lowell Kennel Club’s duo in Fitchburg MA.

Wherever you are you will be among the first to see this year’s crop of hopefuls.  We will join in next week in Portland OR.  Everything points to another banner year.

BRTCA NATIONAL RESULTS

GCH CH Aristes Paint It Black

Among the items we missed last year was the 2012 National Specialty of the Black Russian Terrier Club of America (BRTCA), which was held in Tucson AZ in November.  Jean Fournier’s Best In specialty Show was GCH CH Aristes Paint It Black.  Also receiving top awards were the Best of Opposite Sex, CH Sora's Legacy Diva At Aristes, the Winners Dog/Best of Winners, Snowline Colby Iz Petrovich Noirstar Cervenaholka, and the Winners Bitch, Over The Moon About Nagyka.

Mikk is just beginning his show career. We think that a National Specialty win is quite a good beginning.  Congratulations to breeders Cindi Stumm, Fritz Dilsaver, & Gayle Warren, owners Donna Poulson, Cindi Stumm, & Fritz Dilsaver, and handler Jorge Olivera.