THE YEAR ENDS ON A HIGH NOTE

Orange County Convention Center, Orlando FL

The focus of the last week of the show year is in Orlando FL where the season will end with the  largest show of the year, the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship (AENC).  Since its inception in 2001 the AENC has sought to challenge the Westminster Kennel Club, Crufts, and the FCI World Show as dogdom’s most prestigious title.  15 years later only Westminster rivals the AENC as a showcase for the world’s most beautiful dogs.  While Westminster can boast a history spanning three centuries, the AENC surpasses Westminster with a venue which is much kinder to exhibitor and spectator and twice the number of entries. 

This year the AENC has drawn over 4,500 dogs in the regular classes, the largest entry at any show in a decade.  There will be three all breed warm ups, all with entries among the largest of the year.  Tomorrow’s Space Coast Kennel Club of Palm Bay show has 3224 entries to consider.  Westminster lacks these kind of events to build the drama all week.  An example was the 2012 Central Florida Kennel Club show which drew nine of the Top Ten Dogs All Breeds.  Judge Delores Burkholder’s final featured six of the seven group leaders.  The Hound Group and the Working Group had been decided after considering nine of the group’s top ten.

So put the AENC on your doggy bucket list.  You will never have a better opportunity to have dog show experience of a lifetime.  We will be here all week covering the competition.

RIP: JOAN WEISKOPF

Joan Weiskopf and CH Velvety Angel Eyes

The sport of purebred dogs has lost another important contributor.  Author, veterinary clinical nutritionist, and longtime Bedlington Terrier breeder, Joan Weiskopf, died on Monday after a long battle with ovarian cancer.  We first met Joan back in 2008 when she was campaigning the Best In Show winning Bedlington, CH Velvety Angel Eye, aka Loppan.  We named Loppan a Dog2Watch after Joan piloted her to a BIS over Crufts and Montgomery County Kennel Club winner, the Sealyham Terrier, CH Efbe's Hidalgo At Goodspice.  

Loppan was not Joan’s first BIS winner.  To much of the show going public, Joan was the face of the Bedlington Terrier breed, representing the breed at AKC’s annual Meet the Breed event in Manhattan and appearing on TV several times as the breed winner at multiple Westminster Kennel Club and Kennel Club of Philadelphia shows.  Joan was a woman of many talents.  She designed jewelry for her cousin Davie Yurman before he became the industry icon he is today.  She had attended the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinarian Medicine and penned a bestselling book on pet nutrition, Pet Food Nation: The Smart, Easy, and Healthy Way to Feed Your Pet Now.  More recently she had developed a probiotic, BOOST-n-GO, a supplement especially for the show dog to bolster the immune system against the stress, pathogens and disease encountered in the sport.

However it would be in whelping box and show ring where Joan would have the most impact.  Joan’s Peremi Bedlington Terriers were always refined, balanced, and beautifully presented.  Where most Terrier breeds are a series of planes, straight lines, and sharp angles, the Bedlington is a sensuous collection of curves.  One slip of the scissors and the Bedlington can look chopped up and coarse.  Joan was always happy to share her knowledge with any serious dog person, but she could be impatient with those who were looking for a shortcut to success.  She mentored many new Bedlington owners and several of the judges active today.

Joan was a persuasive lobbyist for the international sport.  She believed that the World FCI Show, twenty times larger than the average American show, was a venue that could build alliances that would ensure the future of our sport. Joan and Loppan would return to Europe for the World Shows in Bratislava, Slovakia in 2009 and in Herning, Denmark in 2010, where Loppan successfully defended her World Winner titles.  Joan took her  home bred liver colored dog, GCH CH Peremi Roll the Dyce, to the World Show in Salzburg, Austria.  Dyce would follow in the footsteps of Loppan and take home the World Winner title.  In 2013, Dyce’s littermate, GCH CH Peremi I’m a Player, would travel with Joan to Budapest, Hungary where he would be the breed winner at Interra, the FCI Terrier World Show.  Joan’s health would prevent her from attending the 2014 World Show in Paris, but she bravely rallied this year and, with a little help from her friends in Italy, she attended this year’s World Show in Milan, showing  Player’s daughter, CH Colcoda American Express, bred and owned by Raffaella Gammella.

On a personal note, we have missed our weekly phone calls from Joan with show reports from all over the US.  She gave us results, behind the scenes anecdotes, and most importantly, encouragement.  She thought that giving back to our sport was essential to being part of the game.  The Bedlington breed and the game at large is poorer for her absence.  Godspeed Joan.  Contributions in Joan’s memory can be made to Take The Lead.

A THANKSGIVING DAY TRADITION

GCH CH Cragsmoor Good Time Charlie 

(photo by Jeffrey Hanlin)

The Kennel Club of Philadelphia show is one of the most iconic events in our sport. It is one of only three AKC dog shows that get a major TV audience and it has the most desirable time slot broadcast on Thanksgiving Day just after the Macy’s parade, playing to guaranteed packed houses. It is, like Westminster, a benched show, a rarity these days that gives the public an up close and personal experience with the beautiful dogs of AKC. Benched shows also give exhibitors the opportunity to spend time with the most experienced and wise breeders in the world. 

GCH CH Foxcliffe Chelsea Piers 

While the show is not the largest of the season, this year’s edition saw nearly 1500 dogs present and competing on Saturday, a 15 percent increase over 2014. The show draws Top Ten competition, although this year only one of the Top Ten made it into judge Beth Sweigart’s final, the Number Four Dog All Breeds, the Sky Terrier, GCH CH Cragsmoor Good Time Charlie. Joining Charlie in the final ring were the ASCOB Cocker Spaniel, GCH CH Blodheim’s Easy Matters, the Scottish Deerhound, GCH CH Foxcliffe Chelsea Piers, the Newfoundland, Turftides Breezing Up At Bear N Mind CD RN CGCA, the Smooth Coat Chihuahua, GCH CH Sonnus Filho (Sanchez), the French Bulldog, GCH CH Iacta Alea Est de la Bete, and the Bearded Collie, GCH CH Dunhill Steeler Nation. 

It was the Skye, Charlie, taking home the big prize, while the Deerhound, Chelsea, copped the RBIS. Charlie is the now definitive National Champion, holding both the BIS from last December’s AKC/Eukanuba National Championship and Saturday’s BIS. We will watch the show and baste the Turkey during commercial breaks, but don’t forget to set the DVR to record the broadcast on NBC on Thanksgiving Day.

NEW DOG2WATCH

GCH CH Iacta Alea Est De La Bete 

(photo by Jeffrey Hanlin)

While many of our readers follow the show scene closely, few get down into the weeds like those of us who compile the sports “box scores”.  Each year we look at the results for a departure from the expected.  This year we are surprised that only one Standard Poodle is in the Top Ten Non-Sporting Dogs.  In fact we have nine different breeds in that illustrious company. 

One Non-Sporting Dog has caught my eye lately, the French Bulldog, GCH CH Iacta Alea Est De La Bete.  First, I am a sucker for any owner with enough education to quote ancient Latin text.  Secondly, I can identify with having to compete with the more athletic guys with perfect hair.  Rubi has been pushing her way past the more glamorous breeds this season and compiling several impressive wins.  Rubi started the month with four BIS and 27 Group Ones.  Since then she has added five more Group Ones, two RBIS, and a BIS.  Three of those Group Ones came at three of the largest shows this year, the Hatboro Dog Club’s two shows in Wrightstown PA and the Morris & Essex Kennel Club show in Somerset NJ.  The BIS came at last Sunday’s Troy kennel Club show in West Springfield MA.   Currently the Number 11 Non-Sporting Dog, look for Rubi to move up several spots in the ranking’s by the end of this month.

We think it’s time we name Rubi Dog Show Poop’s latest Dog2Watch.  Congratulations to breeders/owners Blake Hamman & Peter Photos, owner Patricia Hearst-Shaw, and handler Jodi Longmire.

A WEEKEND IN PLEASANTON CA

GCH CH Eastern-Magic Fly Me Safe 

We spent three decades in the bucolic Diablo Valley of Northern California. It was a magical time in a magical place very different than the current Golden State. Each year the West Coast dog show calendar reached its apex the third weekend in October, when the Del Valle Kennel Club of Livermore set up camp in the aptly named town of Pleasanton. The stop was always one of AKC 25 largest and drew competitors from all over the United States. 

GCH CH Friends Sargeant Breakthough 

This year’s entry was down considerably from those shows 30 years ago, but still very respectable in today’s environment. Friday’s Skyline Dog Fanciers of San Mateo County show, preceded by several specialty events on Thursday, drew nearly 1900 dogs. The seven that made it to judge Elliot Weiss’ final were the Irish Setter, GCH CH Evergreen Good Intentions, the Afghan Hound, GCH CH Thaon’s Wallstreet, the Mastiff, GCH CH Friends Sargeant Breakthough, the Scottish Terrier, GCH CH Round Town Queen of Hearts of Maryscot, the Shih Tzu, GCH CH Wenrick’s Don’t Stop Believing, the Chow Chow, GCH CH Eastern-Magic Fly Me Safe, and the Australian Shepherd, GCH CH Wind Spirit’s Amazing Grace. 

Finishing one two were the Chow, Pilot, and the Mastiff, Sarge. Pilot, AKC’s Number One Chow and Number Five Non-Sporting Dog, was bred by Matthew Fan and is owned by Matthew, Kiki Pratna & Layla Loveless, and handled by Chow specialist Michael Brantley. Congratulations to Team Pilot. 

GCH CH Hitimes What the Inferno 

(photo by Rhonda Cassidy)

The DVKCL drew almost 2800 dogs to Saturday’s show. Judge Doris Cozart would consider the same Mastiff, Chow & Aussie, the German Shepherd Pointer, GCH CH Vjk-Myst Garbonita’s California Journey, the Rhodesian Ridgeback, GCH CH Celtic Lore’s Moonlight and Magic CGC, the Miniature Schnauzer, GCH CH Yanga’s All the Time, and the Pomeranian, GCH CH Hitimes What the Inferno, before choosing the Pom, Danny, as her BIS and Pilot, the Chow, her RBIS. Danny, the Number One Toy Dog and the Number Two Dog All Breeds, was bred by Joan Carcasole & Ashley Carcasole , is owned by Bonnie A Bird & Udomsin Littichaikun, and expertly presented by Curtiss G Smith. Congratulations to them all. 

GCH CH Vjk-Myst Garbonita’s California Journey 

Dorothy Collier would close the weekend with the now aforementioned GSP, the Bloodhound, GCH CH Blossomhill’s Topsfield Sanchu A Little Princess, the Akita, GCH CH Peace River’s Gathers No Moss At Sunstra, the White Bull Terrier, GCH CH Lordbull Larry, the Pom, Danny, the Chow, Pilot, and the American Miniature Shepherd, GCH CH Abington’s Da Vinci CM15. CJ, the GSP, would pick up the Best In Show and the Pom, Danny, would had the reserve ribbon to his big rosette from Saturday. CJ, the nation’s Number One GSP and Number Five Sporting Dog, was bred and is owned and handled by Valerie Nunes-Atkinson. Congratulations to Valerie, fellow breeder/owner Alice Manning, and owner Yvonne Hassler-Deterding.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY 2015

GCH CH Hampton Court Monte Cristo

(photo by Lynda Beam)

Despite some of the nastiest weather in recent years today’s Terrier Super Bowl, the Montgomery County Kennel Club show in Blue Bell PA, drew its largest entry since 2009.  True to Terrier tradition it was the toughest competition of the year.  Only four of the Top Ten Terriers made it out of the breed.

GCH CH Joval Sweet Time 

(photo by Gay Glazbrook)

Those four started the day as the Number Three, Five, Ten, and One Terriers in AKC, but today they were judge Clay Coady’s Number One, the Wire Fox Terrier, GCH CH Hampton Court Monte Cristo, Number Two, the Airedale Terrier, GCH CH Joval Sweet Time, Number Three, the Skye Terrier, GCH CH Cragsmoor Good Time Charlie, and Number Four, the Miniature Schnauzer, GCH CH Yanga’s All the Time. Congratulations to Cristo’s breeder/owner Victor Malzoni Jr and his handler Leonardo Garcini.

PEKE BACK2BACK BIS

GCH CH Pequest General Tso

Yesterday’s Morris and Essex show was the second largest entry in AKC history.  We would be remiss if we did not acknowledge the good members of the Hatboro Dog Club who graciously agreed to move their Day One show from Thursday to Wednesday to accommodate the M&E folks.  The HDC held their Day Two show on a very chilly and wet Friday in Wrightstown PA.

GCH CH  Iacta Alea Est De La Bete

(photo by Blake Hamman)

The seven stalwart survivors who hung around to see Best In Show judge Kenneth McDermott were the Gordon Setter, GCH CH Skara Braes I Was Worth The Wait, the American Foxhound, GCH CH Kiarry’s Stonewall Jackson, the Siberian Husky, GCH CH  Myla N Polis Winter Rose, the Skye Terrier, GCH CH Cragsmoor Good Time Charlie, the Pekingese, GCH CH Pequest General Tso, the French Bulldog, GCH CH  Iacta Alea Est De La Bete, and the German Shepherd Dog, GCH CH Lockenhaus Rumor Has It v Kenlyn.

Proving that Toy Dogs are troopers the Peke, The General, added the HDC big rosette to his M&E silver cup.  Rubi, the Frenchie, picked up her second RBIS of the week.  Everyone will take tomorrow off as the Devon Dog Show Association event has been cancelled.  Let’s hope the same does not happen to the Montgomery County Kennel Club’s all Terrier show on Sunday.