SADIE'S LEAD GETS BIGGER

CH Roundtown Mercedes At Maryscot

We’ve just learned that the Scottish Terrier, CH Roundtown Mercedes At Maryscot, has wrapped up her weekend in Fort Worth TX with a pair of Best In Shows. Sadie and handler Gabriel Rangel picked up BIS number 13 and 14 for the year and a giant lead on the rest of the top ten. However, in the world of AKC dog shows, nothing is certain. We are looking forward to the race ahead.

SPIRIT MOVES CLOSER TO THE CENTURY MARK

The Giant Schnauzer, CH Galilee's Pure Of Spirit, moved one step closer to the century milestone today, picking up BIS number 98 at the San Mateo Kennel Club show in Vallejo CA. This Best came courtesy of Judge , Dr Robert D Smith.

CH Galilee's Pure Of Spirit

Also in contention for the BIS were the German Wirehaired Pointer, CH Star K’s Mile Hi Valentine, the Basset Hound , CH Blossomhil’s Mamma Mia, the Kerry Blue Terrier, CH Perrisblu Paris, the Pekingese, CH Pequest Grand Slam, the Chow Chow, CH D-Jin Gang Of Anna Kennel, and the Shetland Sheepdog, CH Paray Cirque De Soleil.

We think you should keep an eye on the Kerry Blue, a four year old bitch, that was campaigned heavily last year on the east coast by handler Ernesto Lara. She ended 2008 as the number one Kerry Blue and the 15th highest scoring Terrier. It should be interesting to see how she fares under the direction of Bill McFadden who handled the unforgettable Kerry Blue, CH Torums Scarf Michael, know worldwide as Mick.

CA WHIPPET WINS IN TN

CH Starline's Chanel

Franklin TN is just 200 miles up the road from us, but today’s BIS went to a dog from 2,000 miles a way. Judge W. Everett Dean Jr gave the nod to the Whippet, CH Starline's Chanel.,at the Maury County Kennel Club show. With a name as elegant as her appearance, Chanel resides with breeders/owners Carey and Lori Lawrence in Rancho Santa Fe CA. She is flawlessly presented by handler Lori Wilson.

Like many of us in the dog fancy, the Lawrences are multiple pet owners. Kentucky and Tennessee are home to many fine horse farms and trainers. So the Lawrences have chosen to stable their show Arabian horses here in Tennessee near Knoxville. Lori is spending the weekend with the horses and decided to bring Chanel along for the ride/flight. Now that’s multitasking.

BIG DAY IN RALEIGH

It was a big day at the Raleigh (NC) Kennel Club and it doesn’t get any bigger than the Irish Wolfound. Judge Robert Forsyth gave his Best In Show to CH Dun Myrica Speaker Of Eagle, the country’s number one wolfhound.

CH Dun Myrica Speaker Of Eagle

The other finalists were the German Wirehaired Pointer, CH Ripsnorter’s Mt. View Lookout, the Doberman Pinscher, CH Allure Blazing Star Alisaton, the Skye Terrier, CH Cragsmoor Buddy Goodman, the Toy Fox Gterrier, CH Valcopy Hannah Montana, the Chinese Shar-Pei, CH Vaje’s Miss Jayne Hathaway, and the German Shepherd Dog, CH Shoal Creek Sangria V Barick. It was BIS number three for the three year old male, bred by Samuel Evans Ewing III & Sam Houston McDonald, owned by McDonald & Joe M Roland, and handled by Marie Sommershoe.

IT'S CEEJAY IN VALLEJO

We have the results in from Vallejo CA where the thousands of people go every day to see the Killer Whales and ride the thrill rides. If we had been able to be there in person, we would have been on our own thrill ride watching some of the best dogs in the country face off.

CH Rokeena Carte Blanche

Mrs Robert D. Smith was the judge and her finalists were the English Setter, CH Artizoe High Caliber, The Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen, CH Rokeena Carte Blanche, the Giant Schnauzer, CH Galilee’s Pure Of Spirit, the Smooth Fox Terrier, CH Warfox Double Exposure, the Pekingese, CH Pequest Grand Slam, the Bullodg, CH Legacy Empress Of The Copa, and the Bearded Collie, CH Brigadoondaybarbelieveitonot.

The country’s number one Hound, the PBGV, CeeJay, took home his seventh BIS this year, serving clear notice that he is a contender for the number one spot in our allbreed top ten.

HERDING GROUP HEAVIES

We’ve commented on it before, Herding Groups these days are brutally competitive. When Judge Janet Tunage Nahikian surveyed her final seven today at the Durham Kennel Club show in Raleigh NC, she had no idea that the German Shepherd Dog, CH Shoal Creek Sangria V Barick, had to get past three recent BIS winners in the group judging. Finishing two, three, and four behind Ria, a three year old bitch, were yesterday’s BIS winner, the Puli, CH Cordmaker Field Of Dreams, the Old English Sheepdog, CH Lambluv’s Daydream Believer, and the Bearded Collie, CH Tolkien Raintree Mister Baggins.

CH Shoal Creek Sangria V Barick

Joining The GSD in the BIS ring were the Pointer from the classes, Fieldfine Redclay Lightening Rod, Thursday finalist, the Irish Wolfhound, CH Dun Myrica Speaker Of Eagle, the Boxer, CH Winfall Brookwood Styled Dream, Wednesday finalist, the Smooth Fox Terrier, CH J’cobe Kemosabe Vigalante, the Japanese Chin, Chindale’s Farrah Fawcett, and the Chinese Shar-Pei, CH Vajae’s Miss Jayne Hathaway.

Rhea’s hard path was recognized with her third BIS of the year. Congratulations to breeder/owner Giovanni Middei, co-owners Edward Farrell, Barbara Stamper, & Lee Jewel, and handler Scott Yergin.

ANOTHER GIANT BIS

The Solano County Fairgrounds, adjacent to the Six Flags theme park, is not the most glamorous venue in the Bay area, but there was plenty of glamour among the competitors. Attendees at yesterday’s Santa Cruz Kennel Club show were treated to another Best In Show performance by the 2008 Highest Scoring Dog in Conformation, the Giant Schnauzer, CH Galilee's Pure Of Spirit.

CH Galilee's Pure Of Spirit

In addition to the Giant, Spirit, Judge Stephen Hubbel had the Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, CH Flatbrook Royal Point Attitude JH, the Petit Bassett Griffon Vendeen, CH Rokeena Carte Blanche, the Smooth Fox Terrier, CH Warfox Double Exposure, the Pekingese, CH Pequest's Grand Slam, and a duo of Paray pooches from Tray Pittman, the Bichon Frise, CH Paray’s Rime Time, and the Shetland Sheepdog, CH Paray Cirque De Soleil.

For those of us keeping score (and who isn’t?), this was all breed BIS number 97. Got the fireworks ready?

GWP BIS IN RALEIGH

CH Ripsnorter’s Mt. View Lookout

We have the day two results from Raleigh NC where the Alamance Kenel club was hosting and Charles Trotter was doing the judging. Only two of the previous day’s finalisst returned, Wednesday’s BIS winner, the Puli, CH Cordmaker Field Of Dreams, and the Italian Greyhound, CH Integra’s Purple Passion.

They were joined by the German Wirehaired Pointer, CH Ripsnorter’s Mt. View Lookout, the Irish Wolfhound, CH Dun Myrica Speaker Of Eagle, the Doberman Pinscher, CH Allure Blazing Star Alisaton, the Sealyham Terrier, CH Efbe’s Merci Pour Le Poivre, and the Bichon Frise, CH Bodacious In Enemy Territory.

Today’s winner was the GWP, “Scout”, who picked up his second BIS this year. As consistently as he has been winning in the Sporting Group we suspect we will see another BIS soon.

OPENING DAY IN RALEIGH

We are back from Washington and before we unpack, we will tell you what happened to in Raleigh NC where the Salisbury Kennel Club was the first of five shows. Judge Jon Cole had no idea how hard some of his seven finalists had making it to his BIS ring. Virtually all the finalists had to defeat Best In Show winning dogs just to make it to the final.

The Doberman Pinscher, CH Alex De Akido San, had an especially tough time, leaving the white hot Doberman bitch, CH Allure Blazing Star Alisaton. Another multiple BIS winner that failed to make it out of the breed was the Boxer, Ch Winfall Brookwood Styled Dream, who lost out to CH Sharledar’s Crown Jewel.

CH Cordmaker Field of Dreams

The Dobie was joined by the German Shorthaired Pointer, CH Fieldfine’s Back In Action, the Rhodesian Ridgeback, CH Adili’s American Idol, the Smooth FoxTerrier, CH J’cobe Kemosabe Vigalante, the Italian Greyhound, CH Integra’s Purple Passion, the French Bulldog, Ch Raindrop Justus Life’s A Game, and the Puli, CH Cordmaker Field of Dreams.

It’s the sixth 2009 BIS this year for the five year old Conrad.

TO RANT OR NOT TO RANT

We had promised you (or threatened you with. We confuse the two.) an editorial. Those of you my age may remember the great Gilda Radner, one of the original Saturday Night Live cast members. One of Ms Radner’s memorable creations was the elderly, hard of hearing, Emily Litella, who would frequently do editorial rants on such malaprops as endangered feces, eagle rights, and flea elections in China. When confronted with her misunderstanding of the subject (it’s endangered species, not feces), Ms Litella would smile sweetly and say, “Never Mind“.

Well, we find ourself in a similar circumstance. After receiving a couple of e-mails about a proposed $25 annual activity fee to be imposed on every AKC dog participating in sanctioned shows, we began writing a rant. Once we had a first draft we decided to wait a day until we could verify the facts with AKC. After a couple of e-mails and a long telephone conversation with Dennis Sprung, AKC’s President, we are happy to report that no such fee has been proposed. The fee had been discussed as part of a “conceptual plan” to support a project currently known as the “Future Program”, which has as its primary purpose the collection and preservation of frozen semen from top dogs to support future breeding programs.

It’s encouraging that AKC has such ambitious and forward thinking discussions going on. We all, as part of the AKC constituency, should allow our elected representatives the freedom to exchange ideas and discuss new concepts. As fashionable as the term “transparency” is we have often counseled clients that “no one should be allowed to watch the making of sausage”. Dennis Sprung, like us, is well aware that this not the time to be raising fees on dog show fanicers. So if some starts to rant about the evil proposed fee, tell them it is not true. They just might say, “Never mind!”