OUT IN ORLANDO DAY ONE

We are here at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando FL for the 2013 AKC/Eukanuba National Championship.  This year's event offers a plethora of doggy activities all house in a state of the art facility with over one million square feet dedicated to the event.

GCH CH  MARLEX Classic Red Glare

(Photo by Rhonda Cassidy)

We are going to start at judge Desmond Murphy's ring with Miniature Pinschers and our beloved Italian Greyhounds.  The Top Toy Dog in the US is the Miniature Pinscher, GCH CH Marlex Classic Red Glare, and today she was judge Murphy's Best Of Breed.  Italian Greyhounds are elegant, eye catching beauties, the tallest of the Toys.  However, they are routinely overlooked in the group ring.  Today's BOB, GCH CH Windmist Starchaser, will be hard to miss tonight

GCH CH Hill Country Tag I'm It. 

While IG's are often overlooked, Pugs are always competitive and judge Randy Garren had multiple BIS winners to choose from.  The one he chose was GCH CH Hill Country Tag I'm It. line betwee

GCH CH Lamplighter's Tattle Tail

We don't get to see many Silky Terrier and that makes a sad.  A true Terrier, the Silky straddles the line between papered Toy dog and serious vermin hunter.  So we were delighted to see that Judge Garren had 14 Silkies to choose his from which to choose his BOB.  While sitting at ringside we found that there is lively debate among Silky breeders and exhibitors over whether a Silky should be show with a natural tail. or a docked tail, as currently called for in the standard.  We usually come down on the side of tradition on this issue and would hate to see a Doberman with floppy ears and long tail in the American show rings.  However, a natural tail on a Silky is not quite as distracting as a long tail on an Old English Sheepdog.  Judge Garren's aptly name Best Of Breed, GCH CH Lamplighter's Tell Tail, carried off the natural tail beautifully.

GCH CCH Thaon’s Wallstreet

We waited all day to watch judge Dr Robert Indeglia go over his 37 Afghan Hounds which included the top four Afghans in the US.  All are in different parts of the country and rarely cross paths, but all roads lead to Orlando and those in attendance today were treated to a magnificent display of the “King of Dogs”.  Striding to the head of the pack was GCH CH Thaon’s Wall Street.

We will head back to our hotel to check in on the rest of the country before we return for tonight's groups.  The fun starts at 6:00 PM EST.  Join us for reports throughout the evening.

ROTTWEILER BIS IN CLEVELAND

GCH CH Gamegard I’ll Have Another v Braeside
(Photo by Lynda Beam)

The Medina Kennel Club show In Cleveland was the only all-breed show in the US today as exhibitors in Orlando took a break with several specialties and the limited breed Sunshine State Herding Group Association show.

CH Telltale American Ride

1851 dogs entered today’s MKC event.  The seven who survived the day to visit judge Kent Delaney’s final were the English Springer Spaniel, CH Telltale American Ride, the Saluki, GCH H Starlite’s Made Of The Best Stuff On Earth JC RN BN, the Rottweiler, GCH CH Gamegard I’ll Have Another v Braeside, the Skye Terrier, CH   Desire Of Love Dell’ Antica Caledonia, a Pomeranian from the classes, CR Front Runner, the Bullodg, GCH CH Mytoys Epic Against the Wind, and the Pyrenean Shepherd, GCH CH La Brise Sun Bear.

Going to the front of the line was the Rottweiler, Indy.  Close behind was yesterday’s BIS winner, the Springer, Randy.  It was the second BIS in four final appearances for 18 month old Indy and owner/handler Holley Eldred.

AKC/EUKANUBA LIVE!

Many long time fanciers can’t get out to the shows as much as they used to.  This was one of the reasons we began Dog Show Poop, to give those at home as much of a “You Are There” experience as possible.  However in this wonderful information age, our wonderful hosts are constantly improving the show experience.  This year the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship will bring unprecedented coverage of events around the Orange County Convention.  You can go to http://live.eukanuba.com/ for all the action and LIVE coverage of the evening judging or you can simply check in on us on Saturday and Sunday, get our unique look at the ringside, and link to the latest video here.  This year promises to offer more of the top dogs in one place and you get to sit in your family room and watch the whole thing!

TALENT APLENTY IN ORLANDO

GCH CH Marlex Classic Red Glare

Some of my readers still don’t understand my fascination with the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship (AENC).  Well, today’s Central Florida Kennel Club show, the last of the all-breed warm ups for this weekend, drew almost 3100 dogs, including nine of our Top Ten Dogs.  Six of the seven groups have their group leaders in competition.  The Hound Group has nine of the Top Ten Hounds present as does the Working Group. 

GCH CH Kiarry’s Pandora’s Box

With all that talent present you can bet there will be some upsets.  The Number One Dog in the US and last year’s AENC winner, the Wire Fox Terrier, GCH CH AfterAll Painting, left today’s Terrier Group with a fourth place ribbon.  Advancing to judge Delores Burkholder’s final was the Miniature Schnauzer, GCH CH Allaruth Just Kidding v Sole Baye.  Justin and handler Bergit Kabel were joined by the Irish Water Spaniel, GCH CH Whistlestop’s Riley on Fire, the American Foxhound, GCH CH Kiarry’s Pandora’s Box, the Portuguese Water Dog, GCH CH Claircreek’s Impression de Matisse, the Miniature Pinscher, GCH CH Marlex Classic Red Glare, the Standard Poodle, GCH CH Dawin Hearts on Fire, and the Old English Sheepdog, GCH CH Bugaboo’s Picture Perfect.

Getting her second BIS of the stop was the Florida native, the MinPin Classie.  The Foxhound from Maryland, Jewel, took home the RBIS.  Classie is the winningest Miniature Pinscher in AKC history with 118 career BIS, including 63 in 2013

FIRST TIMER BIS IN CLEVELAND

CH Telltale American Ride

Orlando was not the only place that hosted an AKC all breed show today.  The Richland County Kennel Club opened the four day set in Cleveland OH, asking judge James Reynolds to choose a BIS.  The seven dogs he considered were the English Springer Spaniel, CH Telltale American Ride, a Basenji from the classes,  Eldorado N Akuaba Dream Lover, the Doberman Pinscher, CH Vondura’s Xcelerator Belle Amie, the Russell Terrier, GCH CH Goldsands Columbus, the Toy Poodle, CH Baliwick Behold And Believe, the Standard Poodle, CH Litilann’s Showtime, and the Bearded Collie, GCH CH Dunhill Celebration.

GCH CH Dunhill Celebration

Strutting away with the top prize was the Springer, Randy.  Taking home the Reserve award was the Beardie, Olivia.  It was the first BIS for two year old Randy.  Congratulations to breeders/owners Celie Florence, Delores Streng, Robin Novack, & Beth Fink.

A GHOST FROM CHRISTMAS PAST

GCH CH Claircreek’s Impression de Matisse

(Photo by Jeffrey Hanlin)

So far this Christmas season we have watched four different versions of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.  We have watched a faithful to the novella animated adaptation by Disney, a modern retelling featuring Bill Murray as Scrooge, a traditional version featuring a type casted George C Scott in the lead, and our favorite, The Muppet Christmas Carol.  One of the things we love about the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship is that it is one of the shows that you can expect a Ghost from Christmas Past.  This year it was 2011’s Number One Dog All Breeds and the top winning Sporting Dog of all time, the Black Cocker Spaniel, GCH CH Casablanca’s Thrilling Seduction,  returning to the show ring at today’s Brevard Kennel Club show in Orlando FL

GCH CH Whistlestop’s Riley on Fire

However, it was this year’s Number One Sporting Dog, the Irish Water Spaniel, GCH CH Whistlestop’s Riley on Fire, who advanced to judge Gene Blake’s final, leaving the Cocker, Beckham behind with a Group Two ribbon.  Riley was joined by the Harrier, GCH CH Downhome Hitech Innovator, the Portuguese Water Dog, GCH CH Claircreek’s Impression de Matisse, the Wire Fox Terrier, GCH CH AfterAll Painting the Sky, the Pug, GCH CH Caper’s Sirius Endeavor, the Standard Poodle, GCH CH Dawin Hearts On Fire, and the Bouvier des Flandres, GCH CH Stonepillar's Steel Blu.

Collecting his 93^rd BIS of the year was the PWD, Matisse.  Accepting the RBIS was the IWS, Riley.  The win seals Matisse’s status as the Show Dog of the Year, which is based on number of all breed BIS.   Hopefully this will allow all of our top dogs to hang around in Orland for the weekend so fanciers from around the world can watch them via Eukanuba’s live streaming.  We will give you the details on that tomorrow.