ELEVEN DAYS TO THE FINISH LINE

 Tomorrow our dog show world will embark upon its last 11 days of the show season.  Interestingly, it will be a non-stop dash to the finish line for our top ranked dogs.   The Starved Rock Kennel Club will be the first out of the gate with the sole offering tomorrow, their day one show in Wheaton IL, the first of four days in two venues in the Chicago area.

GCH CH Whistlestop’s Riley on Fire

Number One Sporting Dog

However, we look for the four day stop in Costa Mesa CA hosted by the Shoreline Dog Fanciers Association of Orange County and the Malibu Kennel Club beginning Friday is likely to draw big numbers through Monday.  On Tuesday all eyes will turn to Orlando FL where the local Space Coast Kennel Club of Palm Bay will be the only all breed shows in the country .  The Brevard Kennel Club show on Wednesday will also have that distinction.  On Thursday the Central Florida Kennel Club will have to compete with the Richland County Kennel Club’s opener at the four show Crown Classic cluster in Cleveland OH.  While the RCKC has drawn more than 1600 dogs, the entry at the CFKC is nearly twice the size. 

GCH CH Kiarry’s Pandora’s Box

Number One Hound

However, over the next three days Cleveland will outdraw Orlando.  Orlando’s limited breed show and specialty shows will only offer a fraction of the almost 2000 dog entry of Friday’s Medina Kennel Club show in Cleveland.  On Saturday and Sunday the year’s largest event, AKC/Eukanuba National Championship has 3781 dogs entered in the regular classes.  Nonetheless, the Richland County Kennel Club Saturday show and the Western Reserve Kennel Club in Cleveland has drawn a combined entry of 4514.   In past years the week’s huge entries have decided many races.

GCH CH Claircreek’s Impression de Matisse

Number One Working Dog

(Photo by Mike McGuire)

The outcome is not in doubt.  The Wire Fox Terrier, GCH CH AfterAll Painting the Sky, will finish as the Number One Dog All Breeds, based on the number of dogs defeated.    Sky goes into the stretch with an almost 20,000 point lead in dogs defeated.  However, the Number Two Dog All Breeds, the Portuguese Water Dog, GCH CH Claircreek’s Impression de Matisse, has the lead in BIS won with 88 big rosettes to the Wire’s 83 this year.   While there is no chance the PWD will catch the Wire in dogs defeated there is a mathematical possibility that the Wire will catch the PWD in BIS won.

GCH CH AfterAll Painting the Sky

Number One Terrier

The big point totals could impact one of the Group races as well.  The Irish Water Spaniel, GCH CH Whistlestop’s Riley on Fire, only recently overtook the Clumber Spaniel, GCH CH Clussexx Collaboration with Traddles, to become the Number One Sporting Dog.  Riley leads Seymour by almost 3000 points, a margin that could disappear over the next 11 days.  The rest of the Group leaders are likely to stay on top.  In the Hound Group, the American Foxhound, GCH CH Kiarry’s Pandora’s Box, has been the Number One Hound for most of the year.  The Harrier, GCH CH Downhome Hitech Innovator, trails by more than 10,000 points.  Similarly the Number Two Working Dog, the Giant Schnauzer, GCH CH Kenro’s Witching Hour, and  the Number Two Terrier, the Russell Terrier, GCH CH Goldsands Columbus, trail the Group leader by five digits despite being in the Top Ten Dogs All Breeds.  Ditto for the Number Two Toy Dog, the Pug, GCH CH Caper’s Sirius Endeavor, who trails the Miniature Pinscher, GCH CH Marlex Classic Red Glare, by nearly 40,000 points. 

GCH CH Marlex Classic Red Glare

Number One Toy Dog

In the Non-Sporting Group the Standard Poodle, GCH CH Brighton Lakeridge Encore concludes her third season among the nation’s top dogs.  This year Ally is the Number One Non-Sporting Dog and the Number Eleven Dog All Breeds.  She leads Number Two Non-Sporting Dog, the Bichon Frise, GCH CH Vogelflight’s “Honor” to Pillowtalk, by 9000 points.  The Number One Herding Dog, the Old English Sheepdog, GCH CH Bugaboo’s Picture Perfect, became the Number Ten Dog All Breeds only recently, after with a dazzling string of BIS over the last 90 days.  The Cardigan Welsh Corgi, GCH CH Aubrey’s Tails of Mystery, trails  the OES, swagger, by about 5000 points.    A look at the numbers can be misleading.   

GCH CH Brighton Lakeridge Encore

Number One Non-Sporting Dog

In this era of jet setting fanciers, we expect many top dogs to split their time between Orlando and Cleveland, producing more than the usual number of absentees.   Still, there will be plenty of points to spread around.  We will be the first to tell you how the season ends.  Look for us ring side in Orlando on the 14^th and 15^th!

GCH CH Bugaboo’s Picture Perfect

Number One Herding Dog