TERRIER JUDGE Q&A
GEIR FLYCKT-PEDERSEN Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many as a judge? Since having to leave Florida (and even North Caro- lina) due to a severe fire ant allergy, I cur- rently live in Pepper Pike, Ohio.
feel of the spar is lost. It is much more than two dogs meeting. A sparring Terrier should not prefer to look at a chicken breast waved about by its handler than what is going on around them. Terriers should also not show like robots. Reward that spunk and naugh- tiness! Another thing to remember is that not all Terrier breeds should have “Terrier fronts” and not all of them are to be sparred. Many Terrier breeds are known for their singular expression. Can I offer a few examples? In the show ring, the Dandie Din- mont Terrier has an affectionate and dignified nature, with a wise expression, whereas the Lakeland Terrier has a cock-of-the-walk attitude. But place the Dandie in a working situation and you will see his tenacity and boldness. Let’s not forget the less intense Ter- rier breeds, such as the Rat Terrier, with a keen intelligence as they are an overall working Terrier that should be easy to get along with other dogs and will appear more biddable, since that is how they are used historically. All Terriers were bred with a purpose, so remem- ber what those purposes are in our judging. Some Terriers are bred to work in packs, but overall, no overt aggression, boredom, or any fearfulness should be rewarded. How would I assess the overall quality of the “newer” Ter- rier breeds? Some of the newer Terrier breeds are very sound and are good examples of their written standards. Many times, they are being shown by very devoted beginners and owners whom I look forward to seeing expand their skills and knowledge as the breeds are getting wider known. It is exciting to see these breeds well-presented. In my opinion, what makes a Terrier the ideal companion? A Terrier considers itself more of an equal to you than a dog. I swear they are part human with how well they can read you. They know when you are happy or sad and they are always looking for the next adventure, even if you are not. They are fun and happy dogs. I can- not tell you how many times my dogs have teased me with their devilish sense of humor. Why is “Montgomery” a significant show for so many breeders/ exhibitors outside of Terriers? Montgomery is the Greatest Terrier Show on Earth. Even f you are not a Terrier person, it is worth attending. People come worldwide to bring and see the best of the best compete head to head. No other show brings this excitement. Win or lose, you know you are among history in the making. One of my favorite times is the early morning of the show, no matter the weather, when it is quiet but for a few barks here and there, before everyone is hustling about. I have my coffee in my hand and I just look at the rings as the morning mist begins to clear and the sun shines down. You can feel the spirits of the dogs of yesteryear. Soon the rings will fill with the new generations trod- ding on the same soil as their ancestors did. It is just a feeling that is rarely felt at other shows. There is a crackle in the air; the excitement you can almost taste it. I love this show, with the history and traditions that it holds. Every breeder and aspiring Terrier judge needs to come to this show at least once. The education they will learn there they can carry on in their future. Which Terriers from the past have had the greatest influence on the sport? There have been so many great Terriers making a mark. But I think most will agree that “Mick,” the Kerry Blue, had a huge influence on the sport. Even non-Terrier people followed his career. There have been several history-making Wire Fox Terriers such as Ch. Registry’s Lonesome Dove, “Lacey,” who really had an impact on the breed/sport and who stands out in my memory. Is there a funny story I can share about my experiences judging the Terrier breeds? Nothing comes to mind with me being a judge. But when I first started exhibiting, I was so nervous in the Group ring that the judge told me to go down and back… and I never came back. I just went down and went to the line, and thought I had done well. Oops!
The first dog, a wonderful mix of everything, came into my life in 1954, but I entered the ring for the first time in 1959 (or 60?) with a Boxer. I judged my first
open show 1970/71. Do I have any hobbies or interests apart from purebred dogs? I have always been interested in anything animal-related. We raised horses in a small way (Swedish Warmblood), but due to family involvement, I’ve always been an “on the ground follower” of any- thing equine, like showjumping, dressage, and eventing. My personal obsessions have been golf and running! Gardening, arts, antiques, and interior design are also on the list. Can I talk about my introduction to Terriers? My introduction to Terriers was, like so many things in life, rather strange. I was, at the time, “seriously” involved with German Shepherds and Boxers. But a neighbor owned this large Poodle-like, black and tan dog that was always very hairy. Then, one day, the dog turned up naked and the owner told me that she had been stripped! ! ! Not clipped. (All new to a 13/14-year-old kid who found this interesting and rather surprising.) We had a Junior section in our local all-breed club, and at the next meeting we were asked if anybody had any special interests they wanted to pursue—and Geir mentioned that he would like to watch a Terrier being stripped. One of the board members hap- pened to breed Airedales, and she took me under her wings. And the rest is history; too long to include here! Have I bred any influential Terriers? Have I shown any notable winners? In Wire Fox Terriers, we bred some 100-plus champions, and at least two of my dogs, Ch. Louline Pickled Pepper, and his son, Ch. Louline Heartbreaker, can be found in a majority of cur- rent pedigrees if you look back a few generations. Over here, Ch. Louline Head Over Heels and Ch. Louline Peterman were respon- sible for a large number of champions. Also, our exports to Ger- many, Italy, France, and The Netherlands have become parts of the breed’s US history. Our exports to the US alone have won between them at least 500-600 Groups and a couple of hundred Bests in Show. Ch. Lou- line Stringalong, handled by Roz Kramer, won the Quaker Oats Award. His sire, Ch. Louline Pemberton, handled by George Ward, won the breed at Montgomery under Annie Clarke. Ch. Talludo Minstrel of Purston, who won Best in Show at Montgomery, was sired by Ch. Louline Lord Fauntleroy. And my export, Ch. Forchlas Cariad, was another Montgomery Best in Show winner. In 1974, my Welsh Terrier was the first in history to become Dog of the Year in both Norway and Sweden—in the same year. This was repeated by one of my Wire Fox Terriers in 1980, but never by anyone else. Ch. Louline Promotion became Sweden’s Dog of the Year in 1989, and Ch. Louline High Jack won Best in Show at the Australian KC’s bicentennial show. Over a period of four years, we won Best in Show at the Swed- ish Skansen Show (Sweden’s Montgomery) with three different breeds; WFTs, Norfolks, and Lakeland, and twice runner up. One year, winning the double, with Lakeland Terrier (Ch. Brass Button of Sherwood, actually imported from the US) Best and a WFT Reserve. In 1980, we won Best in Show and runner up with a WFT and a Cocker at the, till then, largest ever Helsinki show. We were the first to ever win the prestigious Pup of the Year in England twice, and I judged the same event in 1997 when we were
188 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, SEPTEMBER 2021
Powered by FlippingBook