TERRIER JUDGE Q&A
In my opinion, what makes a Terrier the ideal companion? In my opinion, a Terrier is not the ideal companion for everyone. You have to want a dog that is independent, and sometimes, a little hard- headed; one that is full of energy and occasionally feisty, particu- larly with other dogs. Not all are good with young children. That said, for me, there is no better group of dogs. Terriers will always be a part of my life. Why is “Montgomery” a significant show for so many breeders/ exhibitors outside of Terriers? Montgomery is the biggest Terrier show in the world. Breeders and their dogs come from all over the US to participate, as well as from many different countries around the world. We host 23 National Specialties. It’s a chance to see the very best dogs in their respective breeds. There is no other show where you will be able to see all 32 Terrier breeds in one place. Whether you are looking for a particular breed as a pet, or you are an aspiring Terrier judge, there is nothing to compare with the experience of Montgomery. GLORIA KERR
What about breed character? Can I share my thoughts on spar- ring in the ring? Most Terriers have the “I own the ring” attitude, and it is thrilling to see them! Some people do not know how to spar Terriers, and until I know they will do a good job of it, I think it should only be done by the professionals. Many Terrier breeds are known for their singular expression. Can I offer a few examples? Scotties, Bull Terriers, Fox Terriers; actually, many of the expressions of almost all the Terriers are quite singular in expression. How would I assess the overall quality of the “newer” Terrier breeds? Some of the new Terrier breeds are getting better all the time. Some started out needing work, but their breeders have been improving them. In my opinion, what makes a Terrier the ideal companion? Ter- riers are ideal companions as they are aware of everything that goes on around them at all times! Why is “Montgomery” a significant show for so many breeders/ exhibitors outside of Terriers? Montgomery is the best place to see the top Terriers of many breeds. If anyone wants to learn about Ter- riers, that is the place to go! Which Terriers from the past have had the greatest influence on the sport? I think Fox Terriers have had the greatest influence on the sport. MARETHK. KIPP Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many as a judge? I live on a dairy farm in North Prairie, Wisconsin. Like many, we have had dogs for most of my life, but we purchased our first (almost purebred) Airedale Terrier about 60 years ago. We pur- chased our first “show” dog in 1968. I just checked when I started to judge, and it was 1982. So that makes 39 years. Do I have any hobbies or interests apart from purebred dogs? I love to quilt, knit, and do counted cross stitch. In between, I love to read. I also volunteer at our local hospital. Can I talk about my introduction to Terriers? I think my per- sonality is much like that of most Terriers. I always loved Wires, but we felt a bigger dog would do better on the farm. My mother-in-law had Airedales as a kid and convinced us that this should be the breed for a growing family. Have I bred any influential Terriers? Have I shown any notable winners? We all like to think we have bred some influential dogs. Two of mine really stand out; Ch. Moraine Hold That Tiger and Ch. Moraine Promises To Keep. They both did very well in the show ring. Can I speak a bit about breed-specific presentation and coat con- ditioning in the Terrier breeds? Breed presentation should always take into consideration the breed standard as written, not how you would like to change it; but what it states today. An Airedale is not a Cairn or a Wheaten, but it can be presented trimmed similarly to a Wire, Irish, Welsh, and to some extent, the Lakeland. By this, I mean the presentation of a stripped jacket. Dogs today are shown in a much tighter jacket than they were when I first started to exhibit. An Irish has a different ear set than an Airedale. A Kerry has its own way of going around the ring. Each breed has its own personality and distinctive look. Coat condition is, to me, one of the first things I see on the dog as it enters the ring. A long, dead coat indicates to me that the handler has not paid much attention to his charge for quite a while. I love to see a newer exhibitor come into the ring with a well-presented dog. I always ask if they did their own grooming, and if yes, I love to praise them. You can see the pride on their faces. A few kind words never hurt anyone. What about breed character? Can I share my thoughts on spar- ring in the ring? The Terrier Group presents an opportunity to see all kinds of breed character. You would never see the hard-bitten
I have bred and titled numerous conformation champions, from Golden Retrievers, Akitas, and Pembroke Welsh Corgis to Chinese Cresteds, under the name of Krishna Kennels. Several famous US Golden kennels are founded on my Krishna dogs. Many of my dogs have attained Best in Show and Best in Specialty wins.
I became an AKC licensed professional handler in 1974 and have handled, finished, and specialed dogs in every AKC Group. In 2000, I became an AKC licensed judge and am now approved for the Sporting Group, Herding Group, Toy Group, Non-Sporting Group, and Terrier Group, along with six breeds in the Working Group and most breeds in the Hound Group, Junior Showmanship, and Best in Show. I have judged throughout the world; in Australia, Argen- tina, Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, China, Canada, Sweden, Germany, Columbia, Indonesia, Japan, and Brazil. This includes the Golden Retriever National Specialties in the US, Korea, and Canada, the Chinese Crested National Specialty, the Akita National Specialty in the US and Germany, and the Brittany National Specialty in the US. Where do I live? How many years in dogs? How many as a judge? I live south of Tucson, in Arizona. I got my first dog, a Gold- en Retriever, in 1963. I have judged 21 years. Do I have any hobbies or interests apart from purebred dogs? I have several hobbies, including jewelry design and gourd art. Can I talk about my introduction to Terriers? I had a wonderful Skye Terrier when I lived in Texas. We finished his championship and specialed him for a short time, but he had a heritable disease and we lost him at a young age… very sad. Since I started judging BIS, I found myself putting up a lot of Terriers. So, I thought I should learn more about the whole Group. Have I bred any influential Terriers? Have I shown any notable winners? I have not shown any influential Terriers, but have enjoyed judging many outstanding ones. Can I speak a bit about breed-specific presentation and coat con- ditioning in the Terrier breeds? I was taught that Terriers should own the ring, and mostly have quality harsh coats! Several former Terriers handlers have been my mentors, and I still appreciate them to this day. I find that most Terrier handlers have a good handle on structure and type. Coat conditioning is very important in Terriers, and is quite a job.
200 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, SEPTEMBER 2021
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