Showsight January 2021

SPORTING GROUP Q&A

advance as fast as possible so they can get more assignments. And now, since they are allowed to publicly solicit for assignments, the exhibitors are paying the price for some of today’s poor judging. Who inspired me to become a judge? I don’t know if any one particular person inspired me to become a judge. Rather, it was sev- eral individuals. Early in my career, I would say Helen Lee James, Gerald Schwartz, Bob Stein, Dr. Harry Smith, Bob and Ellen Fet- ter, along with Dr. Bob Berndt and others, were very helpful in developing my judging career. What makes judging the Sporting Group a unique experience? The Sporting Group is unique in that each breed was developed for specific duties in assisting humans with hunting game. It is also important to remember that each of these breeds needs to have a stable temperament as they must have the stability to hold the game as well as to retrieve it, even when guns are being shot over them. A shy or scared specimen should never be rewarded in a Sporting dog. My cardinal rule is “no wag, no-win.” How do I prioritize breed characteristics in a Sporting dog? Breed Type should be first and foremost when evaluating any breed, and breed-specific characteristics must always have priority. The Otter Tail of the Labrador and the Bee Sting Tail of the Pointer, the head types and various coat types in each breed are just some examples of breed variance. Whether it be a Pointer, Setter, Retriev- er or Spaniel, there are unique characteristics to each as well as cer- tain common traits that make learning and evaluating the different aspects of breed type important. Are there any trends (positive or negative) that I’ve noticed in the Group ring? Yes. In any case, it comes down to type versus showmanship. At the Group level, it can often be the very “showy” good-moving dog that will place over an excellent representative of another breed that may be lesser-known and not as showy. There was a time when the value was in winning the breed. It is in the breed ring where the real competition is, especially in those breeds that have regularly large entries. When a dog reaches the Group, there is not another of its breed to be compared against and it is here where it seems that showmanship seems to have an advantage. Do some breeds have an advantage or disadvantage in the Group? I would imagine that this varies from judge to judge and Group to Group. I certainly believe that some judges are swayed by records and advertising, and there are also breeds with lower entries that give certain dogs a fast passage to the Group and are therefore seen in the Group more often. Obviously, the more breed wins a dog has the higher number of chances to place versus, maybe, a better breed dog that has a large number of competitors in the breed ring. And in breeds with numerous high-quality competitors, it is more difficult to reach the Group. Have I had an opportunity to judge the “new” breeds: Barbet, Lagotto Romagnolo, Nederlandse Kooikerhondje, Wirehaired Vizsla? Yes, I have, and I was the first judge to award a Group First to a Nederlandse Kooikerhondje. Which Sporting dogs from the past have had the greatest impact on their breeds, the Group, and the Sport? One of my favorite Sporting dogs was the great German Wirehaired Pointer, Multiple Best in Show and Best in Specialty Show-winning Ch. Windhaven’s Stutzer Stumper. “Duff ” was owner-handled and achieved a very impressive record at the time. He also went on to become a great sire in the breed and can be found in the pedigree of many great winners of recent years. The most amusing experience I’ve ever witnessed in the Sport- ing Group? There a too many to mention, but it is always fun when a bird lands in the ring and some dogs just lock in and point.

the temperament and movement to do the job it was bred to do in the field. Are there any trends (positive or negative) that I’ve noticed in the Group ring? It does seem that since COVID-19 has hit the country, there are fewer shows with higher entries, which has resulted in top dogs from all over the country competing against each other at the breed level. This, in turn, is resulting in stronger Sporting Groups with numerous top-quality dogs in competition. Do some breeds have an advantage or disadvantage in the Group? In my opinion, I do not feel any one breed has more of an advantage in the Sporting Group. However, since some breeds do have higher numbers in competition at the Breed level, this can result in different top-quality dogs of the same breed being shown in Groups all over the US, thus, resulting in that breed obtaining more Group placements. Low entry breeds do have the advantage of a dog winning the Breed and consistently being seen in the Group. However, that dog needs to be a quality representative of the breed in order to place in the Group. Have I had an opportunity to judge the “new” breeds: Barbet, Lagotto Romagnolo, Nederlandse Kooikerhondje, Wirehaired Vizsla? I have had the opportunity to judge all four “new” breeds. I have observed the entries of the Lagotto Romagnolo increase since they were first recognized in the Sporting Group, and I have had the pleasure of judging a number of major entries in that breed. Which Sporting dogs from the past have had the greatest impact on their breeds, the Group, and the Sport? In my own breed, I can think of several dogs that have helped place the Vizsla in the spot- light and receive more recognition in the Group as well as contrib- uting to the breed as top producers. One is 7x BIS BISS CH Taunee Loki Santana CD ROM. “Bear” was shown by Bobby Barlow and was the first Vizsla to win seven BIS. The other is CH Harann’s Tulipann who is the only Vizsla to ever win the Sporting Group at the Westminster Kennel Club. The most amusing experience I’ve ever witnessed in the Sport- ing Group? I cannot think of any one incident. I have observed on numerous occasions when a bird circles the ring or lands in the ring and the havoc it causes for the handlers whose well-trained show dog may decide its natural instinct is now in charge. WALTER SOMMERFELT I live in Lenoir City, Tennessee, about 25 miles west of Knox- ville. I have been in dogs since 1972 and have been judging since 1985. My original breed was Old English Sheepdogs, but I have owned dogs from each of the seven Groups. Our primary breed is Vizsla and our kennel name is Lorac. Can I list a few of the notable dogs I’ve bred? We have bred numerous dogs that have contributed to our breeds over the years, either as stud dogs or brood bitches, and we have had numerous top-producing sires and dams over the years. We have bred one dual champion Vizsla and numerous dogs with a variety of performance as well as conformation titles. When did I know I wanted to become an AKC judge? I think, for me, it started because I saw a need for more younger judges. Back in those days, it was a very slow and complicated system for advancement, so I started at age 31. My goal was to acquire three Groups before I retired. It took me 19 years to get to three Groups under the old system, and I have not applied for any breeds since. I do not feel the system in place today is producing quality judges who have put in the time and effort to try and understand breed type and variance. Today’s newer judges just seem to want to

158 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JANUARY 2021

Powered by