THE SPORTING GROUP: CHANGES IN GROOMING & PRESENTATION OVER THE YEARS
and short legs he tends to roll slightly.” Further, “The gait is comfortable and can be maintained at a steady trot for a day of work without exhaus- tion.” The rolling topline that is undesirable in some Sporting breeds is desired in the Clumber. The Sussex is typically lower to the ground than the Clumber and, again, the breed’s Standard notes that it has a typical “rolling gait” and moves deliberately, though “is in no sense clumsy.” No racing for either of these breeds. Several Sporting Breed Standards ask that the dog be, as the Golden Retriever Standard states, “...moved on a loose lead to reflect true gait.” Yet many handlers (professional and amateur alike) hold their charges on quite a tight, short lead, often leading to movement faults in the forequar- ters as the dog is pulled off-balance from his natu- ral stride. The really clever handler will know the requirements of the breed’s standard and adjust speed to what is best for that individual dog. In Sporting dogs, generally, endurance is more important than racing ability. Another change is the accepted method for stacking, both in general and for many of the individual breeds in the Group. Baiting was not done with any of the current frequency 40 years ago; just a few times to show the judge the dog’s expression. Bait was rarely thrown in most breeds and, when it was, it was retrieved before moving on so as not to distract other dogs. Stacked dogs were “top and tailed” with the head and tail held, often from a kneeling position. Nowadays, bait- ing is universal and dogs are, seemingly, almost constantly baited. It sometimes seems to the uninitiated that the purpose of showing is to feed the dog! Further, the baiting keeps the ears erect on, top of the head at all times. This is even true for breeds that mandate specific placement of the ears. Goldens, for example, should have ears that are set about on a level with the corner of the eye; but when you look at the Golden ring, the ears are almost always erect and it’s the rare judge that asks to see the ears at rest. How can anyone tell if the dog’s ear set is correct? In many Sporting breeds today, dogs are stacked with the front legs placed far forward on the body, sometimes even under the neck, and the rear legs are stretched way out behind the dog. This was not practiced years ago, especially with breed standards that call for a level back- line. Sweeping rears with extreme angulation are often seen now, though this very often elimi- nates the desired bend of stifle of many breeds. Seeing a Brittany, for example, stacked well out behind is almost comical in a breed that warns us not to judge angulation standing—but only when moving—since most Brittanys appear to lack angulation when stacked. Over-stretching certainly minimizes the desired square outline of the breed. Again, I wonder why this practice has become standard, often to the detriment of
The 1974 Westminster Best in Show winner, Ch. Gretchen of Columbia River, presented with the handler in a kneeling position, holding the head and tail. There was much less baiting of dogs done in the ‘70s in comparison to the very frequent baiting seen in the show ring today.
There is another presentation phenomenon that has appeared in the last 20 years or so and does not seem to vary much from breed to breed (or Group to Group, for that matter); one that, personally, I find particularly displeasing. This is the tendency to race dogs around the ring at speeds that are far too fast for the construction and original intent of the breed. We have all seen the spectacle of the Cocker Spaniel keeping up with the Irish Setter or the Sussex moving around the ring at a speed that keeps pace with the English Springer Spaniel. Why people seem to think that feet flying in the air—especially the rear legs—equates with good movement is something I cannot understand. Good, efficient gait is not the same for all breeds, and all breeds should not be moved in the same way. For that matter, not every dog within a specific breed moves properly at the same speed. Correct speed is dependent on the construction of the individual dog as it meets the requirements of its breed standard. The Sussex and Clumber were bred to be a (sometimes senior) sporting gentle- man’s hunting companion afoot. The dog shouldmove at amoderate speed, showing good reach and drive. The Clumber Standard reads, “Because of his wide body Ch. Jab-Point’s VJK Autumn Roses, the 2005 Garden Best in Show winner. In addition to standing rather than kneeling, the handler here has pulled-up the head a bit, showing off the lovely neck into shoulder of this bitch. Handling over the years has evolved into a more stylized display of each dog’s best points.
170 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JANUARY 2021
Powered by FlippingBook