AKC BREEDER OF THE YEAR HONOREES
Henry (Hap) Sutliff TERRIER GROUP
1. How does it feel to be honored by the AKC to represent your Group? Part of my education was at a University in the UK. My British friends have a wonderful word to express how I feel: “Gobsmacked!” No one can ever an- ticipate the surprise of something like this. The privilege of representing a nu- merically vulnerable breed is also a considerable honor. Every one of us owes so much to so many to get this far and are so incredibly grateful for all the help along the way. My good friend, Pluis Davern, won the Breeder of the Year Award in 2011, and she is just as surprised and delighted today as then. 2. Who are the people “in dogs” who’ve influenced your breeding program? How much time do you have? There are so many! I was very privileged to be raised around some of the top dog people. I knew a lot of the top Terrier handlers of the past like Tom & Kay Gately, Cliff & Lois Hallmark, and more; our han- dlers, Bernice & Al Ayers, were so generous in sharing. I met Peter Green the day after he arrived at Pool Forge in November 1963. In Sealys, of course, my parents were my guides and I learned so much from some great Sealy mentors: Pat Miller (Rinklestone – US); Armynel Baylay (Shenden – UK); Norah Cunningham (Mannin – UK); Phoebe Cuming (Polrose – UK); and Elizabeth Choate (Robin Hill – US). Following my mother’s death in 2001, my greatest mentor was Patsy Wood (Penllyn – US). I miss her greatly. I was also privileged to be raised around some great breeders of other breeds who also influenced me. One who comes to mind was Adele Goodman (Glam- oor Skye Terriers), Walter’s mother. I always used to sit with her to watch the Groups at Westchester, and learned a lot. Every day I speak with Dottie Macdonald (2001 Westminster BIS Judge) and during the moments we are not laughing, I learn something new. Pat Trotter is another great mentor and fantastic role model. It is fun to continue to be taught and improve. 3. Do you have specific philosophies that you maintain as a breeder? There are two fundamentals of any successful program. Focusing on Health and Temperament are the most important factors to begin and end with. Never lose sight of those. The Standard of any breed is the document that lays out the path to follow, and concentrating on this should lead to success. 4. Can you speak to the importance of breeding to the standard? Breeding to the Standard is absolutely of paramount importance. I find the best Standards are the ones that are not changed often and may have been in place for many decades. My breed’s Standard has not been revised since 1934, and I believe it serves us well. It also helps to keep in mind what the breed was originally bred for. My breed was bred to go to ground after badgers and otters. Size is consequently of sig- nificant importance, as large examples could not get down the hole of their quarry. I also find in Terrier breeds that bites are important to the Standards, as the Terrier bite is its toolbox. 5. What breeding advice would you give to today’s novice fancier? When I was a fourteen, I was at a show where my mother heard me criticize another dog in our breed. She pulled me aside to make certain that I knew that our dogs were not perfect and, before I criticized anyone else’s dog, I needed to be able to look unbiased at our own dogs and how they might be improved. I did not know at the time how important that advice would prove in my journey in Sealys. When you are a kid, you cannot appreciate the genius of your parents until you have walked down the road yourself. Along the way, you meet people who will become your lifelong friends, and others who are just passing through. Of course, it can be problematic at times determining which is which. But such is life. Always try to keep a sense of humor and remember: There is always tomorrow!
Pictured with me are Dottie Macdonald, 2001 Westminster BIS Judge and Jake Lum from Hawaii, youngest licensed AKC Judge, in July 2019. Photo by Warren Cook.
Our first Champion, Ch. Rinklestone Tam O’Shanter Photo by Evelyn Shafer
Our first litter, including Ch. Sutliff’s Alabama (ancestor of over 700 American champions) and Sutliff’s Assiniboine (ancestor of over 300 American champions)
64 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, NOVEMBER 2020
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