2023 AKC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: BRED-BY-EXHIBITOR GROUP JUDGES
8. Breeders are fundamental to the health and welfare of the sport of dogs. Based on this assignment, are today’s breeders doing well by the sport and for their breeds? Yes, I think today’s breeders are rising to the challenge. They generally know their breed’s weaknesses (phenotype, geno- type, and temperament) and work to address them. Breeding is not an easy task. In the BBE ring, there is a special love and rapport between the breeder and the results of his/her efforts. There is a special electricity when what is on the other end of the lead is your “creation.” 9. A dog show of this magnitude is a monumental under - taking. Is there anything you’d like to say on behalf of the AKC and the show’s sponsors? Again, I know how much planning and work went into bringing a show of this magnitude to fruition. The partner- ship between AKC, Royal Canin, and the many sponsors is a true joint effort. There are no slackers; everyone gives it their all. At the judges’ dinner, Jason Taylor, Marketing Director, Royal Canin, USA, read a “poem” written using a line from the Standards of the Best in Show winners over the years. Very moving. 10. Now that it’s over, what are your thoughts on the 2023 show year? Any thoughts on the year ahead? I love judging and am looking forward to my upcoming assignments. It’s just me and the dogs. It is most rewarding to apply the Standard to a living, breathing creature with its own thoughts on the whole thing, to put my hands on them, and to watch them move. Form follows function. In my mind, I take them apart and put them back together again. Which one best meets its Standard? Judging is a se- ries of compromises, as rarely does one dog have it all. All of these decisions must be made in a finite period of time—a little over two minutes per dog (25 dogs/hour). I feel blessed and honored every time I step into the center of the ring. And, I look forward to competing in Rally with my retired champion Akita, “Eli,” and to our mile-long morning walks on our country road together. “The silence as I prepared to make my cuts, and then, placements, was of the ‘you could hear a pin drop’ variety.”
4. What were you thinking or feeling moments before you stepped into the center of the BBE Group ring? It was very exciting for me to judge the BBE Working Group. For me, it all begins with the breeders. They are the heart of the sport. They research and plan the breedings, whelp the litters, stay awake countless hours making sure everything is okay, watch over the puppies as they begin their journey, make sure they go to good homes, remain available to advise and help the new own- ers, and on and on. The breeder carefully watches the litter and chooses a puppy to keep, and enters the BBE class as a demonstra- tion of their breeding program. To me, BBE is the most impor- tant class at a dog show. I came to the judging ranks as a breeder, not a handler (of course, many handlers also breed). In the phrase “dog show,” the breeder-judge’s emphasis is on the word “dog.” 5. Was there a heightened energy coming from the dog and handler teams? Did you feel the energy of the spectators? Yes, the energy from the dogs, exhibitors, and spectators was palpable. The cheering and clapping was reflective of the excite- ment and support for the dogs being shown. The silence as I prepared to make my cuts, and then, placements, was of the “you could hear a pin drop” variety. 6. How challenging was this assignment? Can you share your selection process? The assignment was very challenging, as the quality of the BBE winners was excellent. My selection process is simply to apply all the aspects of the Breed Standards to the exhibits before me. The measure is which dog best comports with its Standard. I’m comparing the dog to its Standard, not to the other dogs in the ring. 7. Do you have a word or two about your BBE Group winner? About the dogs that placed? As noted above, it was a strong Group. My Group winner was a very balanced, typey Samoyed. He was the correct size and moved with a quick, agile, and well-timed stride. He had a beautiful head with proper proportions and the famous Sammie expression with a “twinkle in his eyes.” He also had a gorgeous coat. The Group 2 winner was a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog that clearly could do what he was bred to do. He was a well- proportioned, powerful, confident dog of sturdy appearance. He had good reach and powerful drive; a very handsome fel- low. Group 3 was a Great Dane that certainly met the require- ments to be called the Apollo of Dogs. He was square, of good bone, with a level topline and correct tail carriage. His head was striking; correct rectangle, finely chiseled, parallel planes, good expression, full square jaw with a deep muzzle (and no flutter- ing flews). Group 4 was a very nice Siberian Husky bitch that definitely met the requirements of being medium-sized, mod- erate-boned, well-balanced proportions, correct coat and tail carriage. Boy, could she move! We want all dogs to move well, but movement is an essential element of Siberian Husky type.
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JANUARY 2024 | 175
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