8. A dog show of this magnitude is a monumental undertaking. Is there anything you’d like to say on behalf of the AKC and the show’s sponsors? I want to give the AKC credit. I think that Michael Canalizo works his butt off, as do the officers and the mem- bers of the board. If you look, today there are more dog ac- tivities for more people, and more people who have differ- ent interests in the dogs by their side. Dog shows give you an opportunity to expand upon the relationship between man and dog. I will tell you a story… I was at a dog show three years ago or more, and I looked over against the wall where a man was sitting on the floor with his German Shepherd. I thought, “Damn, that’s what dog shows are about.” 9. Are there specific ways in which this show furthers the cause of purebred dogs? Let’s consider the purpose of dog shows, which is the evalu- ation of breeding stock and the quality of the stock that is produced. If you keep that in mind, the changes that go on outside of the sport become superfluous. Let’s also consider another thing: There are a lot of people who go to a dog show who do so at the expense of energy, resources, money, time, and family activity. Not everybody just picks up their dog and goes to a dog show. It’s more effort for some. I will tell you another story…Many years ago, I had a wom- an who went BOW in her breed and she said, “Gosh, I’m glad I did this.” I asked her what she meant and she said, “My husband was very opposed to my coming to the dog show.” I told her that I’d driven a long way to get there and she said, “You have rewarded my faith in your liking this kind of dog.” People sacrificed to get to the AKC Na- tional Championship, and in doing so they deserved my full attention. 10. Now that it’s over, what are your thoughts on the 2021 show year? What about the year ahead? My wife and I have spent almost three years in isolation, and we just celebrated our third wedding anniversary in October. The isolation gave us an opportunity to learn more about “spouse.” We used that time as an opportunity to expand our world, and not to be dependent upon any other factor expanding it for us. The 2021 AKC National Championship was the first time I’d flown in an airplane in three years. I would have flown a few months ago, but the doctor wouldn’t let me fly. So, I had to miss the Poodle National, which I’ve done many times and I love it every time. I would have done the Shar- Pei National too, and I would have done the Giant Schnau- zer National, and… We have to remember that the year ahead is twelve months, and a whole lot can happen in twelve months. I will tell you that when it comes to 2022, I don’t know what the hell is going to happen!
Johnny Shoemaker TOY GROUP Placements:
Group One: CH Pequest Fortune Cookie (Pekingese) Group Two: GCHG Tamarin Tattoo (Affenpinscher) Group Three: GCHB Wynmark’s Les Bijoux’s Rock’N Rolz At Reverie (Havanese) Group Four: GCHB Heavenbound He’s The Prince Of Peace (Pomeranian) 1. Can you describe your reaction to receiving an invi- tation to judge the Toy Group at the AKC National Championship Presented by Royal Canin? I was so thrilled when I got the call that the AKCNational Championship Presented by Royal Canin wanted me to judge the Toy Group. It made my whole year!! What an honor to be selected, knowing they had trust in me and in my knowledge of the Toy Group breeds. 2. What does it mean to judge a Group at the only all-breed show organized directly by the American Kennel Club? First of all, judging a Group at the AKC “show of shows” means so much to me… like I have finally arrived into the inner circle and I will do my best to remain there. I wish to thank the American Kennel Club and the AKC Board of Directors, and especially the President of the AKC, Den- nis Sprung, and Jason Taylor for such a great honor. 3. In your opinion, how does this show differ from other AKC events? In a year with COVID, the AKC National Champi- onship Show still maintained its position as one of the top two shows in the world… Westminster being the other show. I believe that the show maintains the goal
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JANUARY 2022 | 175
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