NATIONAL SPECIALTIES
When and where was your first National? Indoor or outdoors? Entry? Judges? AF: 1980 “The Great Affenpinscher Weekend” takes place. It’s the first “unofficial” Affenpinscher National Spe- cialty, held at Kanadasaga Kennel Club on June 7. Miss Iris de la Torre Bueno gave Ch. El Cocagi Kamehameha Best of Breed (“Bear” was the first Affen ever awarded a Best In Show.) There were 5-point majors in both sexes. 1986 The Affenpinscher Club of American holds its first licensed specialty in conjunction with the Mattoponi Kennel Club Show on May 17, 20 years after the club’s first organizational meeting. BOB went to Ch. Hilane’s Lonesome Cowboy, under Judge Frank Sabella. There were 39 Affenpinschers entered, which was the larg- est Affen entry to that point. 1988 First bitch to win the National Specialty was Ken-Jo’s Little Affen Annie, bred by Ken and Josephine Harkins and owned by Richard and Barbara Sayers. AZ: May 1990, Dacula Georgia. Judge: Peggy Swayze Show was held under a pavilion in a park. Entry was 12. BOB Reckendah’s Kiffah, owned Deb Kidwell, Virginia, Breeder: Gisela Cook-Schmidt. Best Puppy Kel Simoon Air, Bred/owned Deb Kidwell, Virginia SS: The Standard Schnauzer Club of America’s first National was February 9, 1927, indoors, with Miniature and Stan- dards, 61 dogs benched, the day before Westminster. The judge was Maurice Newton. Best of breed was Ch. Claus v. Fuerstenwall, owned by Mrs. Nion Tucker. When and where is this year’s National? Indoor or outdoors? Judges? AF: Affenpinscher Club of America National Specialty is Sat- urday July 21 to be held indoors in conjunction with the Hoosier Tire Classic Dog Show Cluster, St Joseph County Fairgrounds in South Bend, Indiana. The Dog Show Superintendent is Roy Jones Dog Shows. The Hoosier Tire Classic Dog Show Cluster is four days with four days of National Owner Handled Series. The Clubs hosting each day and judges for Affenpinschers are: Thursday, July 19, La Porte County Kennel Club, Judge Charles Olvis; Friday, July 20, Michiana Kennel Club, Supported Entry, Judge Jan Paula; Saturday, July 21, Michiana Kennel Club, National Specialty; Sweepstakes, Judge Veronica Lange; National Specialty, Judge Randy Garren; Sunday, July 22, Berrien kennel Club, Judge Elizabeth Mulhard AZ: July 14, 2018 in conjunction with the Regatta Classic in Madison, Ohio. Outdoors. Judge: Jed Chua, Philippines. SS: The Yankee Classic shows at the Eastern States Exposi- tion Center (The Big E), West Springfield, Massachusetts. Our National is on July 7, 2018 with the Farmington Val- ley KC, Indoors, Judge Bill Shelton. Sweepstakes Judge is Liz Hanson.
SS: We use trophy donations and have an auction. The cata- log is from the Yankee Classic clubs who are hosting the shows, so we don’t know about their income. Are you offering special events? AZ: Open show on Friday. Judge education seminar on July 14 at 1:00 given by David Miller, who will also judge our open show on Friday, limited to Misc. and FSS breeds. SS: Two local Standard Schnauzer clubs on the East coast, the Knickerbocker Standard Schnauzer Club and the Potomac Valley Standard Schnauzer Club are having AKC Fast CAT and Barn Hunt trials, respectively, preced- ing the shows on July 2-4. On July 7 after judging, we have a parade of Standard Schnauzer rescue dogs and a parade of Champions, Obedience and Rally Titleholders. We have a Schnauzer Forum followed by an educational seminar on July 5. We are holding a welcome BBQ on July 6 and we have our awards banquet and auction on July 7, both at our host hotel. We are also offering Standard Schnauzer judges education at the Big E on July 6. Is your national dedicated to any individual? AZ: We have a memorial trophy for Best in Specialty. Com- memorates Gisela Cook-Schmidt, the original breeder of the Azawakh in the US. The artwork on the trophy was done by Gisela.
What is the biggest challenge facing you as you plan a National Specialty? AZ: Lack of help from other club members. As with most clubs, a few people do most of the work. SS: Lack of a local indoor show site and trying to find clubs that offer additional events besides conformation, obedi- ence and rally. The Knickerbocker Standard Schnauzer Club is a small New York, New Jersey, Connecticut based club and we are hosting our SSCA National this year. We don’t have a show site with multi-day indoor shows in our area, so when the National comes to the Northeast, we hold it in Massachusetts at the Big E. Our SSCA members always ask for agility. Some don’t attend because there is no agility. The Big E was too expensive for our club to hold standalone agility. After exhausting all possible options to hold any additional events at the Big E, our two east coast regional clubs found an off-site facility in Connecticut for Fast CATs and Barn Hunt and are hosting those themselves. What can be done to make this change? SS: I’m not sure if anything can be done about the location since we are limited to which show sites are big enough and available indoors—with A/C in the summer.
What is the theme of this year’s show? SS: Star Spangled Schnauzers.
What is your best source of fundraising for the National? Does your catalogue bring in good income? Trophy donations? AZ: Membership dues, Rescue donations, Catalog usually has some ads but doesn’t bring in much in funds.
S how S ight M agazine , J une 2018 • 245
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