Cardigan Welsh Corgi Breed Magazine - Showsight

because it is an important aspect of the overall dog. “Temperament: Even- tempered, loyal, affectionate and adapt- able. Never shy nor vicious. Please don’t reward any bad tempered dog, it is not an acceptable feature of our dogs and should be not be rewarded in any manner. In review, remember the following disqualifications: • Blue eyes, or partially blue eyes, in any coat color other than blue merle. • Drop ears. • Nose other than solid black except in blue merles. • Any color other than specified. • Body color predominantly white. The Cardigan is riding a wonderful wave of success in recent years and has become very competitive in the show ring. Newcomers to the breed are always welcomed. The National Club is very proactive about providing a posi- tive experience for those new to the breed. You will find that older mem- bers are more than ready to assist in any manner possible. I recall my very first time exhibiting. It was a big out- door venue with a large crowd and a good entry. I proudly placed my young dog on the table backwards. I no idea

what I was doing but it looked fun. The judge was kind enough to ignore my ignorance and examine the dog any- ways. We made our way around the ring and got our blue ribbon. Feeling quite pleased with myself, I left the ring and was immediately met by two extreme- ly well-known breeders. Helen Jones was the grand dam of Cardigans. Her grandmother was the first to import them to the USA. The other was Robert Caldwell, husband to Helen and a prom- inent figure in the Cardigan world. Both congratulated me on my first adventure and ever so tactfully informed me that I could use some handling lessons. This well-respected couple was truly dedi- cated to the breed and both were deep- ly involved in judging, breeding and educating both here and abroad. Sadly we lost Helen a few years ago, but Bob still oversees the breed and continues his mentoring ways. So when the announcer at Westmin- ster gives that deep resounding state- ment that the Cardigan Welsh Corgi is in the house, you can bet the that fun- ny looking long and low dog with the turned out feet will be heading to the front of line and looking back at the oth- ers saying “follow me if you can.”

For further education, you are strongly encouraged to visit the edu- cation/resource page on the CWCCA national website. There you will find a plethora of informative articles written by many well-known Cardigan experts both past and present like Marieann Gladstone, Jonathan Jeffrey Kimes, Norma Chandler, Teddy McDowell and Patrick Ormos. In addition, do not hesi- tate to reach out to the members of the Judges Education Committee who have well over a century of combined history in the breed. Each of them has a passion unmatched when it comes to provid- ing educational opportunities for those truly interested in learning more about the Cardigan Welsh Corgi.

S HOW S IGHT M AGAZINE , A UGUST 2018 • 273

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