Week of March 13, 2013
BEST IN SHOWS from week ending March 10th, 2013
Prince Albert Kennel & Obedience Club – Saskatchewan Show 1 Std. Poodle Ch. Crystalton Suspence Judge: Thora Brown Show 2 Cairn Terrier Ch. YellowBrickRoad King Of The Road Judge: Allan Brown Show 3 Siberian Husky – Ch. Shisaido’s Sandkist SailRunner Judge: Sharon Derrick Show 4 Pomeranian – Ch. Valcopy Jamel Sir Crystalton Judge: Thomas Alexander Show 5 - Siberian Husky – Ch. Shisaido’s Sandkist SetSail Judge: Jan Buchanan Show 6 – Welsh Corgi Pembroke – Ch. Curig Faerie Tale Highlander Judge: Butch Macdonald Scarborough Kennel Club – Orangeville, Ontario Friday
Great Pyrenees Ch. Ex Monark Abbeyroads Molly Malone Judge: Honey Glendinning
Saturday
Doberman Pinscher – GChEx. Goldgrove High Intensity Judge: Dr. Gerard Penta
Sunday
Doberman Pinscher – GChEx. Goldgrove High Intensity Judge: Ed Wild
UPCOMING SHOWS this weekend
There are no shows in Canada this weekend. For results of Shows in the USA visit www.infodog.com
TOP TEN ALL BREEDS Courtesy of CanuckDogs.com
Rank
Last Month
Breed
Dog Name
BIS
GP1
GP2
GP3
GP4
Points
1
1
West Highland White Terrier
Ch Whitebriar Jaw Dropper(M)
8
16
0
0
0
2383
2
54
Doberman Pinscher
GChEx Goldgrove High Intensity(M)
2
2
1
1
1
903
3
2
Afghan Hound
Ch Polo's Air Force One(M)
2
6
0
3
0
766
4
5
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever
GCh Roaneden's Int'l Harvester(M)
1
2
4
2
0
755
5
3
Alaskan Malamute
GCh Mytuk's Technical Knock Out(M)
1
6
3
1
0
669
6
6
Dachshund (Stan- Ch Cahladen's dard Wire-Haired) Perfect Ten(F)
2
6
4
3
0
652
7
14
Pomeranian
Ch Valcopy Jamel Sir Crystalton(M)
1
7
1
3
2
612
8
4
Australian Shepherd
Ch Valor's King Of Blue(M)
1
7
1
1
0
599
9
9
German Shepherd Dog
GCh Signature's Philip Marlow V Kridler(M)
1
5
7
1
0
598
10
21
Giant Schnauzer
Ch Aerdenhout's Catch The Wind(M)
1
2
4
2
1
589
(TopDogWeekly does not verify these stats. They are supplied as a courtesy to our readers)
Results from Crufts for more detailed results and video please visit www.crufts.org.uk
Best in Show Judge:
Mr. Geoff Corish
Best in Show:
PBGV Ch. Soletrader Peek A Boo
Reserve Best in Show: Labrador Retriever Ch. Loch Mor Romer GunDog Group:
Labrador Retriever Ch. Loch Mor Romer Judge: Mrs Zena Thorn- Andrews
Hound Group:
PBGV Ch. Soletrader Peek A Boo Judge: Mr. Ben Reynolds - Frost
Working Group:
Bernese Mountain Dog Ch. Meadow Park Whispers Breeze Judge: Mrs. Ferelith Somerfield
Terrier Group:
Skye Terrier Ch. Salena The Special One Judge: Paul Wilkinson
Toy Group:
King Charles Spaniel – Ch. Maibee Theo Judge: Liz Cartledge
Utility Group:
Tibetan Terrier - Kybo Pandarama Judge: Frank Kane
Pastoral Group:
Australian Shepherd Ch. Allmark Fifth Avenue Judge: Jeff Luscott
Congratulations to all the breeders, owners and handlers from everyone at TopDogWeekly!
MEET OUR JUDGE OF THE WEEK COLETTE MULDOON, DUBLIN IRELAND
1.
Home city? Dublin, Ireland
2.
Breed or Breed’s you have bred? Samoyeds, Yorkshire Terrier, Bichon Frise, German Spitz, Schnauzers, and Rottweilers
3.
Years you have been Judging? 31 Years
4. Licensed for or, on Permit for? All Breeds 5.
Judged in what Countries? Canada, UK, Most European Countries, China, Russia, Australia, Iceland
6.
All time favourite assignment? Royal Adelaide 9 day Dog Show, 2012
7.
Favourite dog or dogs Judged from the past? Yorkshire Terrier - Ch. Quoccels Oliver Lightsome & Samoyed - Ch. Duckslate Majestic Spirit
8.
Pet Peeve’s in your ring? Exhibitor’s not entering the ring when called in by the Ring Steward
9.
Favourite way to relax? Walking my dogs
10. How do you occupy your time in travel? People watching, chatting to fellow traveler’s about my hobby 11. What do you think is the biggest problem facing our Sport? Too many health checks are making people afraid to buy show dogs here in Ireland THANK YOU COLETTE MULDOON - WELCOME TO TopDogWeekly!
CKC’s new Executive Director,
MR. LANCE NOVAK
The TopDogWeekly team had a chance to meet the CKC’s new Executive Director, Mr. Lance Novak both in person and on the telephone this last week. We have been able to secure an opportunity to chat with Lance after the CKC’s AGM that is happening this upcoming weekend in Victoria, BC. In order to get more acquainted with Lance, he was kind enough to provide this bio for us to share with all our readers and a few pics of him and his lovely Irish Wolfhound. We hope this gives you a good snapshot of who Lance is and his capabilities! We look forward to getting to know Lance and to sharing our chat with everyone over the next few weeks with you our readers! Lance has over 20 years of experience in senior management and executive roles primarily in the regulatory and non profit sectors. Most recently he was part of the executive team at the Ontario College of Trades. As Director, he provided strategic direction for start up of member services, standards development and assessment services for skilled trades in Ontario. Prior to that, Lance was Vice President, Sales and Marketing at the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). Over his 15 years at CSA, Lance was involved with multiple stakeholder groups across Canada and lead a portfolio that grew revenues by more than five-fold and reached record high client satisfaction ratings. Throughout his career, Lance has brought success and business growth through a variety of initiatives and projects including; new product development and delivery, IT direction and implementation, event management, new business development and strategic alliances. Lance is also a firm believer that success is achieved through engaged and motivated staff that are attuned and aligned to the needs of members, customers and stakeholders. He has also served and been involved in many Boards over the years with a common thread of a volunteerism and a social mandate. For example, he served as Chair of the Board of one of Canada’s largest health and safety associations (Industrial Accident Prevention Association) during a major system overhaul and merger. As a supporter and owner of purebred dogs for over thirty years (with perhaps a small bias to Irish Wolfhounds), Lance is proud and excited to have this opportunity to champion the mission and goals of the Canadian Kennel Club. He sees a world of opportunity for the Club to flourish and prosper and is eager to get started. Welcome LANCE TO the TopDogWeekly Family! And we wish you and the Board a successful and positive AGM this weekend!
AN INTERVIEW WITH CHRISTINE AND JOHN HEARTZ Chriscendo Pomeranians
Looking back over 40 years, we have always tried to maintain a small group of quality dogs that are both excellent examples of the breed and that pleased us. Without both, it would not be worthwhile. Our emphasis on quality, not quantity is often self-inflicted, as Pomeranians are notorious for single puppy litters, making high achievements difficult. Our Pomeranians have been recognized all over the world for their consistent quality, generation after generation. We pride ourselves on producing dogs that present type and athleticism in one pretty little package. If records are important; we have bred more than 100 champions, with more than 150 Best In Show and Best Puppy In Show awards which are too numerous to count. Chriscendo Pomeranians are the breed record holders with the Top Winning Bitch of all time, as well as Top Producers both in Canada and the US as well as multi Champions and Breed Record holders in several other countries for other Breeders as well. But the records are there to be broken. Our Start: We were married just after Chris bred her first litter in the 70’s. John was a very successful All Breed Handler (a career which spanned more than 30 years.) He had been a very successful breeder of Pembroke Welsh Corgis but he had to give them up as the Handling demanded more and more of his time. For Chris, breeding and showing the dogs was a weekend hobby, as she was involved in Design for a carpet company. Our first dog, Can. Am. Bda. Ch. Millamor’s Rock Medallion was not just a great sire, but was an ambassador for the breed. It was Medallion who caught the interest of many judges for his wonderful side gait. He was used extensively by a number of breeders throughout his life, and is a foundation sire for several top kennels today. Can. Am. Ch. Chriscendo Calvin Klein ROMX and Ch. Chriscendo Classico ROMX have also established lines for many breeders in several countries. Over the years we bred dogs which contributed much to the breed and gained recognition for Chriscendo. Two dogs, Can. Am. Ch. Chriscendo City Lights ROMS, (one of the top sires in the breed of all time - in the US in the 80’s) and more recently, our Can. Am. Ch. Chriscendo Call To Arms ROMS, (who for several years had been one of the top Pom sires in the US) because well known sires on both sides of the border. Our Can. Am. Chriscendo Colour Picture set a breed record for Black and Tan Poms, with 10 All Breed BIS. Can. Thai Ch. Chriscendo Catcall became the Top Winning Pom of all time in Thailand. Here at home, Ch. Can. Am.Ch. Chriscendo Classica (co-owned with Robert and Doug Stratton) had 32 BIS, making her top winning bitch of all time in Canada and one of the top Toys, as well as being a multiple Group winner in the US.
Good mentors: So many people have helped us most I am sure without knowing. A kind word from a friend, a judge or another breeder, sometimes just helps you over a low point (and we all have those!) We enjoy discussing dogs, conformation, breeding or reminiscing about some of the old greats in any breed. Judges like Ann Rogers Clark will leave an indelible impression, for few have such a depth of knowledge in so many facets of this sport. The way in which Mrs. Clark would take the time whether with an encouraging word to a novice, an assured pat to one she saw promise in or a stern look when one was misbehaving. There will never be another. The Millers, Ken and Eleanor,(Millamor) were very important to us. Chris had always admired their dogs and the Chriscendo Pomeranians trace directly from the Millamor dogs. We always enjoyed a wonderful relationship over the years, working closely together and sharing dogs. John brought his own experience both in raising dogs and in the sport itself and felt it is difficult, if not impossible, to breed dogs in isolation. John is all about not wasting good dogs. He feels that if you have the opportunity to own one, consider what this dog could mean to the breed. Consider leasing, lending whatever, if you can’t do it yourself. So often when a novice is lucky enough to have a wonderful dog, they waste it by breeding it to inferior specimens, keep it home when the fancy would benefit from seeing and learning about an excellent example of the breed. John’s knowledge of structure has also taught me to “see the big picture” while I may keep type in the forefront of my mind, he looks at the structural aspects of each dog and while we don’t always agree, between us we usually manage to keep the right ones. Lessons learned: Breeding Pomeranian, as in most breeds has its ups and downs. Whether it’s evaluating the depth of quality available in the breed at a given time or looking at the highs and lows in your own kennel/breeding program. You have to constantly look outside, at what is happening in your breed, how styles change, certain things become fashionable, evaluating what is a good thing and what is not. In a breed that produces so few puppies, every one is precious. It is important to remember that they can not all be great ones, but by keeping the best and maintaining a level of quality so that future generations have a better chance to give you, not just something to show, but a dog who may be the next influential sire or dam in the breed. We basically work within one line, with broad boundaries around it that enable us to breed out and still stay loosely within the family. We have been lucky enough to work with a small group of like-minded breeders from around the world who are doing similar things with similar dogs. This enables us to get something back that will work with our dogs and yet would not be considered a complete outcross. We are then able to maintain the look we like and “tweek” individual characteristics with each generation, constantly striving for that “perfect” Pom. For us to breed out or to choose a dog within our own kennel the criteria is the same. He must offer qualities that match or exceed the bitch we are breeding. By constantly improving you are in effect giving that litter a better set of genes then its parents and with that hopefully an external improvement as well. It’s like doing a puzzle; you can find the piece that fits exactly and build from there with more pieces. But if you try to use a piece that does not work (or fit) you will not be able to complete the picture. Our goal has always been to ensure that each successive generation “brings to the table” a higher level of quality than the generation before.
Challenges: Pomeranians as a breed have stifle and heart problems, open fontenals along with the usual bite and testicle issues other breeds face. When choosing a male as a potential stud dog he must have testicles at 8 weeks. By being so tough, over so many generations, I believe it is why this is one issue we don’t have to deal with too often. We are also not willing to compromise on bites, it is a scissors bite or it’s a pet. In this way we can eliminate early, two common problems and by screening for good healthy hearts and reasonably sound stifles, this becomes the “short list” for running on puppies. From a Breed type perspective, we are breeding for a very specific body type. Pomeranians, as in other Toy breeds can develop “dwarf like” characteristics. In our own breeding stock, we look for a good length of leg, short back, good coming and going and a side profile when moving that maintains that outline. Now within that criterion, obviously you must compromise somewhere. And this is where we have to constantly remember they are not all “stars” or Best In Show winners. Many maintain important breed characteristics and hopefully will be able to produce them. That is always our challenge. Poms are seriously affected by a condition that affects many of the Spitz breeds. It is called a number of names, BSD (Black Skin Disease) or Alopecia X, but whatever the term, it causes them to loose their coat completely for a long or short period of time. It can leave them looking like a Chinese Crested for the majority of their life. This problem exists in dogs all over the world and has had a significant affect for longer than our 30 some years in the breed. There appears to be a “trigger” that tells a normal dog to move out of teligen (the resting phase of coat growth that all dogs who shed experience). In the Pom, and other related breeds, the trigger seems to be lazy or non existent. The end result is that the coat literally falls out over a period of time or is worn off in a symmetrical pattern and in the worst cases, does not re grow. Projects funded by the American and Canadian Pomeranian Clubs are ongoing and research continues. We have been involved in blood testing from the beginning of the project and are encouraged that those who are conducting research to find the genetic marker are getting closer. Research costs money and Chris sits on the Committee of the American Pomeranian Club that is fundraising as well as creating awareness of the necessary information. While some would consider this problem considered more an aesthetic one than life threatening, it is still seriously affecting a large portion of the breed. Finding a genetic marker will enable us to breed away from the problem to eliminate it entirely. But as we continue we feel Chriscendo should be an integral part of helping others to produce better Poms. Breed Seminars help novices and other breeders and Judges understand the structure and function of our breed. Grooming Seminars also help others present the best possible picture in the ring. By sharing not only our own dogs, but making any dogs other breeders kindly allow to visit available to other breeders as well. We feel this has given Canadian breeders, who would otherwise not always had access to some of these Top dogs and put them within their reach, if they choose to take advantage of them. Any of our dogs we do part with, we try to ensure that we put them in the best possible hands. In this way we have helped in some way, to produce beautiful examples of the breed for others. Final Thoughts: A great dog is a gift don’t waste it. Breed what makes you happy, this is your hobby, remember to have fun and enjoy...
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
Should multi-show weekends across Ontario be revoked? If so, how can this be accomplished in a fair manner to the various Clubs affected? Sandra Lex - Breeder/Owner/Exhibitor/All Breed Judge I feel that the bottom line is that we have too many shows, with not enough exhibits to make it profitable for many clubs. The cost of venues have risen so much that at the present time we have no shows in the Toronto area, There needs to be a moratorium placed on new shows. The idea of limited shows is only for remote areas, I can recall the day when we had only two shows a weekend and this could be one answer to our situation. The cost of going to shows today has steadily increased and it has become a challenge to be able to afford a weekend. This would also solve the issue of seeing the same judges every 3 months. Another option would be as an example the CKC could designate shows on different levels. There was an interesting article in Dogs in Review concerning the giving out of challenge certificates and the use of Open Shows in England, Whether this could ever be implemented here in Canada is questionable. In England they have only 24 shows that give out Challenge certificates. I do not know if anyone at CKC is prepared to tell Clubs they can no longer hold shows at the same time as another club in the province. Linda Thompson & Joe Panaro - Breeder/Owners/Exhibitors I think Ontario is big enough to host more than one show a weekend as long as the kilometres between the concerned shows is changed. For example have a minimum of 700km Thunder Bay – Ottawa or Windsor – Sudbury. I would hate for the Northern Ontario shows to suffer any more than they already do. For example, there could be one Northern Ontario show and one other show in Ontario a minimum of 700km away. We know we have too many shows, we know we have to do something. I think this would be a good place to start. Loreta Serafini - Breeder/Owner/Exhibitor Yes!!!! At this point the fewer shows we have in Ontario the better. Nowadays so many shows are put on by clubs that have 3 members and who hire board members or judges
who drive to their assignments. Why should these clubs be rewarded for their laziness and lack of commitment to improving the sport with good weekends? Clubs who work hard to attract the public and who take a risk on hiring good judges, who show care and concern for the exhibitor and who find new and creative ways to make our shows fun and fresh should be rewarded with their choice of weekends. Judi Elford - Breeder/Owner/Exhibitor/Judge Historically I believe it’s fairly obvious that regions that have shows less frequently enjoy larger entries at the shows they do have. Speaking just from an Ontario standpoint, the Eastern shows always seem bigger and better attended than the other regions. True they draw from Quebec, but that is another region that tends to space out many of their shows. These people don’t do shows every weekend meaning they have more time for home, family, etc. And the shows they do go to tend to be well attended and fruitful from many standpoints. Speaking as an exhibitor in southern Ontario if I’m competing for #1 in my breed against someone, say in Alberta. I generally have to attend 2 or 3 times as many shows to have the opportunity at as many points as they do. In fact, I have been there so speak from experience. This “every weekend madness” adds enormously to the drain on an owner-handlers time, money and other resources, whilst no doubt at the same time being a great source of full time employment for many professional handlers. Ok I realize the question is about multi-show weekends which I assume is asking about multiple shows per day. Based on what I’ve said above, this just compounds all of the same problems with the possible exception of time. I understand why they were originally rolled out in the more remote areas to save clubs on costs and provide lots of shows to the exhibitors periodically, but it seems to have spiralled out of control to the point of being a big money maker for handlers and the CKC, and not much else. There isn’t much excitement or pleasure in these “crammed” days. Class dog entries in most breeds are abysmal, and their chance of placing in group against the plethora of handlers with campaigned specials is slim. I would prefer to see one GOOD show per month in a region, and would be willing to pay a higher entry/recording fees for that. Entries become more predictable, and the whole experience is more enjoyable. I’m not quite sure where that leaves the clubs and the handlers but suspect it would be a matter of survival of the fittest. I want to see my sport survive, but fear that some of the band-aid solutions are not helping our viability over the long term. I have discussed some ideas for reseeding the sport with my director and some fellow exhibitors - namely to include one “get in free” family pass to a CKC event with every dog registered with the CKC. There would be a website link to search for any type of upcoming event by postal code.
This idea might even be expanded to include one free entry into an event, the information that was included with that CKC registration would include links to positive articles about what the various CKC disciplines involve, and how to learn more (ie, links to breed and performance clubs). Do you know what new puppy owners get now, A CKC registration certificate, Full stop… This is a HUGE un-mined pool of potential players in our sport. How hard could it BE to implement this? Another idea would be to provide similar info to every paid admission at dog shows nation wide. Most of them now pay their money and are waved in without any guidance or follow up. Folks, THESE are the people interested in purebred dogs! If we don’t pitch to them, who will fill our shoes when we’re gone? I know it can be a bit of bother, maybe CKC has to shake off some of their complacency and begin implementing some steps to save their jobs. If in fact we can’t interest them in the fancy outside of the office. Multi show weekends Yes, one symptom among many in the sickness that has a grip on the sport of purebred dog ownership and competition as we emit our dying gasps. I look forward to reading of others possible solutions in this forum. Pam McClintock - Breeder/Owner/Exhibitor/Handler Multi show weekends have seriously damaged and have even been the demise of some all breed clubs. With entries being split in several directions on any given weekend, each club is getting fewer and fewer entries with a result of major loss in revenue. I would suggest a complete overhaul of the yearly dog show calendar, with an effort extended to giving suffering clubs other dates (January is currently clear). I would also recommend where possible the emergence of cluster shows with multiple clubs sharing the expenses and income. Where that is not a feasible solution trading yearly dates so that each club in a similar geographical location has a show year might also be beneficial. Limit shows should only be possible in remote areas where clubs cannot share and where the dog showing population is restricted. There might need to be a moratorium developed wherein judges donate their time for their expenses only at least once per year, in order to assist failing clubs. CKC could forego returns for one year from those clubs with fewer than (x) amount of entries, Again all in an effort to assist struggling clubs with insufficient funds, in becoming more lucrative and independent.
We thank you for expressing your opinions and thoughts and sharing them with the global dog fancy! Together we can make a difference!