Week of March 20, 2013
BEST IN SHOWS from week ending March 17th, 2013
There were no All Breed Shows in Canada last week to report on!
UPCOMING SHOWS this weekend
Battle River Canine Association - Alberta Northwinds Dog Club – Manitoba Cobequid Dog Club – Nova Scotia
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
54
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)
MEET OUR JUDGE OF THE WEEK GRANT TOWNSEND, VICTORIA, BC.
1.
Home city? Victoria, BC
2.
Breed or Breed’s you have bred? Papillon, Shetland Sheepdog, Yorkshire Terriers
3.
Years you have been Judging? 11 years
4.
Licensed for or, on Permit for? On permit for Gr 2, Licensed for the remaining 6 groups
5.
Judged in what Countries? Canada, offers from Australia, Mexico, South Africa
6.
All time favourite assignment? I enjoy them all
7.
Favourite dog or dogs Judged from the past? Kenrennie Casper a Papillion
8.
Pet Peeve’s in your ring? People who do not exercise their dogs prior to entering the ring
9.
How many shows a year do you Judge in Canada? 5 – 10 and I ring steward for three shows a year
10. Favourite way to relax? Gardening, cooking, travel. At the time of writing, we are getting ready for a 75 day cruise around South America 11.
How do you occupy your time in travel? Reading, visiting sites around the city
12. Your thoughts on limit shows? There are too many of them – most areas could join together to run larger shows 13. What do you think is the biggest problem facing our Sport? People rush in and out of the show area. Seldom do they stay past their own breed. We need to make the shows more interesting (spectator events) and FUN! THANK YOU GRANT TOWNSEND - WELCOME TO TopDogWeekly!
QUESTION OF THE WEEK
As you know, the Canadian Kennel Club’s Annual General Meeting was held this past weekend in Victoria BC. What do you believe to be the most important issue facing our new Executive Director Mr. Novak? Dr. Richard Meen • Breeder/Owner/Exhibitor/Judge It is easy: take the CKC out of the past and into the present, let alone the future.The current board structure is based on obsolete principles and need. In this day and age representation should be based on competence not geography. Every zone is a mere finger touch away, but the Canadian and the International canine community do require skills more than just breeding a top winning dog. Canines need to be preserved, honored and assisted in evolving to meet our needs today. They (the dogs) have always been willing to do that, humans have not demonstrated the same capacity. As I said the CEO has an “easy” task. I don’t think so. Hope I can help. Heather Brennan • Breeder/Owner/Exhibitor/Judge Provided that the CKC is not on the verge of financial collapse as it was a few years ago, I think the first priority needs to be an up-to-date computer system including the website. Updating the system and creating a website that can answer many common requests such as how many points a dog has, points earned at shows, etc and making as much of the registration and ordering processes as possible available online can save them money in many ways and improve customer service. Anyone who has used the online registration will tell you it is much faster in terms of turnaround for paperwork. I’ve received registration paper within three days of doing them online. That makes customers happy. This frees up staff time to address concerns that require their attention and streamlines the whole process. The website is also an incredible opportunity to reach out to the public and educate them about purebred dogs and all the great things they can do with their pet. There is so much misinformation out there and purebred dogs need an advocate, The CKC should be that advocate. The website needs to not only be much more user-friendly but also to appeal to the average person interested in getting a pet. This is free advertising for all the events offered by CKC clubs, Why aren’t we using it to try to interest the public in coming out and learning more about our breeds and what we do? If you look at websites for the AKC or PawsWay you’ll find that they welcome the pet owner. While we should not ignore breed bans and cropping/docking bans, they are not the only thing people need to know about purebred dogs.
Adele MacAskill • Breeder/Owner/Exhibitor “The Canadian Kennel Club (CKC) is the primary registry body for purebred dogs in Canada and currently recognizes 175 breeds. As a non-profit organization, the CKC is dedicated to encouraging, guiding, and advancing the interests of purebred dogs and their responsible owners and breeders in Canada and promoting the knowledge and understanding of the benefits which dogs can bring to Canadian society. The CKC is incorporated under Animal Pedigree Act, a federal statute under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture. The organization includes approximately 20,000 individual members and over 700 breed clubs across Canada. The Club registers purebred dogs, regulates dog shows and performance events, and speaks out on major issues concerning dog ownership and the health & welfare of dogs across Canada.” From the CKC web-site. Perhaps the most important issue facing our new Executive Director is the apparent loss of leadership status in terms of major issues concerning dog ownership and the health & welfare of dogs across Canada. IMHO Mr. Novak’s single biggest challenge lies in “how” he will bring the CKC back into a leadership position to be again recognized as the “voice” of Canadian breeders on tough subjects like Breed Specific Legislation, Docking and Cropping bans and other provincial by-laws which will destroy breeders and breeding programs. Unfortunately the CKC has been “MIA” on these important subjects. Three prominent politicians came together and introduced Bill 16 to repeal BSL in Ontario… the CKC should have been publicly leading the way in support of this very important Bill. The CKC should also have taken the lead and been/be working with the provincial bodies to ensure CKC members/breeders were/are protected from impossible to comply with kennel requirements some of which have already been enshrined in provincial law. If the CKC is not willing to take a strong position against the CVMA’s relentless drive to ban docking and cropping puppy buyers will go to the US for the Bob-tail of their youth or the Doberman of their dreams. Once fully implemented these Bans will cause significant loss of revenue to the CKC as the breeders of impacted breeds close down breeding programs because they cannot sell their puppies or compete in US shows. The data is conclusive and all one has to do is look at the universally declining registrations of those breeds coming under the Bans. We need leadership and the CKC needs to step up! Another of Mr. Novak’s challenges will be to bring the CKC to a stable operating platform both financially and technically: without which the CKC will continue to be unable to fulfill its mandate of advancing the interests of purebred dogs and breeders across Canada and educate the general public about the Sport of Dogs. Without achieving financial stability and technical currency all revenue will continue to be focused on maintaining the status quo. Trish Cooper • Breeder/Owner/Exhibitor I think Mr. Novak has a bigger challenge than most people realize. The CKC has been without an Executive Director for a long time. Yes, we had Acting Executive Directors but they really did not have time to sink their teeth into the many problems with the logistics of the CKC. I am pleased that we finally have someone who has the actual position and hopefully Mr. Novak will be approachable by the CKC members to listen to their concerns and offer assistance in resolving issues. I see the CKC staff as a great concern many employees do not seem to know the first thing about the role of the CKC or anything about purebred dogs. This is not helpful for questions a member or non-member might
have. I have found several of the staff to be quite rude both in emails and on the phone, they do not seem to realize that we as members are the CKC. They work for us! I am hopeful that Mr. Novak can get some of the more prominent positions filled by educated, positive people who really do care about the world of pure bred dogs. At the moment, the public does not see the CKC as anything special. Let’s get a CKC booth back out at events be it conformation, performance or any other activity that attracts the public. The whole system of registering dogs seems to be outdated, with society as it is these days we want and need instant answers on some things. Did you know that when purchased the stud dog books are sent out by email in a very outdated format? There is not even an official CKC logo at the top of each page they also seem to be incomplete. Results of Shows/Trials are very difficult to find on the website, maybe working in conjunction with an outside source would help ie: Canuck Dogs or a web site designer making the CKC website informative for members, and interesting for the general public looking for a breed to own. I guess what I am saying is that the CKC needs to catch up with the times! At the rate we are going I fear our club will disappear and the world of pure bred dogs as we know it will just fade away into the distance, only to become history. I wish Mr. Novak well in his new position I think the first year is going to be very challenging for him but once some things have been sorted out, he will find his position very rewarding. I for one would be willing to help him in any way I can. Are you? Tom Burke • Breeder/Owner/Exhibitor/Judge I do not feel that there is a solution to this problem which we have created. We had a system and a show method which was clearly our own Canadian content if you will. Various clubs and people were not satisfied until we became the Canadian arm of the American Kennel Club by changing rules, wording of our methods and education of our Judges in both Conformation and Obedience. Until we turned off the owner, breeder, exhibitor because they felt that there was no longer any place for them at our events. The basis of these changes was to bring the American entry to our shows and trials and thus increase entries. This did not occur and we have gone past the point of no return. Even our Judges education is now based on the American system with the Rep giving advice on any questions. This does not occur in our system. The judge is the final word here, not the Rep we have lost our Canadian identity. These thoughts are based on my involvement with the CKC, purebred dogs, running dog shows, and judging for all these many years. We thank you for expressing your opinions and thoughts and sharing them with the global dog fancy! Together we can make a difference!
AN INTRODUCTION TO CATHY FRENCH,
Cathy French Photography
I was born in Toronto, Ontario and now reside in Sherwood Park, Alberta. Started showing dogs as a Junior Handler my parents had their first Borzoi from Dr. Richard Meen and Dr. John Reeve Newson, named “Boris” who was a littermate of their very famous Ch. Kishniga’s Desert Song. “Moustache” My own first dog was at age 10 when I got a Whippet from Tuck Turner of Denroc Whippets.
I worked as an assistant to Shannon Scheer and Teri Taplin, I was always interested in photography and mentored with the late Mike Lidster of Mikron Photography. I learned portrait photography from Cheryl Wells of Wells Photographic, I have been shooting for over 20 years. I shoot mainly at shows in Alberta and Saskatchewan but I have covered shows in British Columbia, Manitoba and Ontario. I very much enjoy shooting Agility, unfortunately with the All Breed photo’s I don’t get a lot of time to spend with Agility. I love to do photo shoots where I can stretch my creative talent, my work has been featured in many Canine magazines throughout Canada, as well I have shot front covers for many of them.
THE SYDNEY ROYAL DOG SHOW
The 2013 Sydney Royal is marking 190 years since its inception in 1823, the name Sydney Royal is the name for the competitive events that the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales organize each year. In addition to the animals and agricultural products that are showcased, there are many competitions with some being World Championships bringing the best from around the world to compete at the events held under the Sydney Royal banner. Some of the competitions include: Alpaca & Fleece competition which is regarded as the most prestigious Alpaca event in Australia. The Alpaca’s were first introduced in Australia in 1869 and have been a regular feature at the Sydney Royal since 1992, There are over 2,500 Alpaca growers in Australia and the wool is exported worldwide. The Sydney Royal Bird show features African Lovebirds, Parrots, Finches, Canaries, and Budgies, in 2012 they introduced a Junior Exhibitor Exhibition with youngsters and it was a huge success and is back in 2013. The Purina Sydney Royal Cat Show judges some 200 cats per day and is 8 days in length, featuring all breeds of domestic cats. The remaining animal judging competitions held at the Sydney Royal are, Cattle, Pigs, Goats, and a very unique Frog and Reptile show. The Sydney Royal Horse competition is huge with over 1,000 classes being presented over the days during the Royal. The many horse events attract the largest audiences each year be it rodeo, show jumping, draft horses, Polo and riding for the disabled. There is something for everyone at the Sydney Royal, Each year the Flower and Garden Show and Wine Show and the Fine Food Show attract thousands of visitors. On to the Dog Show, this years dog show runs from March 22 with Breed Judging taking place each day beginning Friday March 22 culminating with all the Groups and Best in Show being Judged on Monday April 1, 2013. Conformation and
Obedience Entry Fee’s for the Royal are $20.00 and the entries closed January 23, 2013. The panel is made up of 3 Judges, this year officiating at the Sydney Royal are Barbara Muller from Switzerland, Peggy Beisel Mcilwaine of the United States and Ramon Podesta of Chile. The Judges begin judging their assigned breeds on Friday March 22 ending on Sunday March 31. Each of the Judges will have one day off. Entries for the 2013 Sydney Royal are 3,232 dogs entered in the All Breed Show, The largest Breed entry is Border Collies with 93 entries, The smallest entry goes to the Tenterfield Field Terrier with an entry of 1. Monday April 1 – All the Groups will be Judged followed by Best in Show. Gun Dog Group – Peggy Beisel Mcilwaine Hound Group – Ramon Podesta Working Group – Barbara Muller Terrier Group – Peggy Beisel Mcilwaine Toy Group – Ramon Podesta Non-Sporting Group – Barbara Muller Utility Group – Barbara Muller Best in Show – Barbara Muller Best Puppy in Show – Ramon Podesta.
A REPORT FROM DAWNE DEELEY
Speculation, anticipation, expectation – these were but a few of the ‘buzz words’ surrounding the Canadian Kennel Club’s 2013 Annual General Meeting, held over March 14 – 16th, at the Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria, B.C.. Much discussion and conjecture had arisen during the weeks leading up to the meetings, not the least of which surrounded the appointment of the new Executive Director, Mr. Lance Novak. All seemed positive leading into the weekend; those given an opportunity to meet with Mr. Novak at eastern dog shows expressed cautious optimism at his willingness to exchange ideas and get down to a ‘grass roots’ level. As noted in a prior issue of TDW, this man is no stranger to dogs and their owners; an Irish Wolfhound aficionado, Novak can also brag an extensive background in I.T. training, and, as we were to discover, possesses extraordinary ‘people skills.’ The meeting opened on time at 8:30 Thursday morning, with only eight seated in the gallery. This was to change, however, and by the completion of the agenda on Friday the small meeting room was well filled. Michael Shoreman opened by reporting a budget surplus of $600,000, but cautioned that in spite of a healthy general financial position, there is still a serious decline in revenue. Shows and Trials are down 7%, registrations by 8%, and membership has fallen by 3%. By itself this may not look like much – but in the last seventeen years registrations have dropped by a whopping 42.6% Interested in figures? Total assets rose from 2.3M to 2.8M; expenditures were reduced from 5.5M to 5M. This is due in large part to the closure of Apex, and while it is good news for *now*, there could be trouble ahead if revenues don’t increase. Discussions continued at length regarding Agriculture Canada and the establishment of breed recognition characteristics and rules of eligibility for new breeds. The Board expressed concern (and in my opinion, rightly so) that continued waffling by AgCan could lead to what amounts to loss of control of breed standard definitions for the CKC. Shoreman noted that once rules of eligibility are determined, eighteen breeds now waiting ‘in the wings’ may be moved forward for acceptance into the CKC purebred fold. It should be noted these ROE will *NOT* be the same as standards for conformation. The Executive Director’s introduction was well worth waiting for. Novak’s approach was upbeat and positive; he recognises huge untapped potential within the organisation, and has happily gone out to ‘meet and greet’ at shows. It is obvious he has grasped the staggering number of issues facing the Board, and his announcements regarding our ‘dinosaur’ website were greeted with smiles and applause. The following morning opened with an update on docking/cropping and breed standards. Wendy Maisey and Elio Furlan indicated there is work being done on a ‘Question/Answer’
document regarding natural ears/tails for national breed clubs. This would hopefully allow the inclusion and acceptance for uncropped/undocked dogs to be allowed to compete on equal footing with altered specimens. In the absence of breed clubs, this would be forwarded to breeders; failing this, the CKC would act on its own recognisance. However, this has NOT been sent at this time – and the answers did not please Larry Kereluke, who pointed out “…the CKC has not done a good job of making members understand what the goals are”. Regardless of what side of the fence one sits on with this matter, the issue is of *CHOICE* for the breeder/exhibitor. With conflict arising over established DQ’s/faults for tails/dewclaws, it’s obvious this is not a simple matter to resolve. Further exchanges involved gallery participation; Lee Steeves argued for a more balanced and forgiving attitude by the Board, and Virginia Lyne commented interpretation by the membership is completely different. Wendy Maisey brought forward a good counter, explaining the decision is to level the playing field, be more accepting and to give us less of an ‘elitist’ face to the public and animal rights crowd. Laurie Savoie was eloquent in her plea of alienating the current fancy by not fully explaining the CKC’s position, and by ignoring the established breed ‘keepers’. A “more robust” communication strategy was desired by Lance Novak, while Michael Shoreman closed the discussion by saying more time should be allowed for communication and that a ‘new process’ was needed. Ms. Lyne got the final word in, by cautioning the Board to be more visible in defending the breeders’ right to choose. Other items to note before I run out of space - Dick Lopaschuck was voted in as this year’s Honourary Chair; a popular decision greeted by much applause and many smiles. On the topic of judges, correspondence was read from parent clubs of Bassets and Bulldogs, requesting these breeds be judged on a ramp. It seems a directive will be issued that strongly recommends judges use a ramp until such time as the rule book can be changed. Also given a ‘thumbs up’ was the motion allowing the FCPR permission to register Lagotto Romagnoli until such time as the breed is recognised here. A disappointing number of attendees were on hand to address the Board at Saturday’s open forum. Approximately 60 members were on hand to question directors and staff on topics ranging from breed specific legislation through the scheduling of junior showmanship events. In my not so humble opinion it was sad to see the lack of interest in what our club is doing, and how it is working to change. Granted, the trip from mainland British Columbia to Vancouver Island can be time consuming and awkward, but the opportunity to share ideas and passions with our eastern counterparts does not come up often enough. Of added interest was the post-forum meeting between the Vancouver Island Dog Judges Study Group, and a handful of CKC executives. Director Lee Steeves had extended the invitation to VIDJSG President Virginia Lyne with the intention of leading a “think tank” session directed towards various issues plaguing the sport today. Admitting that “…we can look at the rest of the world (but) we need something for the membership and public that is uniquely Canadian”, the group discussed major areas that needed work, and brainstormed ideas for future projects. General show re-modeling provided another topic, which included the following concepts: • • •
Limit the number of shows in Top Dog standings Discount coupons in registration packages for a new owner’s first show Introductory packages for new owners
• • • • •
More “stand alone” sanction matches Critiquing/grading – enhances judge knowledge, and adds value to the Canadian title. The Kennel Club of Great Britain’s “Young Kennel Club” scheme and how it could be applied for juniors and young adults. Mixed breed events – “household pet” events to draw the attention of the “man on the street’ Outside contracting of online information such as show results, pedigree info on individual dogs, etc.
These, and many other items, were brought forward, evaluated, and noted for further consideration. Participants also agreed on several aspects affecting registrations, such as the difficulty some people have in finding and purchasing a purebred dog, and the obstacles many breeders put on the pet owner. Nobody argued the fact that the public often doesn’t understand the effort and fees put into a CKC registered litter/individual dogs, and breeders need to work on advocacy for purebreds in general, not just their own dogs. So – were the meetings a success? Don’t take my word for it – here’s what others had to say! “I feel far more empowered with general knowledge, and the value of putting faces to names. Yes, it’s a little overwhelming right now, but I’m very excited!” (Lance Novak / Executive Director) “The Board was productive and completed its agenda, the gallery was moderately well attended, and the meetings were driven forward efficiently.” (Thora Brown / All Breed judge and President of Canadian Dog Judges Association) “I came away from the Board Meetings with a more positive and optimistic outlook than I expected to have. The new Executive Director impressed me for the speed with which he has come to grips regarding key issues facing the CKC. He has great people skills, and an obvious appreciation for where they need to head if they are to survive.” (Virginia Lyne / All Breed judge ) “Well organised, well run, a lovely location and a new Executive Director that seems to be the right “fit”. He listened, and actually *HEARD* what was said; after just six weeks on the job his report was a masterful example of how much effort he has put in.” (Laurie Savoie / CKC Life member) “What I took away was the audience worked to engage us; they came prepared and were not intimidated by the general procedings.” (Lee Steeves / CKC Director) “It was good to have local members given the opportunity to express their concerns.” (Doug Windsor / All Breed judge / CKC Director) “A good meeting – a lot of passion and involvement.” (Elio Furlan / CKC Shows and Trials)