In Their Own Words

The Westminster Group Judges Talk About Their Choices

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178 – April, 2015

by Joan Harrigan

NOTE: After the conclusion of each group and the Best in Show competition, the Canine Chronicle interviewed the judges, who were later given the opportunity to review and edit their comments. Some chose to make changes; others let their remarks remain as originally given.

HOUND GROUP

Judge: Mrs. Betty-Anne Stenmark

Woodside, California

I don’t wish to sound patronizing but this was a TERRIFIC group! There were a lot of very good dogs. There were dogs who didn’t make the cut whom I have previously placed in other groups. In the end it came down to which dogs put it all together in the moments that counted.

Of the four dogs I placed, I could easily make a case to put any one of them to first. Of the three dogs in the cut who didn’t place, I could easily have made a case to place any one of them in the ribbons. It was that kind of quality that stood before me. I had just 38 minutes from the time I stepped out onto the floor to judge 31 dogs. I felt it was imperative to be on time and not take time away from the groups that followed. We have to move along at quite a clip!

Group First

GCh. Tashtins Lookin For Trouble

(Beagle, 13 – 15 Inch)

The Beagle bitch sparkled this evening and into first place she went. A beautiful and feminine bitch, solid and big for her inches. Head and expression are as the Standard describes, gentle and pleading. Well-angled fore and aft with a rock hard topline, good tail set and carriage and a free, ground-covering sidegait. She was just a little bit naughty in the ring which was charming!

Group Second

GCh. Flessner’s International S’Cess

(Bloodhound)

The Bloodhound is the best I’ve seen in many years: handsome head, narrow and long with good planes, a deep, strong body, well-angled and balanced, with the desired free-moving and elastic side gait.

Group Third

GCh. Aberdeens Under The Influence

(Otterhound)

The Otterhound has a large and fairly narrow well-made head, a strong and balanced body, all covered with a rough, crisp coat. He can be a reluctant show dog but certainly not on this night—he covered the ground smoothly and easily.

Group Fourth

GCh. Bayaway Jersey’s

Due Process of Law

(Black and Tan Coonhound)

The Black and Tan Coonhound has the cleanly modeled head the Standard calls for, with all the breed characteristics of a trailing hunting hound with an easy ground-covering stride. I thought him a magnificent example of his breed.

TOY GROUP

Judge: Mr. Elliott Weiss

Middletown, Delaware

At most dog shows, you find two dogs of this quality in the group ring. You decide between them for first and second, and then you go fishing. The six I pulled out were all of excellent, excellent, outstanding quality. They all possess beauty, stood up wonderfully to hand examination, and each exhibited breed character that was fabulous just going up and down the ring.

Group First

GCh. Hallmark Jolei Rocket Power

(Shih Tzu)

The Shih Tzu just stood out. The Shih Tzu not only was beautiful, but was wonderful on hand examination. There’s an awful lot of dog under that hair! You put your hands on him, and he has a gorgeous body, but what set him apart from the others was the way he showed tonight. He went out there like he owned it, and he led the handler around the ring. His condition is totally impeccable. I congratulate the handler on that, and would like to say that publicly.

Group Second

GCh. Hitimes What The Inferno

(Pomeranian)

He’s a beautiful Pom, with a gorgeous, foxy head. He has what a lot of Pomeranians are missing—he is tall and he’s up on leg, which they should be. He is gorgeous, and in beautiful condition, with beautiful texture to his coat. I have to congratulate the handlers on all four that I put up—it was a pleasure to go over them.

Group Third

GCh. Trio’s Big Shot

(Yorkshire Terrier)

What can I say about the Yorkshire? Beautiful color, beautiful coat texture, very sound going up and down. Also, to my eye, what the Yorkies are losing today is proportion. This dog had it—he was square, up on leg, with enough leg to fit what I consider excellent.

Group Fourth

GCh. Love’s Havaheart Los Goodfellas

(Havanese)

I had never seen the Havanese before. His topline was wonderful to go over. A lot of them are getting too big, and this one I think is the proper size. He also stood up to hand examination wonderfully. You put your hand on him, and the rear is just slightly higher than the front, which gives him that little bounce in the air.

NON-SPORTING GROUP

Judge: Ms. Shirley Limoges

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

When I came out to view the Group, I was pleased to see many wonderful dogs in the lineup.

Group First

GCh. Dawin Hearts On Fire

(Standard Poodle)

I had never seen her before. She had everything that I would expect to see in the very best of Standard Poodles. She is just lovely—from her beautifully chiseled head, to her correctly carried tail, she epitomized Standard Poodle type. Her hander had her in marvelous condition and showed her to perfection.

Group Second

GCh. Bayshore Georgio Armani

(Xoloitzcuintli)

This Xolo was a wonderful representative of his breed; a moderate, strong, sturdy dog, yet elegant as he moved.

Group Third

GCh. Saks Winning Card

(Bichon Frise)

This lovely Bichon with dark eyes, correct coat texture, jaunty gait, and properly carried tail is a great example of the breed.

Group Fourth

GCh. Nuuktok’s Atka Inukshuk

I had seen this American Eskimo several times and had always liked him. Although he must be getting older now, he was moving like a young dog and was sound in body and legs. He typifies the breed.

HERDING GROUP

Judge: Dr. Klaus Anselm

Keswick, Virginia

It was a very strong group—the Herding Group has gotten so much better over the last three or four years. In the past, this group was not so competitive, but that is not true now. It was a very strong line-up, and I could easily have picked two or three or four more.

Group First

GCh. Bugaboo’s Picture Perfect

(Old English Sheepdog)

The Old English was a standout. I never had him in the ring before. I had heard about him, but I never had my hands on him, and this is a breed that you really have to use your hands on to know what is there. To me, he is just the blueprint of the breed. He has the substance, he has the skull, he has the foreface, the coat, the topline—everything is just perfect. And, he looks like he can do what Old English Sheepdogs were bred to do.

Group Second

GCh. Stonepillar’s Steel Blu

(Bouvier des Flandres)

This Bouvier is also a wonderful dog. He moves so smoothly and beautifully. He was strong competition for the Old English Sheepdog. He has an excellent coat and good structure, and a good head, as well.

Group Third

GCh. Copper Hills No Reservations

(Australian Shepherd)

The Aussie is a classic dog that moved very nicely. He fills the eye as far as Aussies go. He has a great coat. Again, the Aussie and all of the herding dogs you saw here looked as though they could do their jobs.

Group Fourth

GCh. Lockenhaus’

Rumor Has It v Kenlyn

(German Shepherd Dog)

A very nice Shepherd—I’d take her home! She is a bit more moderate, and moved very smoothly. She is a very nice, quality German Shepherd.

SPORTING GROUP

Judge: Mr. Ken Murray

Island Lake, Illinois

I was very grateful to have been asked to judge the Sporting Group at Westminster. It’s such an honor to be invited to judge anything at Westminster, but being able to judge the Sporting Group was tremendous. I want to thank all the membership of the Westminster Kennel Club, and especially Tom Bradley and Seán McCarthy.

This group had tremendous depth of quality. There were a number of dogs that I didn’t even pull out that I could see myself giving a Best in Show to on another day.

Group First

GCh. Wynmoor Sweetgrass

White Diamonds

(English Springer Spaniel)

I had seen the English Springer Spaniel bitch on one other occasion, when I fell in love with her and gave her a Group One over many other top dogs. At Westminster, I was even more impressed by her. She is in a breed where bitches don’t dominate, but she is one that I feel could be one of the top sporting dogs in the country. Since Westminster, I have had the privilege to judge her again in Arizona, in another extremely competitive bunch of dogs, and again, I gave her the group.

Group Second

GCh. Ashdown’s Time To Thrill

(Black Cocker Spaniel)

The American Cocker that I put second is another dog I have liked at another time. He is excellent type, well-balanced, with a lot of reach and drive and is in beautiful condition and masterfully presented.

Group Third

GCh. Clussexx Over The Legal Limit

(Clumber Spaniel)

The Clumber Spaniel was in magnificent condition, both in coat and muscle. He is low, long, and massive, with tremendous bone and substance—just what you want a Clumber to be. He could also cover the ground and is not at all cloddy.

Group Fourth

GCh. Stoneypoint’s Time To Reign

(Irish Setter)

The Irish Setter was good type with beautiful color, nicely balanced, and very feminine, with proper proportions and not over-angulated.

There were three other dogs that I pulled, but didn’t place which have all done well, and I am sure will continue to do so in the future.

WORKING GROUP

Judge: Mrs. Theresa Hundt

Sandy Hook, Connecticut

A very, very nice Working Group—all of them. Presented beautifully, and in beautiful condition—there wasn’t one dog out there that wasn’t.

Group First

GCh. Claircreek Impression De Matisse

(Portuguese Water Dog)

I’d seen the Portuguese Water Dog before, and he had absolutely beautiful breed type. He has got the bone, the substance, he’s sound, he’s just a wonderful dog! A very beautiful dog.

Group Second

GCh. A. Feiner Eros

(Leonberger)

The Leonberger is a beautiful type dog. He’s in beautiful condition, he’s sound, he’s big, he’s massive—what he is supposed to be.

Group Third

GCh. Great Lakes Danish Treasure

(Bernese Mountain Dog)

The Bernese Mountain Dog is a wonderful dog, also. He’s got nice breed type, nice big bones and substance for a draft dog, and he’s a very sound-moving dog.

Group Fourth

GCh. Topaz Bad Action

(Siberian Husky)

The Siberian is also very sound, and a very typey dog with a beautiful outline.

TERRIER GROUP

Judge: Dr. John Reeve-Newson

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

It was a very strong group, with a lot of competition and really wonderful dogs. It was very difficult to make a final decision. I love all dogs, but the Terriers are great.

Group First

GCh. Cragsmoor Good Time Charlie

(Skye Terrier)

Superb condition. Showed like a bomb. Wonderful headpiece. Strong, level topline, with excellent tail carriage. This masculine dog moved like a sailing ship around the ring—happy, confident, and with attitude. Everything I love in the breed, and presented in flawless coat, with not a hair out of place.

Group Second

GCh. Shaireab’s Bayleigh

Maid Of Honor

(Welsh Terrier)

She showed beautifully. Her free stack was amazing—like a little statue. She was in excellent coat and condition, and groomed to perfection. She is well-balanced, feminine, refined, and elegant. It was very tough competition between the Skye and the Welsh. She was flawless.

Group Third

Ch. Yarrow Venerie Winning Ticket

(Norfolk Terrier)

Shown by the master himself, Peter Green, the Norfolk was the perfect size and again, was in excellent coat. He was balanced and sound—I loved him. Charming, charming, charming. He had a great face, and was slightly naughty, which I like in the breed.

Group Fourth

GCh. King’s Mtn. Angelina Ballerina

(Dandie Dinmont Terrier)

Who could resist that face? Even a Republican would love that face! Lovely outline, with a super topline for the breed. She moved like a dream around the big ring. She showed great breed type, and moved beautifully. She was presented to perfection. I loved her.

BEST IN SHOW

Judge: Hon. David C. Merriam

Bonsall, California

What was my experience judging Best In Show at Westminster? Well, I have nothing to compare it to as it was my first and only BIS. Although feeling unworthy of the honor, I did my best. Strangely, I felt no stress except for keeping to the time limit set by the TV people. Tom Bradley told all the judges to enjoy themselves and I certainly did. Who would not enjoy the opportunity to put one’s hands on seven absolutely wonderful dogs who showed to perfection?

Best in Show

GCh. Tashtins Lookin For Trouble

(Beagle, 15 In.)

My choice for Best In Show was the 15-inch Beagle, GCh. Tashtins Lookin For Trouble. I thought her a superb representative of the breed, having a classic Beagle head and a tight, one-piece body. Of correct balance and proportion, she moved with ease and purpose. She was presented in top condition with superb bone, feet and coat. As I saw her move around the ring, I could also envisage her in the field.

Reserve Best in Show

GCh. Cragsmoor Good Time Charlie

(Skye Terrier)

My choice for Reserve Best In Show was the Skye Terrier, GCh. Cragsmoor Good Time Charlie. The ideal Skye is a clever combination of boldness and elegance, not an easy feat to achieve. However, this dog does it in spades. He stands in correct proportion with a coat that approaches perfection. His movement is correct and determined. The topline is correct when both standing and moving. No doubt he ranks among the very best Skyes in breed history.

I am appreciative to the Westminster Kennel Club for the honor of judging Best In Show at Westminster 2015 and thoroughly enjoyed the assignment.

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