In Their Own Words – Morris & Essex
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Compiled by Joan Harrigan
After the conclusion of judging, we asked the seven group judges and Desmond Murphy, the Best In Show judge, to talk about their assignments and placements. Their comments follow:
The Hound Group
As spectators enjoyed hors d’oeuvre and beverages at tables arranged behind the ring gate, Judge Michael Dougherty of Hot Springs, North Carolina entered the ring to judge the first group of the afternoon.
Dougherty acquired his first hound—a Whippet—in 1963. He had a highly successful career as a licensed all-breed handler before retiring in 1985 to judge. He writes, “Morris & Essex is one of those shows where one can expect to see excitingly deep quality throughout the groups and in the 2021 Hound Group, for me, the expectations were met happily. It was a pleasure going through the 33 Hound breed winners.
“Having the initial group in that splendid group ring that afternoon/evening allowed me to set the pattern that would be utilized within the context of allowing for live Internet camera coverage, while keeping in mind a thorough, uniform, and expeditious examination and sorting of the assemblage. It gets dark quickly in Somerset, so I moved through at my usual pace to give the other Group and Best In Show judges as much chance at daylight judging as possible, even though much thought was put into the MEKC after-dark lighting strategy.
“Following my first look and examinations of each individual breed, I made my cut at 10: the Afghan, Azawakh, Black & Tan, Cirnechi, GBGV, IW, Pharaoh, Deerhound, Walker, and Whippet (alphabetically). All fine examples of their breeds in type and function. In hindsight, I could very much have included three more in that cut—the Basenji, Basset, and PBGV—but felt I had enough to choose from and wanted to stay, again, expeditious.
“In my final analysis, the Deerhound bitch won out for her gorgeous, feminine type and correctness. Her movement was light, powerful, and flawless. In order, 2nd through 4th, the Pharaoh, B&T, and GBGV dogs were all quite correct in type and movement, sound and worthy in every way.”
Group One:
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Posted by AnthonyA
on Nov 15 2021. Filed under Current Articles, Featured.
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