In Their Own Words – WKC Judges Comments

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306 – September, 2022

Compiled by Joan Harrigan

Westminster Kennel Club returned to Lyndhurst in Tarrytown, New York in June for its 146th annual show. We asked the seven group judges and Dr. Donald Sturz, Jr., the Best In Show judge, to talk about their assignments and placements. Their comments, as well as those of the Junior Showmanship Finals judge, follow:

The Hound Group

The Hound Group was the first into the ring on Tuesday night. Judge Eugene Blake of Tulsa, Oklahoma preferred to talk about the Hound Group in general, rather than to comment on individual dogs. He wrote: “I would like to thank the officers and members of the Westminster Kennel Club for inviting me to judge the Hound Group at the historic Lyndhurst Mansion. So many thoughts rushing through my head as the time grew near to this exciting assignment. As the first African-American to judge a group at Westminster, I am so proud to have had this opportunity.

“On Monday, there was a rehearsal, a walk-through of what to expect the evening of the Hound Group judging. This washed away any anxiety I was having about the procedures, and I want to thank the Fox Network and David Haddock for their time and help. In judging, my theory and process is simple. I judge each dog against the AKC breed standard to assess their quality. Then each dog is judged against the competition. At Westminster, being one of the highest levels of competition, performance is a key component. When you have 10 or more top-quality dogs–each one in top condition–a missed step or a lackluster performance can make all the difference. It does not diminish the quality of the dog, but at this level, all the cards have to fall into place.

“Rather than expound on each individual placement, it goes without saying that each placement was an exemplary example of their breed’s breed type. Each one had a flawless performance and was presented in top condition. The entire Hound Group was outstanding—many of these dogs I had judged previously and rewarded very highly. To win Best of Breed at Westminster is always a crowning moment in a dog’s career. I congratulate the breeders, handlers, and owners on their success at Westminster and thank the other judges for sending me such a wonderful group of dogs to judge.”

Mr. Blake’s placements were:

Click here to read the complete article
306 – September, 2022

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