Recap: The Hound Group at Westminster

Photo By Karen Evasuik

By Amy Fernandez

Monday’s Hound judging may rank among Westminster’s most unpredictable. Anticipation was evident early in the day. Huge contingents of spectators assembled at most of the Breed rings where the action was pretty relentless. Some of the day’s more raucous moments included Bloodhound judging where Elliot Weiss sent the four-year-old dog,  GCH Flessner’s International S’Cess, on to the next round of competition.

Over at the Garden, Hound Group judge Doug Johnson agreed, sending the Bloodhound to the head of his final lineup.  Best known for his Clussex spaniels, Johnson ranks among the country’s most notable breeders, making his own Westminster history as the breeder of the ‘96 and ‘09 BIS winners.

His Group Second choice was equally surprising, but once again, he was thinking along the same lines as Weiss who awarded Breed to the six-year-old Whippet bitch  GCH Sporting Fields Bahama Sands.

Group Third went to the lovely Basset, bred and co-owned by  the  equally lovely and renowned breeder, Claudia Orlandi. It was in familiar territory for the five-year-old bitch, GCH Topsfield-Sanchu Eenie Meenie Miney Moe, who went Second last year and finished 2013 as number eight Hound. Elliot Weiss scored a another hit when Johnson selected the three-year-old Irish Wolfhound dog , Kuriann Of First Avenue, to complete his Group lineup.

Although last year’s second ranked Hound, the Harrier Ch Downhome Hitch Innovator did not compete, Breed judging had plenty of highlights including judge Bonnie Threllfall’s choice in 13 Inch Beagles. Five-year-old GCH Bougain’E Naughty-N-Lovely Alvin finished 2013 as Number 18 Hound.

Although the breed’s credibility dates back two centuries, the American Foxhound has become this Group’s newest superstar.  Last year’s top Hound Kiarry’s Pandora’s Box, owned it. This year, Kiarry scored another win with GCH Kiarry’s Rag Doll, who finished last year as the seventh ranked Hound.

Once again, the Basenji sisters, Julie and Kathy Jones, pulled it off, taking Breed with GCH Jasiri-Sukari Win Tin Tin, a four-year-old dog who finished 2013 as Number Twelve Hound.

A BOV win completed this grand slam weekend for the Wirehaired Dachshund GCH Del Prado’s Bar Code W, who repeated last year’s Westminster triumph.

In Ridgebacks the indomitable Bob Stein selected the three-year-old bitch GCH Raquel Welch Of Malabo Apd, who finished as 2013’s number fifteen hound.

BOB in Pharaoh Hounds went to GCH Osiris Cowboy Casanova, who ended last year ranked number seventeen. And the Hound Group’s newest arrival, the Portuguese Podengo Pequeno, got a warm welcome to Westminster competition when judge Pamela Peat awarded BOB to the multiple group placing wirecoat,  GCH Houla’s Border Patrol Pw CM.

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Posted by chesliepickett on Feb 12 2014. Filed under Current Articles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.