Table Talk · 03/29/23
Table Talk · 03/29/23
If you have not read Sandy Weaver’s article “The Power of They Say” (http://caninechronicle.com/current-articles/the-power-of-they-say/) I strongly encourage you to do so–especially those competing in Junior Showmanship and those who are parents or “sponsors” of Junior Showmanship participants.
For the purposes of today’s discussion, and Sandy’s article, “They” are talking about appropriate attire to show in Junior Showmanship (which, in my opinion, can be applied across the board from Juniors to the regular and non-regular classes). Our Juniors say that, “They” say if I want to win, I cannot wear slacks. I also have heard Juniors say that they believe if they wear St. John knit suits, they have a better shot at winning. Huh? In her article, Sandy cites the AKC Judging Operations guidelines for Junior Showmanship which is, if it is apparent that the Junior has made an effort to be neat and clean, their appearance is NOT what should be considered. I think it is very important to encourage our juniors to look professional, and ensure that their dog is presented clean, in condition, and ready for the show ring. I do not think that these kids should be pressured to wear expensive clothes, which in my opinion, is not appropriate for their age group, period. I strongly feel the need to encourage these kids to focus on what is important, and not to judge their colleagues who may not be as fortunate as them regarding access to expensive clothing. Yes, our Juniors need to be neat, clean, and dressed professionally. This can be done in many different ways and we as adults need to encourage them to focus on what is important!
Sandy’s article includes commentary from several judges about their feelings on this topic. There is a consistent theme: don’t show too much! I am sure everyone understands what “too much” means. Once again, this can be applied from Juniors to the regular classes! We can all take a lesson from what the judges say!
I saw a familiar face at the Louisville shows with a different “hat” on! It was Dale Neukom, who those of us from the Midwest have known and loved for many years from his role with Roy Jones Dog Shows. Dale also worked a short time for BaRay, and then decided to retire to spend time with his family. It seems that Dale could not stay away for long as he is now superintending for MB-F!!!! It is great to have you back, Dale. We missed you!!!
Back in August of 2022, the AKC Judging Operations department announced a new judge’s recertification process that would be rolled out over a period of time. I was encouraged by this process, especially for those who judge infrequently or only have a few breeds. I do not know if the AKC had the goal of encouraging those that judged infrequently or who struggled to hang it up and quit, but has this been an unintended consequence of the new process? It seems to me that several judges who did not judge a lot are going emeritus, and it seems to be more judges than prior to this process. In my opinion, anything that encourages judges to maintain a certain level of knowledge about the judging process and tests their ability to do the job well is a good thing! Do you have thoughts? Let me know! (deb.cooper@caninechronicle.com)
West Coast fancier Sarah Greene had a great idea! She is putting together a dog show bingo game for kids to play at the shows! She is looking for ideas to include in the game so if you have ideas, please reach out to her! You can find her on Facebook.
Cassidy Jackson and Tara Schultz decided they had enough of the rainy, snowy California weather and took a trip to Alaska for some fun and attend a few dog shows! They have now checked dog sledding off their bucket list! The photos look fantastic!
Please join me in sending positive thoughts to Geir Flyckt-Pedersen who has had to cancel his 2023 Westminster Kennel Club Best In Show judging assignment. As of late, Geir has had to cancel a couple of assignments due to health problems, but he is a fighter and we hope to see him back in the ring soon! Best wishes to Beth Sweigart who will take over his Best In Show assignment for this year’s Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
Healing thoughts to Eva Hansen who was hospitalized with gastrointestinal issues. Eva says she is on the mend and will be back at shows soon!
Congratulations to Michelle Michael who had her radiation treatments cut short due to the success of her treatment! What great news for one of the most positive, kind women I know!
Fanciers celebrating birthdays this week include: Gabriel Rangel, Kelly Shupp, Allison Alexander, Tiffany Saxon, David Powers, Terri Meyers, Daniel Stutzman, Tim Thomas, Peggy McDill, Stan Matsumoto, Justin Van Deren, Carol Dora and Sarah Perchick. Best wishes for a most awesome trip around the sun!!!
Please remember! You can come back from anything, no matter how bad you think the situation is! It is all about your mindset!
Be safe out there, my friends. Enjoy the moment! Until next time…
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