Table Talk · July 31, 2024
Table Talk · July 31, 2024
While I was home this past weekend recovering from my Houston travel woes resulting from the technology meltdown, I was thrilled to see we had a couple of clusters across the country that had entries more than 2,000 on the weekend–and not far from that on their weekday shows!
Back in the day, the Waukesha cluster was a fixture on my show schedule. I remember those shows being some of the largest I would attend locally. I would then continue to Canfield, where the entry was 4,000 dogs or more! Of course, this was back in the days when we did not have nearly the number of dog shows we have now.
This past weekend the Greenville shows had an impressive entry of 2,000-plus on the weekend with close to that at their weekday companion shows. Many exhibitors opted to attend the 9-show clusters in Concord then continue on to Greenville. The clubs in North Carolina have created a “march” of their own! Kudos to these clubs for their efforts, and congratulations for getting those terrific numbers!
While these are not close to the numbers of the “good ole days”, the Canfield entry has consistently increased over the past couple of years, with this year’s weekend entry topping 2,000. For the first time, this year’s Canfield show will have group judging indoors in a new, air-conditioned building! I am looking forward to enjoying groups and breed judging in climate-controlled conditions! While some breeds will be judged outdoors, I believe we will there will be six breed rings inside.
Meanwhile, fanciers on the West Coast–California specifically–have no shows for three weeks unless they travel over 1,000 miles. The first shows in Southern California will be the Santa Barbara Kennel Club shows the third week of August! Our West Coast friends have to travel longer distances to attend shows. They consistently drive distances many of us east of the Rockies would consider cross-country! The saying ‘feast or famine’ comes to mind. While some areas of the country have many shows to choose from without driving more than 200-300 miles, those in the Pacific Northwest and California are accustomed to driving 500-600 miles on a regular basis. This past weekend in Flagstaff, Arizona, there was a two-day dog show. The entry was just over 1,000. I am surprised that all the shows in the area do not get a better entry given the low number of shows.
Everyone I talk to is excited about Westminster Kennel Club’s return to Manhattan, with breed judging at the Javits Center and Group and Best In Show judging at Madison Square Garden. For the first time in several years, Westminster will be a benched show. I think this is good for our sport! For those who are wondering about entry details, the qualification period for WKC invitations is October 1, 2023, to September 30, 2024. Entries will open on November 8, 2024, or when the invite list is published–whichever is earlier. Entries for the 2025 Westminster Kennel Club will close at 3 PM EST on Friday, November 22, 2024. If you have not made your hotel reservations, I strongly suggest doing so as hotels are filling (or have filled) quickly. I am looking forward to discussing all things Westminster with WKC’s President Donald Sturz sometime in September! Stay tuned for more information about the broadcast date.
Recently, I learned something new about the Judge’s Approval Process. Currently, an individual beginning the judge’s approval process can schedule a ringside mentoring session on procedure with an AKC Executive Field Representative. This ringside session would be great for those aspiring judges to get a one-on-one tutorial about the correct procedures to follow when judging. While this ringside mentoring session is currently optional, effective January 1, 2025, individuals applying for their initial breeds will be required to participate in two of these ringside mentoring sessions with two different Executive Field Representatives within one year of making an application for their judge’s license. Individuals can contact Judging Operations for more information, or to schedule a ringside mentoring session.
Happy Anniversary to David and Jennifer Harper who are celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary! May you two have many more love-filled, prosperous years ahead!
Fanciers celebrating birthdays this week include: Wayne Cavanaugh, Roz Kramer, Glen Lajeski, Lisa Bettis, Cole Vanover, Dennis O’Connor, Shaun Garrity, Greg Myers, Dale Kaplan, Devon Kipp Levy, Lisa Miller and Gustavo Molinari. Make it a great one, my friends! Best wishes for the best day–and year–ahead!
Please remember! Enjoy the little moments with your dog… one day you will look back and realize they were the big moments!
For those of you who will be in Canfield, please stop by the Pro Plan booth and say Hi! Wherever your travels take you, be careful! I look forward to seeing you soon down the road. Until next time…
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