The Star of Bethlehem Cluster Shines On
A Message from Star of Bethlehem Cluster Show Chairs:
We fully intend to hold our shows in Morgantown, PA December 9-13, 2020.
Entries close NOVEMBER 25th at noon EST
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Irish Terriers Specialize
In Virginia, Illinois and New Jersey, 3 regional Irish Terrier Clubs took advantage of the AKC’s new directive that they can hold up to 3 independent specialties a day within parent club guidelines and local restrictions. Masks and temperature checks, hand-sanitizer stations, and “maintain social distance signs” joined pop-up tents, grooming tables and tack boxes as standard equipment for the new era of showing.
Remembering Roger Hartinger – By Deb Cooper
Our thoughts and prayers go to Paula, his loving wife of 64 years, and the rest of their family. If you have photos or memories, please include them the in comments on Facebook.
Entries for the Lone Star State Classic Cluster Close Wednesday, November 18th
Reminder! Entries close November 18th at 12:00 PM PST for the Lone Star State Classic Cluster. MB-F is the superintendent. This is your chance to attend a full day of independent specialties on Thursday along with 3 days of all breed shows. Don’t miss it!
COVID Detection Dogs Lead The Way!
So, here we are. Nine months into pandemic life and we are still groping in the dark for answers. Even scarier, we seem to be getting used to it. Now, on the other hand, dogs are true existentialists. They just ain’t dealing with that nonsense.
Good Dog (People) – Leading the Way During the Pandemic
The 2020 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show ended on Tuesday February 11th. Handlers, trainers, owners, organizers returned to their homes and began to plan for the next leg of the new season and circuit. But Westminster turned out to be the last significant moment of what constitutes “normality” for the fancy.
The Non-Sporting Group – The Melting Pot of the Sport of Purebred Dogs
Non-Sporting may qualify as the strangest manifestation of purebred culture. And I’m never one to dis this quirky, marvelous sport. But here’s the thing. The various subdivisions that dog shows have spawned over the decades are fairly straightforward, defined primarily by function. Because lest we ever lose sight of the bottom line (although mass media does their damnedest to corrode that ideal), every breed has a function.
From Whence We Came
I had a good conversation recently with a great, highly-respected judge about learning new breeds. He started in the sport many, many years ago with a breed in which movement was king. His thought was that because of his initial background, he wondered if he sometimes put too much emphasis on movement over type in his newer breeds. Accordingly, he was working on learning about the subtleties and details of breed type in those breeds. That simple insight alone tells you exactly why he is a highly-respected judge. He has the passion to learn and continually improve no matter how long he’s been in the sport. As important, he was keenly aware of his beginnings and how that perspective consciously or subconsciously could affect his outlook over a half-century later.
Westminster… Outdoors… In The Summer!
Westminster, that cornerstone of staid traditionalism, has truly busted out of character in recent years. Remember when even the mildest inquiry about maybe… someday moving the show out of Midtown or possibly to a more amenable season received a swift and unpleasant response? Those heretical ideas got slapped down pronto. But lately, it’s hard to keep pace with the mind bending changes going on with everything from format to location.
Winning, Losing and the Just-World Fallacy in Dog Shows
Are dog shows fair? Is judging fair? Do dogs that win do so because they’re the best ones in the ring? Ask two populations of people in the dog show world and you’ll get two very different answers.
