From The CC Vault: One Man’s Opinion

By Ric Chashoudian

Originally Published: April 2010

This article contains thirteen questions asked of three men who took the same dog to the Westminster Kennel Club Show three times and finally won Best In Show the third time with that dog. They are Mr. F. J. Bob Bartos, Jr. (BB) with the Scottie dog, Ch. Bardene Bingo in 1967, Mr. Richard Chashoudian (RC) with the Lakeland dog, Ch. Jo Ni’s Red Baron of Crofton in 1976, and Mr. Gabriel Rangel (GR) with the Scottie female, Ch. Roundtown Mercedes of Maryscot in 2010.

1) At that moment, when the judge pointed to you, how did you feel?

BB: I felt numb and I was surprised.

RC: I felt like there was a monkey off of my back. I felt at last I have won this dog show.

GR: I felt like crying with joy.

2) Why did you take this dog back three times?

BB: The first time Bingo had two Best In Shows from the classes prior to the Garden. Bingo had just come over to the United States in August. Coming into that show Ch. Carmichaels Fanfare, a Scottie, was the hottest candidate for Best In Show at the Garden. If I could beat Ch. Carmichaels Fanfare I would have the possiblity of finishing a dog with three Best In Shows from the classes by winning the Garden. I got Best of Opposite. Ch. Carmichaels Fanfare won the breed and went on to Best In Show. The second time Bingo didn’t get a look. Only Murphy did with his dog and he won the breed. The third time Percy Roberts was judging Best In Show, and the breed judge was Dr. Kirk. He knew Scotties and the Group judge was a very good judge of Terriers. I was confident that these judges knew their breeds.

RC: The dog that I took back to the Garden three times was a red Lakeland Terrier named Ch. Jo Ni’s Red Baron of Crofton – call name Baron. I had great faith in this dog as I thought he was one of the two best dogs I ever showed. The other dog was Ch. Melbee’s Chances Are, the Kerry Blue Terrier. When I took him the first time he was Best of Breed. The second time I took him I was beaten in the breed by a dog who was not the same caliber of dog shown by George Ward. I took him back the third time which was the hundredth anniversary of the Westminster KC show. He won the breed and the group under Anne Clark who I knew was a great fan of Baron. This was a very good group with one of the best judges of all time. The Best In Show judge was William Brainard, Jr., who I only met once. The people who knew him said he was a very straight shooter.

GR: The first time Sadie acted up with all the lights, noise and other distractions. The second time she won the Terrier Group and we had to try again. The third time Sadie was in her prime. She was having a great year.

3) After all the excitement was over, the parties and all the things that go with winning Best In Show at the Garden, did you feel that you had accomplished all there was to do?

BB: No, not really. There are many other dogs to show and many good ones still to come along.

RC: There was a great letdown after winning the Garden because I wanted to do it so badly. I told Anne Clark about the letdown. She told me that you always have to have a backup to the dog you are winning with. There was no sympathy about my feelings.

GR: I was very excited to accomplish this as a handler. The Westminster Kennel Club Show has been here for one hundred thirty-four years and I am honored to have been one of the people that have won this prestigious show.

4) Did you look forward to finding another dog to do it again?

BB: Yes. I will always look for another quality dog. I was very fortunate that I always had, every ten years or so, a great show and stud dog come my way.

RC: I realized I had to come up with a new dog to campaign because I was not ready to retire. This dog was a Smooth Fox Terrier, Ch. Ttarb the Bratt.

GR: I would look forward to finding another dog to try to do this again. If the opportunity comes along I will be ready.

5) Was this the most important win for you in your career up to that point?

BB: Yes it was because the Garden is the epitome of a win as a professional handler. A very special win for me was Best In Show in 1965 at Beverly Hills. One of my most exciting and emotional wins was Best In Show at Santa Barbara in 1966.

RC: I would have to say yes. But winning Santa Barbara three times was close to it, and also winning Montgomery County twice.

GR: Yes it was.

6) Was winning Best In Show at Westminster something you felt you had to do?

BB: It is the goal of every handler to win Best In Show at Westminster at least once. I was no different.

RC: Yes it was. Because in those days that was the show to win. I had tried so hard to win it with several good dogs.

GR: No. I did not feel I had to win Best In Show at Westminster. I would always try each time I went there. I never felt or had any idea I would win.

7) Why do you feel this dog caught the judge’s eye on that night?

BB: Like any great dog or person when they walk into a ring or room, their presence demands your attention. Apparently on that night Bingo was that dog. He was at his best that night.

RC: Red Baron was a tough dog to figure out. He would growl at judges at times. He growled at Anne Clark. She just turned to the dog and said, “Awe, shut up!” and she put him up. He growled at Lang Skarda six times and Lang gave him six Best In Shows. He had never given one dog six Best In Shows. He growled at Major Godsol and he grabbed his muzzle and squeezed it until he cried. He had no further problem with him. I was very nervous about how he would react to Mr. Brainard, who was judging Best In Show. However, on the table upon examination he was fine with him. On the down and back, Mr. Brainard wanted the dog to come back and stand on his own. Baron was a crowd favorite that night and there was a lot of noise when he walked up and down. I noticed that Mr. Brainard, when he stopped the dogs, he leaned over with each exhibit and put his hand on the dogs head and took another look. This was the most nervous moment of the show for me but Baron did not let me down. He stood there like a gentleman and never growled.

GR: Because I never touched the dog, I never interferred with her showing. Sadie did everything on her own. She showed herself because she was happy.

Could you sleep that night after winning? Did you sleep the night before?

BB: I did not sleep well the night before.  I slept fine the night after winning.

RC: I could sleep the night before. I went to bed early. I did not go to any parties and do any drinking. I wanted to have a totally clear head in the morning. The night after I went to dinner at Sardi’s. George Ward and Bob Bartos were there and they were very happy for me. I walked across the street from the Garden into the bar at the Pennsylvania Hotel and there was a group of people that I knew very well and they all went, “Hip, Hip, Hooray” three times. I think the leader of this was Bobby Fisher. I will never forget this.

GR: I did not sleep either night. I was in bed but not sleeping.

9) How were you feeling as you walked in the Best In Show ring that night?

BB: I felt confident and had faith in the dog. I also had faith in the judging ability of Percy Roberts. However, with a Scottie you never know.

RC: I was nervous about how Baron would react to the Best In Show judge, Mr. Brainard.

GR: I felt winning the Breed and Group was a very nice thing. Sadie and I were enjoying ourselves. We were both happy and relaxed as we walked into the Best In Show ring.

10) When did you know that this dog was capable of winning Best In Show at Westminster?

BB: The first day he came out of the crate after he was shipped to me from England. I never asked to buy Bingo. He was offered to me.

RC: I knew Baron was going to be a very, very good show dog from the first time I ever laid eyes on him at about seven months of age. I had won 75 Best In Shows before Westminster so I knew what kind of a dog he was. The big problem was his growling at judges.

GR: When I saw that she was a natural show dog. She had unusual behavior for a Scottie. She learned how to perform on her own without my touching her. She also had correct conformation and breed type. After talking to Bob Bartos I learned and realized the worst thing to do was to interfere. You have to let them think everything is their idea. Mr. Bartos explained these things to me.

11) After you realized how special this dog was how did you go about making it continue to win time after time?

BB: He was always shown in top condition on a loose lead. As a Scottie he knew how he wanted to be shown. He loved the ring and the attention. Noise and crowds did not bother him. Bingo loved the camera and it loved him.

RC: It takes a lot of work on a Terrier to keep them going show after show and most people don’t realize how much work there is to it. This is all hand work and clippers are only used on their bellies. I think Baron was a natural show dog. He seemed to enjoy the ring. This is something that is hard to put into a dog if he hasn’t got it in his head to be a show dog.

GR: Every show was a game and a good time. If she had a bad day, I never pushed her to do anything she did not want to do. She was a perfect dog to show. She and I are best friends.

12) How do you feel this dog represents its Breed standard?

BB: He was the epitome of the breed standard both physically and temperamentally.

RC: I thought Baron resembled the Lakeland breed standard as close as he could. He was a wonderful size. His parts fit perfectly. His type was good but people were not used to seeing red Lakelands. All of the winning Lakelands before him had all been black and tan or grizzle and tan, mostly grizzle, so a red dog was stange to people’s eyes.

GR: No dog is perfect. Sadie is as representative of the breed standard as any Scottie could be.

13) How long was this dog campaigned before it won Westminster?

BB: About two years.

RC: Red Baron was campaigned for three years and won 75 Best In Shows.

GR: Sadie was campaigned heavily for two full years.

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