Top Of Their Game

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306 – May, 2021

By Theresa M. Lyons

The Rhodesian Ridgeback Standard uses words like, “strong, muscular, active, balanced, handsome, upstanding and athletic” to describe the breed. These are often the reasons many are drawn to them. However, once owned by a Ridgeback, one learns quickly just what those words really mean.

This series celebrates the many facets of the Rhodesian Ridgeback by honoring some of its most successful and best-known dogs in the ring and on the field. All of them, past and present, have played a part in making the competitive dog world pay attention to the often-overlooked Ridgeback.

ALL-BREED BEST IN SHOW

Only 68 Ridgebacks have scored an all-breed Best in Show. The first, believed to have been around 1957, was a dog named “Bimbo” BIS CH Bimbo Ponjola Of Kaybar, CD. From these often hard to attain wins, “Corey,” MBIS NBISS CH Filmakers Never Surrender FM, JC ROM, the number one Ridgeback in 1998, holds the record for the most BIS wins: 28 (14 of those in the same year). The next closest is 13.

Not surprisingly, bitch specials have had to fight their way into recognition in the all-breed world:

Only 14 BIS winners have been bitches. Three of which have done it four times: “Ginger” MBIS MNBISS CH Bimbo’s Ginger of Kali, ROM was the second Ridgeback and first bitch to earn the BIS title in 1977, followed by “IdaBelle” MBIS MRBIS NBISS GCHB Whirlaways IdaBelle’s a Ringing, ROM, in 2012 and “Raquel” MBIS GCHP Raquel Welch of Malabo APD in 2013. Since then, only three bitches have won a Best in Show (one each), with 2019 being the most recent.

The kennel to produce the most Best in Show winners is Kwetu Reg., established in 1966. Breeders, Art and Barbara Brown, have had seven BIS-titled Ridgebacks carry the Kwetu name. The first in 1984 with “Bronco” MBIS CH Kwetu Oakhurst Bronco, ROM, and the most recent in 2013 with “Dusty” BIS GCH Tajamani Kwetu’s Rust Too who was sired by a mutli-BIS winning Kwetu dog. Of these Best in Show winning dogs, “Luke” MBIS CH Kwetu’s Luke Blackburn, ROM, earned the most BIS wins with nine. He was sired by “P.B.” BIS CH Kwetu’s Pocket Full of Promise, ROM, who earned his BIS less than one month after his son and appears in many of today’s pedigrees.

In July of 2011, the AKC announced that all-breed dog shows would begin offering Reserve Best in Show. While eyebrows were raised in the beginning, it soon became a sought-after award by many of those in breeds who barely got recognized for BIS. The first RBIS Ridgeback was in 2014. Awarded to a bitch, who won the breed and group, from the classes: “Taji” RBIS GCHB Juba Lee Papa Pinotage at Rimrock, RA RATI TKN CGC. She also went on to produce a RBIS-winning daughter. To date, 19 Ridgebacks have earned RBIS, nine of those bitches.

WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB

Click here to read the complete article
306 – May, 2021

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Posted by AnthonyA on Jun 12 2021. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.