Table Talk – April 24, 2019
Another Poodle Club of America (PCA) National is in the books and the hard working club and show committee once again did not disappoint! This is the third year that PCA held their national specialty at the Purina Event Center, and it is the first year that they used artificial turf. The turf was a lovely enhancement to what already is one of the most beautiful sights in dogdom. The show committee pays incredible attention to detail, which is in keeping with the hard working exhibitors who spend countless hours perfecting the trim and presentation of their poodles. In my opinion, the poodle fanciers are some of the hardest working people in the sport. Congratulations to all involved in organizing and exhibiting your beautiful dogs at this impressive event.
Easter Sunday was a big day for television exposure for our sport. “Crowned” aired on FS1 and the Kennel Club of Beverly Hills dog show aired on NBC. I am getting more emotional as I get a bit older, and I actually had tears in my eyes as I watched many of my dear friends open their hearts to the public and discuss how exhibiting at Westminster feels to them during their interviews for “Crowned”. I truly feel proud and honored to call many of the folks interviewed on the program my friends. In my opinion, “Crowned” was an excellent portrayal of what it is like to exhibit at the Westminster Kennel Club show, and it’s a great portrayal of the sport from an exhibitor’s point of view. Congratulations to all involved for a job well done!
The group and Best In Show Judging from Saturday’s Kennel Club of Beverly Hills was taped for television back in early March and also aired on Easter Sunday on NBC. The Kennel Club of Beverly Hills dog show and the television production were both sponsored by Purina®. This program was very different from “Crowned”. The producers used celebrities and their pets for viewer appeal, and the group and Best In Show ring was built especially for televising the show. There were a couple of Pro Plan® commercials that used handler/exhibitors but other than that, with the exception of a junior with her service dog, all interviews were of celebrities with their pets. To the non-dog show family, I am sure that this program was enjoyable and definitely will spark interest in the sport of purebred dogs. Congratulations to Purina Pro Plan® for their continued investment in the sport, and for working with NBC to televise this show.
“Crowned” and “The Beverly Hills Kennel Club sponsored by Purina®” are very different programs, both of which have given our sport good exposure to the public. Each program views the sport of purebred dogs from a different angle, but both give a positive portrayal of our industry.
A few novice exhibitors have raised the question about whether or not they should approach an AKC Executive Field Representative at a show if they feel something inappropriate has occurred. Some are concerned about being viewed as a “whistleblower” or raising an issue that may or may not be inappropriate. I’d like to offer a couple of suggestions to all exhibitors. First, I strongly encourage everyone to request the AKC Rules Applying to Dog Shows from the American Kennel Club, or download it from the AKC website (to save frustration with the AKC website, google AKC Rules Applying to Dog Shows, it will take you directly to a link with the complete PDF). Second, one of the responsibilities of the AKC Field Representative is to answer questions. If you are not certain whether or not something is appropriate, just ask the Rep – they will counsel you as to what is appropriate and what is not. If you feel something has occurred that is not appropriate or against the rules, it is better to ask the Field Rep than to post it on social media. If you have an issue with another exhibitor, have an adult conversation with that person instead of posting it for the public to see. I am asking everyone to do this to help ensure that our sport is viewed in a positive way.
It is national specialty season and I’d like to wish everyone the best of luck at their national. Winning a National is very special and we would love to keep the fancy informed as to who is winning at this year’s national specialties. Please drop me an email at deb.cooper@caninechronicle.com or private message me on Facebook if you win your national so we can let the fancy know! As a reminder, please review your national premium list for nearby veterinarians and make contact with them prior to the show to ensure you know where to go in the case of an emergency (this is not a bad idea when traveling out of your area to all breed shows as well).
Many of our friends are finalizing their plans to travel to China for the World Dog Show. Please drop me a note at deb.cooper@caninechronicle.com if you are attending the WDS this year.
So far, the youngest individual I have been able to identify that won an AKC Best In Show is Laura Brown at the age of 8. Laura is daughter of long-time Westie breeders Gerry and Sylvia Meisels, and was exhibiting one of their Westies. She is now married with two children of her own and still shows Gerry and Sylvia’s Westies.
Celebrating birthdays this week are: Nina Fetter, David Kirkland, Correy Krickeberg, Vince Indeglia, Rowan Baggenstos, Rhonda Holloway, Ivonne Rangel, CJ Favre, Emily Thiel and Debbie Butt.
Spring is in the air, my friends, and temperatures are rising! Don’t forget to check your temperature monitors! Be safe in your travels, and remember to enjoy the moment. Until next time…
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