We are on the verge of a new year and, after 2020, I am sure we are looking forward to some type of return to normalcy.
We have just survived a year in which so many things have happened. Debates and bad behavior have become more of the norm than the rare occurrences of the past. We live in a divided country and a world in which people do not seem to respect those who may have different views and ideologies from their own. Lack of respect does not only occur in the world of politics, but also in many other facets of our lives. Recently, our sport (as well as our ability to hold shows and trials) has suffered in too many ways to count.
Everyone in this country is entitled to his or her own opinions; it is one of the great protections of our constitution. Free speech is what makes America so unique and the envy of many other countries in our world. But free speech also has its victims as some people do not consider the harm they may be causing others by their comments, tweets, posts, and the like.
Nowhere in our sport, it seems, does expressing one’s opinion show up more than in the critiquing of the judging community. I always tell new judges that once they start officiating they need to grow a thick skin because, no matter what they do, the critics will be plentiful and not always kind.
This is not about pointing fingers at anyone. Rather, it is about respecting our sport and everyone involved (before we get to the point where we destroy it for any newcomer due to the behavior they see within the sport).
I started my journey in this sport of purebred dogs in 1972. Looking back, I believe it was a time when our sport was in its prime. In those days we had a ton of sanctioned “B” matches, a place where breeders, novice exhibitors—and even the occasional professional—would take their youngsters to practice and hone their skills for the conformation as well as the obedience rings. Living in Northeast Ohio at the time, one could attend a match on most weekends within a drive of two to three hours; they were plentiful and a great place for the novice to learn. Matches were also a place where prospective judges would learn (through true hands-on experience) about the breeds they were considering judging. Since you entered the match in the morning and the judging would follow later in the day with no published schedule, judges and exhibitors had plenty of time to talk, teach, and learn from one another. When you talk today with people who have been around that long, you will find that we all have fond memories of those times. They not only taught us about our breed and our sport, but also about the value of different opinions and outlooks on various things going on in our sport at the time. The decline in these matches is a lost opportunity for newcomers to our sport as they were a great asset in preparing for the
“Real Shows.”
In those days, we had many “colorful people” in the sport as both judges and exhibitors. We did not have access to the Internet, Facebook, cell phones, and the many forms of social media that we have today. Some of our judges in today’s world might be considered mean, gruffly, crooked, and many other adjectives, but one thing was absolute in all of those “old-timers”; they were “true” dog men and women who had devoted a good part of their lives to the sport, which in those days was more about producing and improving breeding stock than the race for the top dogs that we see today.
There is no doubt that we had people with huge egos and a desire to win at all costs, but decency and decorum ruled the day—for the most part. Even though our judges were very qualified, they each had certain tendencies that we all understood, even if we did not agree with them. The numbers of judges back in those days were significantly lower than what we see today. You might have seen certain judges in your area numerous times each year. Some judges would not tolerate bait of any kind in their rings and would even slap it out of your hand if you used it. We had “Tooth Fairies” who, if your dog’s teeth were not sparkling white, would dismiss you to the end of the line no matter how good of an exhibit yours was. Others would dismiss you if your dog soiled the ring. We also had many in those days who believed in a theory of “spreading it around.” For example, say you had numerous dogs entered in a specific breed and you went Winner’s Dog; no matter how good your bitch or special might be, those judges wanted to spread the wealth and would give the wins to other exhibitors. Many of these judges also recognized that there were numerous good specimens of breeds at the Group level. Most of us stayed in our local areas, so we competed regularly with the same dogs and handlers at almost every show. In those days, you might win the Group today under Judge “A” and, a few weeks later, not even place under the same judge because he or she felt it was someone else’s turn to be rewarded. We all had our favorites as well as those we did not like. What we did not have was the public trashing of judges that is seen everywhere you look on social media sites today.
A little while back, a few judges who have been judging for decades were discussing these so-called “Judges Report Cards” on various social media sites with a variety of different names. One of the most common reactions was that it seems exhibitors today do not care if the judges are genuine dog men and women who truly know and understand breed type and quality. They want judges who smile all the time, play nice with the unruly and untrained dog, and do not award the professional handlers regardless of the quality of dogs being exhibited.
Examples: (No names or shows are identified.)
“Report on Mrs. X who judged on (date) at (show). I have no concern over her choices, but her demeanor was very rude. She was curt with exhibitors. After judging, she broke for lunch and an exhibitor asked for a picture, but she said, ‘Not right now.’”
“Judge Mr. XYZ for Breed. Does he like black (substitute any color or pattern)? I am having trouble finding judges who don’t ignore my black dog.”
“I showed my nine-month-old puppy to Mr. X on Saturday at ABC Kennel Club. It was not a great experience for my boy. Mr. X took his face to check the bite and my boy shied away. Mr. X stopped the exam, had us do our down and back, and pretty much ignored us the rest of the ring time. I will not show under
him again.”
Response on opinions for Judge Z: “A big no. Heavy-handed, terrible with puppies, no patience, rude.” And in the same comments section, “Definitely looks at owner-handler; won a lot under him. He is quiet, and you have to really listen and pay attention. Nice hand on the dogs too.”
“They only use handlers on my do-not-show list.” Another post for the same: “Wonderful, knowledgeable, looks at all the dogs, very fair no matter who is on the end of the lead. One of my all-time favorites.”
I often think of something I was taught as a child. When you are angry and thinking of writing or saying something, write it down, then sleep on it and see how you feel the next day. The written and spoken words can last a long time and damage a relationship over a simple issue that is just silly in hindsight.
Some of these sites even show the person’s name, some with photos and other information that is easily accessible to all. It is OK to have an opinion, but some of these attacks are nothing more than sour grapes because they did not win. You rarely see, “My dog really misbehaved or was out of condition.” Or “Even though I did not win, the winners were deserving.” Or “Yes, the professional handler won, but he/she had a very good dog in great condition and presented properly.”
Most judges try to be kind and considerate. They are on their feet bending over and twisting and turning for, sometimes, 8-12 hours, with over 200 dogs a day when adding Groups. Handlers and exhibitors have a great deal of time to rest and take breaks during the day to recharge, whereas the judges are often worn out after a long day.
In one conversation, some judges wondered what would happen if the judges started some type of “exhibitors report card.” What might we see? Might it look something like this?
“He/she is first-class all the way, accepts wins and losses with grace, never complains or denigrates the competition. Always exhibits dogs in excellent and clean condition.”
“A vile and nasty person, never happy even when they win. Always runs down the competition and thinks he/she deserves to win all the time.”
“A great “user-friendly” person, always respectful. Wish he/she had better dogs.”
“A know-it-all. Been in the breed a year or two and thinks he/she knows everything.”
“Boy, could he/she use a bath, or some deodorant. The smell
is nauseating.”
“You would think they never heard of soap and water. I wonder what a bath and brush might do to make a difference in
that exhibit.”
“Do they not understand that all the extra time they take switching dogs and running back to crates takes time away
from everyone?”
“Always waiting for them to get in the ring because they are outside shooting the bull with someone when they should be in the ring.”
“Oh, this one’s a COVID-19 baby. That’s why he is being so bad, sorry.” (Translation: I was too lazy to train him when I had the time, so I am doing it in the ring.)
I am sure that if there were such a site there would be hundreds of far more colorful posts.
The point here is simple: We are all human beings sharing a common interest; our dogs. It does not cost anything to be nice to each other, but it also does not mean that just because you don’t like someone or the results at a show you need to run down or attack that person. Ask yourself, “How would I feel if they said or wrote that about me?”
We have enough negativity and rudeness in the world. Our shows should be a place filled with friendships and camaraderie. We should all try to make our New Year’s resolution to be nice to one another.
Happy New Year to everyone!

In the southwest corner of Tennessee, about an hour’s drive east of Memphis, sits the small city of Grand Junction. Founded in 1858, this small town with a population of about 300 residents is known around the sport of field trialers as the “Bird Dog Capital of the World.”
Grand Junction, Tennessee, is home to the National Bird Dog Museum, Field Trial Hall of Fame and Wildlife Heritage Center, as well as Ames Plantation, home of the National Field Trial Championships.
To those enthusiasts who are bird dog lovers, the National Championship for bird dogs is the premier field trial event worldwide. The National Championship was first organized and run near West Point, Mississippi, in 1896. Later, the competitions were moved to field trial grounds south of Grand Junction near Rogers Springs, Tennessee, before finding its permanent home north of Grand Junction at the Ames Plantation, the early 20th century home of Hobart Ames, a wealthy Massachusetts factory owner. Each year since 1915, the running of the Championship has been on the “hallowed” field trial grounds set in place by the late Mr. Ames. The gentleman’s bird dogs participated in the trials three times before Ames himself became a longtime President and Judge of the National Championship. There are numerous books available that chronicle and detail the great history of this prestigious event.
The National Bird Dog Championship is held under the guidance of “The American Field.” The American Field has followed the field trial sport since 1874 and the “Field Dog Stud Book” is the oldest purebred dog registry in the United States.
If you love bird dogs and field trials (especially Pointers and Setters), you need to make plans to witness this fantastic event. The running of this event takes place on a 6,000 plus acre area of Ames Plantation and is an annual event that begins on the second or third Monday in February. The average entry consists of about 36 English Pointers and/or English Setters. However, as late as 2016, there have been nearly 50 competitors. The qualifiers are winners or placers at over 80 qualifying trials held throughout the United States and Canada.
It is an event that—to be ideally executed—requires a good population of bobwhite quail in an all-age field trial habitat. Thousands of field trial enthusiasts from all over the world come to Grand Junction to attend the trials every year.
Following the drawing of the braces, the trials host two braces each day to travel one of the two separate courses. The dogs range over about 6,000 acres searching for some 300 coveys of quail. There are two separate courses, one for the morning and one for the afternoon. Each course is an 11.5 mile (linear length) course in which the dogs will run 22 to 26 miles over three hours. The judges follow the “Amesian Standard” when judging the trials and look for dogs with almost as much enthusiasm at the end of the three hours as they had when they started the course. Unless there are call-backs required, the trial will take up two-to-three weeks until all the braces have been completed and a Champion is named.
For many years, the trials were held on consecutive days. The gallery of riders following the dogs on horseback would, at times, exceed 1,000 horses and riders. As you can imagine with that many people on horseback, occasional incidents and injuries befell some in the gallery. So, at some point in the 1980s, it was decided to run the trials only on weekdays to help discourage those folks who came out on the weekends to use the trial as an excuse for a trail ride. Even after the cancellation of the weekend running, the galleries still average 300 to 500 people on horseback following each brace.
The braces run daily regardless of weather—and February weather in west Tennessee can run the gamut of warm, hot, sunny, overcast, rain, and even snow. But as the saying goes, “the Trial must go on.” So, the draw of your brace does have an element of luck as to the conditions.
Through the years, I have had the pleasure to ride in the gallery for numerous braces and, on occasion, I have ridden behind every brace for the duration of the trial. I can tell you, six hours a day in the saddle for a couple of weeks will take a toll on your body.
I find it kind of ironic that the National Championship for bird dogs coincides with the annual Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York. Both events have long and storied histories dating back over 125 years. Westminster is held in the city that never sleeps under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden and [is broadcast on] millions of television sets around the world, whereas the other is held in the quaint, small town of Grand Junction with little fanfare except for the thousands who attend and the reporting that is done in the American Field following the event.
Although all of you reading this are familiar with the great tradition and history of Westminster, I would guess there are very few who are aware of the Bird Dog Championships.
Westminster and our dog shows are judged, as we all know, against the standard for each breed represented. The National Bird Dog Championship is judged by what is known as the “Amesian Standard” which is described below:
"The dog under consideration must have and display great bird sense. He must show perfect work on both coveys and singles. He must be able to quickly determine between foot and body scent. He must use his brain, eyes, and nose to the fullest advantage and hunt the likely places on the course. He must possess speed, range, style, character, courage, and stamina—and good manners, always. He must hunt the birds and not the handler hunt the dog. No line or path runner is acceptable. He must be well broken, and the better his manners, the more clearly he proves his sound training. Should he lose a little in class, as expressed in speed and range, he can make up for this, under fair judgment, in a single piece of superior bird work, or in sustained demonstration of general behavior. He must be bold, snappy, and spirited. His range must be to the front or to either side, but never behind. He must be regularly and habitually pleasing governable and must know when to turn and keep his handler’s course in view, and at all times keep uppermost in his mind the finding and pointing of birds for his handler."
Wow, what an amazing standard to live up to. First, we must remember that these dogs run for a full three hours in all types of conditions across all types of terrain. This alone requires a very special physical specimen with the proper conformation of not only the running gear, but also of the body for heart and lung capacity, good bone, correct feet, and a sound mind and body. When I think of the many Sporting breeds that have been bred to hunt, I often wonder how many could regularly meet these challenges.
When you attend this trial and witness these dogs
enthusiastically doing what they were bred for, you gain a better understanding of why some standards were written as they were.
There are many books available about the National Bird Dog Championships and each will give you a greater insight into this amazing field trial event.
The home of the National Bird Dog Championship is the historic Ames Plantation. The site is an 18,657 acre plantation owned and operated by the Trustees of the Hobart Ames Foundation under provisions of the will of Julia C. Ames. The site also serves as an agricultural experiment station within the University of Tennessee system. The property contains over two hundred 19th-century historic sites. In 1901, Hobart Ames purchased the plantation, one of the region’s largest, and turned it into his own private rural retreat. The manor house itself is furnished with early 20th century furnishings that appear much as they did when the Ames family departed in 1950.
The plantation is also home to a replica mid-19th century family farmstead, typical of those that once dotted the antebellum landscape. It is home to the third oldest herd of Angus cattle in the United States and boasts many other areas of historical significance. A little research on your part will give you a ton of information on this historic and unique piece of American folklore.
As I mentioned earlier, Grand Junction is not only home to the National Championship; it is also home to the Bird Dog Foundation and the National Bird Dog Museum. The foundation and museum can be traced back to the 1970s and Dunn’s Sporting Goods Store in Grand Junction on Hwy 57. Wilson Dunn, owner of the store located within five miles of the center of Ames Plantation, had devoted the back rooms of the store to an impressive collection of photos, memorabilia, and history of the National Field Trial Championships at the nearby Ames Plantation. He referred to his collection as the Field Trial Museum. The store and the rooms in the back received many visitors throughout the years.

In the late 1970s, Gary Lockee arrived in Grand Junction to compete in the National Championship and would later become a Field Trial Hall of Fame inductee. Lockee visited Dunn’s Sporting Goods where Wilson Dunn shared his collection with Lockee. The two men began a friendship and often discussed a need to establish a museum to better recognize and honor all Sporting dogs, with the capability to educate visitors about the history of field trials.
In the past, previous attempts to build a Field Trial Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, had failed. So, following many discussions with fellow enthusiasts and friends, a group decided that Dunn’s collection should be expanded and used as the basis for a museum that could then be added to for generations to come.
Dunn, Lockee, and other bird dog enthusiasts traveled to
Chicago, home of the American Field, to talk with Bernie Matthys, Managing Editor of the American Field at that time. They encouraged Matthys to help them in publicizing information about
their plans to create a non-profit organization, The Bird Dog
Foundation. The foundation would raise funds for a National Bird Dog Museum.
Wilson Dunn, Gary Lockee, Bernie Matthys, and John O’Neall Jr. started a tireless effort to achieve their dream. A charter for the proposed non-profit organization was prepared and approved on May 25, 1988. The subsequent by-laws were approved on October 24, 1988 and the Bird Dog Foundation, Inc. was officially established on May 15, 1989.
The foundation set its goals for the museum and chose a location in Grand Junction because the area had been the site of the National Field Trial Championship since the early 1900s. Lockee and Dunn personally bought 4.5 acres of land in Grand Junction for the future site of the museum and donated it to the Bird Dog Foundation. Shortly thereafter, more than 4,000 bird dog enthusiasts nationwide, as well as more than 35 corporations and businesses, helped to sponsor the proposed museum.
By 1990, the individual and corporate sponsorship had generated the funds to begin construction and, before completion, the entire cost of the museum had been fully funded. My wife, Carol, and I were present on February 16, 1991, when the National Bird Dog Museum was dedicated and opened its doors to the public. The National Bird Dog Museum is a part of the Bird Dog Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization with revenue generated solely through donations from supporters.
Since its opening in 1991, the museum continues to expand, and several additions have been built to house the growing collection. The Retriever Hall of Fame was opened to the public in 2004 and, in 2012, the Sporting Dog Wing was added.
The museum also houses the Wildlife Heritage Center consisting of a large collection of taxidermy showcasing the wildlife of North America as well as the William F. Brown Memorial Library. The Library has an extensive collection of bird dog and game bird literature, a collection of stud books dating back to the 1910s, and various periodicals, including the American Field and other material about wildlife conservation and resource management.
The museum is closed on Mondays, but opens from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM Tuesday through Friday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturday, and 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM on Sunday. The museum is closed on New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
If you love bird dogs or any type of Sporting dog, a trip to the small town of Grand Junction, Tennessee, is the place to go. And if you truly want to see a bird dog work its magic, find a way to attend the National Championship in February. There is only one Westminster and there is only one National Bird Dog Championship, both known throughout the world for being the best at what they do.

It does not matter if you are a long-time breeder, exhibitor, or just a first-time owner—watching your young hopefuls mature is an exciting time. You feed, care, train, and nurture the young prospects with visions of success as they develop in preparation for their ring debut.
When the time approaches that you feel the prospect is ready to hit the ring, you have many choices to make in your effort to make the debut a great experience for both you and your youngster. You will review the premium list for upcoming shows to evaluate the site (determine if the show is indoors or outdoors), the judge, and all the other factors to consider for that premier event.
Once you have decided on the show or circuit, it is time to fill out the entry and start the process.
When you sit down to enter the show, you must decide in which class you will participate. Depending upon the breed, there can be numerous options based upon age, size, color, the experience of the exhibitor, and a multitude of options for you to consider.
First, it should be pointed out that Winners Dog or Winner Bitch can come out of any class. The AKC only requires clubs to offer the American-Bred and the Open Classes at all shows. However, in almost all cases, there are seven regular classes at a conformation dog show—with a few variations.
Most youngsters are initially entered into the Puppy Classes.
The Puppy Class is for dogs at least six months of age and under 12 months of age. These classes may or may not be further divided by age into two classes: 6-9 Months and 9-12 Months.
There may also be 12 months to 18 months of age class offered. This class may also be further divided (just as the Puppy Class) into 12-15 Months or 15-18 Months.
One note of caution is to be sure when entering the Puppy Class or the 12-18 Months Class that you have the birth date and proper class. There have been numerous occasions when the exhibit won the points only to lose them because they were declared ineligible for that class. In most cases, they may have been a day or two older or younger than the class in which they were entered.
The Novice Class is for those dogs that have not previously won three first places in the Novice Class, first place in Amateur-Owner-Handler, Bred-by-Exhibitor, American-Bred or the Open Class, as well as those that have not earned one or more points toward
their championship.
Amateur-Owner-Handler is a class in which the dog is being handled by the registered owner of the dog who has not, at any point, been an AKC-approved conformation judge, a professional dog handler or employed as an assistant to a professional handler.
In the world of dog shows, there is probably no single class that carries the significance of the Bred-by-Exhibitor Class. Many may wonder why someone would say that “Bred-By” is more important or significant than the Best of Breed or Group and Best in Show awards of any dog show.
When I think about the Bred-By class, the first thing that comes to mind is that the exhibitor has bred this dog and is very proud of it. It signifies the hard work and planning that, hopefully, went into producing the exhibit. Anyone who has been breeding for any length of time knows all about the work, research, and dedication that go into planning and producing high-quality animals; working toward perfection of the breed standard. Being a well-respected breeder is not achieved without a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. Anyone can simply mate a male and female, produce a litter, and call themselves a “breeder.” However, the true breeder has dedicated him or herself toward the improvement of the breed not only in their quest for perfection, but also for perfection in health
and temperament.
When we enter the results of our efforts in the Bred-By class we are telling the judge—and everyone else—that we are excited and proud to present this representative of our breed. The Bred-by-Exhibitor Class should NEVER be used as a filler class for any entry. In theory, it should always be one of the strongest classes at any show.
The American Kennel Club awards a special Bred-By Exhibitor Medallion to those exhibitors who complete all points required for their conformation championship title by advancing to the winners’ competition from the Bred-by-Exhibitor Class. Also, those breeders who finish numerous dogs from this class can be awarded silver or gold medallions as special recognition for their dedication to
the sport.
As a judge, breeder, and exhibitor, I know how proud most breeders are to receive the Bred-By Medallion for finishing their dogs from the Bred-By class. This can be made more difficult when the younger dogs under the age of 18 months compete in the class against older, more mature competitors. I know when judging this class, I often ask my steward for the date of birth of any exhibit that I am considering, but [also] wondering what age it is.
If you follow the Board Meeting Minutes and Secretary’s Page of the AKC, you may have noticed that there is a proposal to add “Bred-by-Exhibitor Puppy” classes for clubs to offer. This, in my opinion, is a fantastic idea and one that I look forward to seeing in the ring soon. By offering these classes, I believe many more exhibitors will work toward earning their championships via the “Bred-By” class.
The American-Bred Class is for those dogs whose sire and dam were mated in America, and the dog was born in the US. This is one of the two classes that are required to be offered by
show-giving clubs.
Last, but not least, is the Open Class. This is also one of the two classes required to be offered at all shows. This class may be entered by any registered eligible dog and is also the only regular class in which champions are eligible to compete.
It should also be mentioned that, in some breeds, the above classes may be further divided by color, coat, size or weight.
As you can see, as an exhibitor, you have many options when it comes to entering your class animals in a competition. Some exhibitors want to finish their youngsters from the Puppy Classes, and many breeders want to earn the prestigious Bred-by-Exhibitor Medallion. In any case, all exhibitors are proud of their dogs and covet that title “Champion.” For those who achieve that goal, some will proceed with a career, looking for a higher ranking within the Breed or Group. Others will seek the title of “Grand Champion” and the various levels that can be achieved under that program.
Showing our dogs is a testament to our great breeders and our goals toward achieving perfection in our breeds. No matter which class—or which path—you choose to achieve your personal goals for that young and promising hopeful, remember first and foremost that no matter the outcome you will still go home with the unconditional love of one of man’s best friends.
Happy Showing!

Covid–19 has created a great deal of social and economic disruption throughout most of the world. There has been a great loss of life and when looking to the media for any accurate news, what we get is fear and various forms of good and bad information. There is no doubt, however, that the virus has caused the elimination of most dog shows and trials here in the United States.
Many clubs and their volunteers have tried valiantly to find a way to put on their shows. Unfortunately, it has become increasingly evident that state and local governments have made the situation almost impossible for most clubs to hold their shows.
My question is a very simple one: Where has the AKC been in trying to solve this problem?
Just think about it, the AKC has provided us with their idea for best practices in holding events, but have they been there to assist the clubs in dealing with the current situations? After all, these are the events that also generate income for the AKC. With the disruption of these events, AKC has had to furlough numerous AKC employees. Guy Fisher in the Club Development Department has been working hard to try to assist clubs with as much info as possible. The problem is that the Club Development Department is not there to assist with government and facility assistance.
Everyone within the fancy knows that the “hold” on most events is due to guidelines and social distancing regulations put in place by the various government officials and facilities throughout our country. Also, it appears the future is still very much in doubt with an expected wave coming in the fall and winter months that could cause an indefinite delay in the “return to normal” scenario.
When watching all of the mass gatherings, protests and violence in our country, we must wonder why is it so difficult to hold a dog show?
The AKC website has a department listing for Government Relations. The primary mission of this department is focused on various forms of legislation.
Fighting for our rights as dog breeders, exhibitors, and owners is very important and we are fortunate that this department works hard to help with these issues as they arise.
In my opinion, the AKC is missing out on an opportunity to not only help its clubs and constituents but also to establish or enhance its existing relationships with various government officials throughout the country. I believe that now is the time for the AKC to expand this department and have it reach out to all state and local governments and facilities in those locations where events are held to help everyone work out safe and responsible ways for us to start up our shows again.
By utilizing information gathering from various areas into one contact group, the AKC could go a long way in assisting clubs to get back to shows and trials soon. With one central body with a background of working with the government by discussing issues, they would learn what does and does not work. They could best help these governments and facilities better understand what shows mean to their communities (not only economically, but also about responsible pet ownership, and their dog-loving constituents).
Having a central department would give clubs a well–informed information source to reach out to whenever they face various issues—now and in the future. Also, should a situation like this arise again, we would all be one step ahead.
It helps to remember that clubs are made up of volunteers, not salaried employees. In many cases, these individuals have no experience with these areas of concern. By having the Government Relations Department available to them it would save a great deal of time and money, with professionals available to assist them and help them avoid mistakes.
The local clubs are the backbone of our sport. Many clubs have spent many hours, dollars, and resources to return us to our sport.
Maybe it is time for the AKC to step up to the plate and help even more?

By the time you read this most of you will have experienced at least five to six months of life without attending a dog show or trial. For most of us, our experiences in dealing with the Covid–19 pandemic will differ greatly. One thing we can all count on is that the situation has indeed impacted our world of dog shows, field trials, agility, obedience, and rally, as well as all things associated with the sport.
Show and trial chairs throughout the United States as well as the rest of the world are being faced with extremely tough decisions regarding the resumption of events in a safe and workable environment for all members of the fancy. Different states—as well as facilities—have new restrictions and rules that have an impact on when and how clubs will be able to return to venues sensibly and practically.
For some of these clubs, the rules and restrictions will create more cancellations of events until that time when a vaccine or some other medical breakthrough will get us back to normal. However, for those clubs that are trying to continue to put on events, there is no question that major changes are in the works.
Anyone with a computer and a Facebook (or other type of social networking) account has already seen the multiple reactions within the fancy in regards to proposed changes for upcoming shows and trials. The suggested or mandated changes are already creating divisiveness within the ranks. At some venues, there will be no indoor grooming, or limited grooming, with absolutely no use of hairdryers, powders, chalk, or anything that might easily be spread around the facility. Practicing social distancing in the grooming areas as well as around the rings will be interesting to observe. Judges and exhibitors wearing masks and practicing other safety measures will also add time to an already long day for many. Ring stewards as well as judges will encounter masses of people during a show. While we hope many will practice safe and healthy practices, it is foolish to believe that everyone will follow the rules. >
There are already people posting that those with RV’s and private generators will have an unfair advantage because they will be able to groom and blow dry, etc. at their respective vehicles. Some have been around for many years and remember when electricity and other perks of today’s show sites were not available and the sport did well and enjoyed great growth. In those days of yore, shows were one day events with exhibitors moving from show to show every day with no drop-off in entries. Many sites were outdoors and at fairgrounds or other venues with tenting, porta-potties and no hookups, often with just a field to park in.
Over time, we have experienced many changes in our sport and we are now facing another change that is being forced upon us by an outside influence we have no control over. Our task is [to determine] how we attack the changes and learn to work together to make it work for the greater good and not just a
privileged few.
While sitting home on the weekends, I have watched more TV than normal. I happened to watch the season finale of the American Idol competition. During the finale, Lionel Ritchie and a group of current performers sang “We Are The World” for the first time in over 35 years. The song was written by the late Michael Jackson and Lionel Ritchie. It is a song that resonates with people trying to make our world a better place. The words tell a practical story;
WE ARE THE WORLD
– MICHAEL JACKSON/LIONEL RITCHIE
There comes a time when we heed a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
And it’s time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all
We can’t go on pretending day by day
That someone somehow will soon make a change
We are all a part Gods great big family
And the truth, you know
Love is all we need
(Chorus)
We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So lets start giving
There’s a choice we’re making
We’re saving our own lives
It’s true we’ll make a better day
Just you and me
Send them your heart
So they’ll know that someone cares
And their lives will be stronger and free
As God has shown us by turning stones to bread
So we all must lend a helping hand
(Chorus)
When you’re down and out
There seems no hope at all
But if you just believe there’s no way we can fall
Let us realize that a change can only come
When we stand together as one
As we move toward the future, are you willing to sacrifice and stand together as one? Will you be a happy and productive part of a successful solution? We need to bond and learn to love and respect each other in a time that will test many. Our future as a sport depends upon every person doing their part. We are the Dog Show World and we can make it happen.

A few months ago, I shared with you an article I had written on volunteers and my opinion that they are indeed the backbone of our sport. I received a few very positive responses from that message and one of them suggested that I should share my story to show that it was not just talking. My story illustrates that when you think outside the box and explore that seemingly impossible thought with other forward-thinking people you can make a difference.
This is a true story about one man’s idea of sharing his love of dogs and a desire to do something to help the Children of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. It shows how that idea—with the help of a great group of people —developed into a special event that left a small footprint on a city and a love for man’s best friend.
The St. Jude Story
This story started after I became involved in a volunteer effort for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. For those of you who may not know much about St. Jude’s, it all began with its founding by the entertainer Danny Thomas. It was founded on the premise that “no child should die in the dawn of life.” The idea for the hospital was from a promise that Mr. Thomas had made to a saint many years before its founding. At the time Thomas was a struggling Catholic comedian trying to get a break in his career and living from paycheck to paycheck. When his first child was about to be born, he attended Mass in Detroit and put his last $7.00 in the offering plate. He prayed to St. Jude Thaddeus (the Catholic patron saint for lost causes) for a means to provide for his growing family. About a week later he obtained a gig that paid ten times what he placed in the offering plate. Following that Thomas believed in the power of prayer. He promised St. Jude Thaddeus that if the saint made him successful, he would one day build him a shrine. Years later, Thomas became an extremely successful TV star and comedian and built St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital as a shrine to honor his promise to St. Jude Thaddeus.
In 1957, Danny Thomas—who was a Lebanese American—founded ALSAC (American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities) the organization that would help him realize his dream. ALSAC became the fund-raising arm of the future hospital.
The City of Memphis, Tennessee was chosen as the location for the project at the suggestion of Roman Catholic Cardinal Samuel Stritch, a Tennessee native who had been a spiritual advisor to Mr. Thomas ever since presiding at Mr. Thomas’s confirmation in Danny’s boyhood home of Toledo, Ohio.
It should also be noted that although it was named in honor of Mr. Thomas’s patron saint, the hospital is not a Catholic hospital. Rather, it is a secular institution not affiliated with any religious organization.
Five years after the founding of ALSAC, Danny Thomas’s dream was realized when St. Jude opened in 1962. Since that opening, many discoveries at St. Jude have made possible numerous changes in the way that Doctors treat childhood cancer and other catastrophic diseases. The survival rates for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (the most common of all childhood cancers) has grown from four percent in 1962 to 94% today. Since St. Jude opened, the survival rate from all childhood cancers has risen from 20% to 80%.
It is not hard to see what a wonderful tribute grew from that humble promise of a struggling young father-to-be. But I guess I need to get back to my story.


What can one person do?
After personally witnessing the daily miracles at St. Jude, I asked myself what could I do to help make a difference? As I thought about it, I considered my experience with the sport of dogs and wondered if that could be a source for a fund-raising event. My thoughts at the time were that our dogs are known as Man’s best friend, and I saw St. Jude as the best friend of a child in need and thought it could be a combination that might work.
Having been involved in dog shows since the early 1970s, I was curious as to why shows only held conformation and obedience together when there were so many other things that could be done with our dogs. I contemplated, “If there was an event that included the many diverse aspects of competition available to dog lovers, would the public come to learn, observe and participate in our wonderful world of dogs?”
With the support and encouragement of my wife and best friend Carol, I started putting together a plan of action and possibilities.
I had started my judging career in 1985 and had founded the Mid-South judges’ group. We were one of the earlier judges’ groups in the country at the time and met monthly to learn about the various breeds presented by knowledgeable breed mentors. Our members came from West Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Southwest Kentucky. At one of our monthly get-togethers, I mentioned my idea and asked for thoughts and feedback. Many thought it was a good idea, but thought it had a very small chance to succeed. One member, Sherry Webster, thought it was a great idea and agreed to team up with Carol and me to pursue the idea further.


The spring of 1994 the project starts
By the spring of 1994, Carol, Sherry and I had given the idea a great deal of thought. We considered what types of events, demonstrations, educational, and entertainment events to include (what all might be involved), and was it truly a realistic concept? At the time the AKC was still basically a Conformation, Obedience, and Field Trial club and we had this vision of so many other opportunities outside of AKC events in which dog owners could do so much more with their dogs. So, in May of 1994, we sent out a letter to a list of possible participants in our project to gauge interest in our concept.
On June 15th of that year, thirteen individuals representing several of our concept groups attended that first planning meeting. In that meeting our agenda addressed:

• The general concept of the event
• Outline needs for individual subcommittees
• Location for the event
• Selection of a date
• Possible corporate sponsorship
• Introduction of Walter Sommerfelt and Sherry Webster as Chair and Assistant Chair for the event.
• Association with ALSAC and The Ladies of St. Jude auxiliary as St. Jude partners in the event.
• Finance
• Insurance
• Publicity
• Various exhibitions
• Special events
• Competitive events
• Demonstrations
• Major organization participants
• Breed participation
• Concessions
• Parking
• Equipment
• Gate/Admission, Etc.

This initial meeting was met with great enthusiasm and all agreed to move forward with the plan. Everyone also agreed it would take at least one year to 18 months to put it all together, but all in attendance were committed to the project.
It was understood from day one that we were all volunteers and that no one would be compensated for their time and talents.


You win with people
One of my favorite books is my wife’s autographed copy of the late Woody Hayes book, You Win With People. Hayes, the former head coach of my beloved Ohio State Buckeyes, devoted the book to the team concept of how every single member of any successful organization plays an important part in the eventual outcome of any endeavor.
What I learned most through the process of putting this event on was that Woody had it right. I needed to develop a leadership style that was open-minded—not judgmental—and appreciative of every single volunteer for it to succeed.
Sherry and I agree that we could not succeed by micro-managing, and we had to let each group and individual event contribute and staff as needed. We, as leaders, would be there to assist and coordinate with them to make it all work as one event with each group as a sub-event.
Sherry was a very valuable assistant chairman who served the event well for several years before family health matters would force her to move over to the sidelines. The contributions she made to the project, especially in the beginning, were tremendous.
Getting the word out
The committee wanted to put some type of name to the event and the title “St. Jude Wonderful World of Dogs” was selected, and Sherry created a wonderful logo of a child and dog to represent the project. Ironically just a few weeks before the event, we would learn the “wonderful world of dogs” had been copyrighted and we were in violation of copyright law putting our event in jeopardy. Fortunately, an agreement was reached along with a donation from the copyright holder and we could proceed, but the following year we would change our name to the St. Jude Showcase of Dogs.
Also, we needed a way to share our event with potential groups and sponsors. I created a script for a video and Sherry (with the cooperation of ALSCA and the AKC) secured video material that Pro-Video in Memphis built into a four-minute promotional video on our project.
After the creation of the video, Sherry and I started to attend meetings with many kennel clubs and groups in the general area. Our goal was to generate a diverse group with an interest in the project. We also sent the video out to every major dog food brand at the time looking for a title sponsor with some sort of financial support.


The general public
Everyone on the committee felt that not only getting the general public to attend was essential, but we needed to get them excited about it. We decided to allow the public to bring their dogs with them to the event so they could participate in some activities as well as learn about their breeds and their dogs from breeders and veterinarians and trainers that were participating.


Finding a site and a date
Securing a suitable site and date was next on our agenda. We researched available dates with little or no competition from other shows, knowing that this large undertaking would take a special site to accommodate it. We also researched the weather from the data available over the past 50 years.
The Agricenter International in suburban Germantown, Tennessee was selected as the site and the weekend of October 7 and 8 was selected for the date, as history had shown it had only rained twice in 50 years on that weekend. The Agricenter was also adjacent to the Duck’s Unlimited headquarters and some aspects of that property would fit with our project.
We still did not have a sponsor, but I signed the contracts to secure the site and I was now “all in” for sure as I did not want to lose everything if we failed.
The Agricenter was a unique property. The indoor set-up was difficult to utilize efficiently, but the outside had 300 full RV hook-ups, a wonderful pond and numerous large and small grassy areas where many events could be staged.


Title Sponsor named
In January of 1995, Kal-Kan Pedigree dog food company stepped up and agreed to become the first sponsor of our event. It was a big relief to all of us and a sign that we were on our way toward success.


A true dog community project
In our meetings and outreach, various groups started to come on board. One of particular significance was the Memphis and Shelby County Veterinary Association. This group, with no less than 50 local veterinarians and their clinics, committed to designing and staffing a “Noah’s Ark” exhibit in which they created a mini-hospital to share with the public information and demonstrations on various veterinary practices regarding surgery, dentistry, ultrasound, physical exams, laboratory practices, preventive medicine radiology/X-rays and all things veterinary related. The Ark would become a great success as the general public had a real opportunity to get a behind the scenes look at the veterinary profession and how they treat their dogs.
The Memphis Obedience Club under the direction of AKC judge Howard Gladstein stepped up and agreed to sponsor the obedience side of the project. They would host a limited obedience trial as well as do numerous demonstrations to introduce Obedience to the spectators.
The Greater Shelby Kennel Club—of which Carol, Sherry and I were charter members—was hesitant to join on as a sponsor and move their show to the event, but they did agree to hold sanctioned matches on the weekend to present the conformation side of the sport.
The American Kennel Club, The American Field, The Bird Dog Museum and the National Field Trial Championship all agreed to participate. They would not only have a booth, they would do bird dog demonstrations on the adjacent Duck’s Unlimited properties.
Agility and Lure coursing were not yet AKC events, but they were being held by other sanctioned organizations and they agreed to hold a full trial at the event.
Numerous groups agreed to do demonstrations during the event some of them were, Pointing dogs, Retrievers, search and rescue, Schutzhund, herding, Guide Dogs for the Blind, therapy, freestyle and dancing dogs, drug and law enforcement dogs, fox hunting, Beagle field trials, coon hounds and go to ground.
Many of those that attended the event can remember our herding demonstration person using his Border Collies to herd a group of sheep throughout the grounds during the event.


The stars came out
One member of our committee worked hard with a trainer in Hollywood to bring Gus, the white Siberian Husky from the film Iron Will, The St. Bernard from the film Beethoven and the Golden Retriever, Shadow, from the film The Incredible Journey to Memphis. She created a show using the dogs that was presented on stage several times a day to entertain the public. >
In conjunction with the film dogs, we began annual visits to the hospital itself to do the show for the children on the day before the event. At first, the dogs were not permitted inside the hospital because at that time the medical profession worried about possible infections and other risks to the patients, but over the years there were many visits by canine celebrities like “Air Bud” and other TV and film dogs. This would eventually lead to a canine therapy group being allowed into the hospital as well as Ronald McDonald and Target house to soothe and comfort the children. I am happy to say I think our visits were instrumental in the eventual acceptance of therapy dogs, not only at St. Jude, but also in many hospitals throughout the country.
One year the Golden Retriever, Buddy, from the Air Bud film performed and he had a very special impact on everyone as Bud himself was also undergoing cancer treatment at the time. Many patients that year were especially moved by their interaction with this very special canine.


Other Contests
We annually invited several elementary schools to participate in a St. Jude Showcase of Dogs art contest and these kids did a fantastic job with their art. The winning art used on the annual event T-Shirts. Also, all the submitted art was put on display for everyone to enjoy.
There was another special event we had that was open to all including the public. We called it “Super Dog” and it was a fun competition judged by local celebrities and others. At the first event, Jim Deringer from the AKC served as one of the judges. Super Dog was made up of events such as “Bag Your Dog”, a contest to see which dog would sit still the longest with a paper shopping bag on its head; “Get In the Car”, that determined which dog had the fastest time from the starting line to get in the adjacent car; “Call Your Dog”, where two owners would hide behind a structure and bet on who the dog would come in the fastest time; “The Maze”, where dogs were released into a maze and encouraged through it with the fastest time; “Dress Your Dog”, a race to a pile of human clothes where you would put a shirt and pants on your dog and run back to the finish line; “The Obstacle Course” for both people and their dogs—fastest time wins. There were other events as well. Each competitor earned points and the eventual winner was crowned “Super Dog.”


Kiddie fun zone
Since our event was about the children, we wanted to have an area where the kids could kick back and have fun. We talked about fair-type rides, but found the financial commitments and liabilities were highhigh. We decided instead on a kiddie fun zone where we had kids’ games and various inflatables along with a small-scale rideable train to entertain and amuse children with their parents.


Breed Booths and Seminars
I am not aware of any really large scale Meet the Breeds type of events in 1994, but we decided that we would invite every AKC parent club in the country to participate. We provided them with a free 10×10 pipe and draped booth to present their breed to the general public, and to also offer them the opportunity to present their breed to judges and exhibitors in the form of breed seminars that would be provided free of charge to potential judges considering judging their breed. This was at a time when there were very few seminars available in one place and way before the AKC institutes we have today.
That first event would feature over 60 individual breed seminars. AKC judges Gary Doerge and Carol Sommerfelt, as well as other members of the Mid-South judges group, served as the hosts for the seminars. Over the years, many of the icons of various breeds would come to Memphis to present their breed at seminars where, in most years, between 75-100 judges would attend
In that first year, we also had 59 individual breed booths and 24 all-breed and other organization groups participate in getting their information out to the general public.


Adopting a policy
There was no question that we were going outside the box when we decided to allow the general public to bring their dogs. This created many difficult issues with the AKC rules, but we felt it was important to let the public bring their dogs. We had a very strict policy that during the event no dogs could be sold, placed, adopted or traded. It was emphasized to all the breeds and other groups that if people were interested, they could follow up with them after the event was over.


Flyball
Probably no single event or demonstration over the years was as popular as flyball. In the first year, we invited a group from Houston, Texas to come and do demonstrations and share their sport with the public. The general public fell in love with the sport. Starting in year two of the event it became an annual tournament and when our event ended its run in 2009, the largest flyball tournament in North America was being held at the Showcase.


Other areas
When putting on an event of this size there are so many small details that require attention and hard work. We had to find food vendors, and we needed to find a variety of regular vendors to buy space. This gave us a chance to succeed and pay our bills. We also needed people in print advertising, TV, and radio to assist in the promotion of the event. We needed people to handle parking, ticket sales, set up and tear down, a convention supply company to provide pipe and drape for booths, AV equipment, tables, chairs, and many other items. We had to find catering companies to provide lunch for the workers and volunteers as well as security for the general public.


Press Conference
By May of 1995, we were only five months away from seeing our project on display. In May of that year, the Mayor of Memphis, The Shelby County Mayor, Executives from Pedigree and myself gathered on the steps of St. Jude Children’s research hospital for a press conference to announce the inaugural event to the general public. This was an important landmark in our success as it became an alliance between the dog people, the local government and St. Jude to present our sport of purebred dogs to the public. Over the following 15 years, that proved to be a great alliance as no dog legislation was put into effect in the city or the county.


Volunteers
There is no way an event like this takes place without volunteers. I estimate that annually we would have over 300 individuals volunteer in some way to make this show work. Many of our volunteers were not dog people, but rather people who volunteered to further the mission of St. Jude.
Many people volunteered for that first event who would continue to volunteer every year throughout our successful run. These people were so vital to our continuity and success and I will always be grateful for their contributions.
Starting from year one, Traci Mathews built a connection with a group of non-violent offenders to do their community service hours. Many of these individuals would often be the labor that helped us put up tents, cut grass, park cars, keep the area clean, staff numerous areas and do a lot to assist us. Jerry Pittman and I would start on the Monday before the event getting things set up and would be there on Monday after to put the Agricenter back the way it was.
Even after Carol and I relocated to Knoxville about 375 miles away in 2003, I would travel back for meetings as well as to spend the week of the event—from the Monday before to the Monday after—getting things done.


Moving Forward
In the following years, the Greater Shelby Kennel Club would become the host club and started to hold their point show in conjunction with the event. Later, the Tupelo Kennel Club of Mississippi would also partner with us to make it a four-day weekend event. When hiring their judging panels both clubs allowed for many of the newer judges to participate by offering them the opportunity to judge their provisional breeds.
Tim James and the Onofrio organization became a vital partner for the shows and the event in general. Especially in helping us to deal with difficult moments in dealing with AKC rules and regulations. Because of the rules, any area hosting an AKC event had to be roped off with signage stating no unentered dogs were allowed past those signs into the areas where AKC designated events were being held. I can tell you from personal experience that most of the AKC people were understanding and helpful with the difficulties we faced. I will always be grateful to the late Dr. Robert Berndt, a special friend and the AKC Chairman of the board at the time, as well as the late Bill Bergum, also an AKC board member, for their support and guidance not only for the event, but in dealing with AKC aspects and conflicts as they arose. While most of the folks at the AKC were supportive and understanding, there were also a couple of individuals within the organization that at times made it very, very difficult to put on the event.


The Pay Off
From being told by many it could not be done, a tremendous group of volunteers and organizations worked together to make the initial show a success. Attendance that first year was estimated at over 25,000 people and, after all the bills were paid, the event was able to purchase a very special transport vehicle for The Children of St. Jude with a cost above $37,000. The publicity from the event was extremely positive and all involved decided to make it an annual event.
Over the years the event would add and subtract events and adjust to changes within the sport.
The event would also hold galas in conjunction with the event and would offer individuals in some cases an opportunity to visit the hospital. After visiting St. Jude some of those people were so moved that they made future bequests to the mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in their wills.
By the time our run ended in 2009, we had raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for St. Jude. We had entertained several hundred thousand visitors to the event, contained anti-canine legislation while also introducing many new people to our sport and making a positive impact in
our community.


Did we make a difference?
From 1995 until 2009, we put on a very special show. It was an event that I truly believe made a positive difference in our world of dogs. Since that first show, AKC has added agility, herding, rally, and recognizes so many titles that were not available in 1995. We’ve seen the AKC build the AKC Championship Show in Orlando into an event that has incorporated a lot of what we did way back in 1995. We now see “Meet the Breeds” being held not only by AKC in New York and other areas, but that many local clubs are now incorporating it into their weekends.
We have all seen an increase in acknowledging our dogs as a vital part of society. There were two members of our Showcase committee that were in New York after 9/11 with their search and rescue group following the twin towers disaster. The Memphis area has created several therapy groups, some of the Kennel Clubs have added herding and other events by recruiting people that had been involved in the event.


Ending of an ERA
We all know that over time the dynamics within clubs and groups experience change. After my relocation to Knoxville, I started to see a change within some of the organizations that were a part of the event. Eventually, some people within the various organizations felt that the event was a burden to their group and started to have a very negative effect on the overall mission of the event. What followed was a very difficult time in the treatment of many of the volunteers that had contributed so much over the years.
All things in society eventually experience change. So, for a variety of reasons, the St. Jude Showcase of Dogs ended its run in 2009. I imagine if the time and effort I had put into the event through those years had been put into advancing my judging career I could be an all-breed judge today. Rather, I chose to pursue an idea. With the great help of so many people through the years, I believe we accomplished what we set out to do. That was to raise money for the kids at St. Jude and show the world the sport of dogs does indeed have a lot to offer.


In Closing
All of us know, eventually, there is a beginning and an end to most things in life. The Showcase of Dogs taught me a great deal about myself, about other people, and most importantly, the value of volunteers and the ability to enjoy the experience of people working together outside of any personal agendas in order to achieve something for the greater good.


I would suggest that if you want to think outside the box—if you have an idea that you think has benefits—go for it.
I know I did, and I am a better man for it.

At times it appears to me that everywhere I turn there seems to be a general lack of Civility and Respect between people in just about every area of our lives. I often wonder why that is and just where did this trend begin.
Growing up in America as a member of the baby boomer generation I am full of many fond memories of my youth. At school we all learned how to read and write, we learned math, history, spelling, social studies, geography and many other subjects. At home as well as in our neighborhoods we also learned many other things such as;

• Always respect your elders
• Say “Please” and “Thank you”
• Treat others as you would wish for them to treat you.
• Be kind and helpful to your neighbors.
• The police and fire fighters are your friends
• Listen to and respect your teachers, coaches and any other figure of authority.
• Never wear a hat inside the house.
• Always be on time.
• Do not steal
• Never Lie and if you are caught in one don’t ever try to cover it up with another one.
• Appreciate America, The Flag, and the freedoms and sacrifices of many that they symbolize.
• Always be quiet in a Church or at the Library.
• Never be disruptive in a public place.
• Always open the door for a lady and the elderly.
• Clean up after yourself it is a sign of respect for yourself as well as those around you.
• If you participate in sports always display good sportsmanship on and off the field
• Cleanliness is next to Godliness
• The customer is always right
• Appreciate what you have and know that there are many with much less
• Be kind to animals

Having gone to Catholic school we also had other regulations to follow such as wearing a shirt and tie everyday for the boys while the girls had school uniforms to wear. Our hair could not touch the collar of our shirts and when a girl knelt her skirt had to touch the floor, or it was too short. These were the rules and although we did not like all of them, we learned to accept them and the discipline and order it brought to our lives.
While many of my generation were growing up TV and radio were expanding, and our country started to change. We lived through the Cold War with bomb shelters and the drills that accompanied them, the civil rights movement, the Vietnam war, Draft dodging, the space race and saw the first man walk on the moon, the burning of bras and draft cards, The introduction of the birth control pill, free love and hippy movements and of course the counter culture of drugs. We had political unrest, race riots, the threat of communism, Watergate and a world about to explode with technology that would forever change the landscape not only in America but all over the world.
Our world today appears to be in constant chaos. One only needs to look at what is happening in our own country to see that mankind and America are heading down a dangerous path. As I remember during my childhood the Political parties of both the Democrats and the Republicans sought to find the common ground and compromises that only required “common sense” and results to benefit our country and the greater good.
It seems to me that today the extreme views of those both on the left and the right are slowly dividing not only our country but families and friendships along with them. I believe that there are probably about 10-15% of Americans that fit in the extreme category on either side of the political spectrum with about 70% of our country fitting somewhere in the middle. I think that most people may lean to the right or the left but, they agree on more subjects than they are opposed to. If it were up to me, I would create a third political party in America simply called the “Common Sense Party”, where that 70% could use common goals and reason to solve the issues we face as a country.
It has always been my opinion that our sport is a scaled down version of America. We have people of all races, nationalities, religious beliefs, social, economic and ethnic groups. We have people of all ages, sexual orientation, as well as educational and professional backgrounds. We are a melting pot of people with a common interest in our sport of pure-bred dogs.
Also, like America I think that as a sport we may also be heading down a destructive path. A path that without some changes may lead to an end of the sport as we know it. Let’s look at some of those areas:

1. If we don’t change how we respect our venues and hotels we may no longer have anyplace to even hold a show or a hotel that will accept us with our dogs. I just came back from the Orlando cluster and could not believe how many people did not clean up after their dogs. People allowed males to lift their legs on everything and even those that did clean up would leave their bags of poop everywhere for someone else to collect. At our show this year we put in the front of our judging program that failure to clean up after your dog would result in a $25.00 on the spot fine and would subject you to a bench hearing. We further made it known that all club members as well as the facility people were aware of it and would be enforcing it. Much to my surprise it seemed to work as we did not have to fine anyone and only had one or two piles to clean up from people that were obviously not observed leaving the piles.
2. Respect for fellow exhibitors. There is absolutely no reason to berate or humiliate another exhibitor because they made a mistake on an entry or in the ring. There is a proper and civil way to talk to people without cursing or throwing a tantrum. Just remember the Golden Rule.
3. Judges are human and even if you do not like them or agree with them public outbursts or tearing them apart on social media is just not acceptable. If you don’t like their judging just don’t enter under them no one forces, you to enter.
4. Judges need to be kind to exhibitors and occasionally remember that this may be these exhibitors first show and a bad experience may prevent them from coming back. Remember many of us that have become successful in our sport did not always start with a good dog or polished skills.
5. Our sport has always prided itself on a certain type of class. Men with Shirts, Ties and Coats, Ladies with nice dresses or outfits that present them in a professional light. Whether you are a judge or an exhibitor you need to show our sport the respect it deserves by dressing appropriately in clothes that fit you and show you as a professional not a Wal Mart shopper in the middle of night.
6. The American Kennel Club needs to show respect to the exhibitors by making sure that judges are qualified and have a proven record before advancing them. Going from one breed to 13 in one application is depriving the exhibitor. We have many good judges that came up in a system that although was slow and took many of us 8-10 years to be approved for a whole group made us all better judges.
7. The AKC must also learn to stop giving special treatment to certain individuals and they must also maintain the integrity of the sport by punishing and suspending those that don’t follow the rules. There are numerous rumors about falsified applications and special treatments in the past and in the present that don’t play well to the other judges and exhibitors. Scandals happen and people must be held accountable for their actions.
8. If we are going to continue, we need to be a positive influence in our communities and on a national scale. We need to get back to that time when being an AKC registered dog had real meaning.
9. Breeders need to be mindful of how they talk with potential puppy buyers. New people need to be educated and encouraged not dismissed and treated rudely just because they may not understand why you are asking the questions you do before selling your puppies.
10. Participants need to be respectful of those that choose to compete in venues other than those that you may prefer. One of the great things about our competitions today is that there are so many things a person can compete in that anyone can enjoy competition with their dog in the area they enjoy.
11. The AKC needs to review their policies and stop making the kennel club the place where those handlers that want to retire go to work, with the AKC making them instant Experts evaluating judges and, on some occasions, bringing their personal Bias with them. There are many people with great backgrounds in our sport that should be considered.

These are just a small sample of the issues we face. You may or may not agree with a few of them or maybe all of them but as a nearly 50-year participant in the sport they are just this writers’ observations.
As a country, might we be headed toward another civil war. Is the world we live in headed toward destruction? What about our sport? Will it still exist in 5-10-20 years?
On the positive side our sport is truly international, and we have dog lovers all over the world exhibiting. Is it possible that some day in the future we will all compete under one system? Who knows?
I admit I miss the golden age of dog shows the early 70’s and 80’s where we were a truly family sport where the weekend was two days to look forward to and not the rat race of the 4-5 day circuits of today. A time when judges and exhibitors would talk, listen and share without having their integrity questioned. Where fellow exhibitors stayed till the end to laugh, to learn, to share and to create great friendships. What do you think?

I was reading the critique of a local restaurant the other day in my local paper. The critic was talking about the food, the prices, the décor and what made it unique. When evaluating the entrées there was a specific mention of the “Presentation” of the meal itself.
Being curious I looked up presentation in food evaluation. The description I found was that “Presentation is the art of modifying, processing, arranging, or decorating food to enhance its aesthetic appeal.”
The definition brought me back to an experience I had several years ago while living in Memphis, Tennessee. I had the opportunity to be a part of a team that was cooking in the world famous “Memphis in May” Barbecue contest. During the competition I learned just how important “presentation” was involved in the over-all scoring of the team. I was surprised to learn that if any of the sauce itself dripped onto the plate it was a DQ for the dish. There have also been times when I have watched one of those Chef Shows on cable TV and again the presentation of the food carried a very high value in the evaluation process.
You are probably wondering what does this have to do with dog shows?
Just look at the definition “The art of modifying, processing, and arranging to enhance its aesthetic appeal.” Is this not what we all do when showing our dogs.
Just like food we start with the main ingredient our dogs. Then through a variety of ways we work toward presenting that dog in the best possible way to appeal to the judge.
The first part comes through raising happy, healthy, sound animals with good temperaments. Hopefully we follow that up with training, and conditioning building strong muscles and a very good basic physical specimen.
Once our exhibit has the basics solved, we move on to the other phases. Enhancing virtues and minimizing faults in the eyes of the judge. So, I guess you could say we only want the judge to see the good parts and hope we can fool them from seeing the not so good parts. This can and is done in many ways.
Let’s start with a coated breed. Coated breeds can offer you blessings as well as difficulties in the presentation phase. If you are blessed with a dog with enough coat in quantity and texture you may have hit the jackpot. Coat can be used to create many illusions to the judge that fails to search the coat to see what is under it. Some examples would be a dog that when standing naturally is east and west in front or maybe cow-hocked in the rear. A skillful groomer can use scissors and other techniques to make it appear that when the dog is stopped and standing naturally, he appears to be truly perfect. Hopefully a skilled judge feels through the coat to find the faults or is good enough to pay attention to the pads of the feet to pick it up while the dog is in motion. Likewise, an animal lacking in neck can be enhanced through stripping out coat or even clipping it at the withers and having the neck hair lay over it to make it appear much longer than it is. Toplines can be altered through numerous approaches to make them appear not what they really are so the judge must use his hands and his eyes to get a true evaluation. Even though the coated breeds are often a lot of work a skilled person knows how to use that coat to their advantage.
Keeping the nails trimmed properly is another important part of the puzzle. There are times when the nails are so long you can hear them clicking on the mats on the down and back and in some cases this can lead to making the feet themselves look very bad.
Many people use special shampoos, chalk, hair dye and other substances to alter or enhance the animal under their care. The secret to this is being sure it’s done correctly and does not come off onto the hands of the judge or leave white spots on the mats or even a big puff of smoke when the dog shakes out inside the ring. Foreign substance found in the coat gives the judge the right to immediately excuse the dog from the ring. All judges will tell you two things they hate are dirty dogs and dogs that when they are examining them have a bunch of gunk in the coat that comes off in their hands.
If you have a smooth coated animal, you don’t have as many opportunities, but you can still do things to be sure you know what you need to do to make your dog look its best. Start by being sure you are stacking your dog properly to present a picture to the judge of the balance and type of your dog. How you hold the head, and the tail, being sure the front is set properly under the dog and the rear is not over stretched or under stretched make a difference in what appears to the judge. Also being sure the topline is being shown properly for that breed is equally important.
Everyone needs to learn how to properly show the bite and should make sure the dogs’ teeth are clean and look white and healthy. When practicing showing the bite remember your showing it to the judge not looking at it yourself so don’t block their view with your head.
Assuming you have done all the correct things regarding health, coat care, and proper set up the most critical part of the equation is next.
How should I move my dog?
Obviously, all dogs have some type of movement described in their individual standard. Learning the different gaits and how to recognize and understand them
is important.
One of the better books out there to talk about gait is Dogsteps by the late Rachel Page Elliot. Page Elliott was one of America’s most respected authorities on dog gait. She presented lectures and videos to audiences all over the world and through her books and videos many people have gained a better understanding of the Natural Gaits, The Walk, The Amble, The Pace, The Trot, Hackney Gaiting, The suspension or “Flying Trot” the Cantor and The Gallop. The book will also help you to understand that good performance is the test of good structure.
Hopefully, in preparing your exhibit for the show ring you understand the proper gait for your breed. Assuming your dog has the proper gait style the next most important part of the equation is the tempo or speed in which you exhibit.
How fast or slow you move your animal has a great deal to do with the overall presentation to the judge. While in movement the judge is evaluating many different things not just reach and drive. The are looking at toplines, tail carriage, head carriage, rolling of the body and so on.
I am a proponent of the saying “Speed Kills”. Normal canine movement can show numerous faulty actions such as “Crabbing”, Crossing over in the front or rear, Weaving, Moving close, Cow hocks, paddling, knitting and purling, tied at the elbows, or out at the elbows, as well as other faults that can be minimized or as in most cases maximized by the speed at which they are shown as well as the placement of the lead and the control exerted by the handler.
In most cases dog are raced around the ring because for whatever reason people think it looks showy, flashy and gives the appearance of good reach and drive. Often what racing does is throw off the top line and make it look like the animal is working very hard to go nowhere fast. On the down and back it often causes the exhibit to appear to crab or sidewind and in some cases cause the dog to be pulling to side and throw the front or rear out of rhythm. As the handler or presenter, it is your job to practice showing your exhibit on a loose lead at the speed which makes him or her look their very best. Again, know the proper gait and preferred speed for your breed and adapt accordingly. Good judges know proper movement and try to evaluate the whole dog while in motion. In evaluating movement, they are also assessing if the dog has the proper structure and ability to do the job for which he is bred.
Hopefully if you are serious about the presentation of your exhibit you will do your homework and do all the little things that make a big difference. Remember presentation is the art of creating an enhancing aesthetic appeal it can and often does make a difference it the outcome.

I am one of those baby boomer kids that grew up in the 50’s and 60’s in a working-class neighborhood in the Polish section of Cleveland, Ohio. My father was a decorated World War II veteran that served in the European theater under Eisenhower. Following the war in 1946 Mom and Dad got married and over the next 50 plus years they raised 5 children born in 1951, 54, 60, 63, & 66. When I was young Dad worked two jobs and my mother was a typical stay at home mom. We lived upstairs above my grandparents in a small apartment filled with love.
It was a great time to be a kid. We didn’t have much, but we never really gave it much thought.
Mom and dad were good Catholics (in fact two of my aunts were nuns) so we were sentenced to 12 years of Catholic School and had a pretty normal childhood. What I remember most about growing up was that almost all my friends and the other kids in the neighborhood were always outside playing some type of sports or getting into mischief. On most days’ baseball, touch and tackle football, basketball, kickball, and whatever else we could play with the number of kids available occupied our free time. My brother and I had paper routes to earn spending money and we walked everywhere except for those times when we would take a bus to go fishing on Lake Erie or downtown to attend a Cleveland Indians game when you could buy a general admission ticket for $.75.
I remember that when I joined the little league, the team that I wanted to play for had tryouts and you had to earn your place on the team. I was not a natural athlete and had to work hard in order to make the team roster. There were no guarantees of playing time, but you practiced a lot and in my case on a rare occasion I got into a game or two. Just like with almost all sports competition we had umpires, some good, some bad, and most were just volunteers trying their best. There were obviously moments with arguments over calls but when the game was over, we lined up and shook hands with the other team and went home or for ice cream after a win. In professional sports now I believe hockey is the only sport that still lines up and shakes hands with the opponent following every game.
When we would play sandlot style sports with our friends, we figured out ways to officiate in our own way and it pretty much worked without too many fisticuffs. Usually it was the biggest kid or the one that brought the equipment that won the disputes, but we had fun.
In those days, we only had three TV channels (and most of us only had black and white) no internet, or video games. We did have pinball and bowling and they were great to play against your friends especially in the cold winter months. In our neighborhood sports were just one of the better outlets for most of us. We followed our favorite local teams, the Cleveland Indians and Browns, Cleveland Baron’s Hockey, wrestling, and Ohio State football either on the radio or through the newspapers. As a kid life was good. TV began expanding, we would catch an occasional sports event on TV. The World Series, College football’s game of the week, the Olympics and of course ABC’s Wide World of Sports. Being able to watch live sports was not like today where you have it 24/7/365 on cable. It was a treat especially when officials made those critical calls that at times had a major impact on the outcome of the games. It was a hoot to watch Billy Martin and Earl Weaver argue with the umpires spitting, kicking up dirt and complaining about a call, or watching Woody Hayes have a sideline temper tantrum and Bobby Knight throwing chairs across the court. Following the tantrums, the crowd would erupt when the officials would flag them or eject them from the game. When we got to high school organized football, Basketball, Baseball, Track, and other sports introduced us to paid, well trained and sanctioned officials’ which also often-made disputed calls. We learned to understand that these people were human and trying their best, and even if they were wrong the call was final, so you better accept it.
Through the year’s technology continued improving and now when you watch a sporting event, especially a college or professional one, there are numerous cameras spread around throughout the venue giving us every possible angle to see the plays. With all these cameras and angles many sports adopted “instant replay.” Challenges to human calls made by the officials were now added to the landscape. Just look at this past year’s Kentucky Derby where the winner was Disqualified for interference. In those sports that have adopted it the reviews allow for the overturning of the call on the field. As a result, many of the officials in those sports also have review committees that evaluate them and can fine, suspend and even terminate them if they do not perform up to an acceptable standard. I just read in the paper where there is a debate in major league baseball about having a computerized robot serve behind the plate to call balls and strikes. Are we all so hung up on winning and losing that we have lost sight of the spirit of sportsmanship and fair play? > The human element has always been a part of our sports culture. Officials are human; they make instant split-second decisions based on what they see and how they interpret the rules. Don’t take this the wrong way but I do see the value in the replay system in some sports and I think it does work especially in the major sports. But there are a lot of sports where implementing it would forever change those sports. Gymnastics, figure skating, competitive cheer and dance are just examples of events where the judge’s interpretation of the event is significant, and they score accordingly. The scoring by judges has long been an area of controversy in the international sports world and was especially talked about during the cold war years. But the great thing about sports is that with all its warts and imperfections it still thrives all over the world.
Here in the sport of pure-bred dogs officiating also has always been and will always be an area of controversy. It is not only in the conformation world but also in every type of competitive events from obedience, agility, flyball, dock diving, and any other competition where there is a person or person’s doing the judging or evaluating. Some obedience judges are known to be more lenient than others, Similarly
for agility and other venues. Every aspect has rules and guidelines, but the judges all can apply them as they see fit within the established rules.
In the conformation world, the judges also are officiating within a set of guidelines. They are interpreting the written standard for the breed and how, at that moment and under those conditions, they see the exhibits in front of them. There is a lot that goes into that judge processing what they see and feel in the ring and between the competitors in each class. The judge does not have the ability to see the exhibit in an environment like a back yard where the dog without a lead looks fantastic and moves like a dream. Or standing in a perfect natural pose without any outside help. He or she makes the decision based on a limited time frame in which the human counterpart the handler presents the exhibit to him hopefully to its best advantage.
Having stood in the middle for the past 34 years I can tell you that is not always a simple task. I believe all judges try to do the very best job they can. We unfortunately do not have the use of an instant replay or even the time it would take to go back and review what we have seen presented to us. Even if we did have instant replay how would it help? How many cameras would we need? How many angles would we see? Could the camera pick up things like dentition, eye shape and color, muscle tone, coat color and texture, and so many other things that are included in the standard for the breed?
Often, judges will ask someone to move their dog again sometimes because they can see that the handler does not have the best control and they are not seeing what their hands have told them to expect. At the same time what judges see in the stack is not being presented properly. There are so many variables in the judging process and all judges have their own views, preferences, and various levels of how much importance is placed on the different areas of the standard.
Like the officials in the sports world, dog judges are also subjected to training and evaluation by the American Kennel Club. Some judges are outstanding in some breeds and lacking in others, while some are above average and some below average in all the breeds, they officiate in. But one thing all judges and any type of official have in common is that they are all human, and no human is perfect.
When exhibiting please remember that judges are human beings making “at that moment” decisions. Those choices have been formed through their training and interpretation. You may not agree and maybe that video you took with your phone will support your view or that of the judge but, either way, the decision is final, and we must accept it and move on. I, for one, could not imagine using instant replay in our sport.
I understand the frustration of exhibitors. You have spent your time, money and hours of training and conditioning preparing for your moments in the ring and you’re not happy with the outcome. But you are no different than the gymnast, figure skater, Drill Team, Cheer Team, or any person that competes. All competitors train, travel, exert time and expense to compete in what they enjoy. Have you ever looked at how much time and money many individuals spend to just compete in some amateur and Olympic events? Or how many hours high school, college, amateur and professional teams spend in training and practice? Even with all that practice not all teams reach a high level of success and it’s not for lack of trying.
If you’re one of those exhibitors that simply cannot enjoy our sport for what it is than maybe its time to look for something else. But, if you can accept your wins and losses, learn to be objective, practice to improve your dogs and your skills you will be able to enjoy a sport filled with many friends and great experiences. Special moments between you and that dog that is hopefully your best friend are very exciting. Remember that no matter what the outcome of the day your dog loves you unconditionally and that alone makes it
all worthwhile.
BIO
Walter Sommerfelt of Lenoir City, TN has been involved in the sport of purebred dogs since acquiring his first Old English Sheepdog in 1972. He is a former professional handler as well as a breeder, and exhibitor of breeds in all seven groups, most notably Vizslas, OES, Pointers, Bearded Collies and Weimaraners. Judging since 1985 he is approved for All Sporting, Working, and Herding breeds and groups, Junior Showmanship and Best in Show and has had the honor of judging on four different continents.
Mr. Sommerfelt has judged many of the most prestigious shows in the United States including the herding group at the 2014 Westminster Dog Show in New York City where he has judged on three separate occasions.
Mr. Sommerfelt was the founder and chairman for the St. Jude Showcase of Dogs from 1993 until 2009, a unique event showcasing the world of purebred dogs. This special event was the largest collection of various dog events in one location, featuring an AKC all Breed Dog Show, AKC Obedience and Rally Trials, AKC Agility trials, (prior to AKC adding agility NADAC trials ) One of the largest Fly ball tournaments in the U.S.A., Herding and go to ground demonstrations, A main stage featuring performances by Canines from Television and the Movies, Freestyle, Demos by drug and various therapy dogs, A full room of booths for meet the breeds, over 50 AKC judges seminars annually, Lure coursing, A fun Zone for Children, and other dog related fun activities for the general public and their dogs. Over the years the event not only raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the world-renowned St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN, but also raised awareness of the many activities for people with their dogs as well establishing a voice for dog people in the Memphis area with regard to legislation. Many aspects of today’s AKC Royal Canin show can be traced back to the St. Jude event.
Along with Carol his wife of 36 years they have bred well over 90 AKC Champions including Group, Best in Show and Specialty Winners, dual Champions and multiple performance titled dogs.
During the past 40 years Mr. Sommerfelt has been active in a number of dog clubs and is currently the President of the Tennessee Valley Kennel Club. He is recipient of the AKC outstanding Sportsmanship Award and is also a career agent and financial planning specialist
with Nationwide Insurance. The Sommerfelts’ have two grown children, both former Junior Handlers and they are still active breeders and exhibitors of the Vizsla breed.