​SHOWSIGHT magazine has reached an amazing milestone with its 30th Anniversary this month. In honor of the celebration, I look back at various milestones and how they may change our lives, our legacies, and our sport.

It is hard to believe that we are already 21 years into the 21st century. It does not seem all that long ago that Y2K was a huge issue where people were worried about computer crashes, world economies, and the possible destruction of all things controlled by technology.

As one of the post-war baby boomers, I can honestly say that the world we live in has undergone so many changes that it does not resemble the America of my youth.

Whether it be our lives, our families, our jobs, and even our sports and hobbies the inevitability of change has been a constant. Do you ever look back at those moments in your life that most would consider a milestone moment?

They might include your first day of kindergarten, High School, Your first date, first Kiss. First serious relationship, Your high school prom, a sports moment, College graduation, marriage, and so many other significant moments in your life.

Each one of us has a unique story. We are born into this world with no control over the circumstances in which we arrive. We are dependent upon our parents, our siblings, our extended families, the teachers, friends, mentors, and so many others as we grow and develop into the person we are today.

For many, the circumstances in which we are raised have a profound effect on our adult lives. Some are born and raised in poverty, some in the average two-parent middle-class American home, while others are fortunate to be born and raised in the comfort of certain privileges that many will never have. Some will survive broken homes, physical and mental abuse, a variety of religious and political upbringings. Many will come from loving two-parent homes, some from single-parent or split families, and yet everyone will have moments or milestones both good and bad that mold them over the years.

As I mentioned earlier change is the one constant in life. In my youth, I don't remember very many of my friends coming from divorced families. In comparison, the average length of a marriage in the world today is a little over 8 years and only 7% of marriages will last 50 years. Also, our life spans have increased over the years. During the 1970s the average life span was 67 years whereas today the average life span for men is 77 and 81 for women. In the past, it was common to work and retire from the same company you worked for through most of your adult life. Today the average employee tenure is 4.2 years and most people will change jobs over 12 times in their lifetime.

Just like everything in life our sport also is undergoing constant change. Part of the charm of our great sport of pure-bred dogs is the truly unique diversity that all of us participants bring to the table.

What other hobby, profession, or competition can you think of that has such a diverse group of participants? We have all ages, all races, all religions, diverse sexual orientations, every political view, people with average incomes, and those with great resources. A variety of breeders, owners, and exhibitors from newcomers to professionals and everything in between. Our participants come from all walks of life with a variety of backgrounds as well as a sport that exist throughout the world made up of people dedicated to man's best friend.

Through my nearly five decades in this sport, I can honestly say my involvement has opened me to people, places, experiences, and relationships that I would have never thought possible in my youth.

The sport also brought Carol into my life and we are about to celebrate 38 happy years of marriage. Even after all these years, we both share in our love of the dogs, breeding, showing, and judging together.

Rumor has it that the average length of involvement in our sport is between three and five years so I guess just surviving all of these years is a milestone in itself.

Reflecting on my journey I have had many milestones. Like many in our sport, I started with a "pet quality" puppy bought from a newspaper advertisement. Little did I know that my little Old English Sheepdog puppy would change my life.

Her name was Ginger and like most newbies, I did not have clue about raising, grooming, and training a puppy. Fortunately, I met a man while walking her one day. His name was John Tacejko and he was a member of the Western Reserve Kennel Club, The Old English Sheepdog Club of America, as well as a founding member of the Western Reserve Old English Sheepdog Club. All clubs of which I would eventually join and learn a great deal from. John invited me to a club “fun day” where I met other OES owners that were wonderful about helping me and teaching me how to groom etc.

Eventually, I went to my first sanctioned "B" match and I still have the first ribbon I ever won from that match. I went to many matches that were very available in those days and learned how to show and groom and practice my handling skills for the show ring. Unfortunately, it did not take me long to realize that Ginger was not a show dog but I had already been bit by the bug. So I began to search for a “show prospect”. While I pursued a real “show dog” Irma Dixon of the Cleveland All-Breed training club encouraged me to train Ginger for an obedience title. Back in those days, very few OES competed in obedience so I took on her challenge to get her trained so she could compete at the OESCA national specialty in obedience the following year. I earned the first two legs toward her CD that winter and then waited until the National Specialty where I was fortunate to qualify with a third-place to complete her CD.

As I pursued my show dog I went through the heartbreak of two puppies that had dysplasia before I was able to Obtain my first Champion from Ken and Paula Leach. His name was Cheerio Olde English Jester. Jester finished at the Greater Portland OES specialty and together we enjoyed a good competitive career in the Old Working group.

When I think back there were many milestones moments. First Ribbon, First sanctioned match Best of Breed and group placement. The first leg in Obedience, first obedience title, first conformation points, first champion, first group placement, and so on.

Since those early days, each of my dogs, litters, and different breeds has provided a milestone moment along the way.

In the early 1970s, there was no internet, cell phones, or trophies for just participating, everything you got was earned. The only way to learn and to succeed was to do your research through various books and publications or by observing and learning from mentors in the breed willing to help.

Joining those clubs previously mentioned was also a huge source of knowledgeable people that were generous in sharing and encouraging anyone wanting to learn.

I have many fond memories of talking OES as well as other breeds in general with people I met through the clubs and at the shows. In OES Cass Moulton-Arble, Ken Kopin, Hugh and Linda Jordon, Ken and Paula Leach, Anna Jacobsen and others as well as such notables as Max Riddle, Lina Basquette, Frank Oberstar, Sam Pizzino, David Parker, Tommy Glassford, Bob, and Ellen Fetter, and Bob Stein just to mention a few. I learned a lot from these people and so many others. We learned from these the people and judges at the shows. We would have dinner with the judges and they would share their experience and knowledge and no one ever questioned the integrity of the judges because of it.

We had many great learning experiences but we also had our share of issues, tensions, jealousies, and occasional rifts. However, in those days there was a lot more respect given to the judges as well as our fellow exhibitors. Everyone knew it took hard work and dedication, and if you were willing to pay your dues eventually success would come.

I can remember the Late Tommy Oelschlager with his Siberian Huskies and me with my OES talking about how cool it would be to earn a group 3 or 4 at the shows.  Lina Basquette with her Great Danes and Tommy Glassford with a Samoyed of the Hritzo’s dominated the groups in our area back in those days. 

Over the years the sport has changed a great deal. During the 1970s Ric Rutledge started a little black and white newspaper called the “Canine Chronicle” it was way different than what we have today but was a current publication and probably the first that was devoted exclusively to "show dogs". Popular Dogs and the AKC Gazette were out there but Ric was the first to showcase dogs currently being shown.

In the years since that first black and white publication, there have been numerous others that have come and gone on the show scene.

It was 30 years ago this month that SHOWSIGHT came on the scene and it has continued to grow into possibly the best publication on our sport. Through the years SHOWSIGHT has been the one magazine that tries to bring its readers up-to-date information in our ever-changing world of pure-bred dogs. AJ and his staff work hard to bring information to the masses about individual breeds with informative articles on subjects ranging from anatomy, structure, and gait to those about each specific breed including topics such as how to judge the breed, interviews with successful breeders, in-depth information on how breeds have changed, the current show scene, selections dedicated to the various groups, owner -handlers, and spotlighting Junior Showmanship. Recaps and photos of shows and just about everything related to our sport both past and present.

For 30 years SHOWSIGHT has been there for all of the highs and the lows in the sport while covering the continued evolution of our sport as it takes place.

Do you realize that 30 years ago we did not have the Grand Champion Program or the Owner Handler series?

Even if you personally don’t like them there is no doubt that they have been good for the sport. By adding the various levels to the Grand Champion Titles many exhibitors that might have simply quit showing now continue to exhibit in pursuit of higher levels. In some cases, exhibitors live in an area that has restrictions on the number of dogs they may have on their premises. So some may have faded away or may have had to wait for their older dogs to pass on before getting another. Although I come from a time when no one thought twice about the owner vs the professional handlers the NOHS seems to be growing and for some exhibitors, it is a deciding factor on whether or not to attend some of the shows. Many of these individuals take the program seriously and work hard to achieve a top owner-handler ranking in their respective breeds.

30 years ago we only had conformation, obedience, and field trials. Here we are today with AKC titles available in Agility, Lure Coursing, Scent Work, Herding, Dock Diving, Therapy, Farm Dog, CGC, Trick Dogs, and a variety of other competitions. Looking at today’s dog in the catalog or a pedigree you will see an alphabet soup of letters both before and after the dog’s name signifying all of the titles they have earned.

Thinking back to the mid-1990s when I started the St. Jude Showcase of Dogs in Memphis, Tennessee part of our mission was to show the public everything they could do with their dogs. I would like to think the success of that event was instrumental in the AKC adopting many of those competitions into their organization. When you look at the AKC/Royal Canin show the entire concept is a replica of the 16 highly successful years the event had along with contributing hundreds of thousands of dollars to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Through that event therapy programs were developed at the hospital and today therapy dogs are a big part of our society.

Look at the growth of “Take the Lead” over the past 30 years and the difference that organization has made in the lives of many in our sport that has dealt with difficult times.

During the past 30 years, the landscape of the breeds themselves has changed. In my breed the Vizsla we have grown in popularity and competition from one of the lower entry breeds into one in which in some areas our point scale is higher than Dobermans and Boxers. At the same time, there has been a huge decline in what I call hard work required breeds. Those with coats demanding work and dedication. Thirty years ago Irish Setters, Afghans, Old English Sheepdogs, Bearded Collies, and others would garner entries over 35-50 regularly, now at many shows, they rarely even reach double-digit entries.

Even the Terrier Group once full of high quality and sizeable entries have seen a huge decline in entries. It is probably because of the demanding effort needed to condition and maintain the coats for competition.

The numbers of breeds continue to increase. The Herding group itself has grown from the initial 16 breeds to 31 breeds today. Every group has seen some type of growth over the past three decades and the AKC continues to add more new breeds to the registry.

Over the past 30 years, we have lost many ICONS of the sport, yet there have always been highly competent individuals to step up and fill those roles.

Unfortunately, over the past 30 years, we have seen a huge decline in the "true" dog men and women involved in our sport. Nowhere has this more evident than within the ranks of today’s judges. The number of individuals approved not only as breed judges but as multiple group judges has grown in leaps and bounds. This meteoric rise in the ranks has also unfortunately brought about a dilution of talent in the quality of today’s judging.

The American Kennel Club has made many changes over the years but in some circles, the perception of our shows and officials has deteriorated. Disgruntled exhibitors are often complaining about many of our judges. As a result, the AKC is trying to legislate integrity with rules and guidelines for judges that in my opinion are not necessary but are being done to give credibility to the complaints from unhappy exhibitors that find it easier to find fault with judges and handlers rather than taking a good long look at what they are exhibiting. Back when I started in the sport, you did not complain about the judges you just got better dogs and did not show to those you thought lacked integrity.

As mentioned change is constant and will be forever. With each change, there will be those that approve while others will be dragged along kicking and screaming. Hopefully, change will provide new opportunities for milestone moments to cherish and remember.

What does the future of our sport look like? I don’t think any of us knows. Since Covid, we have seen more issues with clubs, show facilities, a decrease in the reliability of show superintendents, Virtual competitions for titles, and numerous other issues.

For our sport to succeed we need to find ways to satisfy the needs of clubs, exhibitors, breeders, and judges. These needs must be satisfied in a practical, economical, and safe way for both humans and canines. It may be time for the American Kennel Club to look into a change within the ByLaws to update the over 100-year-old model into one that fits the 21st century and beyond.

SHOWSIGHT has been here for 30 years and hopefully, AJ and everyone at SHOWSIGHT will be here in 2031 to reach another milestone. Congratulations to SHOWSIGHT and the staff for continuing to meet and exceed the needs of our ever-changing sport.

In closing, I hope each person in our sport can reach those goals and milestones they look forward to with their version of Man’s Best Friend.

​Writing for Showsight magazine has given me a unique opportunity to share some of my thoughts and insights into our sport. With nearly 50 years of involvement, it would be foolish of me or anyone else to believe that these views are always right on the money or even agreed with by the fancy. Rather, they are just one person’s observations and opinions and if used correctly may lead to constructive conversations between fanciers to help maintain and improve our sport.

So often in our everyday lives, we run into situations where our computers, cell phones, Televisions and so many of our other devices go a little haywire. When this happens we can usually just shut them off, or unplug them, plug them back in, and hit the restart button to get them up and functioning properly again. Have you ever wondered if maybe our world of conformation dog shows is a little haywire also? If you do, what are some of the ways you think might put us back on track and bring new families and exhibitors into the sport?

As I pondered this question I tried to look back into the history of AKC dog shows and the changes and developments experienced over the years. The initial purpose of our dog shows was and should still be today the evaluation of breeding stock. In the early history of the sport, it was generally the domain of people of significant wealth and resources. These individuals maintained large kennels of breeding stock, had kennel managers, and often special handlers to exhibit their stock in competition. In those days there were a very limited number of shows with great distances in between. For most exhibitors, to attend them a great deal of travel often by train or other means was necessary to compete. It is safe to say that in the early days the average American family could not afford to even think of competing with these people and most would not have even had the resources to purchase a pure-bred dog.

Historically speaking, the ending of World War II began a period of great and growing prosperity in our country. The Post War Baby Boom and the expansion of the middle class changed America into a booming country with a great economy and unlimited potential growth. People from the middle class were now moving to the suburbs, buying their own homes, and gaining access to things that might not have been available to them in the past. Moving from a city apartment to a suburban home with a yard and other amenities not available in the former rental properties of most allowed many families to add the family dog to their households. Pure-bred dogs with AKC “papers” were now affordable and AKC registrations were the equivalent of the good housekeeping seal of approval in those days.

As we moved into the 1960s’ and beyond the average family saw that their disposable income was increasing and they could now join in activities that were not available to them in the past.
Some of these people with AKC pure-bred dogs would learn about the world of pure-bred AKC dog shows and many slowly migrated into our competitions. The average family liked the concept that our sport was a family sport that allowed people of all ages to come together and meet and compete on the same level. The fact that almost all shows were held on weekends made it even more attractive because after a week at work they could look forward to the family going together to enjoy the competition and friendships that were developed at the shows.

As most of you know in those days shows were one-day events and were always held in the local clubs' geographic area. Clubs were allowed to hold two shows per year but not on the same weekend. Neighboring clubs in the same general geographic area would often team up to provide two shows on the same weekend to offer a minimum driving distance between shows on the same weekend. Most of the clubs would split their two shows into some combination of Spring and Fall or Summer and Winter. These arrangements meant that on at least two weekends per year the communities in which the shows were held would have an opportunity for the residents to come out and be introduced to the various breeds as well as the sport itself. 

Because all the shows were held on the weekends working people and children could still go to their jobs or school and be able to show dogs on the weekends. In many cases depending upon the show's location families would leave early Saturday morning, exhibit their charges and move to the Sunday show grounds following groups and Best in Show. Between shows, most families would stay at a hotel and spend the evening with friends, have dinner together and discuss their breeds and the like while the children would play together, swim, or practice with their dogs for the following day's show.

In those days there were still plenty of professional handlers but I think it is safe to say the majority of exhibitors were breeders or owners.

With most breeds competition was fierce but also friendly as most people only exhibited at the shows in their general geographic area so often the competition was amongst the same people and dogs regularly. During these days exhibitors and Judges alike would get together to talk and share their thoughts and ideas. Judges and exhibitors having dinner together were not seen as a conflict of interest but rather an opportunity to share information and learn from one another.

As it is today winning was important but since you were often competing with the same people regularly it was always important to get along and respect and support one another. Back in those days, the goals were to go Winners Dog, Winners Bitch, or Best of Breed, and if you were lucky enough to place in the group that was just icing on the cake.

Over the next few decades just as our country grew so did the number of local clubs and the offering of an increased number of opportunities to compete in a geographic area. For example, I lived in Ohio and there were numerous clubs within a two-hour drive of most major cities so it was rather easy and affordable to attend shows and compete regularly without breaking the family budget.

During the 1970s' inflation began to get out of control, gas prices were rising, and even gasoline shortages were becoming a common occurrence. The result was the cost of showing was also rising as were the growing costs to the clubs to put on a show. At some point, the AKC decided they would allow clubs to "cluster" together at a common site. The thinking made sense as the clubs could share the expenses of judges, show sites, and other items like the cost of tenting and other things needed to put on a show. Also by allowing clubs to stay on the same site the exhibitors would not have the burden of packing up and driving to a new location after the Saturday show.

The two days at one site shows were successful and the AKC then decided that when there was an "EXCEPTIONAL" site available they would consider allowing up to 4 shows to be held over 4 consecutive days at that one site as long as the participating clubs remained within 125 miles of their geographically designated area.

Depending upon your viewpoint it was the expansion of clusters that in my humble opinion have created a decline in our sport. Since the initial introduction of the 4-day cluster the term "Exceptional Site" has fallen away and now it is rare to see the two-day show weekend in most cases.

The cost factors of combining clubs into clusters is a major factor in the reasoning. However, what is the overall cost factor to sport and the average exhibitor?

When clubs combine for clusters it is usually with the anticipation of higher entries, lowered cost of judges because of sharing for 4-5 days, lower overall site rental, and other economic factors.

In some cases, things work out, and the above hold. In other cases, club leadership changes and animosity grows between the clubs and sometimes leads to a cluster break up. Also, if we are being honest the majority of sites now being used do not fit in the category of “Exceptional”. 

These clusters often come at the expense of the average American family. While In the past they could work and go to school during the week while looking forward to the upcoming weekend of shows possibly within a short drive from home. With the growth of long clusters many no longer attend because they are a greater distance from home, they can’t get off work, extra hotel nights, meals, and other expenses that no longer fit the average family's budget.

In some cases, the cost of a cluster is felt even deeper by the exhibitor because most clubs try to fill their panels with judges that are approved for between 4 and 7 groups so they can cover the entire cluster. Many of the same judges are then frequently used over and over again while other highly qualified judges are not considered because they may only be able to cover two or three days of the cluster.

Since the expansion of clusters into 4 and 5 day weekends the average exhibitor numbers are declining and the ranks of the professional handler have exploded. For those working-class people with disposable income, they now hire handlers to show their dogs. Almost all of today's handlers now have huge expensive RV's and the clubs must have a facility that can park these large rigs. It is not uncommon to have anywhere from 50 to 150 of these big rigs at today's shows and when you add in the vans, SUVs, and regular auto parking this alone can be the main concern in finding suitable sites.

We have always had and we will still have a growing number of disgruntled exhibitors but the cry today that is the loudest is the one "The professionals always win". While there will always be the case where the charge might be warranted, the reality is the professionals are showing a large percentage of the dogs at any show and in many cases, their grooming, conditioning, ability to hire assistants and handling skills can often be better than the average exhibitor.

So by now, you might be wondering where am I going with all of this?

I honestly believe there is a better way for our sport and our local clubs to not only survive but thrive in the future.

We live in a huge Country divided into 50 states as well as Washington D.C. I decided to look a little deeper into various opportunities for our show-giving clubs.

According to the AKC website, there are about 720 All Breed Clubs in the United States. The three states with the fewest number of clubs were Delaware, along with North and South Dakota with 2 clubs each. The state with the most clubs was California with 71. There were also only two states home to over 40 clubs and they were Texas at 41 and New York at 45.

Looking further we only have 10 states plus Washington D.C. that are home to  5 or fewer clubs. Along with the aforementioned Delaware, and North and South Dakota, Utah, Alaska, Nevada, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wyoming fit in this category

We have eleven states with between 6 and 10 clubs and they are Alabama, Arkansas, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, West Virginia, Maine, and New Mexico

Between 11 and 15 clubs call these states home; Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Tennessee.

This means that over 60% of our country has a total of 249 clubs which equates to just 34% of all show-giving clubs with an average of about 8 clubs per state.

There are 8 states with between 16 and 20 all-breed clubs, they are Indiana, Iowa, New Jersey, North Carolina, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Missouri

Michigan, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin fill out the next group with 21 to 25 all-breed clubs.

Illinois boasts 28 clubs While Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida have between 30 and 40 clubs in their respective states

Looking closer at the numbers, more than 60% of our country has an average of about 8 clubs per state. Looking back before clusters that would have meant about 16 occasions (8 clubs X 2 shows)where the local geographic area would have hosted an event exposing our sport to the locals and providing shows within easy driving distance for the people that live in those states. 

Since having been a show as well as a cluster chair I understand the advantages of multiple days and the reduced cost of facilities as well as the economic benefits they bring. However, I would propose that AKC take a good look at the cluster situation moving forward and consider the following.

In those cases where the all breed club is also an AKC member club and that they hold the show in their home territory, the club be granted three shows on the same weekend.

The Benefits: The club does not need to work or interact with another club. They can still save money by the ability to hire judges for 3 days cutting daily expense fees. The facility costs for the third day are usually lower cutting the overall cost. Also by staying in their home territory they give the area a full weekend of exposure to our sport in that community which may bring new interest and members to the club and the sport.

The concept allows the average family the opportunity of a shorter commute to most shows while it is also easier for someone to get off 1 day on the weekend from school or work than it would be for two or more.

Using the average 8 clubs in states it would mean that on at least 8 weekends per year there would be shows in that particular state. In many cases, it would mean an average of at least one weekend a month. This would allow the average exhibitor between 24 and 36 shows in a given year without even leaving their respective state.

I go a little deeper and use high population states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Florida, there are 104 clubs combined in those states for an average of 34 per state. This would translate into there being on average 3 weekends per month for shows within those states with a possibility of up to 102 shows in a year without the exhibitor again leaving their home state.

Of course, New York, Texas, and California with their huge population and numbers of clubs would have even more opportunities.

Each of us that show dogs also knows that our general show area moves into adjoining states so the opportunity for more shows near the average household would be greater.

I am not advocating the total end of large clusters. What I am suggesting is that the cluster is limited to those sites that are "Truly Exceptional". We know those sites are extremely rare and usually only exist in larger cities with huge convention centers and similar facilities. Those types of facilities also provide an opportunity for a huge spectator attendance that does not exist at most of our present cluster sites.

I recently attended a 4-day cluster that while walking through some areas of the RV's the smell of urine and other unsanitary conditions was a reminder of how the health of the dogs themselves can be compromised.

The Health and welfare of our dogs as well as our exhibitors need to be a priority over the desire for the monetary gains of the AKC, the show-giving clubs, and the professional handlers. We need to get back to the basics.

There is no doubt in my mind that if given the choice most all-breed clubs would embrace the idea of a three-day weekend in their territory. Those clubs could have a weekend that the local community looked forward to each year. Clubs could use the Friday show to invite schools, nursing homes, and other civic organizations to attend and be introduced to the various breeds and all of the things AKC dogs have to offer. Having an entire three-day weekend might allow for local businesses or other groups to assist the clubs with sponsorship funding because they might see the economic impact the shows have on the community.

These are just my insights, suggestions, and opinions. What do you think?

​When deciding on entering a show do the venue and location factor in your choice?

For most exhibitors, the judging panel plays a great deal in factoring into the choice of what upcoming shows to enter. But what are some of the other issues that play in that decision-making?

Venues play a significant role for fans of Sports, Theatre, Concerts, and a variety of things of human interest. One can look back thousands of years to the great coliseum in Rome where gladiators and other events were put on to entertain the citizens of the times. Just recently the lower levels of the historic structure were made available to visitors allowing them to see some of the conditions as well amazing technology that went into the magnificent structure.

Athletes and fans of the most popular sports have certain stadiums and arenas that they love to perform in or witness a game at. For dog lovers, Madison Square Garden in New York is not only home to the world-famous Westminster Kennel Club but it also has been the location for a multitude of other major events such as NBA and NCAA Basketball, Numerous Championships in Boxing, and other sports, Concerts, The Circus and I have no idea on the total number of different events held at the historic building. The lower inside hallways have numerous photos hanging depicting many of the great historic events held there through the years.

I imagine that for most Boston Fans Historic Fenway Park and the Old Boston Garden hold a special place in their memories for games they may have had the opportunity to attend in their youth or their journey through life.

For a Chicago Cubs fan, it is Wrigley Field, A Cincinnatti Reds fan may miss Old Crosley Field, a New Yorker loves Yankee Stadium, The Rose, and Cotton Bowl stadiums are rich with history, The great Horseshoe Stadium in Columbus, Ohio home of the Ohio State Buckeyes. For some, it may be those newer structures, Camden Yards in Baltimore, AT&T stadium (Jerry's World) in Dallas, Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, and of course the Old (8th wonder of the world) and New Houston Astrodome.

Moviegoers, Fans of the Opera, and Broadway plays all have special places that they enjoy going to often to experience the joy that is enhanced by watching or participating at their favorite venue.

So how do we as dog show exhibitors, Judges, and enthusiasts feel about the various venues we share in our country?

Throughout our history as a sport, numerous changes have always been a part of the equation. When I started in the sport all shows were one-day events that with very few exceptions meant you would pack up and move to the show being held the next day at a different location and venue. Amazingly almost all shows in those days had entries of 1000 to 1500 dogs and rarely did shows go past 4:00 or 5:00 in the afternoon. (makes you wonder why now it seems 6:00 to 8:00 in the evening is the norm with lower entries?)

In those days the majority of shows held from Spring until late Fall were held outdoors at Fairgrounds under tents or in various livestock buildings. One of my favorite weekends was the old Ravenna and Chagrin (Western Reserve KC) weekend in Ohio with huge entries, spacious rings, and the wonderful Sunday show at the Polo Field. In the winter Western Reserve Played host to the Christmas Classic shows held for years at the downtown convention center and later at the Huge IX center near the airport. These shows were some of the largest in the country with 3,000 or more dogs regularly. More recently the Palm Springs January shows at the polo field, The week of shows at the spacious Orlando Convention center, The large shows in Louisville and Houston stand out as shows where the venue can accommodate not only large entries but offer large rings and a huge spectator following.

Over the years as both an Exhibitor and Judge I have experienced a wide variety of venues both indoors and outdoors. I do believe that a venue can often have a direct or indirect result on the success of various exhibits at the shows. First, the size and layout of the venue dictate the available space for rings, available grooming areas, the width of aisles, parking, vendors, and numerous other things. In my humble opinion, the size of the rings in which we exhibit is too often dictated by the size of the venue.

For those exhibitors of Sporting, Hound, Working, Herding, and a few other of the larger breeds small rings truly hurt the overall performance of many of the dogs. The AKC mandates a minimum of 40' X40' for ring size and while this is adequate for Toys, Terriers, and most Non-Sporting breeds it is not sufficient for most other breeds. Add in large classes and it can also be a safety hazard.

In small rings, a well-put-together dog barely takes a few steps before he is cutting corners and running into the dog in front of him. For the handler, it means usually keeping a tight grip on their charge to be able to control him in the limited space. Go watch German Shepherds sometimes in a 40' x 40' ring and tell me how a judge can truly and objectively evaluate the breed.

Small rings hurt the good moving dogs and can often help those straighter in the shoulder and rear angulation as they can look balanced and under control while the dogs needing a larger ring never really get a chance to "Move Out" at an effortless speed on a loose lead.

As an exhibitor, I love outdoor shows because there are usually large rings and I love to see dogs in natural sunlight. Of course, good weather always helps.

Without considering the judging panel what are some of the pros and cons of the various types of available venues?

When showing indoors we have safety from adverse weather conditions. No worry about rain. Snow, Storms, and if they have a great heating and cooling system the building will be comfortable. Most sites also have plenty of electricity which helps those with certain grooming needs.
Some of the cons; In many buildings, everything is crammed, the rings are usually smaller, the grooming areas jam-packed (or there is an extra charge for reserved grooming space), Often the aisles outside the rings are crowded with chairs and spectators creating an area ripe with opportunities for a dog fight by those not carefully watching their dog. You need to unload and move your vehicle. Some of these are on dirt floor horse arenas in which you breathe in dust and dirt all weekend long. Some lack good lighting and proper ventilation and in the case of cold weather, some lack proper heating for the building. As previously mentioned some of these buildings are Fantastic and provide large rings, good lighting, and all the things that make a show great, but these sites are in the minority.

Outdoor shows also have a range of plusses and minuses. First, almost all have much larger rings, a more festive and relaxed environment. Most have plenty of parking for RV's and other vehicles which allows exhibitors to groom at their parking spot with their pop-ups, ex pens, and a place to tailgate, relax, socialize, and even cookout.  Outdoors the natural lighting is great and many dogs shine under the sun. The outdoor show also has its own set of drawbacks. A lack of proper tenting or cover can be a safety issue especially in the case of extreme weather be it heat, rain, wind, and everything in between. Some locales have great level ground, short well kept, and maintained grass while others can be a field of weeds and holes or hills which can make a ring unsafe. Tent Poles can get in the way as can an occasional tree sitting in the middle of a ring. If the weather turns bad rings can become a muddy mess and if the grass is not cut properly short-legged breeds may have difficulty looking their best.

There is no doubt that we have many excellent indoor as well as outdoor venues in our country. We also have numerous locations that meet average needs and unfortunately some that are less than ideal.

In today's world, many clubs are limited as to the facilities that are available to them. However, for many years before the advent of large clusters, these clubs found workable venues in their hometowns to put on good shows and share the world of pure-bred dogs with friends and others in their community at least twice a year. Those small-town venues were a nice change of pace as opposed to today's shows with certain locations being used on numerous weekends throughout the year depriving the small towns of many clubs the opportunity to keep the show home.

I think any club that hosts a show as well as the AKC needs to look closer at our venues to ensure that the size of the rings can handle large breeds and large entries. Can you imagine what would happen if a stadium wasn't large enough for a regulation area for a football, baseball, basketball, or hockey game? Do you think the leagues, players, and fans, would support or play there?

We need to take a closer look at our venues and the AKC needs to review the size of ring requirements. Even though a 40' x40' ring meets the minimum standard are we being fair in our evaluations of the breeds and exhibitors of larger breeds?  the safety of everyone in a crowded ring should also be a consideration.

I admire the hard-working volunteers of every show-giving club. Putting on a show is not an easy undertaking. All clubs have a variety of obstacles to overcome from working members to financial costs, to available facilities, workable dates, and competition from other shows. These people work hard to plan, schedule, and layout their shows. Keeping all of that in mind the clubs and the AKC must consider the needs of the exhibitors. They must provide venues that are safe and large enough to satisfy their exhibitors. Smaller venues still need to provide for proper ring sizes even if it means lowering the limit on the size of the entry.

Even though we don’t live in a perfect world we can adjust to meet the needs of the fancy. When planning your show your question should not be how many rings can we fit in this building? Rather it should ask the question, using a combination of various sized rings how many good rings can we provide our exhibitors? 

Another possibility might be our building is not ideal but is there another site that might work better?

Making our show sites user-friendly and safe for our exhibitors will keep them coming back for many years. What do you think?

​A man by all accounts has always had a way to preserve his history. From carvings on cave walls to scrolls, drawings, paintings, photographs, and other objects man has always found a way tokeep a record of his history in our ever-changing and developing world.
As human beings, everyone has some type of recorded history from the cradle to the grave. For most of us, it started at birth when that first photograph of the day we were born was taken. Our life in pictures was often followed by numerous other firsts in our lives. The first steps, first birthday, the first day of school, annual school pictures, certain religious ceremonies, Kindergarten, Elementary, High School, and college graduation. The first dance, the proms, engagements, weddings, and all of the special events in our lives. Preserving our memories has always been a great and valuable part of life. Most of us enjoy sitting down occasionally to view the old photos from our youth, our parents, and our many friends and family from years gone by. Each photo is a captured moment in time that can reignite significant memories from our life. 
For those of us born during the twentieth century, these memories vary greatly. During our youth, old-fashioned cameras that used film were used to record those moments. When you took a picture it sat captured on the film until the whole roll had been shot. Eventually, the film was sent to the lab to be developed. This process usually took a few days to a week, and you just hoped that the pictures came out well. If it was moving pictures you wanted they were done on 8mm cameras which were fairly expensive and most people did not own one. Eventually, in the late 1970s and early 1980s video cameras that used VHS or BETA tape were developed and you could now record and preserve those moments almost in an instant. Those early video cameras were large and bulky but you were now able to record all of those special moments in life as home movies.
In the early days' photographs were only taken in black and white and with progress eventually color photos came on the scene.  In all cases, you saw the actual photo as it was taken. There were no do-overs and you could not see the pictures until they were developed. Kodak was a huge company back in the day and was known as the best for film, cameras, and developing film.
As with many things technology improved and now you will find it difficult to even find film for your old cameras. Kodak is no longer a giant in the industry and digital and cell phones have taken over the photo industry. Photo and video technologies are available instantly for the majority of people. Today, people use their cell phones to record or photograph almost everything. Preserving every event in our lives is now very inexpensive and fills a lot of memory on our computers and devices. Many people no longer print and save those pictures in the old photo albums that we used to have to hold and store them. Many of us old-timers have numerous volumes of our own or those that were passed down to us to store and cherish those memories of days gone by.
Those memories are precious and bring great enjoyment to so many of us. It is also true that in the sport of purebred dogs photographs have a long and storied history of preserving the past as well as the present.
One of the most overlooked but very much involved people at any dog show is the official photographer. These individuals play a vital role in each show as well as in the preservation of memories for many owners, breeders, and exhibitors in our sport.
It is the official photographer that takes those win photos which so many of us save to preserve a recorded history of our successes in the show ring. 
Dog show photographers can vary greatly in experience, knowledge, and ability. They must learn the different breeds so that they can capture them at their best. A good photographer needs to know what the proper stack is, does the breed standard specify how the ears are to be held? and does it need to show expression? what is called for in the toplines and tails, and so on? Their job is to try to make the exhibit look it's very best.
For many years these talented people also used that film that was previously mentioned. They did not have the luxury to be able to look at the photos until they were developed. So for many years even though the majority of their shots were wonderful it was not uncommon for there to be a dud now and then because of a split-second movement that spoiled the picture. Back in those days, you would receive proofs in the mail for you to review and order the picture you wanted. In most cases, there were usually two shots to choose from because as mentioned earlier the high cost of film and development did not allow for unlimited shots of the win.
Many of today's photographers go back to those days of old film and development. These are the men and women that truly developed the eye for the best picture of the dog. For a show photographer producing high-quality photos was the only way to succeed in the business. In those days photos were mostly taken in the ring and the wonderful backdrops we see today were not present. Likewise, the lighting and conditions affected the outcome. There was not the ability to crop, lighten and darken photos like we have today. What they shot is what you got for better or worse.
Today technology has become a great asset in the dog show photography world. Digital cameras allow today's photographers to take numerous shots and to review them instantly to see that everything looks as it should. If it doesn’t they can take another while the judge, the dog, and the handler are still present. Technology whether you see it as good or bad also allows them to do this thing called "PhotoShop". They can make corrections to the sign if something was forgotten, they can crop and enhance the colors and make little adjustments to make the dog look its best. Some of these people are even very good at eliminating a tongue hanging out helping to fix a topline or altering little things to make the photo perfect. 
They also can send the owners either printed or digital copies of the wins which can be used in advertisements or just as additions to our recorded history of each dog to be preserved forever in print or the cloud.
As a breeder, owner, and exhibitor I cherish many of these win photos and have books and books of them. They are wonderful memories of the dogs we have loved and lost as well as of those special wins that keep us coming back.
Although in today’s world we can all take instant photos or videos of our dogs in the ring it is only the official photographer that is allowed to take those official win photos at the shows. Exhibitors need to respect these individuals and their profession. You should not stand behind the photographer and try to take the same shot with your cell phone. When you do that you are violating copyright laws and could be subject to lawsuits from the photographer. Almost every premium list the show photographer and prints that only the official photographer can take the official win pictures. Just like any other professional these people bring value to the dog show world and have been doing it for a very long time.
Most show photographers are very warm and considerate people that are trying very hard to provide the exhibitor with the best possible picture of their wins. These people are patient individuals that are supplying you with a service. Their time, equipment, and investment in their business need to be respected. When you request a winning photo you are taking up the time of the judge as well as that of the photographer and his expertise. You should never take a photo if you have no intention of purchasing it. 
Some people think that a judge will be offended if they don’t request a photo. As a judge of over 35 years, I can tell you that is not the case. If a judge is offended because you did not take a photo shame on him or her. Photos are wonderful memories but as we all know they cost money and if an exhibitor chooses not to take a photo of each win that should not matter to the judge. Every exhibitor does not have an unlimited budget and each one has their reason to choose to have a photo taken or not.
Remember that the official photographer is there for you. The knowledge, experience, and high-quality equipment they use will give you great memories to preserve for all time.
Preserve your memories they are the history of your journey

​Over the past few years, a great deal of change has taken place in the dog show world. The National Owner Handler Series has been added to many shows and is growing every day. Covid-19 hit our country causing the cancellation of thousands of events. Following the resumption of shows, we have seen many new protocols put into place such as the wearing of masks, social distancing, a change in ring  procedures, judges now not only marking their books but also pulling and handing out their ribbons. The groups being divided into sections to allow for social distancing. The return to various outdoor/indoor undercover venues and due to the reduction in the number of shows a significant entry increase for many of the shows throughout the country.
All of these changes have had a huge impact on the running of shows. Most shows start judging at 8:00 in the morning and in many cases, Best in Show is not being completed until 7:00 to 8:00 at night. Currently, Judges are limited to only 175 dogs per day but with many doing regular and owner-handler groups today's judges may be judging between 200-275 per day. For many judges that can be anywhere  from 8 to 11 hours a day standing, bending over, and judging. Those of us that do judge know it is not only a physical but also a mentally demanding day. Calculate it over a three to four-day period and it is truly strenuous. Following the show, the judges barely have time to shower, eat dinner and review their standards for the next day before they grab a few hours of sleep and are back at it the next day.
While exhibitors and handlers have breaks during the day judges are lucky to get 45 minutes for lunch and also must take time during the day to squeeze in photos for the winners. When you factor in such things as cold, hot, windy, or rainy weather or dirt floor venues, muddy grounds and the like Judges are extremely tolerant and hardworking individuals that do their very best to keep things moving and running on time.
The show superintendents try to do a good job with the schedules but following the AKC and social distancing guidelines make our shows run longer and longer. Almost everyone at the shows feels that shows keep running much later than any time in the past.
Since it appears that a complete return to the way it used to be will not happen I would like to share some suggestions for speeding up shows as well as creating a safer healthier procedure for judges.
1. If judges are expected to also judge several groups each day it is time to reduce the number of dogs per day to 150 Max a day. Allowing for the standard 25 dogs per hour expectation and a 45-minute lunch it would mean no groups would need to start any later than 2:45 each day.
2. When judging the group the judge should not have to reexamine any dog that he judges earlier in the day. (exceptions could be made for televised events) After all, I don’t think anyone of us has ever seen a dog lose his teeth, misplace his testicles, go oversize or gain that much weight between the breed and the group.
3. Look at changing the after-lunch judging schedules to one with no breaks. Hopefully by lunch time the judge should have judged about 100 of his/her 150 daily limit. Often because of ​absentees and the like, a judge might have a 15-20 minute break between segments as they are currently scheduled and then the last segments are full and the judge is pushed to be finished in a hurry to not hold up the groups. With only 50 or so dogs left after lunch no break should be needed.
4. The four to six puppy classes are a wonderful opportunity for new puppies and new exhibitors to gain experience. In most cases, there are only 1-4 exhibits, and each breed with most usually only having one. Why not eliminate the breed competition and bring in all puppies in that particular group and judge them all as one group with 4 placements. You would still have 7 group winners plus miscellaneous but all the puppies would have a great opportunity to be in the ring for a longer period and it would cut down on the time and paperwork under the current system.
5. Rather than having the Owner-Handler groups follow the regular groups Start them earlier before the regular group. The order would not need to be the same and it would avoid delays because of judging conflicts. All too often the Owner-Handler Best follows the regular Best in Show and most people leave and no one is left to cheer on the owner-handler group winners.
6. Many Owner-Handlers feel like second-class citizen's. All clubs should be required to at least provide the same size ribbons and rosettes that are given to the regular group and Best in Show winners.
7. If a club offers Owner-Handler competition they should not also be allowed to offer Best Bred-By Exhibitor groups or veteran groups these take up a great deal of time and can be confusing  during the day's judging. 
8. The time has come to recognize that using ramps for the judging of many breeds would be a safer and better way for judges to examine numerous breeds. A large towering judge can be a little overwhelming to some of the younger entries in many breeds. It is also a safer and more secure way to examine these breeds.
I believe we will see some reduction in the total number of shows in the future and I also think we will continue to have some shows and circuits where the entry will be larger than we have seen recently.
I also understand the economics of putting on a show and the cost of judges, ribbons, Venues, Stewards, and the many other things that go to putting on a show. However, if managed properly it can be done cost effectively.
We are also obligated to give the exhibitor a judge that is not physically or mentally exhausted because they are judging 250 plus dogs per day under various conditions.
As I mentioned earlier these are just my thoughts. I have been judging since 1985 and have served as a show and cluster chairman on numerous occasions. I have listened to my fellow judges, the exhibitors, and the club members and in my opinion, we all want safe, efficient, high-quality shows that are completed in a timely matter. What do you think?

​I don’t know about you but whenever I turn on the TV and watch just about any news channel I am bombarded with examples of absolutely terrible human behavior on display throughout our country.
Riots, protests, looting, murder, and crime are virtually around every corner. As a young child growing up in America during the 1950s, 60s, and 70’s I would not have ever imagined the world as it is today.
We live in a world still filled with an overwhelming majority of decent and law-abiding citizens. However, with the magnification by the media and technology, there is no question there are many people and special interest groups that are out of control.
Fortunately for us within the dog community our sport, although not immune to problems has kept poor behavior somewhat in check.
Our sport still has numerous areas that need improvement. We regularly experience displays of poor sportsmanship, attacks on others through social media, as well as the verbal and written abuse of judges and exhibitors. For the young family visiting the show or the new exhibitor, bad behavior is often the cause why some choose to never return or participate in the sport.
In this column, I would like to address two areas that in my opinion still need major work.
Probably two of the least appreciated and most demanding jobs at a dog show go to the persons in charge of Parking and Grooming. Having been a show and cluster chair for many years I can think of no other areas that create as many problems as these two do at almost every event.
When it comes to Parking each facility may have its own rules as to where parking must be located as well as where and how RV's especially must be parked. For those attending with RV's when hookups are available, they may be limited and located in more than one area. The facility also sets its fees for the electricity as well as water and sewer if available. At most shows, there is a parking charge These fees are usually between $5.00 and $10.00 per day depending upon the facility as well as the arrangement it may have with the show giving club.
Many exhibitors complain when they have to pay parking fees to attend a show. It seems as they feel that the entry fee they paid should be enough. In my humble opinion, these people are very wrong. I know from experience that when most people attend a sporting event, attend a concert, go to an amusement park, a county fair, or any number of other types of events they are also charged a parking fee above and beyond the admission fee they pay or the tickets they  buy. In many of these cases, the parking can run from $20 to as high as $50 to just park your car for the day or the event. Think about taking a family of four to a concert or a major sporting event. Tickets can run from $10 up to and exceeding $100 per ticket and then they have to pay the extra fee to park and in many cases walk a good distance to the facility or event. The fee you pay at the dog show is very low in comparison especially when you look at the sizes of many of the vans, box trucks, and other large vehicles that attend dog shows and set up pop-ups, awnings, and ex-pens that take up a lot of room.
Parking attendants at most shows take a lot of abuse and grief from people that for some reason think they deserve the best place or the ability to just park wherever they want once they get past the gate. Some exhibitors often leave vehicles in the unloading zones for extended periods and get irate when told to move so the next exhibitor can get in to unload.
Much of the same behavior can be found in the grooming areas. Grooming space especially at indoor facilities can be extremely limited and having enough space to accommodate everyone can be almost impossible in some situations. We must also remember that Aisles and set-ups are often governed by the local rules set up by the Fire Marshall for your safety.
Several years ago some clubs started to rent out the premium grooming space so people could reserve enough space to handle their entries in advance to be assured of a place when they arrive. This is especially advantageous for handlers and exhibitors with multiple entries that require more space. I will also say that the majority of these people have no problem following the rules and stack their crates and use the space they have reserved wisely.
On the other side of the spectrum, shows are also required to provide an equal area of free space for those exhibitors that choose not to rent space in advance. In most cases, this is where the problems arise. Many exhibitors just do not follow the rules. The premium list usually states when the area will be open for set up and often it is first come first served WITH NO SAVING OF SPACE for others. At almost every show some try to get in early and rope off an area for themselves and their friends, they don’t stack crates and often have numerous chairs spread out taking up space. When the show committee comes around and asks them to tighten up the area many exhibitors have meltdowns and verbally abuse the person in charge or the exhibitor just trying to find a place to set up for their dogs.
In most indoor facilities the abuse of the electrical situation is mind-boggling. Electrical banks and outlets have limits as to how much power they can supply. You will unfortunately always see multiple extension cords being used by numerous people out of one. The abuse of theseoutlets causes multiple circuit overloads which trip the breakers and create issues for the show giving club working with the facility to keep that electricity available.​
I have never understood the behavior of many of our exhibitors when it comes to what they seem to feel they are entitled to when it comes to parking and grooming. Show giving clubs prepare in advance and work with the facilities to try their best to make things fair and equal for everyone within the requirements of the venues themselves, yet over and over again poor behavior and a lack of consideration for others is on display in both of these areas.
It would be interesting to know just how many bench show hearings take place every year due to bad behavior.  I know from experience I have handled multiple situations in these areas over the years.
There are always some people that never clean up their grooming area after the show. They leave hair, garbage, chalk, and powder dust everywhere. The clean-up falls on the show-giving club. It the same thing when clubs provide bathing stations and other amenities to make life better for the exhibitors.  We also know that there are still many people that never clean up after their dogs.
In the RV areas, it also happens with the trash left behind, even when a dumpster is close by. I have seen multiple instances of both grey and even black water tanks emptied in the parking area even when there was a dump station on site.
As exhibitors, if we don’t start paying attention to these rules it may be sooner than later when clubs start to lose their venues because of the total disregard for rules by exhibitors. Just look at the hotel situation we have today.
When I began exhibiting in 1972 it was easy to go to almost any hotel with your dogs. There were no restrictions or extra charges. We knew you cleaned up after your dogs, did not bathe them in the room, or leave them loose to trash it. Now we are lucky to even find a hotel that will allow dogs and most have extra fees or restrictions on the number allowed.
The only way our sport can continue is by keeping our venues and learning to respect the rules as well as one another. With the easing of restrictions caused by the pandemic, we have been very good about following protocols involving masks and social distancing. With the pandemic appearing to be under control and things getting somewhat back to normal it is even more important to follow the rules and keep the peace.
So the next time you go to the show think twice before arguing with the parking people. Be extra courteous to your fellow exhibitors and try to help each other in the grooming areas. Most importantly follow the rules and clean up after yourself. Don’t be the one bad egg that spoils it for everyone else.
Remember Matthew 7:12 in everything, then, do others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law.

Thinking back on the many events we experienced in 2020 there was one major change that made me think back to my elementary school days. In 2020 we saw a world where "virtual learning" became a catchphrase for our youth. On every level from elementary school, all the way through colleges and universities students were now taking all of their classes online or through virtual teaching via skype or some type of live streaming. I guess in some ways this is a testament to how far technology has progressed over the past half of the century. On the other hand, it may be a reflection on how technology has replaced the hard work and research that many of us born and raised in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s experienced.
Our world today is so focused on immediate results with very little effort on the part of most people. I thought back to my Catholic elementary and high school days. I pretty much had nuns as teachers for most of my education and for those that can relate it was not always pleasant.  The dreaded “Sisters” were known to rule with an iron fist or a “hard wooden ruler” if you know what I mean. Our subjects in those days were highlighted by the three “Rs” of the day “Reading, writing, and Arithmetic." We learned our ABC's, how to read and write (cursive and the nuns I had made me write and rewrite until they could read it without any guessing) we had Spelling (no spell check you had to look it up in the dictionary if you needed help) history, geography, civics, math (no calculators just a paper and pencil) algebra, a second language, science, and various other classes many which could be used as a trade if you chose not to attend college.
Catholic school taught me a lot about discipline, hard work, and respect for others especially people in authority. For me, one of the most valuable things I took from those early years was a love for reading. In my elementary years, we had requirements to read a certain number of books throughout the year as well as a "summer reading" requirement. Since we did not have the technology available today we also had to research our work in person at the local library through various sources such as encyclopedias and various other research books and periodicals available. The public library was where you would go to also check out the books you were interested in reading and typically you had about a week to ten days to read and return them. It was through books where one could find a new world to explore and dream about. I always loved history and biographies as they told real stories of people, places, and the events that had shaped the world. Even to this day, I am most content when reading a great mystery or novel and trying to imagine the events in my mind as they unfold.
School also taught me the importance of doing things right the first time. I learned that "short cuts" often would jump out and bite me later. If you were typing your reports you needed to make sure everything was correct or you would get graded down for misspellings, bad punctuation, and so on.
So many of the things I learned in school have prepared me for my professional life as well as my life in the sport of pure-bred dogs.
Starting in dogs I was very fortunate to live in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cleveland public library through the generosity of the Western Reserve Kennel Club has one of the most extensive collections of dog-related books in the world. It housed the AKC studbook as well as the stud books from numerous registries throughout the world. To research a pedigree you could go to the library and trace the lineage of most dogs for many, many, generations. It also housed breed-specific and hundreds and hundreds of canine-related books and magazines. It was a great resource for anyone from a novice to a well-seasoned veteran to learn all there was about dogs from the whelping box to the show or obedience ring, To the field trials, and just about everything ever written about not only the dogs themselves but also the sport of pure-bred dogs.
Since the library housed so many books and periodicals it also had a subscription to the New York Times. Every Thursday and Sunday the late Walter Fletcher had a column in the times that covered the dog show world. Mr. Fletcher's columns carried the most popular events and because of his keen history of our sport, he could take the readers' imagination to the actual show with his high-quality descriptions of the event and what had happened.
Walter Fletcher covered dog shows for more than 60 years and passed away on February 15, 2000, just hours before the 124 th  Westminster Kennel Club Best in Show was selected.
In 1979 Walter R. Fletcher wrote on his life in our sport. The resulting book “My Times With Dogs" was first published in 1980 and is still one of my all-time favorite books about our sport. It is a timeless classic that when looking back shows that even though the times have changed there are some things that have stayed the same. The 320 pages cover everything from "What breed for me?", "The first dogs show." "The judging problem", Biographies of judges of the day, Shows, Handicapping shows, breeders and exhibitors, and a plethora of information that any dog lover would appreciate.
I was recently reading my copy again and I thought many of our newer enthusiasts might enjoy a few excerpts from this great look back;
(Note: all highlighted information is from the book; My Times with Dogs by Walter R. Fletcher published by Howell Book House Inc. First, printing-1980.)

​It is hard to believe that we are late in the first quarter of the twenty-first century and how the world we live in continues to change on an almost daily basis. It has now also been over a year since we all heard the term Covid-19 for the first time. At the time I imagine that most people thought it would be a temporary setback that would be dealt with and all would be back to “normal” by now. But, as we all know that has unfortunately not been the case.
For those of us that are involved in the sport of pure-bred dogs, we have seen many instances of how Covid-19 has changed our ability to not only hold our shows and trials but also the introduction to our events many new protocols to follow to even hold events where they are possible.
Since August of last year when we saw a limited return of our events across the country I have been able to attend events both as an exhibitor or judge shows in Idaho, Ohio, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Florida. At each of these shows, all of the exhibitors and judges wore masks and made honest attempts to follow social distancing guidelines. With the assistance and guidance of the AKC and in some cases local health officials numerous clubs proved that safe shows could be successful. What I observed was that most exhibitors followed the rules and behaved professionally and most were just happy to be able to have a show.
At the time of this writing, there are still numerous states and localities where putting on a show is either prohibited or postponed because of ongoing regulations regarding social gatherings. With the vaccines now available only time will tell how rapidly the restrictions will be lifted or modified.
Depending upon their location as well as their available facilities several clubs have been able to hold shows. ( As I understand there are only about 30-35% of scheduled events being held at this time.) While several clubs are doing well and putting on very large and successful shows many others are just struggling to hold their clubs together. Because of local restrictions, many clubs have not been able to meet in any other way except zoom-type communications. Meeting sites for numerous clubs are not available during the pandemic and therefore the in-person sharing of knowledge, ideas, and planning for future events is suffering.

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.