How Fast Can He Go?
Ye Olde Dinosaur has been rather quiet lately due to the
rigors of winter. In addition to
lots of snow the weather has been so cold the snow can’t melt. We didn’t see above freezing for about
a month. It’s almost forty today
so I’m temporarily out of hibernation.
Like many of you I watched the Westminster Show last
week. Over the years it’s
undergone many changes. When I
started showing the Garden offered regular classes from puppies to specials and
most often featured a specialty type judge. The entries in Collies were always a major and the show was
considered the “coming out” show for Eastern Collie puppies.
Most shows back then had all around judges doing the groups
and judging many of the breeds with smaller entries. The popular breeds such as Collies often rated a specialist
judge and the entries reflected this.
Nowadays many clubs seem to let the judges be selected based on how many
breeds they can handle and if they can also be used on next day’s show thus
splitting expenses.
The Garden as usual had dogs I liked and some that I
didn’t. The seven finalists at
least let me pick both of the top winners. Many of the judges were dressed in a manner more appropriate
to a Broadway opening or a cocktail party. One lady was so interested in her appearance and had her
nose so far in the air, I’m not sure if she saw the dogs.
One of the other things I noticed was the speed at which
most dogs were moved. They seemed
to be flying as fast as their legs could go regardless of breed or
function. The crowd and some
judges may like it, but I question whether it’s correct. Dogs that are moved at top speed always
make me wonder what they’re trying to hide. Different breeds and different dogs within each breed have
speeds at which their movement looks best. Faster is not always better just as coatier is not always
better.
Years ago at Hagerstown, MD I showed Jadene’s Breezalong
under Phil Marsh who had already given him a major. We went BB from the classes to finish and on to second in
the group under the same judge.
The Group First went to Jane Kay with one of her lovely Dobermans. After the group she told me that I
could have won the Group if I gaited my dog at a more lively pace. I told her that I moved him at what I
considered his best speed. She
reminded me that Phil Marsh was an ex-pro handler and liked to see the dogs
really move as he did when he was showing. We next met Phil Marsh judging the Group at the big Trenton
show and I put on the gas with Breezy.
We won that Group and I guess I learned a lesson. It still would seem apropos to move a
dog at his or her best speed, but if you find a judge with certain preferences,
you’d better decide what makes sense.
As many of you know I deplore the practice of hand stacking
a Collie. Indeed no matter what
breed I judge when they go down and back I want a “natural” stop at the
end. The Collie standard tells us
excessive posing is not desirable and my dogs were trained to stand on the four
good legs God gave them.
Years ago when I was exhibiting Ch. Gingeor Bellbrooke’s
Choice in the classes, I showed under an old all-rounder from Washington,
DC. He was a nice man and very
likable, but we lost to a dog I though we should have beaten. After the show someone told me that
sound or not he wanted the dogs to be hand stacked. Next time I showed under him I pretended I had a Boxer and
we went Winners. When in Rome, do
as the Romans do.
You need to study judges and know their special little
idiosyncrasies, but never lose sight of what is correct for our breed. You may have to give a bit if you want
to win, but you shouldn’t be swayed from breeding the right kind of
Collies. Moving faster than your
dog can handle is generally a bad idea and hand stacking may appeal to some
all-rounders, but not to the true Collie judge.
Judging is an interesting vocation and I like it when we
have some variation. Having all
judges who dress alike and handle the ring alike and like exactly the same
thing can be boring. We all want
to see the best specimen win particularly when we own it. If someone else has the winner, then
obviously the judge is having a bad day, right? Over the years I showed under many judges who were having a
bad day. Their efforts generally
became more noteworthy as my placements improved.
Think About It!
p.s. It’s been
such a fun winter , the main part of our pole barn collapsed on the 19th,
the next day the refrigerator died and oh yes, we needed a new clothes dryer. Love those Michigan winters!
