298 – Legends part 2: What NOT to do, Too Many Dog Shows
Legends part 2: What NOT to do, Too Many Dog Shows and More
Today’s episode is a continuation of the conversation at the Pure Dog Talk Friday Night Forum at Del Monte Kennel Club in July 2017. Our panel includes Pat Trotter, Dorothy Macdonald and Kimberly Meredith. The conversation continues with questions from social media via live stream and the live audience.
Topics covered include:
- Thoughts on realignment/expansion of groups – realignment to FCI
Kim – hope it never passes – 10 groups in a big cluster would be very difficult – time and costs would be prohibitive
Dorothy – no need to follow fci
- Uncropped dogs in cropped breeds
Kim – doesn’t affect me – don’t pull ears up on uncropped Great Danes.
Dorothy – don’t mind which way they go, just judge them as they are, would prefer no cropping, but have never faulted in judging
Pat – defer to breeder judge – Vince Mulligan
- Decline in entry numbers, too many shows in one weekend… ideas to rein in # of shows &/or bring in more participants
Kim – horse is out of the barn. 200 miles is nothing. AKC approved Too many shows, too close together. It’s a dilemma. Now what do you do? Damage has been done. Show in Chile… FCI subsidizes. AKC approved all the shows… should they supplement these clubs?
Dorothy – the barn door got left open, has evolved… akc will have to rescind licensing. Only solution. They made the mistake, they should bear the solution.
Pat – I think the most innovative person I’ve seen is Kim… what she’s done w/ Woofstock …. Requires more than 2 shows to get the entry up.
- Is the dog that wins BIS the best dog in the show
Kim – whoever’s judging BIS thinks it is
Dorothy – put up the one they thought was best, others might not agree, there are as many opinions as people watching. There are no redos….
Pat – more than one bis when the dog I thought would beat me, didn’t get there.
- Faux pas for exhibitors/what not to do
Kim – very little that irritates me. Except being late. Be there, be prepared, certain breeds are notorious… even if I don’t enjoy them, I enjoy their dogs
Dorothy – excessive roughness from the handler. Pay attention. Keep dog in the shade
Pat – abuse of bait vs use of bait … trying to look at dog’s mouth, shoving bait in its mouth…. Throwing bait… start handling dogs when it stops handling itself… grandstanding… I want to see the dog, not the handler… tendency for handlers to overstretch the dogs… let the judge & steward know if you have multiple dogs & have to change.
296 – Pat Trotter, Dorothy Macdonald and Kim Meredith Speak at Forum
Pat Trotter, Dorothy Macdonald and Kim Meredith Speak at Forum
Today’s episode is part one of a Pure Dog Talk Friday Night Forum at Del Monte Kennel Club in 2017. The panel features Pat Trotter, Dorothy Macdonald and Kim Meredith addressing the topic of the “Judge-Exhibitor Relationship.” Learn about the background and priorities of these legends in the sport.
This Forum was originally available as a livestream video. We’re now bringing everyone all of the information in a three-part series on the podcast.
Topics in this section of the forum include background of the judges, what the judges want to see in the ring, how to ask judges about a dog, the judges’ opinions of the National Owner Handled Series and withholding ribbons.
Learn From the Source
In a current moment that features social media commentary pages on which exhibitors “report” on the judges, often with great vitriol, the value of hearing directly from the judges and what matters to them cannot be overstated.
A highlight of the conversation is Dorothy Macdonald’s description of coming to the US with her family in 1941 and bringing the dogs they could with them, including a Kerry Blue Terrier rescued from Dunkirk.
Macdonald is noted as one of a handful of judges who judge both conformation and field trials.
“I judged field trials as many years as dog shows,” Macdonald said. “I put up the first English setter running in the field that was a show champion.”
“As long as you’re more interested in the dogs than the people, there will never be a split (between exhibitors and judges),” Macdonald said. “I want an exhibitor to be happy in the ring. I’m interested in the dog, not the exhibitor’s ability. Just need them to control the dog. It’s the dog I want to see.”
“We all had a first time in the ring,” Trotter said. “I do want them to have a dog that’s somewhat prepared for the event. I want to have a dog we can go through the process … see the bite, see the dog move.”
“I’m always happy to talk about the dogs I’ve judged,” Meredith said. “Attitude and how the question is approached are everything.”