Another Dog Show Take Away

I've been meaning to post since the first weekend in February but, I've had a cold and just haven't had the energy.  On February 4, Miss Georgia went Best of Breed at a show in Doswell, VA.  It was a small Cardigan entry, no specials, but I'm still super proud of the little girl who is growing into such a lovely show dog.

In the past I've talked about all the crap you need to show a dog; grooming table, dryer, special shampoo, brushes, combs, chalk, etc.  Then there's the wardrobe considerations for the handler; color coordinating with your dog, making sure the skirt is long enough to cover your lady bits if you bend over, pockets, etc.  Of course there's teaching your dog to be a show dog; hand stacking, free stacking, gaiting, baiting, etc.  Then you go in the ring and hope for a win.  When it happens, it's exhilarating!  And then you get to the win photo....

Traditionally, you have a win photo taken for your first point(s), both majors and when your dog completes its championship.  There is a photographer at the show who will take the picture with or without the judge (with the judge is preferable), in the ring or at a designated photo area.  The photo is mailed to you, in a sealed plastic sleeve, within a week or two of the show.  You can usually see enough of the photo through the printing on the sleeve to determine if you want to keep it.  If not, you send it back and pay nothing.  If you open the sleeve and keep the photo, you have to pay for it.

Sounds pretty simple I mean, we take pictures all the time.  If you have dogs, chances are good you have literally hundreds of pictures of them - candids as well as stacked shots (if they are show dogs).  You've probably been in lots of pictures yourself too.  No big deal, right?  WRONG!

What they don't teach you in handling classes, or anywhere else for that matter, is that the win photo should be practiced as well.  Getting your dog appropriately stacked shouldn't be an issue - you've practiced the hell out of that.  Getting YOURSELF properly posed is an entirely different issue.  Which brings me to Georgia's recent win photo.

Click to biggify.

You'll notice that my face is obscured.  That's because I was so focused on getting G set up properly, making sure the collar didn't make her hair do weird things, making sure the lead wasn't dangling in an odd place, etc. that when the photo was snapped my face was NOT prepared.  I look like a turtle that has been goosed.  My expression is literally so distracting that you don't see the dog.

I'm willing to post an un-retouched photo if my dog show friends out there will share with me their less than flattering win photos too.  Send them to me at dina.delsman *@* gmail.com and I will do a whole post of win photos gone wrong.  I need to know that others have felt my pain.

But is it really a sport?

Over the last few weeks, UHM and I have had lots of conversations about things that are objective vs. subjective.  UHM is a highly competitive person who has always played sports (although if you ask my mom, golf isn't really a sport).  The sports she has played are of the objective variety; golf, soft ball, field hockey.  Either you make the putt, or you don't; you score a goal, or you don't; you hit the ball, or you don't.  You don't get any extra points for doing any of those things stylishly.  There is a referee or 'judge' involved but he/she is there to make sure the rules are followed and is rarely expected to make a subjective call.

While not a sporting type myself, my competitive endeavors have usually been more subjective in nature.  I was on the forensics (speech) team, played in the band, a member of the livestock judging team and showed livestock.  Those experiences make the ups and downs of showing dogs - while still sometimes frustrating - a little more understandable to me.  The judges in speech competitions decided, subjectively, who had the better speech.  We competed for first chair, second chair, etc. in band and the director was the subjective judge of who played better.  Showing and judging livestock, like showing and judging dogs, is extremely subjective.  It is an individual's interpretation of which animal best represents the breed or style of animal currently favored.

Given the conversations UHM and I have had, it seemed serendipitous when my friend Karen, at Dog Show Newbie posted a link to an article/editorial on DogChannel.com.  In the piece, the writer likens breeding and showing dogs to art more than sport and I think he's right.  What's really great is, the piece was written by a long-time Cardigan breeder; Paul Chen of Afara Cardigans.  Take a couple minutes to check it out and see if you don't agree with his thoughts - as well as get a chuckle out of his description of what it's like to breed and show dogs.

On the Road Again

Bogey and I leave today to retrieve Georgia from North Carolina.  UHM and I dropped her off with Liz (her breeder) and Marian (pro handler and wonderful lady who whelped G and her siblings) last Sunday.  Georgia has been at Dog Show Boot Camp/Cheer Camp for the last week.  She's entered in the Greensboro cluster of shows which started on Wednesday and go through Sunday.

Wednesday G was reserve winner's bitch, yesterday nothing and today Cardis were on at 9 but I haven't heard anything - which usually isn't a good sign.  She'll show tomorrow and Sunday and then we'll head home.

Wish us luck!

The Weekend

We had a great weekend here in Central Virginia.  Georgia was entered in the Virginia Kennel Club (VKC) shows in Richmond so we got up at ungodly hours both days to drive to The Showplace (which is actually kind of dumpy) to take a run at picking up some more points.  We didn't have any luck on the points but we did get to see some friends and relatives and I think I've finally managed to explain to UHM, in a way she can understand, how the AKC points system works.  Next shows will probably be in August.

We also picked more beans and beets in the garden.  Tonight UHM made southern-style beans for herself (read cooked until they are a disgusting shade of pale olive and have the texture of mush).  I don't understand southern-style green beans, I really don't.

The Holiday Weekend

For you poor working stiffs out there, I understand this is a long weekend.  I hope you enjoy it :)  The Horde started the weekend with a small success.  Miss Georgia got her second point today at the Hampton, VA, show under breed-judge Janet Robinson (Snowdonia).

In other Georgia news, she is in season.  At this point, that doesn't really mean much to anyone but Sam.  He is absolutely gobsmacked by her beauty and enticing aroma.  He sings, he tap dances, he tries to make the tips of his ears cross in his efforts to express to her the degree to which he finds her alluring.  It's a little pathetic to watch him try to impress her since she's still young enough that she doesn't really know what all his posturing is about.  Being the unscrupulous dog-mom that I am, I plan to take full advantage of Georgia's condition and Sam's infatuation.  Today I called Dr. Dove's office to make an appointment for Sam to be collected on next Friday.  Sam has never really needed incentive to do his business at Dr. Dove's office but since Monday will be the old man's 13th birthday and he's down to just the one testicle, I figure it can't hurt to give him a little encouragement, something to strive for, even though he won't be allowed to consummate the relationship in that way. I'm considering it a belated birthday gift for the old man.

Video of the National!

Domino Video, the professional video company that is shooting the National this year, was kind enough to share some clips with the CWCCA website.  You can see Lucy (Georgia & Jon's mom) in the Megan at Show Results.  Scroll down to see video of Puppy Sweeps, Veteran Sweeps and the Megan.  Lucy is the second red dog to come in the ring.

National Update - Day 1, Sweeps

Marla called this morning to give me her assessment of Miss G.  She stands by her original opinion of a year ago but does say that we are going to have to be patient while the girl grows up.  See Miss G comes from lines that mature slowly but that's actually a good thing.  It means that, while it will take longer for her to reach her full potential, there's a good chance that once she reaches it she will be really competitive in the breed ring for a longer period of time.

So, the results from this morning's 15-18 month sweepstakes class are that our girl wasn't in the ribbons.  It's ok with me though, I know that in a couple of years she will be just as successful as her mom and grandma (who's won the National TWICE!).

Tomorrow Georgia and her mom, Lucy, will be shown in the brace class.  Brace is where two dogs from the same breeder are shown together to demonstrate the consistency in the breeder's line.  Georgia and her mother are nearly carbon copies of each other so this should be fun.  Hoping someone at the National will get pictures.

Houston, We Have a Winner

I'm thrilled to report that last night Georgia's mom, Lucy (Ch Aberdovey's Infatuation), was awarded Best Red Bitch, Best of Opposite Sex to Best Cardigan, and Runner Up to Best Cardigan in the Megan Competition at the national Specialty.

The Megan is a champions-only match held each year in honor of the first breed champion Cardigan.  It's the only time Cardigans are separated and judged by color with the best dog and bitch of each of 4 colors going back in to compete for Best Cardigan (the final class is an 8 dog lineup).  It's incredibly prestigious to win any of the color classes not to mention the big prizes.  It's especially exciting for a red to do so well.

Today is the start of regular showing with both puppy and veteran sweeps.  Those begin at 9am standard time.  I will be anxiously awaiting news of how Miss Georgia does.  She's got some awful big paw prints to follow in!