THE
SPORTING GROUP
1. Where do you live? How many years in dogs? How many years as a judge? 2. What is your original breed? What is /was your kennel name? 3. Can you list a few of the notable dogs you’ve bred? Any perfor- mance or field titles? 4. When did you know you wanted to become an AKC judge? 5. Who inspired you to become a judge? Who were your mentors? 6. What makes judging the Sporting Group a unique experience? 7. How do you prioritize breed characteristics in a Sporting dog? 8. Are there any trends (positive or negative) that you’ve noticed in the Group ring? 9. Do some breeds have an advantage in the Group? A disadvantage? 10. Have you had an opportunity to judge the “new” breeds: Barbet, Lagotto Romagnolo, Nederlandse Kooikerhondje, Wirehaired Vizsla? 11. Which Sporting dogs from the past have had the greatest impact on their breeds? On the Group? On the Sport? 12. For a bit of fun, what’s the most amusing experience you’ve ever witnessed in the Sporting Group? VIRGINIA L. LYNE I live in Victoria,
I could learn from, but my primary mentors had to include Ted Eldredge and Annie Clark. What makes judging the Sporting Group a unique experience? The Sporting breeds are so totally functional. They all have a rea- son, a purpose, and a hunting style. To judge them well you must learn your history—where they came from and how they differ, depending on geography and terrain. You need to know a lot about Great Britain as so many of the gundogs are of British origins. A knowledge of French Spaniels is essential. How do I prioritize breed characteristics in a Sporting dog? What makes the breeds different and why? Why is the dour Scot home of the Gordon Setter and the rollicking redhead from Ire- land? Why does an English Cocker have the rear end of an Irish washerwoman? I want to see the characteristics that immediately bring to mind the breed; the long, low, level substance of the Clum- ber, the air underneath him of the Brittany, and the unique color of the Sussex, the classic head pieces of an Irish Setter—red brick on red brick, the plush, shorter muzzle on the Cocker Spaniel, the forechest on the Weimaraner, and the otter tail on the Labrador. All are breed priorities because they are what makes the breed the prod- uct of its evolution and the history and purpose. Judging of gun- dogs requires that you know how they hunted as this determines the breed-specific details that you must assess in your judging. All gundogs need a very specific “hands-on” examination, and failure to assess the unique traits is a dead giveaway that the judge is not familiar with the breed. Are there any trends (positive or negative) that I’ve noticed in the Group ring? Positive: Some truly wonderful, quality dogs are being bred and shown in many of the smaller entry breeds (Tollers, Kooikers, Sussex, Clumbers, German Wires, Wirehaired Vizslas, Lagotto, Barbet, and Irish Red and White Setters). I believe these are being overlooked in the Group as judges are less familiar and not willing to risk being wrong. As a result, the “generic” example of the popular is rewarded. Negatives: Handlers are still determined to move dogs far too fast to give true breed characteristic action. The Clumber was an older gentleman’s Sunday hunting companion and he was expected to remain with his owner and not be raced ahead. Irish Setters, when raced, can begin to look like they are riding a Peloton! Most of these hunting breeds were expected to work for hours on difficult terrain, and being raced so fast does not allow the smooth, easy trot that reflects endurance and stamina. Some of the breeds that are very popular are going to have to work to get back to true breed characteristics as they have become somewhat generic. Do some breeds have an advantage in the Group? A disadvan- tage? Familiarity helps and flashy-coated showmanship can go through over plainer, more functional workers. Have I had an opportunity to judge the “new” breeds: Barbet, Lagotto Romagnolo, Nederlandse Kooikerhondje, Wirehaired Vizsla? Yes, I have judged all of these and seen some wonderful examples. The Barbet is a strong entry in Canada as it has been recognized for quite a few years. These are excellent additions to the Group, as will be the Small Munsterlander when it comes in as the newest addition to the Miscellaneous Class. Which Sporting dogs from the past have had the greatest impact on their breeds, the Group, and the Sport? This would require a book to answer: Dunelm Galaxy English Cocker, most of the Salilyn dogs, Bees Knees in Pointers with Michael Zollo, Chaos and Willis from Rush Hill Golden Retrievers, many of the Nani’s
British Columbia, Can- ada. We have bred and shown since 1953 when I exhibited and did Obe- dience with a Cocker Spaniel, and then moved to English Cockers in 1960. I have been judg- ing since 1969 and am an All-Breed Judge. My original breed
is the English Cocker Spaniel with the kennel name, Ranzfel. I have also owned and/or shown Cocker Spaniels, Whippets, and Pem- broke Welsh Corgis. Can I list a few of the notable dogs I’ve bred? Any performance or field titles? Am. Can. Ch. Ranzfel Newsflash, Am. Can. TD; Am. Can. Ch. Ranzfel Highlight, and Am. Can. Ch. Ranzfel Kid Me Not. Because I instructed Obedience for some 20 years and was an active Obedience Judge since 1968, I found my own dogs were neglected somewhat in the training/competition side. We put sev- eral tracking titles on Ranzfels. We never got involved in Agility, and the Rally events did not start until after we discontinued much of the performance work. When did I know I wanted to become an AKC judge? I always knew I was eventually going to become a judge as the passion to learn about all breeds could not be denied. I started Obedience judging in 1968 and Conformation judging in 1969. Who inspired me to become a judge? Who were my mentors? In Canada, Bob Waters and Vic Williams among many; and in the US, Annie Clark was my inspiration. Mentors were anyone whom
130 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JANUARY 2021
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