SPORTING GROUP Q&A
The Sporting Group is unique in that each breed was developed for specific duties in assisting humans with hunting game. It is also important to remember that each of these breeds needs to have a stable temperament as they must have the stability to hold the game as well as to retrieve it, even when guns are being shot over them.
CAROL SOMMERFELT I live in Lenoir City, Tennessee, which is in East Tennessee near the Great Smoky Mountains and Knoxville. I have had dogs all my life, but became involved in the sport of purebred dogs in 1976. I have been judging since 1997. My original breed was the Vizsla. However, along with my hus- band, Walter, I have owned dogs from each of the seven Groups. Vizslas are currently our primary breed and our kennel name is Lorac. Can I list a few of the notable dogs I’ve bred? Over the years, we have had a number of dogs that we have bred achieve numer- ous titles in AKC performance events, field trials, and conforma- tion shows. Many of our dogs have contributed to our breed as top-producing sires and dams. Some of these notable dogs we have bred are AFC Dual CH Mudsville Lorac Makk, CH Lorac Fancy Frozen Edition, who was from the first AKC registered Vizsla litter produced using frozen semen in 1985, BISS Multi Group-Placing GCHG Lorac’s Cap’N Jack Sparrow, who was a top breed and all- breed Vizsla in the show ring in 2013 & 2014, and GCH CH Lorac CMF Sommer’s Piece of My Heart RE BCAT ATT, who is the first Vizsla awarded the AKC Temperament Test title. When did I know I wanted to become an AKC judge? I became interested in becoming a judge when my husband decided to start judging in 1985. By observing him as well as other judges, I found it was fun and challenging to try to find the best example of different breeds under their breed standards. Who inspired me to become a judge? My husband inspired me to become a judge, as did respected judges of the time; Dr. Harry Smith, Gerald Schwartz, and Robert Stein, to name a few. What makes judging the Sporting Group a unique experi- ence? The Sporting Group includes breeds uniquely developed to hunt game in different terrain using their highly sensitive scent- ing ability for feather and, in some cases, also fur. In each breed, their conformation and temperament was developed to provide man with a highly developed hunting companion. This is why it is such an honor to judge some of the best examples of each of these hunting companions. How do I prioritize breed characteristics in a Sporting dog? Form Follows Function. First and foremost is type. The breed should look like the breed with its unique characteristics of head type, coat, tail, proper proportions, and “running gear,” which are the essence of breed type for each individual breed. Then, once type is found, soundness should be evaluated by observing move- ment. Correct movement is also different for each breed and, thus, is also part of type. When judging the dogs in the Group, it is about finding the dog that most closely matches the breed standard with
any dogs of note, but had a major hand in several clients’ breeding programs, and they had a lot of success. I did breed a few litters of Irish Setters. When did I know I wanted to become an AKC judge? I have always wanted to judge, but I made a living as a professional handler and could not afford to quit handling until I was in my late fifties. Who inspired me to become a judge? Who were my mentors? I had many people whom I would consider “mentors,” but foremost were Dick and Ruth Cooper, Annie Clark, Maxine Beam, Jack Funk, George Ward, and others. What makes judging the Sporting Group a unique experience? When I am judging the Sporting Group, I feel very comfortable in my knowledge of and experience with these breeds. How do I prioritize breed characteristics in a Sporting dog? I need to have a dog that I feel is of correct type and one that is cor- rect coming and going. I make my final decisions on the outline they give me going around the ring. Are there any trends (positive or negative) that I’ve noticed in the Group ring? I am unaware of any trends in the Group ring. There have been some new “trends” in the grooming of many of the breeds, notably Setters and Spaniels. I am not always happy to see the furnishings on these breeds scissored so aggressively. Do some breeds have an advantage or disadvantage in the Group? Naturally, the coated breeds, i.e., Setters, Spaniels, Gold- ens, etc. tend to be flashier, but it just depends on the individual judging. I really think you can evaluate a person’s depth of knowl- edge when they judge a Group. Have I had an opportunity to judge the “new” breeds: Barbet, Lagotto Romagnolo, Nederlandse Kooikerhondje, Wirehaired Vizsla? These new breeds, I have only judged a few of each. So, I cannot comment fully on them at this point. Which Sporting dogs from the past have had the greatest impact on their breeds, the Group, and the Sport? The English Springer Spaniel, Ch. Salilyn’s Aristocrat, profoundly impacted the breeding programs of many breeders. The Irish Water Spaniel, Ch. Oaktree’s Irishtocrat, was also an influential sire and brought the breed to the forefront. Also, the Gordon Setter that I showed, Ch. Bit O’ Gold Titan Treasure. What’s the most amusing experience I’ve ever witnessed in the Sporting Group? One of the funniest things that I remember and witnessed was when Forrest Hall judged the Sporting Group at Chicago International KC (when it was still at the Amphitheater by the Stockyards) and a Sussex Spaniel rolled over on its back when he went to examine it. Forrest Hall proceeded to pull out a handker- chief and started fanning the dog as if he had passed out. The crowd was roaring with laughter.
156 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JANUARY 2021
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