There is no question that the AKC is known as the “Club of Clubs.” Without the local as well as the National and performance clubs the AKC would have no events to put on. Each time we enter a show, trial, match, or any other AKC event we all should know that the only reason we have that event to attend is because of the dedicated members and volunteers of that sponsoring club that give generously of their time, talents, and resources to put on the event for the fancy. Clubs are without a doubt the backbone of our sport. When I see the number of exhibitors that participate in our events, I of ..read more

​Several years ago, there was an outcry from exhibitors about Judges checking the bites and possibly helping to spread disease from one exhibit to another. As a result, it was suggested by the AKC and the fancy, in general, to have the handler/exhibitor show the bite to the judge. I just like most judges adopted the policy and changed our examination routine to allow for the change.   What all judges discovered was that most exhibitors either do not know how to show the bite properly or have not spent any time teaching their charges how to allow it to be done. What is now common to see in ..read more

[...] ..read more

​For as long as dog shows and any other event that uses Judges has been around the officials have always been and I am sure will always be the target of criticism from participants and observers. There are no questions that when the human element of interpretation is involved, there will be numerous views both in favor of as well as opposed to the decisions made by the adjudicating official. In our world of conformation dog shows the trend of complaining about judging seems to be on the rise. Could it be that the multiple changes to the "System" over the years have destroyed the credibility of ..read more

Westminster, "There's only one!".   There is nothing quite like the magic of Westminster.   This year marks the 146th annual Westminster Kennel Club dog show. Established in 1877, Westminster as we all know is the second-longest continuing sporting event in the country second only to the Famed Run for the Roses, Kentucky Derby.   Televised every year since 1948 it is the longest-running nationally televised dog show.   As a spectator, Exhibitor, or Judge there is nothing like the magic of Westminster. Probably the most famous dog show in the world.  (I am sure the UK w ..read more

​SHOWSIGHT magazine has reached an amazing milestone with its 30th Anniversary this month. In honor of the celebration, I look back at various milestones and how they may change our lives, our legacies, and our sport. It is hard to believe that we are already 21 years into the 21st century. It does not seem all that long ago that Y2K was a huge issue where people were worried about computer crashes, world economies, and the possible destruction of all things controlled by technology. As one of the post-war baby boomers, I can honestly say that the world we live in has undergone so many chang ..read more

​Writing for Showsight magazine has given me a unique opportunity to share some of my thoughts and insights into our sport. With nearly 50 years of involvement, it would be foolish of me or anyone else to believe that these views are always right on the money or even agreed with by the fancy. Rather, they are just one person’s observations and opinions and if used correctly may lead to constructive conversations between fanciers to help maintain and improve our sport. So often in our everyday lives, we run into situations where our computers, cell phones, Televisions and so many of our other ..read more

​When deciding on entering a show do the venue and location factor in your choice? For most exhibitors, the judging panel plays a great deal in factoring into the choice of what upcoming shows to enter. But what are some of the other issues that play in that decision-making? Venues play a significant role for fans of Sports, Theatre, Concerts, and a variety of things of human interest. One can look back thousands of years to the great coliseum in Rome where gladiators and other events were put on to entertain the citizens of the times. Just recently the lower levels of the historic structure ..read more

​A man by all accounts has always had a way to preserve his history. From carvings on cave walls to scrolls, drawings, paintings, photographs, and other objects man has always found a way tokeep a record of his history in our ever-changing and developing world. As human beings, everyone has some type of recorded history from the cradle to the grave. For most of us, it started at birth when that first photograph of the day we were born was taken. Our life in pictures was often followed by numerous other firsts in our lives. The first steps, first birthday, the first day of school, annual school ..read more

​Over the past few years, a great deal of change has taken place in the dog show world. The National Owner Handler Series has been added to many shows and is growing every day. Covid-19 hit our country causing the cancellation of thousands of events. Following the resumption of shows, we have seen many new protocols put into place such as the wearing of masks, social distancing, a change in ring  procedures, judges now not only marking their books but also pulling and handing out their ribbons. The groups being divided into sections to allow for social distancing. The return to various ou ..read more