10 Questions ...

10 QUESTIONS …

Jason Hoke

Profession: Chef and pub owner

Dog-sport involvement: Board member of the Great Dane Club of America and the Pekingese Club of America, member of the American Whippet Club, IKC (associate member), Morris and Essex and Chain O’Lakes kennel clubs, and AKC delegate

Hometown: East Berlin, Pennsylvania

Astrological sign: Scorpio, obviously

1. Do you have any dog-show superstitions?  

Always pack safety pins … You never know!

2. TV-show guilty pleasure?

Top Chef.

3. If you were president of AKC for one day, what would you do?  

Embrace the youth even more in the sport. Advance our PR machine to educate the public on purebred dog value. Expand Meet the Breeds to include exhibitions in all forms of dog sports and also every possible example of service work. Show every part of our versatile companions without fail.

4. Most valued material possession?

My health and all my friends’ health.

5. What is something no one would guess about you?

I won a poetry contest.

6. Who would you compare yourself to?

A plate of food that took years to perfect, with many mistakes along the way, but is trying to be its best.

7. What are you “famous” for?

My love of sarcasm and humor … I hope?

8. What website do you visit most often?

Delta.com.

9. What was more memorable, your most satisfying win or disappointing defeat? And what was it?

I think my favorite was with a Maltese where I won Best of Breed under Doris Cozart at Progressive. It was the first Maltese I ever conditioned myself.

The hardest loss was at the Garden with a stunning Bearded Collie. I had someone else groom him while I was in another ring, and when I took him in, he shook and out came a cloud of chalk in front of the judge, who loved him. I think he would have gone very far that day, but green carpet with white footprints isn’t what that judge was looking for … LOL.

10. What do you wish someone would ask you?

“I can take you back in time to do some things over … Are you ready?”