Inclusion

After judging a small — but quality — show, I had the idea for an article that would talk about what is best in big shows and what is best in smaller shows. Coincidentally, I received a message from a lovely Canadian friend suggesting an article about “welcoming the new and respecting the old.” Thank you, Heidi.

“Inclusion” is a word that means many things to many people, and it is not always considered a positive. For example, there are many of us who feel that the American Kennel Club should not include mixed-breed — or “all-American” — dogs in AKC activities since its mission statement says, “The American Kennel Club is dedicated to upholding the integrity of its Registry, promoting the sport of purebred dogs and breeding for type and function.” 

Other than that, there is room in our dog-show community for everyone: young and old, new and experienced, amateur owner-handler and professional, small shows and larger ones.

Do we have room for the newer exhibitor? Consider that very recently an amateur owner-handler faced off against all comers in an entry more than 1,400 of some of the top Terriers in the world and was carried away on her own cloud by winning Best in Show with her first (veteran) “show dog.” Symbolically, it was one of our more accomplished and respected senior judges — and a Terrier breeder — who pointed to the young lady and her lovely Skye Terrier. Where are all the naysayers now who are absolutely certain that only professional handlers get the big wins?

I am willing to bet that the young lady whose dog won did not do this with blinders on or completely on her own. I’ll bet she had mentors who helped guide her, and a group of friends within our dog-show community who supported her in many ways — win or lose. I am sure that this very special moment will live in her memory forever, and she will continue to be a strong member of our community. 

That young woman epitomizes why we need to make sure we are always open and welcoming to newcomers. We have all heard stories of clubs who seem to always make it difficult for newcomers to join and be active. And then we wonder why we are a graying community, and from where the next leaders of our community will come. Does your club have a way to make newcomers feel welcome? Are newcomers allowed to be active, or do the same people hold all the key positions? Are there mentors available for new members?

We can all take a lesson from our friends who compete in agility and obedience. Perhaps because if your dog has a great “run” in agility or performance in obedience, it doesn’t mean my dog cannot succeed also, but my experience at these events is that new competitors are welcomed and people are willing to help them. 

Even worse are the stories of judges who are “nasty” and very abrupt with new exhibitors. If it is true, I simply cannot understand that. Judges should absolutely be welcoming to all exhibitors. Without them, there will be no shows for us to judge.

It is not just the younger breeder-exhibitors who are moved to tears when achieving a win. I remember a show where I placed a Cocker Spaniel in the group — handled by an obviously senior exhibitor. When I handed her the placement rosette, she was in tears, and told me, “I have been showing my dogs for more than 25years, and this is my first group placement.” I must admit that her tears made my eyes water, too. What great a passion this woman must have had to stick with breeding and showing without having what most of us think of as success. Winning a piece of cloth was not her driving force. She realized that producing healthy dogs and loving her breed were what are truly important. Isn’t that what a real breeder should care about?

In addition to being welcoming to new exhibitors, we should respect those who have been community members for a long time. In many other countries, the elderly are revered. There are many in our community who should be sought out by newer members for their guidance and experience. How else do they expect to learn and advance? I have been a part of the dog-show community for more than 60 years, and I still seek out mentors in breeds for which I can use more education — and many of those mentors are younger breeders. (It would be really hard to find too many that are older than me.) It has been my experience that most breeders or judges are very willing to help someone if we see that you are sincere — and not just wanting to get your AKC additional-breed form signed.

Not only is there a place in our community for all “levels” and ages of competitors, there is also a place for shows of all sizes. These days conformation shows may range from entries of 200 or less to the huge entry of more than 9,400 (at the 2022 AKC National Championship in Orlando) and everything in between. I think the average show today might be 700 to 800 entries. Most will agree that entries at most shows might be lower because of the plethora of shows, and there doesn’t seem to be an easy answer to that problem.

I recently judged at a small show in Roswell, New Mexico. Besides getting the chance to visit the famous UFO museum there, I had the opportunity to judge at the Roswell Kennel Club shows. Although smaller than many shows, these shows were well run by a small group of caring, friendly people, and they made their judges and exhibitors welcome. Job well done, Roswell Kennel Club members. By the way, the UFO museum is well worth the visit.

The “pros” of the smaller shows are numerous. These shows foster a much more relaxed, less stressful environment for judges and exhibitors, and can be a great place to introduce new dogs or puppies to the show environment. We have all been to shows that seem to never end, where we start at 8 a.m. and Best in Show is not over until 7 or 8 p.m. The smaller shows enable everyone to get to dinner, feed their dogs, and get some “down time” at a decent hour. Don’t be fooled — just because a show might have smaller overall entries does not mean that there are not quality dogs entered. As an example, by the time we got to Best in Show at the Roswell shows, there was as much quality in the lineup as there might be at any size show. These smaller shows are usually held within the communities that they serve, and it gives the public a chance to become acquainted with purebred dogs and our community.

But there are always trade-offs. That rising costs are a fact in every facet of life is undeniable. Even though small shows may be fortunate enough to find show grounds at a reasonable cost, there are still AKC fees, superintendent fees, judges’ fees and other expenses. In order for these small shows to continue, they need to find a way to make a small profit or at least break even. This can be difficult at times.

At the other end of the spectrum are the large shows that some may think are more prestigious. These shows often have more of the 201 AKC-recognized breeds shown, and offer a much better chance for exhibitors to try for majors. For those who are competing for rankings, a win at one of these shows is a big advantage. There is obviously the possibility of more complications due to the increased number of judges, vendors and other factors that face the show chair and committee; however, there are usually more people available to work on the show committee than at a small show. Some of these shows may additionally benefit from attracting specialty shows before or embedded within the show, thereby offering even more opportunities for majors and large entries for spectators. 

Some of the larger shows may be supported by AKC.TV or national television, enabling more opportunities for our community to be marketed to the public. However, of necessity, these shows require more parking for exhibitors and spectators, as well as a significant area for motor homes — and the inherent problems that this seems to bring with it. The large show usually starts judging at 8 a.m. and Best in Show may not conclude until 7 p.m., 8 p.m. or later. This makes for more stressful and tiring days for everyone involved — including the dogs.

The mid-level shows with entries of 800 to 1,500 entries inherently have the advantages and disadvantages of both the former-sized shows. Anecdotally, most of our shows may fall within this range. Many shows that used to have entries of close to 2,000 now have entries in the 800 to 1,500 range due to the number of shows offered. 

When I started, I lived on the East Coast, and the opportunities for more shows on any weekend still exist. In the Northeast it is not uncommon to be able to get to a show almost every weekend within a three- to four-hour drive. Here in the West, a show that is within a drive of eight to 10 hours is considered a “local show.” We used to go to a show on Saturday, and then have to pack up and drive to the Sunday show. Today, there are more and more “clusters,” enabling exhibitors to stay in one place for three to five shows or more.

So, there is definitely a place within our community for the young, inexperienced, older, experienced, and everyone in between. Small shows, large shows and mid-range shows all have their place. We need to make sure we are welcoming to everyone if we want our community to survive and thrive.

What do you think?