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2012 Westminster Dog Show

February 15, 2012 by · Comments Off on 2012 Westminster Dog Show 

2012 Westminster Dog Show, Preamble: Malachy the Pekingese is just like Mitt Romney-only better groomed. He’s the presumptive favorite to win the 136th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show tonight, but this is why we hold competitions. Because you just never know.

During the opening night of Westminster, Malachy (who has 114 Best in Show ribbons but has never won here) was named best in the Toy group, the most competitive category at Westminster, and the sports book at Wynn Las Vegas likes his odds this evening.

Other group winners from last night include the German shepherd Captain Crunch in the Herding group; Cinders, a Wire-Haired Dachshund, in the Hound group; and Spotlights Ruffian, a lovely Dalmatian, in Non-Sporting. (And for those who like rooting underdogs, no Dachshund or Dalmatian has ever been named Best in Show at Westminster.)

But there are more contenders to come tonight, including dogs from the Sporting, Working and Terrier groups. And it’s all leading up to Best in Show at the end of the evening, when judge Cindy Vogels will determine who will be America’s Dog for 2012.

So pull up your pet and let’s watch all the action…

Very Hot Dogs: For those who fear Westminster withdrawal symptoms after tonight’s competition, may I recommend Josh Dean’s superb new book, Show Dog, which goes inside the world of competitive purebreds. You can read an excerpt about the WKC show here, but for those who like their dog stories on the kinkier side, Dean has a hilarious piece on Deadspin that reveals more about the sex life of champion show dogs than you might have wanted to know. Think of it as a shagging dog story.

The Other Top Dog: While the four sporting groups were competing at Madison Square Garden last night, another canine contest was taking place in Los Angeles-the inaugural Golden Collar Awards, http://news-briefs.ew.com/2012/02/14/the-artists-uggie-takes-home-golden-collar/ presented to the dogs who gave the best performances on the small and big screens.

In the spirit of the big winner’s movie, I’ll remain silent about who won in the film category-but his name rhymes with “Uggie.”

The Sporting Group: And they’re letting the dogs out….

Brittany: First up tonight is a brown-and-white Brittany named Cam, who hails from Arkansas. he’s got a great smile.

2012 Westminster Dog Show

February 12, 2012 by · Comments Off on 2012 Westminster Dog Show 

2012 Westminster Dog Show, The 2012 Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show limited its entries to 2,000 of the country’s finest canines this year because of ongoing renovations at Madison Square Garden.

That’s 500 fewer pups than is customary, but that doesn’t mean Hudson Valley dog breeders will be left howling at the moon. There has always been a strong representation from local owners and breeders, and this year is no exception.

A glossy black greyhound with a tuxedo white chest blaze named Cole may someday meet his owner’s label of “the finest greyhound in the world” and is said to have a strong chance of winning at Westminster.

Here are some of the dogs going for the gold at this year’s Westminster show.

• Greyhound

Name: CH Windrock Wild Sensation

Call name: Cole

Age: 3 years

Owners and breeders: Owner is Carolyn Schwartz: breeders are Colin and Kim Fritzler of Windrock Kennels

Hometown: Goshen

Accomplishments: AKC Champion, 2011, Plum Creek Kennel Club; Winner’s Dog and Best of Winners at the 2009 Greyhound Club of America show; Group One at Utah Valley and Durango Kennel Club shows.

• German Shorthaired Pointer

Name: GCH Edelmarke Blaze of Glory

Call name: Cali

Age: 3 years

Owners and breeders: Owner/handler is Barbara VanBlarcum; breeders are Lisa and Kevin Gaede and Robin and Rita Remondi

Hometown: Big Indian

Accomplishments: 2011 Best of Opposite Sex winner at Westminster; 2011 Best of Opposite Sex winner at Brevard County Kennel Club Show, a Eukanuba pre-show, Orlando, Fl.

• Rottweiler

Name: GCH Winning Hand’s Texas Hold’em

Call name: Tex

Age: 4 years

Owners and breeders: Handler Kevin Bednar; breeder Marta Illing and Virginia Finis

Hometown: Parksville

Accomplishments: Novice Rally Obedience Title

• Smooth Coat Collie

Name: CH Fashions Glamorous Gal

Call name: Gigi

Age: 18 months

Owners and breeders: Owner/handler Mara Flood; breeder is Fashion Collies of Nova Scotia,

Hometown: Campbell Hall

Accomplishments: Gigi finished her AKC Championship at 14 months old. Currently pursuing her Herding title and Therapy Dog title.

• Clumber Spaniel

Name: GCh & Can Ch, Lothian’s Something To Talk About

Call name: Noah

Age: 3 years

Owners and breeders: Patricia and Galen Colman

Hometown: Hamlet of Wallkill

Accomplishments: 2011 Award of Merit at the Clumber National Specialty; 2011 Select Dog at the Clumber Regional Specialty

• Ibizan Hound

Name: Serandida Abbaio La Contessa Scalza

Call name: Magnolia

Age: 10 months

Owners and breeders: Sarah Murphy; Diane Arbeit; Richard Zelig; Susan St. John Brown.

Hometown: Newburgh

Accomplishments: Best 6-9 mo. puppy, Ibizan Hound Nationals; Best of breed over two top 10 Ibizan hounds to get her championship at age 8 months; Sire was 2010 Best of Breed at Westminster

• Bernese Mountain Dog

Name: Grand Champion Greenway’s Test of Time

Call Name: Timer

Age: 2 years

Owners and breeders: Owner Rose Tamberino, Dede Laveran and Georgeann Reeve. Handler is Lisa Gallizzo

Hometown: Cornwall

Accomplishments: Timer finished his championship just days after his first birthday. He has worked as a print model for designer Tory Burch.

• English Setter

Name: CH Kaska’s Dapper Don of Loralei RN

Call Name: Tenor

Age: 4 years

Owners and breeders: Owner Lori Curran. Breeders are Lee Gancer and Lindsey Kuhn. Handler is Stacy Snyder-Work

Hometown: Saugerties

Accomplishments: Rally Novice title, Canine Good Citizen and registered therapy dog. Closing in on Grand Championship and Beginner Novice Obedience title.

• Cane Corso

Name: Italica Over the Moon

Call Name: Bella Luna

Age: 2½ years

Owners and breeders: Owners Tami Franzel and Michael Priore. Breeder Zoe Devita. Handler Kent MacFarlane.

Hometown: Swan Lake

Accomplishments: AKC Champion September 2011, National Dog Show November 2011, Best of Opposite at Philiadelphia Regional Show for Cane Corsos.

• West Highland

White Terrier

Name: Grand Champion Deerhaven An Heir About Him

Call Name: Harry

Age: 2 years

Owners and breeders: Owner Tracy Pancost. Handler Jorge Olivera.

Hometown: Sandyston, N.J. (born)

Accomplishments: Best in Sweepstakes, West Highland White Terrier Club of Northern Ohio; Winners Dog, Morris and Essex Kennel Club Show

Owner/handler Carolyn Schwartz of Goshen knows what she’s looking at. Her Borzoi Shadowdancer took Best of Opposite Sex at Westminster nine years ago. Though Cole is her first greyhound, she’s had enough experience with a variety of champion-sight hounds to see potential greatness.

It’s a greatness that was almost cut short when the elegant hound was 18 months old.

“His breeder was walking him outside at a show when a drunk driver jumped the curb and hit both of them. The breeder’s knee was terribly injured and Cole’s back leg was broken,” Schwartz said. “He spent the next year and a half running at her Colorado cattle farm, and you know what? Cole came back as good as ever.”

He comes across with a solid elegance and beautiful movement that’s unmistakable, even in a still image.

Seeing Cole, fully recovered with so much potential, Schwartz veered off her intended track of purchasing a Scottish deerhound from last year’s Best in Show winner and tried her luck with Cole instead.

Though Cole was welcomed into a home with four other well-loved dogs, he howled inconsolably for weeks on arrival. He missed his littermates.

“I’d intended to buy just Cole. But when I told the breeder what the problem was, she offered to give me one of Cole’s sisters as a present — but I’d have to pay the shipping. It costs $1,000 to ship a dog from Colorado to New York. It was the most expensive free dog ever!” Schwartz laughed. “But do you know, once Cole saw her and gave her a lick, he never howled again. He had what he needed.”

Cole’s already won top honors at specialty dog shows out west and received his AKC Champion designation a year ago at the Plum Creek Kennel Club.

Schwartz has been watching him carefully through training. “His conformation and movement are exceptional. He’s capable of doing extremely well,” Schwartz said.

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