RRCUS National Specialty 2010 - Dogs

Of all the dog venues, conformation is the cruelest sport. When you get this many wonderful dogs in one place, yet have only a few placements, you have to be ruthless in your cuts. This is heart wrenching for me and heart shattering to exhibitors. You have only a limited amount of time, you must consider the comfort of the dogs and you must select a pattern of examination that works for you in the time allotted.

Add in time for photos, the excited exhibitors wanting to tell you all about their wonderful dogs, manage time for your lunch and a bit of rest , a respite from the sun and getting finished so exhibitors can rush off to get ready for the dinners, seminars, etc and settle their dogs in and one day of this is fun. Two days is beginning to feel like work and by the third day you are beginning to wonder what the heck where you thinking taking this job! Then.... all those gorgeous specials come in the ring - WOW! Judging a specialty is like being caught up in a whirlwind!

You cannot please everyone. The winners will be happy, those not placing will be hurt - it's a fact. You just have to do your best, believe in yourself and develop a thick skin!

I decided that I would take photos of each class after placements. Please remember that the exhibitors are still on a high and some totally wondering how they got there, Not everyone was ready, but that's what the professional photographer is for!

We began with the veterans. ( I was so hoping my make up would make it through this part, because I have a big soft spot for the old guys!)



The 7 to 9 year Veteran Dogs.

The 9 - 11 year Veteran Dogs

The over 11 Veterans... These guys really choke me up. Love old dogs!

The 6-9 pups. They had a ball, I let them sit if they wanted to in order to see their teeth. Pups do get overwhelmed easily. Then the handler could walk them forward for me to see the flow if the neck and shoulders, the ridge, check the tail for kinks and check the testicles on the boys.

Oh, and let me tell you I was impressed with the handlers ability to get these pups around the ring because we had the cheekiest birds landing in the ring and walking around! Pups were very interested in them as well as many of the older Ridgebacks. It did provide some delightful antics!

I took a page from Major Hawley when he judged our specialty in Santa Barbara. I looked at the head planes, the teeth, the ridge and flow to the neck and shoulders, ran my hand down the tail to check for kinks and looked at the feet. RRs do not require a full body massage to assess them. They are short coated, you can step back and see everything you need to see and confirm it on the individual go around.

I took a page from Annie Clark when she judged our specialty in Lexington and used the oval pattern for the “down and back” You get a good look at them going away, a side view and coming back. Very efficient and effective way to see a large group of dogs.
The 9-12 Puppy Dogs

The 12-18 month Junior Dogs


The Bred By Exhibitor Dogs.


The American Bred Dogs.


The Open Dogs.

The magnificent Winner's Dog and his equally fabulous Reserve Winner's Dog.

The Field Dog winners.



The Altered Dog class. ( I love that these guys get to participate, too, even though they don't advance to BOB.)

I was done in after this. The grass on the first day was a bit lumpy, but we flatten it out by the second day!

Stay tuned for the Bitches!