|
ABC 2002
RESULTS
Agility
Obedience
Top 20
Futurity
Dogs
Bitches
Junior Showmanship
Veterans
Breed
Awards
|
For the first time in its 67 year history, the American Boxer Club,
after vigorous debate, moved away from the East coast to the Abbey Resort
in Fontana, Wisconsin. Beautifully sited on the shores of sparkling Lake
Geneva, the Abbey made many friends of Boxer lovers in attendance from all
over the globe. Though slightly down in conformation numbers, a very
respectable showing of 635 dogs and a record 92 Obedience/ 107 Agility
entries greeted our judges as the week of May 5-10 began under fair skies.
Obedience High in Trial honors went to a fawn
bitch from the
Novice B Class--Kimkar's Highborn Tug, CD, NA, OAJ, CGC.
"Tug" and his owner/handler, Anita Ranieri, earned 196 points.
Co-owner Timothy Ranieri. Tug is also a certified therapy dog. Obedience
judges were Michael Carlucci, Herbert Edward Semper, and Karla
Spitzer. This was the first year that ABC offered pre-Novice and Team
classes (4 entrants each team). 3 teams competed, and the Veteran team,
every entrant over 7 ˝ years young, took first place! Anyone who has
trained Boxers in Obedience knows that they learn like lightning but get
bored and distracted very quickly. Some entertained us delightfully. Every
year, Ann Keil awards a Grand Slam Award for the Boxer who has been
most entertaining, and for the second time, it was won by Sue Gubernatis’
Lazy K’s Misty Morning, tail awag. Our admiration to the
dedicated trainers who brought out the best in the best on this happy
Sunday.
The Agility Trial on Monday, was judged by Lisa Haidle.
Spectators had a fine opportunity to wander from the Futurity judging to
watch the Agility participants racing through the "obstacle"
course and the weave poles with aplomb and enthusiasm, timed against the
clock. Boxers have a thoroughly beautiful time in this demanding
discipline—speed and jumping ability constitute most Boxers’ ideas of
the greatest of fun. And those who play to the crowd were in rare form
this day.
The Futurity Stakes, the Breeders’ showcase, began at 8 AM on Monday,
indoors in the ballroom due to threatening weather conditions. Judge
Jack Brown from Alabama, who handled last year’s Grand Futurity
winner, presided in professional fashion over 213 hopefuls. Moving swiftly
yet carefully through the huge classes, Jack found his Best Futurity
Puppy in the 6-9 fawn bitch from Texas, Dreamweaver’s Future
Perfect, co-bred by Michael Shepherd and owner Pam Rohr. Handled by
Lori McClain. The Tuesday conclusion of the Futurity stakes saw Best
Junior honors go to the precocious Ch Bjay’s Traveling Man
from 12-15 Fawn. Bred by Les Cline and Wendy Morawski from California,
owned by Cindy and Rick Walunas. The crowd waited expectantly while Jack
brought the Best Puppy back into the ring to decide ultimate Futurity
honors. While both candidates performed admirably, the puppy bitch, Dreamweaver’s
Future Perfect, brought a little something extra to her performance,
earning Grand Prize Futurity honors for her exultant handler,
owners and breeders.
On Monday evening, we glittered and shone for our Top Twenty
competition. Judges this year, elected and kept secret until this gala
evening, were Alberto Berrios (multi-breed judge), Dr. Theodore
Fickes (breeder), and Linda Huffman (handler). Tuxedos and
formal wear highlighted the night. Into the bright lights of the ballroom
trotted the best of our best, the parade led this year by grand 12 year
old former BOB and Top 20 winner Ch Hi-Tech Arbitrage. Using a complex
system of scoring, the judges conscientiously examined each 2002 entrant
in turn, while a committee of scorers added up the numbers. When judging
concluded, winner this year was Ch Carillon Elegance of Rummer Run,
last year’s BOB winner, handled by Rick Justice and bred by Leigh
Justice and Ann Anderson, owned by Steven and Ann Anderson, C. Suarez, and
P.Whitney.
Class judging began on Tuesday afternoon, after the conclusion of the
Futurity. Judge John Connolly, from Michigan, presided over the
puppy dog classes, judging 80 on the day, thereby leaving time to evaluate
the remaining "boys" on Wednesday. All told, 206 males competed
for the coveted 5 points. When the proverbial dust settled, a charismatic
nearly 10 mo. old brindle puppy from California, handled by Wendy Bettis,
asked for the win and took home the silverware, drawing himself up on the
final free stack to audible "oohs and ahs" from the gallery.
Star of the day was Bix-L Time’s Triple Double, bred by Angel
Hall and owned by Phyllis, Tom, and Jonathan Foreman. Reserve to the Open
fawn dog from NY, Nastinan’s Magic Maker, bred by Deborah
Marshall, Beverly Albert, and Lois Trist, owned by Deborah Marshall, Pete
Perry, and Ken Beesmer. Handled by Kim Pastella. Surely such great Reserve
wins deserve at least a 3 point Major at a National Specialty!
On Tuesday evening the American Boxer Charitable Foundation held its
annual dinner and auction of items dedicated by Boxer lovers everywhere.
An astonishing $29,500 was donated by the revelers. The majority of these
dollars will be earmarked for health research projects concerning the
Boxer, with the AKC matching ABC’s donation. At present, we support
projects researching Boxer Cardiomyopathy, Thyroid function, and Lymphoma.
We are proud to continue to be the largest single breed club contributor
to the AKC’s Canine Health Foundation.
A Judges’ Education seminar for 14 judges and judge-applicants was
held on Wed. afternoon, presented by the JE Committee and complete with a
new slide program. The ABC Health Committee organized a talk given by Dr.
Peter Graham, to discuss Boxer thyroid and endocrine function. Karla
Spitzer organized a training session for Puppies thru Veterans for Spoon
Heeling and other games. In short, everywhere we turned, there was
something to attend, something to lament that we had missed—something to
DO!
Judge Jack Ireland from Canada stepped into the spotlight on
Wednesday afternoon, as he began to judge 240 bitches. Of course, classes
were huge, with 28 Open Fawn bitches alone. From a class of twenty 12-18
fawn bitches, the eventual winner was a typey red girl from California, Skidoo’s
Charlie’s Angel, shown by Jim Bettis, bred by Wendy Morawski and Les
Cline, and owned by Charles Vose, John Tenette, and Wendy Morawski.
"Angel" was also runner-up in the 12-15 Futurity division—to
her litter brother, Ch Bjay’s Traveling Man. Quite a day for Wendy and
the California contingent! Reserve silverware went home to Texas, to the
6-9 Grand Prize Futurity girl, Dreamweaver’s Future Perfect.
Judging was very consistent during the week, with many of the Futurity
stars rewarded in the classes as well.
Best Veteran Bitch honors this year went to Ch Kami-Ko N Kini’s
NC O’Huffand, a 6 ˝ year old bitch handled by Gary Steele, bred by
Carole Connolly, Linda Huffman, Ted Fickes, and E Albert. Owned by Lois
Trist and Bev Albert. Best Veteran Dog was Ch Maxl’s Golden
Boy, a 6 year old fawn bred by handler Lori McClain and owned by Lori
and Dr. Tim and Belinda Aldrich. We also had 2 Dog veterans at 12 and
nearly 12 years of age—nary a dry eye in the house as these venerable
oldsters strutted their stuff in the big ring.
The Stud Dog and Brood Bitch classes this year were extremely
competitive, with 18 and 12 entrants, respectively. Ringsiders were
especially keen to watch the producers and their get, and top Stud Dog
honors were awarded for the 3rd time to Ch Hi-Tech Johnny J of Boxerton,
bred by Alison and Jeffrey Crowther and owned by Zoila and Dr. William
Truesdale. Best Brood Bitch was Ch Bargary’s Razzmatazz NA,
bred and owned by Barbara and Gary Wadge, shown by Terri Galle.
Junior Showmanship honors again this year went to the young lady from
FL, Danielle Butler, age 15. There were 8 keen competitors so it
was a happy Danielle when judge John Connolly awarded her Best Junior
Handler from the Open Senior Class. Danielle had also placed in
several of the conformation classes, so she enjoyed a happy ABC despite
her long drive!
John Connolly began to judge the 101 Best of Breed entrants on Friday
morning. As per usual, Salli Moore had her Stewards expertly organized to
arrange the entry groupings by gender and color, with John making
"cuts" to narrow down the numbers. Time after time he shook his
head when he was forced to dismiss animals of the highest quality. It is
hard to imagine the effort it takes to do this kind of judging. John was
thorough and certainly professional, and spectators got a very good look
at many of the dogs and bitches they had come to see. At long last there
were about 10 entries standing proudly in the limelight. With a flourish,
John sent them around for the final time, and pointed to last year’s BOB
winner, Ch Carillon Elegance of Rummer Run, the fawn bitch from GA,
for the BOB triumph. Handled by Rick Justice, following fast on her
Top 20 win on Monday evening, it was surely a gala celebration for her
owners and breeders. Best of Opposite Sex was awarded to the dark
brindle dog, Ch High River’s Taylor Made of Backwoods, returning
from his BW at last year’s ABC. Bred by Ken Kyzer, he is owned by Steven
and Ann Anderson and Sara South. The Andersons certainly must have enjoyed
a rousing ABC celebration! The Puppy WD, Bix-L Time’s Triple Double,
from California took home the ABC Best of Winners plaque. The
coveted Awards of Merit went the following (in no particular order
of accomplishment):
Ch Nastinan’s Love Me Tender, bred by Deborah Marshall and
owned by Lori Renda-Francis. Handled by Guy Fisher.
Ch Misty Girl of BD Star JP, bred by Shigemi Kanda and owned by
Cheryl and Keith Robbins and R. and S. Cormier. Handled by Michael
Shepherd.
Ch Bravo’s Dance Card, bred by Susan Finley and Joyce
Campbell, owned by Susan Finley. Handled by Tami Mishler.
"Millie" was BOS at ABC 2000.
Ch Halcyon Garnsey Rendezvous, a repeat AOM winner from 2001,
bred by Susan Von Rothkirch and Clayton Haviland and owned by Susan Von
Rothkirch. Handled by Debbie Struff.
Ch Falmark’s Diamond Mine, Bred by Laura Fike and Richard Fike,
owned by Laura Fike. Handled by Daniel Buchwald.
There you have it! Another ABC has come and gone. But this year WAS a
bit more complicated. Bobbi Wagner, Show Chair, did her usual sterling job
and managed to be in six places at once. Dr. Jim Kilman, ABC President,
presided over two Board Meetings and the gala Annual Awards Dinner,
organized by Cheryl Colby. The new location was applauded by some and
criticized by others. It was a big advantage to be all together at one
hotel; the staff was accommodating; the setting was lovely. But some
questioned the geographical location and the distance to the airports, and
others felt the spirit of camaraderie was lacking due to the sprawling
nature of the resort. Never mind the controversies—ABC will always be
special no matter where it is held. As the RVs and vans and rental cars
departed to begin the journey home – to many far flung states and all
the way to Australia, New Zealand, the UK, and Japan – we slowly turned
to more practical thoughts concerning our "real" lives. Or just
yearned for a little sleep! But most of all, we took delight in this
remarkable breed, the Boxer, that brought old and new friends together for
this exceptional week in May. |
