by David Abraham,
Trefoil Boxers

In May of this year, Stephanie and I made our second trip to Japan in the last four years. In 1995, Stephanie was invited to judge the Boxer Club of the Pacific in Tokyo, and this year I was invited to judge the Tokyo Boxer Club. We are deeply grateful to the Japanese clubs and member-breeders who gave us these extraordinary opportunities.

In the intervening four years, I was very impressed by the success of Japanese breeders in fixing type, with a remarkable consistency from the youngest puppies through to Best in Show. And speaking of young puppies, it should be noted that in Japan one actually judges what in effect are three separate specialties in one day, each with its own Specialty Best in Show, although in this country we would think of the first two as specialty matches.

For the ages of 2 to 4 months, I judged the "Baby Puppy Show," awarding the BISS to an animated red brindle male with an excellent topline and correct square proportions. For the BISS of the "Best Junior Boxer Show," from 4 to 6 months, I found an outstanding, very promising dark brindle 5-month old male, with just about everything going for him except maturity: elegant, sound-moving (though loose), gracefully arched neck (apparent even with an overly full white collar), and a very well-proportioned head that will only get better with maturity. The Baby and Junior do not compete against each other.

As in the U.S., "point shows" in Japan are open to dogs from six months old, though for my Winners Dog in the "main event," I had to wait for the next class of 9 to 12 month males. He is a beautifully balanced and proportioned red brindle, with possibly the best head of the day. But he could move as well, and always was "up" and asking to be looked at. My Reserve WD came from the Open Class and is a tall, impressive red brindle (again!), with a good but not great head, lacking the proper turn-up of nose, and shoulders that were noticeably less angulated than his rear.

For the winning fawns I had to wait for the bitches, as both my WB and RWB came from Open Fawn and looked as if they could have been littermates, though I believe they may have been half-sisters (I'm afraid, since the catalogue is in Japanese, I have only my less than perfect memory to rely on).

Both exemplified Boxer type, though my WB appeared more elegant on the day, and the RWB was perhaps just a bit longer in the loin, as well. Both have excellent heads, though the WB was more feminine generally, and that tipped the decision in her favor.

As with ABC, the final awards of the Tokyo Boxer Club include BISS, BOW, BOS, and several Awards of Merit. For BISS, from among an impressive group of champions, I had a clear winner in an outstanding red brindle male (who I later learned was sired by Am. Ch. Arriba Talisman Silverado), with a lovely expressive head, superb short body and firm topline, sound movement, and a galvanizing show presence. He would be a top winner in this country, as well. For BOS, my choice came down to two very similar brindle bitches, both excellent, but my winner having, perhaps, the slight edge in substance and topline. The other was an easy choice for an Award of Merit. The WD was BOW.

Altogether it was a wonderful experience. We not only had the rare opportunity of returning to Japan and visiting with old friends (and of enjoying the justly famous Japanese hospitality), but we learned that "a beautiful Boxer" means the same thing to breeders on both sides of the Pacific.