Judges Education Seminar, June 26-27 2010

AKC JUDGES’ EDUCATION SEMINAR

JUNE 26 & 27, 2010

METAMORA, MICHIGAN

Judges from all over the country converged on Hunter’s Run to learn more about the various sporting breeds and speak with breeders and fanciers of the different breeds. The Michigan Sporting Dog Alliance hosted the event for any AKC judges who wish to learn more about the different sporting breeds. Along with conformation, the sporting breeds were able to show the functional reason for their structure. Pointing and retrieving demonstrations were scheduled for each breed.  Chukar and ducks were provided.  The judges were very impressed.

Our club was superbly represented on Saturday by Margaret Jenks, who brought two of her Weims- Zeus and Jewel, and Kelly Lester who brought her girl Libby. Kelly and Libby did the pointing and retrieving demo on land. Kelly brought a quail to allow a retrieve since the chukar was just tethered and was used for all the pointing breeds. Libby was impressive! She hunted with her head up and held point until released to retrieve a recently deceased quail thrown by Kelly. Overall a nice, finished performance was given. Libby was the only dog out of the Pointing Breeds that was able to show a retrieve because Kelly had brought one of her own quail to use for Libby. Again, the judges and exhibitors were very impressed; some exhibitors commented that they wished they had thought to bring their own bird! Exhibitors were not able to shoot or use live birds for retrieves due to the limitations at the area of the hunt club where we were located.

On Sunday, Jeff Gritzinger and Marie Teschler joined Kelly to showcase their dogs. Colt and Tessa did a stellar job retrieving ducks from the water during the demo, showing both desire and purpose as they easily retrieved their prizes. Earlier that day one judge specifically requested to watch a weim do a water retrieve as he did not realize they were retrieving dogs! Being the only ones available at the time, Jeff and Colt agreed. It was impressive to watch Colt be sent into the water! He had to check out all the decoys first to make sure that there wasn’t a real duck hiding among them- then retrieved the “victim”. The judge commented on his leap into the water and the way he used his tail as a rudder during the swim and was very thankful to have been able to see a working weimaraner.  Libby stayed back at the Easy-Up to rest [since she was pregnant] and be available for any judges who wanted to visit the Weimaraner tent. We were all dodging the lightning and storms that passed overhead, but were able to retrieve between rain showers.

Pam Wenzel, our breed expert [WCA representative and AKC mentor], was there to answer any questions and explain our wonderful breed for the judges. They had very many questions and Pam was able to answer all of them. It was a very relaxed venue. Judges and breed representative sat in chairs under the Easy-Ups and just talked about the specifics of the breed, AKC shows, and hunting. It was very informative for both sides and a great time was had by all. Some provisional AKC judges said they would welcome questions from exhibitors about their dogs after judging- Just make sure that you have the dog with you and approach the judge politely.

It was a very productive two days for everyone. We are grateful that Margaret, Jeff, Marie and Kelly were there to share their beautiful Weims.  We would LOVE to have more people join us next year to allow judges to go over their dogs and to see the different types in the breed. If we could have more people then we could set up a schedule so not everyone takes two days out of their own busy schedules. Again Pam, Kelly and I thank Margaret, Jeff and Marie for bringing their companions to the Judges’ Education!!

The following is an article written by Katherine Grant for publication in Canada 

Judges’ Education Done Right! 

The Michigan Sporting Dog Association Seminars and Field Work Demonstrations 

What do you get when you take one dedicated and hard working sporting dog enthusiast and seminar organizer (Kathy Wiecha), 23 sporting breeds, double that number of parent club breeders and mentors and put them in an idyllic hunting and fishing lodge setting for a weekend along with more than 50 judges and aspiring judges?  You get an exemplary judges’ education experience and surprisingly at no cost to participants! 

On June 26-27, 2010 I had the pleasure of attending a judges’ education weekend that included presentations by breed experts, hands on learning and field work demonstrations.  Several other Canadian judges, including Mel and Joan Beech, Donna Conod, Joe and Janet Lobb, Wendy Schira and Doug Windsor were also in attendance.  This educational event was held at the Hunters Creek Club in Metamora, Michigan which is located about an hours drive from the Sarnia/Port Huron border crossing and an ideal setting in which to learn the finer points of form and function of the sporting breeds.  

With 22 breeds represented (Barbet, Brittany, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Clumber Spaniel, American and English Cocker Spaniels, English and Welsh Springer Spaniels, Flat Coated Retriever, Curly Coated Retriever, German Shorthaired Pointer, German Wirehaired Pointer, Golden Retriever, Irish Setter, Irish Red and White Setter, Labrador Retriever, Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Pointer, Spinoni Italiani, Viszla, Weimaraner, Wirehaired Pointing Griffon), it was not difficult to choose 8 different breeds for study over the two days.  More difficult, I’m sure, was the scheduling of those breeds and judges into 22 rings whilst ensuring that each participant got their chosen breeds and each study group had no more than 4 people in it.  Mel and Joan Beech noted that this format provided a “Great opportunity for intimate conversations with excellent breeders about their dogs.  Small numbers allowed for more interaction both ways.  We especially enjoyed the field and water exhibitions; seeing the dogs at work was a good overview for the conformation ring.” 

The highlight of the weekend for me was the opportunity to examine and discuss the merits of about twenty Curly Coated Retrievers that ranged in age from 8 weeks to 13 years with breed mentor, Mary Meek.  Sue Clemons, Donna Conod and I enjoyed some lively debates as we tried to come to consensus on our placements of the classes that Mary presented to us.  It was a real treat and great learning experience to be able to examine that number of quality dogs in a breed that is seldom seen on this side of the border.  Most breeds had half a dozen or more quality dogs of a range of ages present for examination and breed mentors did not just regurgitate the breed standard but instead highlighted the points of conformation that were essential for breed type.     

During the two hour lunch break each day, field work demonstrations on both land and water allowed us to observe sporting dogs doing the job they were intended to do and helped cement our learning by increasing our understanding of how form and function are related.  From the methodical hunting style of the Clumber Spaniel to the flash and speed of the Brittany, we were treated to the spectacle of sporting dogs doing what they were bred to do.  Watching a Chesapeake Bay Retriever work in water and then with a few shakes of its body be nearly dry impressed upon us the importance of proper coat.  The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever demonstrated tolling along the shoreline and the need for an active, agile dog with stamina became clearer.  The importance of a biddable, good natured temperament became apparent as we watched dogs of several different breeds working off lead on land and in the water without interfering with one another. 

The organizers of this event left nothing to chance….from the coffee and cold drinks that was always available to the tasty lunch provided on site (a bargain at $12) and the complementary afternoon cakes to the well organized schedule and the pre-event communication, this learning weekend was superb from start to finish.  All participants received a large canvas tote bag filled with presentation material on the breeds they had studied as well as certificates of attendance.  A big thank you goes out to Kathy Wiecha and the Michigan Sporting Dog Association for a very well organized and well executed weekend of judges’ education!  I’m looking forward to attending again in 2011! 

Kathrine Grant has been involved in showing and breeding dogs since 1978 and has bred Irish Setters and Smooth Fox Terriers and currently lives with two Pointers and husband Dan.  She is a licensed judge of Groups 1, 2 and 4 and on permit  for half of Group 7.