Fur, Fins and Feathers
4-H Kids Surely Love Their Dogs By BRIAN LOWNEY
For the past 22 years, I have enjoyed the privilege of judging junior showmanship classes at American Kennel Club licensed dog shows held throughout New England and occasionally in other states such as Virginia and Missouri. Judging these classes of dogs not only allows me to see a variety of beautiful dogs, but also to observe the great talent that our young dog handlers possess, as they expertly present their canine charges in the ring. Shortly after I began judging, I received a call from the late Al Kirby, a top-ranked professional handler, trainer, and owner of Stonehouse Kennels in Westport, Massachusetts. He asked me to substitute for him at a 4-H match in New Hampshire, and told me that it would be a fun judging assignment and a great learning experience.
When I arrived at the show, I quickly learned that the 4-H competition referred to as Fitting and Showmanship classes were very different from those I was accustomed to judging. I was surprised to see mixed breed dogs allowed in the ring. Much to their credit, several young handlers exhibited family pets adopted from a local shelter. Another major difference was that I could ask the young handlers up to three questions about canine anatomy and their breed. In the case of a mixed breed canine, the handler was allowed to choose which ancestor to discuss. I was impressed by each handler’s enthusiasm and ability to artistically present their dog to its best advantage, which is often no small feat when exhibiting a mixed breed dog. Every animal was neatly groomed, with a brushed coat, trimmed nails, and clean teeth and ears. The competitors were judged, as they still are more than 20 years later, on their ring presentation, cleanliness, and condition of the animal, knowledge of canine anatomy, and whether their attire is in compliance with the prescribed 4-H uniform. Kirby was correct. I enjoyed my assignment, made some wonderful friends, and have been judging 4-H competitions throughout the Northeast for the past two decades. On a brutally hot July Sunday morning, I had the opportunity to judge 25 young 4-H handlers at the Stratham Fair in Stratham, New Hampshire. The talented exhibitors represented several local clubs scattered across the Granite State, and were eagerly
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