Best in Show

Linnaire Joslin and her champion Maltese Linnaire Joslin and her champion Maltese Arno Gasteiger
New Zealanders boast one of the highest dog ownership rates in the world - one third of households own at least one dog and 300 kennel clubs across the country run hundreds of dog shows a year. The competition will always be fierce, but there can only be one Best in Show.

The first of them, in a van full of Poodles, arrive at 5.00am. The fog's heavy - it's the last weekend in May, the coldest day of the year so far - but the Point Reserve is easy enough to find. On State Highway One, just over the bridge where the trucks change down as they rumble into Ngaruawahia.

They set their stall on the far side of the field, over by the Waikato River. The gazebo goes up first, its metal poles so cold they sear the fingers, then the kennels come out, a kettle, and directors' chairs from Briscoes. Blankets; clippers; a gas cooker - everything has its place. Poodle people are very particular.

Over the next two hours, the competition arrives. Some come from afar - there's a Lagotto Romagnolo from Kaiapoi, a Labrador from Porangahau and a Tervuren Belgium Shepherd from Kawakawa—and some hundreds are down from Auckland. Many declare their allegiance on their licence plates - BOXER, HUSKIE, SEALYM (Sealyham Terrier), 4K9, 4K9LUV. By 7.30am, most of the 635 dogs entered in the Huntly and District Kennel Association Championship Dog Show - entry fee $13 - are on the ground.

They're quieter than you might think, much quieter. There's the odd muffled bark, a snort from a Basset Hound snuffling through mouldering leaves, but the competitors and their handlers know it's nearly time. They've got to focus. Get in the zone.

Some last-minute prep. A Bichon Frise, more sheep than dog, is combed, the Poodles shaved and scissored. A Giant Schnauzer has his moustache trimmed, his coat conditioned, his legs chalked. His owner decides against using shine spray - there'll be no sun - and finishes him off with Thick N Thicker, a canine hairspray.

A loudspeaker interrupts. "Please make your way to the ring. The Gundogs, Non-Sporting and Working will start in two minutes." It's 8.28am.

That's the voice of show manager Pam Douglas. I'd talked to Pam a few days before. "We're a country show," she'd told me. "It's more relaxed down our way; people seem to mix better. We treasure that. But it's still very competitive: people still want to be Best in Show at the end of the day.

"If you're not here to win," Pam growled, "don't waste your money."

She's assembled a strong field. Fifteen of New Zealand's Top 50 dogs have entered: the nation's top-ranked Husky, Staffie, Rottweiler, Toy Poodle, Labrador, Pekingese, Newfoundland, Bulldog, Border Collie and Basset Hound are all here.

And there are some dangerous underdogs in the pack. Four Grand Champions lurk outside the Top 50, their rankings reflecting recent inactivity rather than form. Someone says to keep an eye on the Japanese import, New Beginnings, the nation's leading long-coated Chihuahua last year. "Never underestimate the Chihuahuas," I'm told.

Then there's Debbie Bielby's impeccably coiffed Lhasa Apso, Shiva Ma Timba, who's on a roll. 'Timmy' took out the Asian Breeds Speciality Champ Show at Easter and is ranked No.1 in Auckland's Non-Sporting group. But first he has to get past the flamboyant Sean Walton's troika of Lhasa Apso pups. You can't miss Sean. He boasts the best duds in the business—he has yellow, crimson, royal purple and cyan suits in his wardrobe. Today, he's wearing lawn green.

Steve Greer's another to watch. Steve's from a famed Rottweiler-breeding family and his handling, honed by a stint in the United States, is sharp and muscular. He's entered four Rotties, but his best chance is three-year-old Maximillion, the third-ranked dog in the field. 'Max' has won two Best in Shows in recent months: if he wins one more, he'll become a Grand Champion.

Article continued in issue 116

 

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Additional Info

  • Author: Peter Malcouronne
  • Start page: 36
Published in Issue 116 Jul - Aug 2012
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