I get lots of letters from people asking about dog shows and why they
matter in the overall scheme of things.
Let's take a closer look at that question. Dog shows, like most shows for
purebred livestock, started out as a chance for breeders to compare their
kennels and evaluate the progress of their breeding, nutritional and training
programs. We still have that chance today, in an age when shows have been elevated
into glamorous events of national stature. Has just about everybody who loves
dogs seen the recent Westminster Kennel Club show from Madison Square Garden
in New York City? Of course they have. Nobody who has ever been to Crufts in
England, the Salon du Cheval in Paris or the national Arabian horse show in
Scottsdale can walk away without being impressed by how far the world of purebred
animals has come. So, how does that fit with other kinds of dog training, you
ask? Other disciplines like Obedience, Agility, Lure Coursing or Racing?
A recent conversation with Greyhound breeder/trainer (and former Quarter
Horse jockey) Kevin Gresham, from his farm in Kansas brought an answer to that
and it goes something like this: "Years ago," he says, "Back when I was
ridin', you'd have horses that did all kinds of crazy stuff. Some of them horses
could really get to carryin' on and a guy could get hurt. Well, there was this
one trainer who did a lot of winning. And I mean a lot. I always liked ridin'
his horses 'cause they would just, you know, be real calm and keep their mind
on business. Well, what this guy said was, the best racehorses are the ones who
are trained the most."
Now, that's a very interesting statement and a rather broad one. But,
Kevin has a broad base of experience. Besides having a few show dogs, he raises
and trains some of the most expensive, successful Greyhounds in the sport. Kevin
Gresham counts among his clients some of the most well known owners in the
game and he knows what he's talking about.
Hearing that statement is one thing. But, understanding it and putting it
into practice is a whole different matter. What it boils down to is this: the
dog with more experience is less likely to be surprised, distracted or worried
about anything that happens. What Kevin is talking about is cross-training.
And that can be the difference that makes a champion.
Some of the most successful people in other disciplines have come from the
show world. What secrets do they know? To find that out, you'd have to ask
the many Arabian horse trainers succeeding on the track. From there, you'd have
to ask people like Neal and Ginny Ehrhart of Keystone Driving Force, who show
horses and are also among the top winners in Harness racing. After Neal and
Ginny, you'd have to go on and ask people like Jack and Mary Butler, who were
busy showing Siberian Huskies in New England about fifteen or so years ago and
today own one of the most respected Greyhound kennels in the world. Or ask Jan
Troxell who to this day still raises and shows German Shepherds from her
Greyhound racing farm in Oklahoma. The list goes on. Maybe what these successful
breeders and trainers discovered is that all training disciplines - no matter
how different from each other they may seem to be - go hand in hand. Maybe they
see the world of champions from a wider scope and in a brighter light than
their competitors do. Maybe it gives them an advantage.
We are in the show world because we believe in our dogs becoming the best
they can be. Whether we are fans, owners or somewhere in between, all of us
play a role in the making of champions and champions can be found in many
different arenas. Racehorses have proven themselves in dressage, driving,
hunter/jumper classes, western pleasure and halter. Obedience and Herding winners have
become conformation champions and retired racing Greyhounds have gone on to win
ribbons in the show ring as well.
In the dog sports of our choice, we see time-honored rituals that touch a
chord in all of us. We see dogs from across the country competing to prove
which is smartest, which is fastest, which more beautiful. We see kennels
competing against each other like Esmeralda and Blanche do in my dog show novel "The
Blue Ribbon" to prove which kennel is the best, which trainer the wisest and
which owner the most savvy.
In a society growing ever more soft, where schools and companies and towns
seem to be falling into a political correctness that makes our lives more
boring at every turn, we in dog sports have something to look forward to. We live
our dreams every day. We see their promise played out with every sporting
event we attend - the promise that if you look straight ahead and give your all,
you will get from where you are right now to where you want to be. You will
cross the finish line, fast or slow. Dog sports are about the individual, not
about hiding behind a team that you're part of, but about you, alone, against
all odds. They don't teach you that kind of self-confidence in high school, but
the dog world does. When you are a winner in the dog world, you will always
know on some level - no matter how long you live or what you do - that you "made
it."
There, for all to see, you stood before the crowd. You reached the
winner's circle and somewhere in the archives of your Breed, the world will always
know it.
If you would like to write to Ron Hevener, send your e-mail directly to Hevener@dejazzd.com or info@canadasguidetodogs.com and include "On With The Show" in the subject line.
Canada's Guide to Dogs