Hundreds of canines, owners compete at back-to-back, all-breed shows at Foxfield

Maryanne Sullivan has been showing collies at dog shows since she was a teenager, but don’t bother asking her how long she’s been in the sport.

Sullivan won’t give away her age or the number of years she’s been showing dogs, but she says there is one thing that most people who show dogs have in common.

“These dogs are our family members and pets,” Sullivan, who lives in Charlottesville, said Saturday during the 54th annual Charlottesville-Albemarle Kennel Club All-Breed Dog Show, Obedience Trial & 9th Rally Trial. “If I stopped showing tomorrow I would still keep my dogs as long as I could.”

Today, Sullivan and other members of CAKC are hosting the second of their annual back-to-back, all-breed dog shows.

There are 741 dogs in 114 varieties registered to compete. Judging will begin at 9 a.m. and is open to the public.

The annual event attracts competitors from as far as New York and Florida, who stay through the weekend and often show their dogs both days. Although numbers of competitors are down this year, organizers are still hopeful to make a profit.

“We have people who park their RVs and are here until the show ends on Sunday,” said Pam Shifflett, a member of the CAKC board.

On Saturday, 844 dogs from 114 varieties competed in their classes. Judging went on simultaneously in eight rings throughout the day until Grand Cru Clos Erasmus, a greyhound owned by Rindi Gaudet and Melanie Steele of Waxhaw, N.C., was selected as best in show.

At a dog show, dogs are judged based on a set of criteria for that specific breed and the judge determines which dog in the group best meets that set of criteria.

Once winners of the breed are chosen they compete in one of seven different categories: Terrier, hound, non-sporting, herding, toy, sporting and working. The winners in the seven categories then compete for best in show.

The event is broken down over two days to allow competitors to score as many points as possible, Shifflett said. Organizers estimate that in past years the two-day event has brought more than $350,000 of revenue annually into the community as competitors spend money at local hotels and restaurants.

“It’s as much work to hold the event on two separate days as it is to break it up over the year, but we only have to set it up once,” said Debbie Burgess, chairwoman of the show.

Although some CAKC members do show their dogs during the local show, most volunteer at the show as a way to give back to the contestants who work dog shows in their own communities.

“It’s an amazing group of people who care about each other,” said Linda King of Earlysville. “Dog people are special people and wherever you go you see someone you know ... It’s really a tight-knit community.”

King, who has been showing Irish wolfhounds for 33 years, attends one to three shows a month and is the vice president of the CAKC.

Her 2-year-old dog, Anyka, just became a champion and King is now working with the dog’s sister, Ursula, in the hopes of making her a champion, as well.

“The more dogs you put your hands on, the more you learn,” King said. “You never stop learning, as you learn from the dogs and from others”

Anyone who loves dogs will enjoy today’s show, Shifflett said. Judging will be ongoing in multiple rings throughout the day and the best in show judging is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m.

“It’s a great way to see dogs you wouldn’t normally see on the streets,” Shifflett said. “If someone ever thought they would be interested in showing dogs, they can come here and talk to dog owners and breeders. It’s just a lot of fun.”

TO GO

What: Charlottesville-Albemarle Kennel Club Dog Show

When: 9 a.m. today

Where: Foxfield Steeplechase Course

Cost: $5 per carload

More info: www.cakc.org; 980-3185

WINNER'S CIRCLE

The winner for each group of Saturday’s show was as follows:

Sporting: Marjetta Rave Review JH, a pointer owned by Marjetta and Helyne Mederios of Millstone Township, N.J.

Hound: Grand Cru Clos Erasmus, a greyhound owned by Rindi Gaudet and Melanie Steele of Waxhaw, N.C.

Working: Alpenspirit’s Lion King, a Bernese mountain dog owned by Dawn Hitchcock and Mylene Turbide of Simpsonville, S.C.

Terrier: Lil’Itch Steeplechase, a smooth fox terrier owned by Trudy Haines, Madeline Aroney and Annebly Harwood Aroney of Williamsburg.

Toy: Krissy’s Malibu Dreams, a shih tzu owned by L. Sarah Laurence, Jennifer Miller and Joanne Miller of West Reading, Conn.

Non-sporting: Mo’s Grand Thunderstorm, a shibu inu owned by Manon Donlevy and Pauline Moilanen of Pawleys Island, S.C.

Herding: Fantasy’s Rockledge Beginning, a rough collie owned by Trudy Franzel of Richmond Hill, Ga.

Best in show: Grandcru Clos Erasmus, handled by Rindi Gaudet, AKC registered handler.

Best junior in show: Emily Goldstein showing Merry Music Walk, a beagle