Tony Vacha
You could not ask for better weather this past weekend for the United Belgian Shepherd Dog Association’s National
Specialty. The mornings began brisk, but soon warmed up to the low 70’s; perfect weather for a dog show.
I have to give both UBSDA and Clermont County Dog Training Club a very big round of applause for being able to put
on a great show, even with a site change 24 hours before the start of the event. Rob and Bob Meiners were the glue that
kept everything together - opening their farm (Dogwood Acres) to everyone for the Belgian Shepherd Dog National and
also the Clermont County Dog Training Club’s All Breed Shows, and Agility, Obedience and Rally Obedience Trials.
Thursday started off with Herding Instinct Testing and a Fun Day event. On Friday, a Sweepstakes and all
the Non-Regular Classes were held. Also on Friday, the Regional Specialty was held and went on until the sun was no
longer providing light for the event. They continued the judging first thing Saturday morning with Best of Winners, and the Champion
and Grand Champion Classes. In a second ring the National Specialty started with Junior Showmanship.
Judge Russell Beach, Jr. awarded Best Junior Handler to the very talented Peach Norman Owen.
Conformation classes started off immediately after the conclusion Junior Showmanship. Males were judged by
Teri Burke from Glasgow, Strathclyde, Scotland; and Females we judged by Cathy Bond from Redruth, Cornwall, England.
There were two rings running at once - one for Males and one for Females - and both rings were run very smoothly, with very
few conflicts. With about 32 males and 29 females - not including Altered, Champions and Grand Champions - it was a fun-filled "Belgian" Day.
Mrs. Burke started off with the with the Groenendael Males, awarding best Male of Variety to Isengard’s You Bet, owned by
Diana James & Lorra Miller from the Intermediate Class; and Reserve going to Duncan Dawn Av Vikholmen, owned by
Frank C Norman & Robert Coffield from the Adult class.
Mrs. Bond awarded Groenendael Best Female of Variety to Blal Jak’s You’re So Vain, owned by Mary Janek & Bobby
Siccardi from the Intermediate class; and reserve to UAG1 Aleron N Images Cherry Garcia, owned by Michele Hoard & Nikki
Puccini from the Adult class.
The next variety up for evaluation was the Malinois, Mrs. Burke’s awards went to the Puppy Male, Isell’s Ivano aka Zenvo,
owned by Elizabeth Antos, for Best of Variety Male; and reserve came from the Puppy class as well, Avonlea International
Man of Mystery FCT, owned by Pam Schulte & Karen Simchak.
For the Females, Mrs. Bond selected Avonlea Singular Sensation, owned by Jane Rotherts, for Best of Variety Female,
from the Junior Female class.
Next up were the Tervuerens, with the largest entry for the three varieties represented at this year’s national. Mrs. Burke
selected a very nice dog for Best of Variety from the Adult Male class, Silvertraces Dante, owned by Carol Brandeberry,
and reserve went to the Junior Male, Boncoeur’s Rollin on the River, owned by Wende Steffey O’Hara.
Mrs. Bond also a very nice entry of Tervueren females to judge. Her final selection was Hillside Special and Hamazing,
owned by Bonnie & Stan Kreider from the Intermediate Female class for Best Female of Variety. Her reserve winner was
the Junior Female, Opal V. Moned, owned by Pat Morgan.
To finish up the Regular Classes for the day, Best Male and Best Female were judges by their respected judges. All the
Best of Varieties winners were brought into the ring, starting with males first. Mrs. Burke had a very nice line-up to choose
from. Her final decision was the Tervueren, Silvertraces Dante, owned by Carol Brandeberry. Then reserve winner of the
Male Tervueren variety then came back into the ring to compete for Reserve Male, and Mrs. Burke’s selection was that dog,
Boncoeur’s Rollin on the River, owned by Wende Steffey O’Hara.
Mrs. Bond had the same job to do, but with the Females. Her picks were Blal Jak’s You’re So Vain, owned by Mary Janek &
Bobby Siccardi, for Best Female, and Hillside Special and Hamazing, owned by Bonnie & Stan Kreider.
The Altered classes were also offered this day as well. As before Mrs. Burke Judged the Males and
Mrs. Bond judged the females. Mrs. Burke selected MiaMeka’s Precious Singularity, owned by Mary Samocha for Tervueren
Best Male Variety, and also Reserve Best Male. The Malinois, Divine All Shook Up, owned by Mary Janek & Bobby Siccardi,
was Selected as Best Male Variety and also went on to Best Male.
Mrs. Bond had two female Tervuerens to work with. Silvertraces Eliza Jane Dolittle, owned by Pearl Tsang, went on to
go Best Female Variety and also Best Female. Winjammers Sensational Nous, owned by Paula & Al Rubin, was Reserve
Best Female of Variety and Reserve Female.
Day two also began with great weather for a dog show.The judging schedule included Best of Winners and teh Champion and Grand Champion Classes, to finish up with Best of Breed. The morning started
off with the Best of Winners class. Both Mrs. Burke and Mrs. Bond Judged this class and both agreed on the Best Female
winner, Blal Jak’s You’re So Vain to be awarded Best of Winners and to continue later in the day for the Best of Breed
Competition.
Cath Bond had the honor to judge the Champion Class with an entry of 15 very nice dogs. The judging went
very smoothly, allowing everyone to leave to ring and coming in when it was their turn. In the end Mrs. Bond, cut the class
down to four dogs to work with. Her Champion Class winner was a Tervueren by the name of CH UAGI Domburg iCandy,
owned by Nikki Swap; reserve went to a Tervueren, CH Casyka’s Giovanni, owned by Carol Hein-Creger & Joyce Geller. There were also two Award of Merits offered, and those went to Tervuerens, CH Winnjammers My Time to Shine, owned
by Jim Krapf , and CH UAGI Winjammers Nou Attitude, owned by Pat Morgan.
Next was the Grand Champions class with Terri Burke back in the ring with an entry of five. Mrs. Burke had two ribbons to
reward in this class, the winner and an Award of Merit. He winner for today was the GRCH Bluemoons Obsession, owned
by Sherry Sanchez with her Groenendael. The Award of Merit went to another Groenendael ,URO UCD UAGII GRCH Erin’s
Celtic Pride FCT, owned by Pennie Jackson & Karen Simchak.
Although Best of Breed was the next class, I want to talk about the Altered Champions and Grands before I go on
about the Best of Breed winner. Mrs. Bond also judged the Altered Champions, with an entry of
five. Her final selections were Champion, CH Etoile Hayton de l’Aurore a Tervueren owned by Lynn Brandenburg, and her Reserve Champion winner was ALCH Winjammer Fashion Statement SCT, a Tervueren owned
by Peach Norman Owen & S. Brandi Norman.
Altered Grands were judged by Mrs. Burke, and her winner for the day was a Tervueren, GRCH Touchstone’s No Mirage,
owned by Kathy Haviland.
Now to what everyone was waiting had been waiting for all weekend. Best of Breed was judged by both judges and they
had to both agree on one dog for their winner. All three dogs were very capable of winning, so I am sure it was not an easy
task to just pick one. In the end they both agreed on the Champion Class winner for Best of Breed, CH UAGI Domburg
iCandy owned by Nikki Swap.
Next came the Altered Best of Breed competition. Both judges are judging the class again. Their winner came from the
Champion Class as well, CH Etoile Hayton de l’Aurore a Tervuren owned by Lynn Brandenburg.
Also over the weekend there was Agility, Obedience and Rally Obedience trials being held. I know many of
the exhibitors from the National were competing in these as well trying for Total Dog awards. I was not able
to get the results for these events, but would like to extend congratulations to everyone that did qualify.
I saw a lot of great things at this event. I saw a lot of support and volunteer help from everyone over the weekend
to make this show a great success. I know it was not easy, but you all did it and pulled off a great show.
I saw great attitudes, and there was always someone willing to hold a dog for the Assisted Animation
portion of the judging or even to scribe. I have to say I was really impressed with the entire event and hope to come back
next year for another great National. Congratulations to all the winners over the weekend, and I hope everyone had safe travels
back home.
