Traveling to the Nationals

I have been involved with dogs, showing dogs, and breeding dogs, for almost 30 years. I am a member of an all breed club, a national and a regional beagle club. In past years I was a member of two other national breed clubs, and again a local breed club. I believe that if you are serious about your dogs, and your breeding program the dogs clubs are the best way to meet other people with similar interests and concerns. Going to your breeds' national specialty is a big part of the learning process. In years past, I have traveled to several National Shows for the Bull Terrier. Some of those shows, I have watched, others I have shown bull terriers and once I actually won a regional specialty with 9 year Can. Am. Ch. Bulwark Iceni Just William ROM.

I thought I would share my adventures into the beagle world and the people, places and dogs I have seen while going to the NBC National.

1991

In Mesa, Arizona . Being new to the breed, I felt that I needed to know more about the breed and in particular, the show beagle. Since I have a brother in Chandler (next door to Mesa), I thought this was a good opportunity to combine a visit and see the National. It worked out that I got free lodging and the use of a Fiero with a slow connecting clutch, which enabled me to do some sight seeing in the Phoenix area, and did a day trip to the Grand Canyon. This was my first visit to Arizona and I didn't pay enough attention to the heat, and dehydrated very quickly!

The first event at the National was the genetic seminar. There, I was introduced to Ada Lueke, Judy Musladin and Julie Fulkerson. I also met a couple for Canadian friends there. Paul Crary gave us a talk on the comparison of the Beagle, the miniature foxhound, and the Foxhound and Harrier.

Judy (Lanbur Miss Fleetwood) won the Specialty. Judy was perfect, other dogs that I remember at the show were Starbuck Torbay Evita, Starbuck Hot an' Spicy, Merry Song High Performance, White Acres I'm Heavenly Too, Bayou Oaks Chianti, and Bayou Oaks Cappuccino. The entry was just over 200 dogs.

There was a 'Mexican night', outside under the stars and it seemed like all the Canadians were sitting at the same table. When the Mariachi Band approached and asked if we had a request, all Lori Bulmer could think of was requesting Canadian Sunset. The evening was to be held under the stars but it started out as a six inch rain fall. In Arizona, that is when the rain drops are six inches apart. Well, before long our dinner plates contained more water than food, so we all rushed inside.

1994

Silver Creek, Colorado I drove to the show with Beth Breingan and Marlene Caskey, Breigayt Beagles, from Duncan, B. C.. They drove from Duncan, Vancouver Island to Calgary. They have a brother who lives in Calgary, and they parked Marlene's car in front of Don's house. Maybe some of you have heard of the Calgary Stampede. The National show dates were July 15 - 17, translating to Stampede Week in Calgary. I had purchased the National Geographic book on Interstate Highways. I had confidently planned the route to Silver Creek on the Interstates. The first day we drove to Livingston, Montana. Over the years, I have said many times that I would like to retire in Livingston. Besides Marlene, Beth and myself, we were traveling with Chase or Am. Can. Ch. Sureluv's Chasin' Rainbows, who I had borrowed from Theresa Malinski. She had actually flown to Calgary with Chase a year before as Chase never flies alone. She was flying to the National to meet Chase, to take him home to North Carolina.

Beth innocently asked if we could see Yellowstone. I said yes, but it would take more time. From Livingston we drove south through Yellowstone. Chase watch some sand cranes, some moose and we actually saw the grand show of Old Faithful. We drove from Yellowstone south to Jenny Lake, then east away from the mountains. Beth was driving so I could look west to the beautiful mountains. I had never seen the Tetons from the east. Wyoming was lonely dry country. We drove across several of the old covered wagon trails.

Marlene is a naturalist. When we were driving, Marlene could identify the birds in the sky by their wing beat. We spent the night in Lander, Wyoming. I found on the map that we would be traveling through the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge. We explored the area by car and on foot. Chase, of course enjoyed the walks. Marlene saw birds that she had never seen before. The Refuge is on a bird migration route. Again a high plain area, you could see mountains (or in Colorado large hills) on all horizons. We drove farther south and arrived in Granby about 5 p.m. Its a little town surrounded by high hills.

At this show I stayed at the show facility. The show was held at the Silver Creek Resort near Granby, Colorado. In the winter time Silver Creek Resort is a ski area. Beth, Marlene and I were very lucky to have a ground floor apartment, with its own kitchen. Trust me that was important. Silver Creek resort did not have a restaurant. We had a terrible time finding a grocery store, only to finally discover that we had driven by the grocery store on our way into Granby. I met a cute red and white puppy in an exercise pen at the resort.

Anne Rogers Clark was the judge. It was great fun watching her sort through all the beautiful beagles. Peggy Shaw was showing a beautiful, very joyful puppy. I felt a bit sorry for Peggy, because this puppy was showing her. But every time the puppy landed he was four square, he was one beautiful puppy. His name is Shaw's Spirit of the Chase. He won Best of Winners in the 15" beagle and Best Puppy in Specialty.

The 13" variety winner was Ch. Vilna's Midnight Cowboy, but he didn't want to show at the Best of Breed level. He was not a happy dog, probably just very stressed out. Mrs. Clark gave Kevin Brooks a couple of minutes to put some life in the 'cowboy'. Her comment was 'don't let the dog make a liar out of the both of us'. Kevin got the Cowboy showing! The show was won by a Canadian owned dog Ch. Fircone Country Cousin, owned by Bill and Sue Gear. Entry - 44 in Obedience, 80 in Sweeps, 218 dogs with a total of 299 entries.

The obedience seminar was very popular. This was the first time I had seen the Obedience Drill Team. I watched them practice and figure out the drill, and also watched the final show. A great show.

Mid week, Marlene received a call from her brother. A cowboy who had been drinking too much at a stampede breakfast and had driven into Marlene's car pushing it into her brother's car. In the end Marlene's car was a write off, so Beth and Marlene drove home from Calgary in a rental car.

I bought the red and white puppy from Jimmy Wood and Allen Williams at 6:30 a.m. on Monday, and started driving home. The puppy had already traveled in a truck from Fort Worth, Texas. His name is Willwood's Simply Painted. C.D., my Painter.

We decided our route home by putting a piece of dental floss on the map and choosing a route that was closest to the line. The trip home was 15 miles shorter than the trip south. We drove along the Wind River and when we reached a canyon, the name changed to the Big Horn River. The altitude dropped. We eventually drove through Thermopolis, the home of the world largest hot spring. We did not realize the fame of the town until we had driven through. At one over view point, we stopped to look at the world largest hot springs. It was fantastic. It made Yellowstone's Mammoth Hot Springs look like a toy. I now wish I had known about this hot spring before we drove through. We could have spent more time there.

I missed the next two shows, one in Indiana, the second in North Carolina.

1996

Allentown, I finally convinced my husband to travel to the specialty with me. My parents lived in Syracuse, New York at the time, and we combined a visit to Syracuse and the trip to the National. The motel had mostly single story buildings in a park-like setting. The show was indoors in the hotel ball room. This time we did not take a dog. We met people that we had seen at other Nationals, and saw the new dogs, and upcoming puppies. I got to visit with Chase and actually met my Amie's (Dreamsof Aimin' High) mother Nestle Quik.

Denise Nord arranged an evening she calls the 'Obedience Round Table'. We laughed in Aldie, because each of these evenings have been quite different, with the people who attend and their views on training, showing and more. This particular evening we actually had the judge, Kenneth Nagler, there. We didn't solve any problems but we all had lots of opinions and ideas.

Another event was the evening of Parade of Rescue Dogs and the Auction. This was a great people watching event. Many of the items offered were one of a kind. The rescue dogs, and their stories were amazing. These dogs are not from responsible breeders. Most were placed from County and City Pounds and humane societies. There was a tremendous variety of coat colors, body and head shapes. But there was no doubt that they were all beagles. I'm soft, I admit it, some of the stories brought tears to my eyes.

Allen Williams and Jimmy Wood brought along another Texas dog. They said he was sort of a rescue. A friend had asked them to take the dog in, and try to find a new home for the dog. They kept looking at this dog, simply called Ben, and thought they might try to show him. Ben won Best of Winners in the 13" dog, his name Kahootz Chase Manhattan.

The obedience drill team did a short program before the variety judging, I 'volunteered?' to call the instructions. The handlers and dogs executed everything perfectly. It is wonderful seeing so many beagles well trained beagles from so many places in the United States working as a team.

232 dogs in the actual specialty.

1997

Aldie, Virginia - Ernie and I both flew to Washington, D.C. Ernie flew via Air Canada through Toronto arriving at the National Airport. I flew Delta through Salt Lake City arriving at Dulles. Ernie arrived without his luggage. Dulles was the worst airport experience I have ever had. The airport was under a major reconstruction. The planes were unloaded in the middle of the tarmack. To get to the bus to take you to your rental car we had to cross three dirt roads. Everything, including me, seemed to be in total confusion. Although I had the rental car reserved it took me two hours even before I left the car rental lot. I was sincerely happy that I had not brought a dog.

Since the Allentown show, my father had died and my mother had moved to Arlington, Virginia. So Mom was able to spend a couple of days with us in Leesburg. We drove down the Sky Line Drive overlooking the Shenandoah Valley, visited Harper's Ferry and enjoy many of the other sites around Leesburg. This part of Virginia is beautiful. You could point the camera almost anywhere and take a beautiful photo. The food in the area was awful. The motel no longer had a restaurant. We could get breakfast there, but there was also a bagel place across the parking lot, and less expensive and yummier.

My mother was at the hotel in Leesburg when the exhibitors and dogs started to arrive. Mom met Larry, Willkeep Twice As Nice. Mom is now in New York, and was able to watch Larry at the 1999 Westminster on her local television.

The show location was at Institute Farm, the home of the National Beagle Club. It was in the hills south of Leesburg, reached after 20 minutes of driving on single lane gravel road and through the beautiful Virginia fox hunting country. A magic place. We were there in late September. Although the forecast was for rain everyday, we had beautiful weather.

I went to the obedience roundtable. Very competitive obedience was discussed. Why train if you are not going for the 200 score? Wow. At the discussion, Diane Sano asked if anyone could/would help to ring steward the obedience ring. I came to watch, but I suggested that I could help.

I arrived very early the next morning, because this was my first visit to Institute Farm. The obedience ring started right on time. But it was a poor showing. There were 29 dogs entered in the competition. Some of the dogs were entered several classes. A beagle named Peaches left the ring, in search of a rabbit. She disappeared into the trees behind or below the cabins around the rings. Being the ring steward I gave chase. Fortunately about 8 other beagle people did the same, and cornered Peaches, so I returned to the ring. It was many minutes more, before Peaches and her pursuers returned. The novice classes opted to do the long sits and downs together. Mistake! I was standing that the ring entrance, so I didn't see what actually happened, but I caught the first two dogs, by that time others beagles raced to the gate there were the spectators there who caught them. No one qualified. Very sad.

The High In Trial dog was one well trained, happy working dog coming out of the Open A class. Her name was Wilkeep Starting Over CD. Wow, what a great performance. Susan Yanoff with the trainer, a local girl to the Washington, D. C. area. Actually Susan is a vet, the President's vet.

Judy, Lanbur's Miss Fleetwood won the Specialty from the Veteran class. Remember Judy won the 1991 Specialty. She also won the 1993 Specialty in Clarksville, Indiana, judged by Betty Stenmark. Whiskey Creek Headliner was the winner of Best of Opposite Sex to the Best of Breed Winner.

The lunches and country picnic at the Institute Farm were beautifully catered. The main building was fascinating. The show was held in a large garden area just outside the main entrance of the building. There was a large hillside field behind the building. Most of the exhibitors had vans, trailers and trucks for benching and preparing their dogs for the ring. Above that area there was a kenneling area for visiting beagle and basset packs and an agility demonstration one evening. In all directions there were fenced paddocks to run the beagles. Even in the unfenced areas there were beautiful wide grassed trails. I wished that I have brought a dog. I borrowed Kevin Shupenia's harrier and whippet to enjoy my walks and runs.

This was a beautiful show, and show site, but for the committee, the show must have been like camping out. I remember seeing a great deal of Marty Archambeault and Mandy Bobbitt. They did not have a hotel support staff to arrange this event. There were 300 dogs entered at Aldie.

When the judging finished in Aldie, I felt like crying. I had enjoyed those days of watching the beagles, and now it was over. I looked at Ernie, and said we had to go to California, just to see the western beagles.

1998

Los Angeles - I have never been to California. I was afraid of the 'earthquake' that would happen just because I was there. Second, I thought that I would be overwhelmed by the Freeways. Our flight was from Calgary to Salt Lake, a two hour unscheduled delay, Salt Lake to L.A. Ex. The scenery was beautiful all the way. When we went to pick up our mid-size car there were none available. Would we mind a mini van? I thought that was great.

With driving instructions from the show committee and help from the Internet, we drove directly to Industry Hills. What a beautiful location. The hotel was built on top of hill, surrounded by golf courses, gardens, swimming pools, but no jogging paths. The paths were for horse back riding, so the dog walking was limited. When we arrived Kevin Shupenia was already there, as well as Donna Smiley-Auburn, a California person better known for her harriers. The committee had a large shade tent in the parking lot. I was standing around, watching the dogs, and asked a gal who was standing beside where she was from. She was Jan Jeske from Langley, B. C., who I had e-mailed many times, but I had never met Jan. Jan brought three girls, Duncan, Gracie and Skye.

We were joined by Beth and Marlene on Sunday evening. Beth managed to catch the Obedience Round Table, but because we drove to Arizona to see my brother and his wife I missed it. Beth and Marlene brought along a Painter daughter, Briegayt's Ta'en with Painter. Painter was the puppy I brought home from the Colorado. He now has several offspring that are Canadian champions and Ta'en is a champion in both Canada and the United States. She actually made the final cut in the 15" class. Ta'en was also in season, and just after the show was bred to a dog that Jimmy and Allen had brought from Texas, Willwood's Call Me Joey. Beth and Marlene kept one puppy from that litter. Her registered name is Breigayt Call Me Industry, call name Cadence.

Jimmy and Allen brought a couple of red and white girls with them, and pretty ladies they were. I saw the name Red Revenge on the Internet. I was curious. Jimmy and Allen said that I would like By the Numbers. Numbers. Numbers won the 13" Sweepstakes. The sweeps was won by Just-Wright Fashion Secret. Fashion Secret showed in brace with Fashion Bug, the 'fashion sisters'.

At this show, I took the opportunity of watching both the National and the Southern California Specialty. I was disappointed in the number of dogs entered - 205, obedience 22 and agility 8. The dogs as usual were great, and we saw dogs that we had seen in past years. I know that Lanbur's Broadway Joe was at the 1991 specialty, but at that point he was not in my breeding program. Broadway Joe is Painter's grand dad and great grand dad, also the father of Brighton's Jackpot, both now in my breeding program. Thankfully, I was impressed with this Joey.

I won, I really won. I won the 50% of the 50/50 raffle as the awards banquet! The dinner was outside followed by a Parade of Veterans and Title Holders. My favorite was Temateki's Bateri Not 'Ncluded. She belongs to Kathy Forbes. Another dog I enjoyed seeing throughout my visit was Teche Phred the Great. Owner, Marie Wolford and Phred were a very special team.

Ian Dunbar came to Industry Hills one evening to talk about beagles, the work he did with beagles, while studying animal behavior years before. He went on to explain how many dog problems are really people problems. An interesting evening.

Ben won the Specialty (remember Allentown where he was Best of Winners), Bayou Oaks Cappuccino won the 15" variety (I first saw Cappuccino at the Mesa Show).

Ernie and I have our trip planned for May to Wisconsin and we are taking Bluster (the little wind). We just read the 2000 Specialty is going to be in Fort Worth, Texas. I have never been to Texas.

I have enjoyed these specialties, found more about beagles, unfortunately I am involved in the Chondrodystrophy project, and also support the epilepsy research, and have spent lots of money on hip x-rays. I am still looking for my perfect show dog. I have a better idea what I want now. Ernie and I have traveled to areas in the United States that we would not have seen otherwise.

There are so many wonderful beagle people, breeders and exhibitors that have worked and worried to give us all these wonderful National Shows. I am on a local all breed show committee so I appreciate the huge amount of work to make the experience truly special for those of us that show, or simply watch these shows. I would like to thank them all.