Bluebloods vie to collar Best in Show

Doug Parry, of Sandy, and Michelle Miller, of Eaton, Colo., show their Shetland sheepdogs.

Beth Carroll-Matlock, left, and Antonia Fillingim, of Stockton, Calif., groom their miniature poodle, Kitten. 

If anyone can confirm that owners look like their pets, it's Ric Byrd. He's been to thousands of dog shows over 44 years either as an owner or a judge.

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Morning NewsDoug Parry, of Sandy, and Michelle Miller, of Eaton, Colo., show their Shetland sheepdogs. "You'd be surprised what you come across on the road," he said. "You'll see some fat, pudgy guy showing a bulldog, or a man with a gray, straight beard showing a schnauzer."

Byrd, of Shelton, Wash., was one of 38 judges who came to South Jordan to rank pooches from more than 135 different breeds at the 30th annual Utah Valley Kennel Club dog show and the Intermountain Kennel Club All-Breed Dog Show. Over a four-day period, ending Sunday, judges assessed about 1,400 canines at the Salt Lake Equestrian Center to find the ideal dogs.

"You try to find the dog that best conforms to that (breed's) standard," Byrd said. "Sometimes it's easy, sometimes it's not."

He said judges first check the dog's physical condition, including muscle tone and coat condition, but they also determine if the dog's attitude meets the breed's expectation.

For instance, poodles are typically a proud breed, he said, and the judges should see that in its strut. Byrd also said the bulldog's standard is comparable to the English gentleman with his pipe in his mouth, and its walk should be a slow saunter. Owners usually travel around the nation, entering their dogs into seven different categories: working dog, hound, herding dog, sporting dog, nonsporting dog, terrier and toy.

Cindy Huckfeldt, Torrington, Wyo., said she's entered her dogs in shows for 30 years, averaging 130 shows and 50,000 miles in her 45-foot RV per year. Her husband stays at home and she travels the country with her dogs, Maggie, Josephine, Salsa, Teddy and Stormy.

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret Morning NewsBeth Carroll-Matlock, left, and Antonia Fillingim, of Stockton, Calif., groom their miniature poodle, Kitten. Huckfeldt entered Maggie, her 2 1/2-year-old Doberman pinscher, in the working dog category Thursday night. Maggie won the category, but her sleek coat and toned physique weren't enough to win Thursday's Best in Show.

Huckfeldt said the shows are just the icing on the cake; the real joy is raising the dogs.

"When we aren't showing dogs, we're conditioning them, training them and just playing with them because they're our pets," she said.

The shows also give pet product companies a chance to showcase their wares. Wanda Spedicci, a dog show judge, said it's not uncommon for these companies to pick show dog winners to sponsor their products.

"It's just like sports jocks and Nike," she said.

Judy Williamson, publicity chairman for Utah Valley Kennel Club, said a show isn't just a chance for owners to exhibit their dogs, it's a chance for local residents to find a breed that's right for them.

"This is a good way to look at the different breeds and talk to owners to find a breed you like, so you can have fun with them," she said. "They don't just have to be lying on a couch in the back yard, and neither do you."