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Preview: Shetland Sheepdog Club of Greater Detroit
When judge Judy Kelsey looks back at her breed winners during the last 12-1/2 years, she likes what she sees.
Those in the stable of her selections include names like CH Dundee's Nightline, her best at the 1998 American Shetland Sheepdog Association National Specialty in Tucson, Arizona, CH Hannalore Improvisation, CH Zion's Man About Town and CH Kismet's Talisman II. Some of her more recent winners were CH Integra Indelible Ink of Merridon, CH Kensil's Just A Clown, who went up from the classes, and CH Cathance Winter Song.
Judy is slated to judge the breed at the Shetland Sheepdog Club of Greater Detroit Specialty, Friday, December 1. The show will be held at Michigan State University in East Lansing . Nancy Heinrich of Lira Shelties will judge the Sweepstakes and Kathleen Lund will preside over Obedience. The show closes November 15 and the superintendent is MB-F.
"In looking back at the Shelties to whom I have awarded  top prizes," says Judy, "I am still VERY pleased with the list. I loved each and every one of those dogs for what they were, and how they compared with the competition of the day. None are perfect, but neither are people, so we have to forgive here and there, but still love them.
"Shelties have been a large part of my life in the last ‘million' years, and I have never tired of looking at a class of good ones. Even the poorer specimens take my heart because they are in there trying, as are their people."
It is the rare dog, to which she awards Winners Dog or Bitch, that does not go on to achieve its conformation title.
She is a student of the breed and believes that even other breeds have something to teach about her own. Judy takes every opportunity to deepen her knowledge, and, she's an optimist. "I do believe that most people that are breeding Shelties are doing the best they can with the knowledge and resources they have,” says Judy. “Therefore, I practice what I preach and attend every National, every Specialty, and every all-breed show that I can, to watch my own breed, but to also observe what is good and bad about other breeds. I attend every seminar I can, and whether or not I learn anything new from them, they always make you sit back and THINK about what you are doing, where you are going. If you aren't out there observing and studying, you aren't learning, and you are putting your breeding program into a static state."
Judy credits her start in horses as the influence that informs her love of good structure. But, can a dog win with just good movement?
"Structure tends to be one of the main ingredients I am looking for in the winners," says Judy. "I'm not saying I always get what I want, but at least I'm trying; I have a goal, and I see that many other breeders have that same goal.
The standard is important and Judy says that her judging has changed, to a degree, over the years.
"Through the years, I think my judging has changed a little, in that, while I am looking for the well-structured dog, I never want to lose sight of the fact that the dog MUST have BREED TYPE, or you can lose the whole point of our standard. The dog must LOOK like a good Sheltie, it can't JUST move well. Some judges that know and reward movement ONLY are in danger of putting up ‘ugly,' and I just cannot abide ugly for my winners."
Judy says that she has a tendency to notice certain aspects of movement but ultimately the test comes down to side gait.
"When I judge, I tend to notice the in-balance individuals that cover ground with long low strides (STRIDES are long and low, NOT the DOG), and that come and go rather neatly. I don't get hung up on the coming and going, however, because I do believe the actual TEST is a nice ‘stretchy' side-gait, without a lot of speed, and sometimes there are issues related to muscles and ligaments that can interfere with the ‘neat' coming and going, so the side gait (that they look for in the Group ring, as well) is the most important to me. I must admit, though, that when a dog comes and goes correctly, without a lot of wasted motion, it makes me stand up and take NOTICE of the side gait on that dog, because I REALLY want ALL THREE!"
Of course she recognizes the tendency for some to want to make too much of one thing over another.
"Now, don't let me mislead you into thinking that ALL I want is a nice moving dog, because that is not it either! The dog MUST be in balance, front-to-rear angulation, as well as height-to-length, and have a head that ‘fits' on that body. They MUST show extreme Sheltie type, with an (at least) adequate headpiece. I don't think I am as hung up on perfect head detail and gorgeous eye as some judges, but it also can't be ugly. I love to see a nice archy NATURAL neck (which I can see and FEEL, by the way, it doesn't have to be GROOMED into the dog), with pretty ears atop a sweet, pretty face. I like to see a nice topline, with proper dip behind the shoulders and slight rise at the loin...not only standing, but in movement, it should stay fairly ‘quiet.'
"The first thing I look at in a lineup is where the front legs come down, is it under the ears, or set back under the shoulder blade, and is there a nice, flowing outline, head to tail. Does the rear ‘plant' itself squarely, with stifle angulation to match the front, and not stretched out so far behind that it looks like a Shepherd cross? Tail
length and carriage top off the picture, though sometimes, as a judge, you have to forgive in that department. I find myself SLIGHTLY forgiving in the teeth/mouth department, as well, but while I can handle a missing premolar or two, I will fault severely something that is ‘weird,' out of line, or major teeth missing or skewed."
What about temperament?
"My own feeling is that sometimes the true Sheltie temperament and a showdog attitude are not necessarily one and the same," says Judy. "While I don't want a total fruitcake, wild-eyed and spinning, I will allow them to be a little uneasy in a show situation. I PREFER that they are happy about showing, but, I do understand how hard it is to make the TWAIN meet sometimes. Now, don't start showing a bunch of fruitloops under me, but, I DO understand, and MIGHT overlook uneasiness, if the REST of the dog is right, and is in my opinion the best OVERALL dog in the ring that day."
From her description you know that judging brings with it a variety of joys and challenges. It is often not easy and sometimes surprising.
Judy says, " Just as in selecting puppies to keep for breeding – from breedings that might or might not have ‘worked' – judges have to select from what is before them, forgiving and demanding in areas in which they never would have BELIEVED they would have to make a choice. So, cut the judges a little slack. I think most of them TRY to do a good job. And, until you try it yourself, you can't understand the thought processes that attempts to come up with the BEST animal for that day. Rembember, it may NOT BE the best animal the NEXT day! That's what makes DOG SHOWS!"
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