The Kentuckiana Cluster is one of the largest dog shows in the United States. Held mid-March every year in Louisville, KY, the four day show attracts the nation’s top show, obedience, and agility dogs. This year, the Wirehaired Vizsla Club of America hosted an Open Show for FSS and Miscellaneous Breeds following the Best In Show judging on Saturday night. These Open Shows are the first opportunity for the Barbet and other breeds in the Foundation Stock Service to show in AKC conformation competition. The Barbet Club of America supported the Barbet entry with trophies, and 3 Barbet arrived in Louisville to be shown to judge Carol S. Brown of Myerstown, PA. The Best of Breed winner was Canadian Ch. Treasures Biscay’s Sapphire, owned by Stacy Able. Best Opposite was Ginkgo de Amelia Bric Anam Chara, owned by Lynn Vogt-Kinsey and Leslie Woodward. “Isis” then competed against a Dutch Shepherd and a Russian Toy to win Best FSS. Finally, Isis went head to head against the Best Miscellaneous Wirehaired Vizsla to win Best In Open Show in an entry of 30 FSS/Misc dogs. What a wonderful win for our breed!

An Open Show is an informal AKC sanctioned conformation show. Open Shows allow exhibitors and their dogs a chance to practice for a licensed event in a more relaxed and educating environment. While no points towards a Championship are awarded, Certificate of Merit points may be earned. Open Shows also allow clubs, judges, and stewards to gain the experience needed for licensed events. — AKC Website

Competing in the AKC Open Shows is a very low key, enjoyable activity for newcomers and experienced handlers alike. You can find upcoming Open Shows on the AKC Event Search Page. Currently there are shows scheduled in New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. More will be added as the year continues.

http://www.akc.org/events/

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The Barbet Club of America 2012 election results are in.  Tracey Schnabel, Hoboken, NJ, is the new Club president.  Judy Descutner, Hickory, PA, continues in her role as Club secretary.  Thank you to all the members who participated in the election.

Vacancy

The a new Vice President will be named by the Board of Directors according to the By-Laws.  The new VP will remain in office until next year when the Vice President and Treasurer roles are up for election.

Thank You, Stacy!

Thank you, Stacy Able, for your leadership of the Club since its founding. We appreciate your continued support.

Judy also had success with her Dutch import Nuphar’s Gift-Wrapped (Nessa) winning two Gun Dog Groups over 4-BIS champions.  Nessa had her first Group win on the day she became old enough to compete.

Well done, Judy!

The 2012 Election Ballots will be sent to the Barbet Club of America eligible members on Monday, November 26th. The election will be conducted electronically using SurveyMonkey.com. The members are asked to vote on two Board of Director positions – President and Secretary.

Thank you, Stacy!

Stacy Brogan Able has been Club President since its founding in 2009 and has asked to “take a break” from the leadership role. Stacy initiated the Barbet’s entry in the American Kennel Club Foundation Stock Service (AKC FSS). During her tenure more than 60 Barbet have been registered with the AKC FSS. She represented the BCA at the Detroit Kennel Club Show. Stacy designs the calendar for our Annual Fundraiser. Stacy committed to stay active in the Club and will help with projects and events planned for 2013. We appreciate all that Stacy has done for the Club.

AKC FSS Work Continues

The Barbet Club of America continues our commitment to the AKC Foundation Stock program. The AKC FSS is a framework for breed management. We view the program as a process to establish and maintain solid support for the Barbet in the United States.

The program maintains records and establishes milestones. They record pedigrees, points and titles, DNA profiles, and Club activities. The program has established benchmarks for registered dogs, titles earned, Club members, geographic distribution, etc. The milestones are minimum standards that exist for the AKC to evaluate when a breed has enough broad based support to move into the Miscellaneous Class and eventually into the permanent registry as a fully recognized breed.

The Barbet Club of America is dedicated to building a solid foundation to ensure a sustainable, responsible future for the Barbet breed. The Club provides breed education. We encourage peer support and mentoring. The BCA advocates public disclosure of health records for all breeding dogs through CHIC. We promote growth through responsible breeding and importation. We encourage participation in the sport. The Barbet is here to stay!

• UKC Barbet Standard Rev March 1, 2012
• BCA Frequently Asked Questions
• The Barbet – Ancient French Water Dog

The educational weekend provided dog lovers the opportunity learn about more than 200 breeds of dog and cat.  The demonstration ring had agility, obedience, police dogs, circus dogs, etc. to show the many skills dogs perform.  Training clubs, therapy dog organizations, and regional clubs were on hand to answer questions.  Vendors offered a variety of products to address dog owners needs including dog foods, treadmills, antler chews, etc.  The AKC booths provided information about title programs, legal advocacy, and Canine Partners.

Thank you to BCA members who represented the barbet – Judy Descutner (Claire), Linda Kaplan (Willie), Randi Reisfeld (DJ) and Tracey Schnabel (Tug and Shea).  We also appreciate Louis Kaplan, David Kaplan, and Marvin Reisfeld for all the help during the MTB event.