Bulletin E-Edition:
Bend schnauzer wins Best of Breed
By Yoko Minoura / The Bulletin
Published: February 13. 2008 4:07AM PSTTaylor
The standard schnauzer from Bend beat 11 others Tuesday to win Best of Breed. Best of Breed winners advance to compete for Best of Group, and the seven Best of Group winners compete for Best in Show. Taylor did not advance past Best of Breed.
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A Bend standard schnauzer nabbed the Best of Breed title Tuesday at the 132nd annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
Four-year-old Taylor competed against 11 champion dogs for the honor. She was also the only one, out of three local canines, to win a title at the show, which was held at Madison Square Garden.
By winning Best of Breed, she advanced to the Best of Group competition, in the “working” category. Taylor, who competed under the name CH Uhlan New Moonshine, did not place in the group competition.
But Taylor’s owner, Bend resident Ris Quay, said winning any title at the Westminster show — deemed by many as the most prestigious dog show in the nation — is truly special.
“It’s electric. It really is,” she said. “I don’t know if I could say (it’s) the thrill of a lifetime, but close to it.”
The seven Best of Group canines went on to compete for Best in Show, the top prize. A standard schnauzer last won the title in 1997, according to the Westminster Kennel Club’s Web site. Uno, a beagle, won the Best in Show title Tuesday night.
Quay said she also showed Taylor’s father at the Westminster competition, but he did not win there. Every one of the 2,500 canines that enters the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show must be a champion from a previous American Kennel Club competition.
‘Her father’s daughter’
She said Taylor is “her father’s daughter” and was one of the pups in the first litter born after Quay, who is a breeder, moved to Bend.
“Taylor is … my 17th generation,” she said. “So when I see her, I see all the other good dogs behind her, and I see pieces of them in her, so that makes it really satisfying.”
She added that the support of fellow members of the local Mount Bachelor Kennel Club also makes the win more meaningful.
Quay said she will show Taylor through the rest of the year but plans to retire her from conformation shows after that.
Female dogs are often retired from conformation shows, which are heavily based on the dog’s appearance, if the owner decides to breed them because of the changes that occur in the dog’s physique.
“She’s going out with a big bang,” Quay said. “I couldn’t ask for a better start to the year.”
Quay said Taylor will, however, compete in agility and obedience trials in the future because schnauzers, as working dogs, are happiest when they are kept busy.
Taylor’s mother, who is 7, currently competes in agility and obedience, Quay said. Taylor’s father, at 14, is retired from everything except family outings.
Though she has shown dogs for 30 years, Quay said the butterflies never quite go away.
“You busy yourself with what the dog needs, and try not to pay attention to the glitz and glamour,” she said.
Grooming the dog beforehand helps her calm down, Quay said. She used a professional handler Tuesday to take Taylor into the ring.
Behind the scenes
The level of competition and the hype make the Westminster dog show a bit like the Olympics, she said.
“It takes a lot of preparation and a lot of luck,” she said. “The stars have to be aligned.”
Not only must the dog meet the “breed standard,” or the ideal appearance, it must be comfortable in the show ring to do well, Quay said.
“You do need to have a judge that recognizes the quality of the breed, but you also need a dog that shows her heart out,” Quay said.
She added that Taylor’s handler took care to make sure the schnauzer enjoyed going into the ring.
Quay said she flew to New York on Friday to acclimate Taylor to the city. The dog went on daily romps through Central Park, chasing squirrels here and there, to stay in top condition.
Quay said that while Taylor’s win is quite a thrill, her dog is special in ways that don’t necessarily show up on a judge’s scorecard.
Taylor has a wonderful temperament and is a great companion, Quay said.
“One thing people don’t understand about show dogs is, they’re pets first,” she said. “We get into this crazy business because it’s something fun to do with your dog. And it’s secondary to the companionship.”
She said that she believes most competitors at the Westminster dog show don’t take winning or losing too seriously despite the media frenzy.
“We all think we’re taking the best dog home at the end of the day, no matter if they win,” Quay said. “And they are the best dog, for us.”
And once they’re home in Bend, Taylor will resume snoozing in her customary spot on the bed, her head resting next to Quay’s pillow.
Yoko Minoura can be reached at 383-0387 or yminoura@bendbulletin.com.
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