Every February, New York City goes to the dogs as it sets the stage for the prestigious and much-anticipated Westminster Kennel Club dog show. This year, four of Canada’s esteemed all-breed judges are honoured to be making their judging debut.
Pamela Bruce, a fourth-generation dog person, first stepped into the show ring when she was just four years old. As an all-breed handler, she was most attracted to the coated breeds, spending close to 40 years campaigning Afghan Hounds from the renowned Grandeur Kennels. For the past 18 years, she has been breeding and showing Airedale Terriers under the Accolade prefix.
Stephen Dainard also hails from a dog-show family. He began his ‘dog life’ in the late 1970s, showing Flat-coated Retrievers, before he set his sights on the English Springer Spaniel, breeding and showing under the KAS kennel name. While handling professionally, he specialized in Sporting and Herding breeds, and was the handler of the only English Springer to earn #1 dog, all breeds, in Canada.
Rosemary and Mike Shoreman have been involved in purebred dogs since the early ’70s, breeding, exhibiting and trialling Best in Show-winning Border Terriers and Weimaraners. Their Weimaraner Roschel’s Fashion Impact still holds the breed’s all-time show record in Canada. Founding members of the Border Terrier and Weimaraner national clubs, and strong proponents of form following function, the Shoremans were instrumental in organizing the first Field Dog test and the second Earthdog test held in Canada.
Dr. John Reeve-Newson will be making his sixth appearance at Westminster. Drs. Reeve-Newson and Meen established Kishniga Kennels in 1971, breeding Dobermans, OES, Skye Terriers, French Bulldogs, Borzoi and Harriers. Canada’s #1 dog, all breeds, in 1977, Borzoi Kishniga’s Desert Song is still the breed record-holder, with 47 all-breed BIS in Canada and the U.S. Dr. Reeve-Newson was the founder and is still the CEO of the first veterinary emergency and referral clinic in Canada.
The judging panel also includes two Canadian expatriates.
Dr. Elliott More, a Montreal native, moved to the U.S. to apprentice under professional handler, William Trainor. He returned to Canada to attend veterinary school. His first show dog, a Golden Retriever, earned its championship and UD title in Canada.
Betty-Anne Stenmark, formerly of British Columbia, has the honour of judging Best in Show. Devoting a lifetime to her love of dogs, she has been an exhibitor, show chair, canine advocate, author and breeder of Saint Bernards, Salukis and, for the past 40-plus years, Dandie Dinmont Terriers. This will be her 11th judging assignment at Westminster.
Congratulations to all our Canadian judges on their esteemed appointments. For more information about the Westminster Kennel Club judging panel, assignments and schedule, visit
westminsterkennelclub.org. Also, be sure to check out our coverage of our Canadian competitors at Westminster via our
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ckc4thedogs.