Best and Worst in show?
Breaking news from the Dog World website
Whoever is handling the KC's media relations needs to go on a course! What bizarre timing for hearing this case. Shouldn't they have cleared the air before Crufts? And with this hanging over Moray's head surely things were a little tense as the Champagne flowed after the BIS was awarded.
I really do think this is not helping the image of dog showing that a second offence of intimidating a judge results in only a year ban!
MORAY Armstrong, co-handler of Crufts BIS, the Hungarian Vizsla Sh Ch/Aus Ch Hungargunn Bear Itn Mind (Yogi), has been banned from showing at, judging or attending any KC licensed event for a year for threatening and intimidating a judge. At a disciplinary hearing at the Kennel Club today, Mr Armstrong admitted distressing Rachel Herbert after the open dog class at Welsh Kennel Club last year when he won the RCC with Yogi. He told her she would not judge again, that she had cost Mr Armstrong BIS and that she would pay for it.
The Disciplinary Sub-Committee heard there had been a complaint against Mr Armstrong - whose wife Kathryn co-owns Yogi – relating to his behaviour towards a judge after being awarded the RCC at Three Counties in 2005, for which he received a warning. See DW next week for full story.
Whoever is handling the KC's media relations needs to go on a course! What bizarre timing for hearing this case. Shouldn't they have cleared the air before Crufts? And with this hanging over Moray's head surely things were a little tense as the Champagne flowed after the BIS was awarded.
I really do think this is not helping the image of dog showing that a second offence of intimidating a judge results in only a year ban!
Comments
Furthermore, I don't see how this subject is relevant to your pro-health message. Its obvious you have such personal hang ups with the personalities that be at the KC that you risk the credibility of your message by reporting on any non-story that might cast a bit of negativity on the dog world. Stick to the important stuff Bev, and don't reduce what has been a very informative blog with dribble worthy of the Sun. Next you will be reporting on people's private lives, and believe me, there are lots of juicy stories there.........but none of which will actually help dogs.
Aileen A Mathieson
Allsala GSDs
Scotland
Not when you compare how they treated the 76 year old at Crufts. The KC sent her home in shame for allegedly having an 'abnormal' dog. This was an KC accredited breeder who health tests and brought a young pup to the show to take part in a puppy training display at the KC's own invitation. It's not about personalities, it's about consistently doing the right thing for the right reasons.
Yogi will now most probably be retired from showing - so banning his handler for a year after his last show isn't exactly going to be an sort of penalty. Banning him the week before Crufts however, would have been. What message does it send? That it is ALL about winning. It should be ALL be about the dogs and doing your best to breed happy healthy dogs.
The two people shamed this year at Crufts with German Shepherds were people who did every conceivable test to keep their dogs healthy. The BOB winning GSD didn't have a single dog repeated in his 5 gen pedigree. These are enlightened, caring breeders. Why treat them like criminals while sharing the champagne with a guy that twice tried to bully judges?
I do speak out when I see injustice and it wouldn't matter if it was at the hands of my friends or my enemies. I happen to disagree with Jemima Harrison and Professor Bateson on this one. The Shepherd people do so very much more to test the soundness of their dogs than any other breed, there's something about the International type that seems to offend our eyes but there is NO SCIENCE that shows impairs their dogs in any way.
Who else does endurance tests to prove fitness?
How fortunate for Yogi's owners that the KC waited till after Crufts to ban his handler. Even though the incident took place many months before.
What difference would the timing make to either dog, handler or KC? John was in the Best in Show ring last yr with his own Springer so to my mind would be the preferred choice on the day, not Moray.
Still PR-wise odd timing for the case to be tried.
Mutthouse xx