Page 172 - ShowSight - December 2019

Breeder Interview: Robert Urban, Foxfire Black and Tan Coonhounds BY ALLAN REZNIK continued
Louie–Ch Foxfire Fifty-Five Blues
Veteran @ 9 yrs and Grandsire of Crow- Ch Cashlane-Santana As The Crow Flies
all–breed BIS winner and ABTCC Hall of Fame inductee. She enjoyed a very success- ful specials career thanks to the partnership between myself and AKC Hound Group Breeder of the Year, Andy McIlwaine. Mol- ly’s brother Louie, Ch. Foxfire Fifty-Five Blues, was the grandsire of Crow, Ch. Cash- lane–Santana As The Crow Flies. Crow and I have enjoyed a very successful past few years, winning many groups, a couple of all–breed BIS and, to date, four or five specialties including our National in 2017. Crow was bred by Shelley Cafferty and Lisa Fey, and is co–owned by Shelley and me. He will be inducted into the ABTCC Hall of Fame in 2020.
Please comment positively on your breed’s present condition and what trends might bear watching.
While active breeder involvement has declined significantly since my initial involvement with the breed in 1981, we have seen a large amount of activity in Europe and, most recently, the United Kingdom where The Kennel Club recognized the AKC B&T a year or so ago. It is most encouraging to see some very committed breeders who seem to be producing some really high–quality examples of the breed overseas. I wish them continued success.
The sport has changed greatly since you first began participating. What are your thoughts on the state of the fancy and the declining number of breeders? How do we encourage newcomers to join us and remain in the sport?
I began showing in AKC in 1981. I feel as though I came into the sport toward the later end of the “Golden Age” of dog shows, which I view as roughly 1950–1990. It is difficult to look back objectively because as time has changed dog shows, it has also changed me as I am a much different person than the exhibitor I was in 1985. There is no doubt that the truly serious, knowledge- able dog people that existed years ago are in scarce supply today. I believe this is directly
a result of the lack of large-scale, serious and committed breeders and kennels we seldom, if ever, see today. The world has changed, for better or for worse. I may be looking back through rose–colored glasses but I can state that the overall stress level in people in general and dog shows in particular has increased from that which we used to expe- rience. I still love the shows and the people but the shows aren’t as much fun as they once were. Age may or may not play a role in that assessment! Part of that goes hand in hand with the level you are competing at, for sure. I am not a fan of the “everyone gets a ribbon” mentality that has overtaken our modern life. I was very disappointed when the AKC introduced the “Grand Champi- on” concept and came to understand that it is, for the most part, a rubber stamp given to those who show up on the day. Maybe in larger entries it carries more weight, but for the most part when you have only four or five specials in competition I am missing the significance.
I freely admit that I don’t have the answer for recruiting and retaining new- comers to our sport. This is a multifaceted problem and one faced by many other orga- nizations besides dog clubs. Young people today are pulled in many different direc- tions by things competing for their time and whatever disposable income they may have. I was an active member of my local F.O.P. [Fraternal Order of Police] lodge for 30 years. When I joined, I was a young guy along with several others in my age group. Today, the participation level and average member’s age is probably 50 to 65. We are also classic car/truck enthusiasts. It is much the same story there; you don’t see a lot of folks in their 20s or 30s at the shows and events. Many younger people’s careers require them to live within reason- able commuting distance to a metropolitan area. This usually means living in town or in some suburban area. Keeping and/or
breeding dogs in such a place has a lot more pitfalls and hoops to jump through than in years past. I don’t know how the economics of it would shake out, but I would love to see shows offer Junior Showmanship classes for either a greatly reduced fee or, when pos- sible, for free. Shows used to offer reduced fees for puppy & BBE classes, and while many still do it is a minor discount at best.
Where do you see your breeding program in the next decade or two?
I plan to remain active in the breed for as long as I want to and at the level I am com- fortable with. Campaigning a special takes a lot out of you and the dog, even at the much reduced Owner-handled level. I’ve been incredibly blessed to have had a couple of truly “once in a lifetime” dogs that I was 100% committed to and felt needed to be out there and seen. I’m not sure how many more will come along that I am that pas- sionate about. Hopefully one or two!
Finally, tell us a little about Bob outside of dogs... your profession, your hobbies.
I have been a commissioned law enforce- ment officer for 35 years. Most of that time has been spent in the field of Parks and Natural Resources Law Enforcement. I‘ve worked in nearly every aspect of that pro- fession, from Field Training Officer, Detec- tive, and Evidence Room Manager to Patrol Sergeant and K–9 Handler. One of my own B&Ts, Tory, was my full–time partner for eight years and we were a certified Expert Trailing team. I have been on the Board and served as Instructor for the Old Dominion K-9 Seminar in Appomattox, Virginia for 20 years. I retired from full–time service in 2012, having spent my last eight years as Chief of my agency. I continue to work part-time in the field, maintaining my cer- tification and commission. Megan and I are both classic/muscle car enthusiasts and enjoy that culture as well. We have a couple old 4x4 trucks along with her Z–28 Cama- ro and my 1967 Plymouth Fury.
168 • ShowSight Magazine, DeceMber 2019