Page 230 - ShowSight - September 2020

put up what is truly correct, even if it is the only one in a ring of mediocre Goldens. To do this will take confidence and the knowl- edge to know what is truly the Golden Retriever type. Judge for the overall balance, head, movement, and coat—you will never go wrong.
GLORIA KERR
Gloria Kerr has bred and titled numerous conformation champions under the name of Krishna Kennels. Several famous US Golden Kennels are founded on her Krishna dogs. She has bred many champions in Golden Retrievers, Akitas, Pem- broke Welsh Corgis, and Chinese Cresteds. Many of these dogs have
attained Best in Show and Best in Specialty wins.
Gloria became an AKC licensed professional handler in 1974
and has handled, finished, and specialed dogs in every AKC group. In 2000, she became an AKC licensed judge and is now approved for the Sporting Group, Herding Group, Toy Group, Non-Sporting Group, Whippets and Miniature Schnauzers, along with six breeds
in the Working Group, Junior Showmanship, and Best in Show. She has judged throughout the world in Australia, New Zea- land, Korea, Taiwan, China, Canada, Sweden, Columbia, Japan, and Brazil; including the Golden Retriever National Specialties in the US, Korea and Canada, the Chinese Crested National Spe- cialty, the Akita National Specialty, and the Brittany National Spe-
cialty in the US.
Describe the breed in three words: Athletic, kind, reliable. What are my must-have traits in this breed? My must-haves are
balance, correct temperament, slightly off-square outline (11-12), level topline, (both moving and standing), functional head, (soft expression), and water-repellant coat.
Are there any traits in this breed that I fear are becoming exag- gerated? Traits that seem to be exaggerated now; faster is better, slanted toplines, blown-up and trimmed coats, and that show, show, show attitude. None of these are correct in a Golden Retriever.
Do I think the dogs you see in this breed are better now than they were when I first started judging? I think that dogs today are straying far from our breed standard, which has not changed since before I started judging. When many of the dogs in the ring are incorrect in proportion, blown-up with too much trimming, long in body and short in leg, it makes it difficult for new judges to find a dog that matches our standard.
What do I think new judges misunderstand about this breed? Goldens are “Primarily a Hunting Dog.” Proportion should be slightly off-square, coats should wrap-around and be water-repel- lent. All shades of Golden are correct. Goldens should be shown at a moderate speed (effortless, easy) on a loose lead (called for in the breed standard) and should be athletic. When only a few meet the standard, then a generic dog is chosen by judges who are not breeders.
Do today’s Goldens have breed type? There are still pieces of breed type in the ring, but many are the generic show dog. Our breed was bred to carry a goose/duck through deep cover, or swim- ming. For this type of dog you need legs, as well as a functional head with two level planes, and enough muzzle to carry birds. We need to look to proportions, coats, and athleticism. Think endur- ance gait, effortless, easy, on a loose lead.
How do I prioritize key Golden breed-type elements when judg- ing the breed? When judging Goldens, I want to see them move around the ring with balance and correct outline. I then look indi- vidually for outline when standing, muscling, heads and expression,
coat texture and, when coming and going, do the legs converge? When you look at them they should make you smile. The least important would be color; they can range from light Golden to dark Golden, all shades of Golden are correct!
How would I characterize correct outline and proportion? We are still seeing dogs out of proportion, being too long—often in the loin—or too short in leg. This needs to be addressed by our breed- ers. Also, tails are starting to be carried too high, and not level. We need to watch this, as we had a big problem with this years ago.
What is the state of Golden Retriever heads today? Golden heads are sometimes hard in expression, with not enough stop, and slanted eyes. This keeps the very soft expression from making you smile when looking at them. We have been improving on this the last few years, but it still needs work. Keep in mind that they need a wedge-shaped head that is functional, with enough muzzle to carry a 12-lb. bird, and eyes that can see over the goose when retrieving.
How do you assess adequate reach and drive versus effortless/ efficient movement when many dogs being shown today are moved at a fast pace? I’m against any dog being shown at the fast pace that many handlers think should be done. Correct movement is bal- anced reach and drive. On a loose lead, this is beautiful. Racing around the ring, on a tight lead, ruins many dogs that can have beautiful movement when moved effortlessly and easily on a loose lead. Goldens, especially, are so smart that they can be taught to go on a loose lead without much trouble. Toplines should not roll and bounce, and dogs should not kick up in the rear. This happens many times when they are moved too fast. We still need to pay attention to shoulder layback and return of upper arm—to improve them—so the front and rear movement match.
How do I prioritize correct Golden coat and color when con- sidering breed type? Coat quality is ESSENTIAL in considering Golden breed type. The coat should be a water-repellent jacket with undercoat. Wavy coats are many times more correct in texture than straight coats that have been blown-up, sculpted and scissored. Too much product is also a problem.
Color should be the last consideration when judging a Gold- en Retriever. Most important is structure underneath the various shades of lustrous light Golden to dark Golden.
What do I think are important features of Golden Retriever type that are too often overlooked by conformation judges? Confor- mation judges, many times, feel that Goldens should Show, Show, Show, but this is not a true Golden temperament. Goldens are a laid-back dog that will do what you want, but are not over-the-top. They should be calm and easy going. Also, many judges seem to overlook that our dogs should be in good condition.
What advice would I give to a new judge of my breed? Think of a dog you want to have as a companion, living in your home, playing with your children, and going hunting with you. They are smart and always want to please; reasons why they can go on a loose lead easily, if you just teach them.
CINDY PARTRIDGE
I have been breeding Golden Retrievers for close to 40 years under the Firestar kennel name. It has been a never-ending learn- ing experience. I began judging formally approximately 10 years ago and have been a past chair for the GRCA’s Breeder’s Education Committee, and a member of the JEC committee for many years. I am still active in the many venues our wonderful dogs compete in. I also enjoy helping people learn about our wonderful breed, both from the judging and the breeding sides.
Describe the breed in three words: Primarily a hunting dog!
What are my must-have traits in this breed? I believe the must- have traits are temperament, coat, and soundness. I am a strong
228 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, SEPTEMBER 2020
GOLDEN RETRIEVER Q&A