Lincoln showing in Kentucky
In an earlier blog, I wrote about the all time top winning Brussels Griffon in the history of the breed, Champion Cilleine Masquerade. While we were in Kentucky, he won the National Specialty Show for the third year in a row. That’s very impressive in the dog world. But Lincoln, as he’s called, is such an excellent specimen of the breed that no other dog comes close to matching him in quality this year.
Even after being shown most weekends for two years, he is bright and sprightly, clearly reveling in the crowd’s attention. He is eternally curious, constantly cocking his head to the side as he considers what’s going on about him. On his trip around the ring, he prances like a rock and roll star, confident and perky.
It’s wonderful to watch Lincoln in a ring. Professional handler Michael Kemp watched the Griffon judging from ringside. He motioned to Paul Catterson and said, “You are doing a great job with that dog. I never saw a dog show as well at Westminster as he did.”
This was high praise because Michael Kemp was the handler of another one of the Brussels Griffon all time greats, Ch. Treyacres Zorro.
Louisville is the hometown of owners Mamie Gregory and Evalyn Gregory, the mother-daughter team responsible for bringing many Griffs to the top. Evalyn held the most recent record for number of Bests in Show on a Griff, with 23 for her Champion Pamelot’s Over the Top. She is also the owner/handler of the first smooth Griffon ever to win a Best in Show, Champion Braukman’s Rough Me Not, who she called, “Ruff Ruff.”
On Saturday, the Toy Group judge was Jackie Stacey. She is the breeder of the Affenpinscher, Champion Tamarin Tug, who was Lincoln’s biggest rival for Top Toy of 2008. Lincoln was ahead most of the year, but in December, Tug took the lead by the space of one or two Bests in Show. The owners nicknamed the Affen “Taser” after their son’s company, Taser International, makers of the stun gun. Handlers were jealous of Jorge Olivera, whom they said was flying with Tamarin Tug in the owner’s private jet. That means of transportation enabled him to get to shows all over the country.
All day long, the show site was buzzing with gossip as people wondered what would happen. Jackie Stacey was known to be a good judge of dogs. Would she recognize Lincoln’s quality, and give him Group One? Or would she decline because that would give her own dog, Taser, a leg up in the ratings?
She examined all the Toy breeds, and then motioned to the Pug for Number One. He is Champion Tupelo Shoboat Tu China Tu; known as "Boo," top Pug of 2008. Second was a Havanese, Champion Bellatak My Funny Valentine, and third was a Pomeranian, Champion Velocity's Shake Ur Bon Bon, top Pomeranian for 2008. Reluctantly, she turned to Paul Catterson and motioned him into fourth place.
At the end of the weekend, after he had three times won Group First, the owners decided to retire him from the ring. Owner Anne Jahelka picked up Lincoln. He covered her face with kisses. He is home in Tennessee now. But he is such a little showman, I bet he misses it!
Lincoln retires as the all time top winning Brussels Griffon, with 70 Bests in Show. It’s even more surprising because he is a smooth. Smooths are a minority in the breed, and as such, get little respect from all breed judges. Judges who don’t know the breed tend to look for that full beard and rough coat. Paul Catterson said, “Some judges tell me, ‘I’ve never seen a smooth,’ as they’re handing me the Best in Show ribbon.’”
Brussels Griffon breeders have a saying; ‘It takes a great smooth to beat a mediocre rough.’ The rough coat can be groomed to cover up any faults. On a smooth, faults have nowhere to hide.
One day in October of 2008, Anne Jahelka said, “Just to keep us humble, we lost the breed today!” It happened five times; five judges (all from Canada; none of them Brussels Griffon breeders) put up rough coats over Lincoln. Anne Jahelka is far too polite to criticize their decisions. But none of those roughs went on to Group One and Best in Show records, as Lincoln has, which makes a Griff exhibitor think that the judges were unfamiliar with the correct look of a smooth.
This little dog now holds all the Brussels Griffon breed records. He has a secure place in the history of the breed, one not likely to be duplicated in a long time. But you never know. His next big challenge is in the litter box.
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