Darrell Hayes, Assistant Vice President of Judges’
Operations, and certainly a person of authority, was at the four-show
cluster event. He was asked how the dog could be shown when everything,
including the registration number on the original entry form, was
for the bitch. Mr. Hayes said there was nothing he could do to stop
the dog from being shown (true) and he suggested that the angry
exhibitors write to Barbara Schwartz, Assistant Vice President of
Show Operations.
Mrs. Schoeler contacted TDP and explained the
situation, furnishing the editor with a copy of the letter of complaint.
There were several other official complaints filed by other exhibitors.
Mrs. Schoeler was more than a little confused and upset, based on
a personal experience in which she could not show her top
special’s dog when she had accidentally printed his litter brother’s
/two-digit number at the end of the otherwise correct registration
number and entry form. Mrs. Schoeler said “The Corrections Form
is just that. It is to allow us to correct a mistake such as name
spelling, d.o.b., breeder, etc. The assumption however is that it
is an error having to do with the actual dog that is to be shown.
The purpose of the corrections form is NOT to change which dog is
entered.”
Our editor agreed and thus began a complex investigation.
There exists an unwritten guideline that allows two corrections
to an entry - any more than that is automatically suspect according
to one of the dog show superintendents we contacted. TheDogPlace.com
learned that the Superintendent could not have prevented the dog
from going into the ring although there is some debate as to whether
or not the AKC Rep could have tactfully discouraged the dog from
being shown over the next three days. The judge’s responsibility
is to focus on what goes on in the ring so it is not within their
jurisdiction to question changes in the judges’ book. One point
that must be made is that when a mistake is made, honest or not,
and the win is rescinded, there is no “reserve” Best Of Breed or
Best Opposite sex. The other owners are therefore cheated of the
fair opportunity to have won an important event. This happened at
a huge Akita National Specialty some years ago.
This offense was perceived by those present
as patent trickery. The dog in question is the top ranked
dog and a sensible person would think twice before making a long
flight to show against an outstanding dog under judges who have
previously expressed appreciation for the dog. AKC ruled that
the wins stood because even though the registration number on the
original entry form was that of the bitch, causing the Superintendent’s
computer to print the bitch’s information in the catalog.
The handler was allowed to make a correction to the registration
number so that the dog could be shown. It is alleged that
the handler, hoping to induce unsuspecting exhibitors to show up
with their male champions, and being very aware of how the system
operates, may have deliberately put the wrong information on the
entry form so that the entry would show a bitch special entered
and not the dog that she was bringing. No one will ever know
but we feel certain that such situations will be looked at closely
by AKC in the future.
Our staff learned that unscrupulous exhibitors,
experienced handlers in particular, have an unimaginable bag of
tricks. Continuing to enter a finished dog in Open is not unusual
but doing so show after show and then going to the Super’s office
to “move the dog up” is a bit more inventive. Web information or
hard returns will not reflect that dog entered as a champion. The
Champion is simply “moved up” or a corrections form filled out.
The judge is completely unaware so there is no disadvantage in the
deception. In same-color breeds, substitution is not uncommon. Ringside,
and in fact, judges have often wondered how “that dog” finished.
Dogs who finished by proxy, often called Proxy Champs, are rarely
ever seen again unless owned by a novice so blissfully unaware of
the handler’s dishonesty that they decide to show off their new
champion, usually owner-handling the dog.
Kathy Schoeler, owner of the #1 Breed Points
dog and also the #1 (bitch) in All Breed points, both being shown
simultaneously a few years ago, pointed out that she could have
entered her Best In Show bitch’s information but used the top breed
dog’s registration number and then just decided which to show upon
arriving at the show and assessing the competition and whether the
breed points were more important for the dog or the chance for Group
win more favorable for the bitch. Handlers with a full load are
less likely to employ that particular deception but unfortunately,
it happens.
The superintendent’s are aware of such dishonest
tricks but they are obliged to accept “corrections” at the handler’s
word and leave it to AKC to administer the real corrections. How
often does that happen? How often is blatant deceit accepted rather
than stir up a possible lawsuit? We had no idea before this incident
was brought to our attention.
Your editor was unable to reach Darrell Hayes
for comment but Mrs. Barbara Schwartz, Assistant Vice President
of Show Operations, was politely and professionally willing to discuss
the matter. On that basis, we asked for an interview and AKC agreed.
You will find it interesting
and informative.
Read the interview and then share your opinions
in the Discussion
Group set up especially for the subject. What other
deceptions or tricks have you heard about? We can assure you that
AKC would like to know the answers so that Show Operations can close
the loopholes.
