Jim Reynolds

JIM REYNOLDS

Interview with Judge
By Mary Marshall
BIS Magazine USA February 2021

 

Q: Jim, you are a legend in the dog show world as a judge. Where have some of your assignments taken you around the country and the world?

A: I have been judging dog shows since 1967 and am currently approved for all breeds recognized by the AKC and Canadian Kennel Club. I have officiated many dog shows on five continents, including the junior handlers at Crufts in the UK, and the World Dog Show. In the U.S. I have been fortunate to officiate Westminster several times, and have judged many large shows including Santa Barbara, Louisville, Chicago, Detroit, Old Dominion and the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship. I was also fortunate to officiate as the Best in Show judge at Ladies’ Kennel Association (in the UK) dog show.

 

Q: Tell me about some of your favorite judging assignments?

A: One of my favorite judging assignments was when I was the Best In Show judge for the 2006 Westminster Kennel Club. The colored Bull Terrier, Rufus, Ch. Rocky Top’s Sundance Kid, was just one of those special dogs who owned the ring. He had real star quality. The great dogs have that presence that separates them from the others. Rufus was in peak condition and performance and told me that night “You have to pick me,” and I certainly did. Other favorite judging assignments include the Best in Show at the Montgomery Kennel Club. That is the terrier lover’s place to be.
I think one of my very favorite shows is the World Show, but is the Stockholm Christmas Show in Sweden that really stands out. It is a fantastic show. Well handled, and very entertaining. I also enjoyed officiating the Jr. Handling at Crufts.
I also had a judging assignment for Newfoundlands at the World Show in Germany some
years ago. The show was huge; and the entry had gone over 17,000 dogs! I had split the group of
Newfoundlands and if you recall the color of Newfies, they are primarily black—we were judging these dogs in a dimly lit parking garage! What a beautiful group of Newfoundlands, but the lighting
made the judging a bit of a challenge.

 

Q: Your career in the world of academia has been very successful, so how did dog show judging evolve into becoming a fulltime career?

A: You must understand I bore easily. That was also true of my career, I did exceptionally well and rose through the ranks of teacher, head principal, and superintendent. It’s
simply a case of because I get bored, I want to try something new. In education, I tried all
those new things. And the same was true with judging in Canadian shows when I was
exhibiting, most of the dogs were Canadian bred. And that meant that you had to stay to the
very end if you had a Canadian bred going into the group. Since I had to stay at shows all day
long I watched other things—details of the various breeds, handlers, ring stewards and the list
goes on.
If you are a good ring steward and pay attention seminars will never hold a candle to working
with good judges and seeing what they do. And then I thought, well, I can do that. And I decided
to try judging for the first time with Boston Terriers; a breed that I was familiar with. That was
one of the first three breeds that I was licensed for. In 1967, Canada’s 100th anniversary, I
judged Boston Terriers in May, on Kentucky Derby Day, in Ottawa that year.

 

Q: When did you get interested in showing animals, and dogs in general?

A: I showed my first dog in 1957 because I still wasn’t old enough to drive a car. Someone had to drive me to the dog show. I had shown a variety of animals and some of the larger exhibitions had dog shows with them. I would go to the dog shows as just something to fill in my time and I got interested that way. It was an opportunity, and it grew from there.

 

Q: What are the other animals have you shown, and how did it evolve into the sport of showing dogs?

A: I’ve shown sheep, cattle, chickens, pigeons, and horses. I did a lot of winning, and my father was very generous whenever we were at fairs. Even as a child, I was always given the better animal, and it gave me a great appreciation for being able to show and learn to judge a good-looking animal.
In the world of show dogs, I get very annoyed with parents at times because they give their child the dog that is not competitive. A child gets tired of showing after that; that is not what they want. They want the ribbon. Well, they deserve it. It was an important part of learning the sport, sportsmanship, and I enjoyed winning and became accustomed to doing well. I love dogs and it really was a natural progression.

 

Q: When you decided to become breed specific with show dogs what breed did you start out with?

A: The first breed I got involved with were Boston terriers, and that is because Boston’s were very
popular with my father’s mother so he decided I should have one. Boston Terriers can be a
very difficult breed, but I was able to have my first champion with that breed. So that was the
beginning, but along the way I kept going to dog shows and observing different breeds. We
had a neighbor who raised Scottish Terriers, so I became rather fascinated with them. When
the time came that I could choose my own dog I chose a Scottie, although I love all the breeds.

 

Q: Although you judge many breeds of dogs, your Scottish Terriers have been a favorite. How did you get started in the breed, and who was a mentor in your youth?

A: Betty Hyslop of Cairndania Cairn Terriers, and Scottish Terrier breeder and all-breed judge
Adelaide Riggs. Because of meeting Betty, I had the opportunity to attend a lot of dogs shows
and see some excellent Cairns and Scotties. I used to drive Betty to shows, and she would let
me bring along my own dog to show. It was great fun. Some years later a well-known Scottie
breeder in Canada suffered a stroke, and he allowed me to buy a dog called Topper, and
he became my first Best in Show winner and my first American champion. Topper sired a
number of champions for me when I was able to use that bloodline. Our kennels never had
more than ten dogs. You must remember at that time I was in high school, and then I attended
the university. Following college, I started my career as a teacher and a new marriage. There
were a lot of conflicting things, but the dogs always seemed to hold their own. Our
Renaldo Kennel had five Canadian Best in Show winners and produced more than 30
Canadian champions and 15 AKC champions.
Another mentor who was influential was Joan Morton who raised excellent miniature
Schnauzers in the Toronto area. I was a young teacher, and incredibly interested in learning
More about her breeding program. Joan was an incredibly successful breeder and exhibitor.
Once again it was a matter of sitting around and listening. If you spent all day at a dog show
you learn a lot in little bits and pieces. Eventually it all came together.

 

Q: What are your favorite breeds to judge and why?

A: Oh, that’s a very wicked question! You must understand that I have judged over 70
American national specialties, and I love good dogs of any breed. Do I have a special breed?
Yes. I have a great fondness for Irish Wolfhounds but have had a lot of beautiful dogs of
several different breeds. Although we bred Scotties, our house dogs were always Irish
Wolfhounds. That is one of the things about judging; you have an opportunity
to get hands-on with beautiful dogs. As a breeder-exhibitor I never had the opportunity
to get the experience that I have as a judge in going over exceptional dogs.

 

Q: What is a special memory from one of the specialties that you have judged?

A: I think the national that I remember very fondly was judging Standard Poodles at Little
Cove America. I had an exceptional entry. The dog that I put up went back to England to
become England’s Dog of the Year. The top bitch ended up as the top Standard Poodle the
following year in the United States. But when the specials came in the ring this one
particular dog shot into the rain. He was from Sweden, and he just said “I am here! What
is your problem? You only have 70 or 80 to look at.” He was just a puppy! He went on
to Best in Show at the Poodle Club of America. The top bitch went on to opposite sex
at the same show. What an exceptional entry.
One of the Wolfhound nationals was in North Carolina. It had many memorable moments
but one of the best was in the morning. We were in a park with pine trees and mist, and
the hounds all started calling. It was the most beautiful sound on the most amazing
morning. I’ve judged the Wolfhound national twice. If I was ever invited to do it again I
would accept it right off the top.

 

Q: What are some of your most memorable moments judging at Westminster?

A: One of them was a year that I was judging only the sheepdogs at the Garden. It was 3:30
in the afternoon and I had one class dog between 18 specials. Suddenly I noticed my ring
was kind of filling up. Normally at 3:30 in the afternoon everyone’s getting ready to go back
to get dressed for parties. I thought, “isn’t that peculiar?” And then into the ring came this
young handler who I didn’t know, Colton Johnson, with this dog. That dog just stood there
and was perfection. The upshot of it was his name was Swagger. He went from the classes
to Best of Breed into the group to reserve Best in Show. Wow! I will always remember that
moment with Swagger the Old English Sheepdog.
The other memorable moment I must mention is when I judged Best in Show in 2005.
Into the ring comes seven gorgeous dogs, but one of them absolutely dominated that ring.
It was the colored Bull Terrier Rufus, and he was my Best in Show. If you had asked me
previously if he was going to be my Best in Show, I would have said no. I had always liked
the dog, but he just stood there and dominated the ring with this incredible presence. What I
didn’t understand at the time was that the Staffordshire Bull Terriers were being given a
really hard time in the American press. Whether people were fans of a Bull Terrier or not
it wasn’t the issue; he was just a great dog.

 

Q: How do you think professional handlers have changed through the years?
A: I think our handlers today are far more professional. I think that they work really very hard
and present their dogs to their best advantage. I really like the whole group of professional
handlers and what they do. I feel the same way about owner-handlers. Overall, everyone
is much more professional looking and handle their dogs the best. One thing that happens that
I do get a kick out of is that I still can make some of them nervous when they
enter the ring. That is good right? They really want me to like the dog. But it’s like Colton
coming in holding Swagger. He really wanted me to like that dog. I am a champion for the
younger professional handlers and owner-handlers. The work very hard to show me the
best in that dog.

 

Q: What impresses you about the younger professional handlers in the show ring?

A: Sportsmanship, and the willingness to learn. They go and observe, they pay attention.
Do they over handle? Do they move too fast? Do they commit to doing all the right things?
Sure, they do. If you ask them to slow it down, and show the dog to the best advantage
they will. They always say thank you and congratulate one another. That is very important,
sportsmanship and professionalism in and out of the ring. It is paramount.
I am sitting ringside watching a Labrador class. A young man comes into the ring. It was
a nice Labrador, but you could tell that the young man really wasn’t doing a lot of dog shows.
They are in the ring with six other dogs and one of the other dogs receives the win. The
young man drops his lead on the ground, stands on it, and applauds the win. It was a
very genuine display of sportsmanship. It is wonderful when you see something like that.
In the early days of showing, people could be hard on novices.

 

Q: What is your perception of owner-handlers vs. professional handlers?

A: Professional handlers come in the ring and make sure they are showing the dog to
the best advantage. Some amateurs come into the ring and can be a little careless.
The perception might be because it was Joe Pro handling that dog instead of me. That is
not the case. Sometimes the dog being handled by the professional might get looked at
a little harder sometimes but that is not always the case. It’s all about how you show that
dog and the judge’s perception of it. There are a lot of great owner-handlers out there who
are the best at showing their own dogs.
I’ve been very fortunate to get my hands on a tremendous number of very great dogs, and
Therefore, I can say this dog has the kind of exceptional breed qualities to be rewarded.
Can I be wrong? Sure, I can. There is no judge that gets it right every time or gets it right
for everybody, but I don’t think anybody goes into the ring to make mistakes deliberately.
I think some people can go in the ring unprepared; no one goes in the ring to look foolish.

 

Q: What do you think about Lyndhurst as the new venue for Westminster this year?

A: Lyndhurst is one of my favorite places. It is a gorgeous old estate in Tarrytown. People
will come and be bound and determined to attend Westminster. I have a couple of shows
the week prior, and I may have to come home and quarantine. We’ll have to see how it
transpires. I wish them every bit of luck putting on this show. If someone could fly a helicopter
over Lyndhurst I would just parachute it. It’s gorgeous. I think the dog show people and fans
will come out in droves. Everyone is ready to participate and have a great show.

 

Q: Do you think there is consistency in what judges observe according to the breed standard for most breeds?

A: Some breeds, like Labradors are particularly fortunate in the fact that when you’re in
in the ring with your dog there is not as much to confuse judges with as in terms of hair and
grooming. They are a natural dog and shown that way. With Labs there is the whole about
color, so if I happen to put up a chocolate dog you get a reputation for putting up that color
dog. The fact is that dog just happened to be the best dog that day. It has nothing to do with
color, but has everything to do with perception and how that dog fits the standard. In Labradors
there are several physical types so it can be a challenge.
Excellent judging requires experience and knowledge. It takes time to hone your skills, learn
the different breed attributes, standards, and grooming styles. If you sit and you observe the
dog shows and the different breed classes you will learn, and you will notice some judges
take a lot longer to make their decision. So much is based on perception. Other judges seem
to know exactly what they are looking at. After watching a group of dogs, it is the physical
contact that confirms what you have seen: bone structure, type, and presence. If you are
trying to assess a group of dogs, say sporting group, and you look over the dogs and think
“I know the type can be better, the headpiece, the nostril, the movement,” this all comes into
play when making your choice of what is presented to you. Some breeds have subtle nuances
that can make judging a challenge. You have a half an hour, at best, to judge all these dogs
and it isn’t an exact science. It all comes with experience, and hands-on education to
develop your eye for specific breed qualities and traits.

 

Q: How has the pandemic affected your judging assignments?

A: There have been 60 or 70 shows that have been cancelled that I was asked to judge.
Currently Canada is on lockdown, so if I were able to judge a show in the United States
I would have to fly, get a COVID negative test within 72 hours, and quarantine for two
weeks at home. I had decided to do this if necessary, but now we have the
spread again that is going on in both countries. I think if these restrictions are in
place that we will have very few shows even with the availability of the vaccine. For the
shows that do continue during the pandemic we will have large entries because people
want to get out and finish their dogs, enjoy life. Eventually the shows will come back, and
go back to the normal number of dogs, but for now the pandemic is an issue.
I really feel for the handlers. This is their profession, their way of life. Many of them do not
have another career to fall back on and times are difficult. It will be a relief when
we all have a true sense of normalcy, but I can’t predict when that will be. The dog shows
that have not been cancelled have been remarkably good, but there are very few shows
to attend.

 

Q: What are your closing thoughts looking back on your life as a judge, breeder, and dog
show competitor?

A: It has been more like a hobby, and the most marvelous journey. I will continue
judging, and will not end my career on lockdown. I feel like it will all get straightened out again.
The main pleasure is every moment when I would go to these shows and find a dog coming out
of nowhere that I had never seen before and knew it was “my dog” that day. It is pure joy, and
to simply have your hands on a wonderful example of a breed and make it “my dog” and to be
able to reward that example is the biggest thrill in the world.