ERIN COOGAN: AEGIS RIDGEBACKS Since entering the Sport of Purebred Dogs (Obedience) in 1993 with my Std. Poodles, I have had many adventurous experiences! Ridgebacks entered my life (and stayed), that same year, when a new friendship was found in Jillyn Myers (Aegis). Together we formed a great team and have shared the same vision for Aegis Ridgebacks the past twenty years! A quick summary of credentials should help with the understanding of my longstanding commitment to this fabulous breed and its continued success and preservation. 30+ Aegis AKC Champions 3 Time Top Ten RRCUS Brood Bitch 4 Time Top Ten RRCUS Breeder 6 Time Top 25 Conformation Dog (including #1 RR Dog 2011) Eukanuba/AKC Award of Excellence 2002 (Breeder-Owner handled) Eukanuba/AKC Best of Breed 2010 Westminster Kennel Club Best of Breed 2011 (Owner-handled) Best in Junior Sweeps RRCUS National Specialty 2013 (Breeder-Owner Handled) Breeder of several Dual and Field Champions, Agility titles, Obedience, Herding Instinct, VC, Nose Work and most recently two certified Service Animals. I have extensive experience with Sweeps Judging over the last decade: Sweeps and Best Ridge Judge RRCUS Supported Entry Greeley, CO. 2004 Best Ridged Male Judge RRCUS National Specialty Perry, GA. 2005 Sweeps Judge RRCUS Supported Entry San Diego Rhodesian Ridgeback Club Inaugural Show Indio, CA. 2007 Sweeps Judge Intermountain West Working Group Club Specialty Farmington, UT. 2008 Sweeps Judge Bay Area RR Club Specialty Pleasanton, CA. 2009 Sweeps Judge Raisin River RR Club of Michigan Supported Entry Monroe, MI. 2010 Sweeps Judge Arizona RR Fanciers Specialty Glendale, AZ. 2011 Sweeps Judge Western Hound Association of So. California Silverado, CA. 2013 Sweeps Judge RRCUS Supported Show Atlanta, GA. 2013 As a handler, I finished Champions in most of the Hound Group and the Working Group, with more from the Herding, Toy and Sporting Groups. I have been labeled by my friends as having a "Ridiculous" memory for dogs and pedigrees. I pride myself on paying close attention to details and then.remembering them! A sound, stable Ridgeback has remained the focus of Aegis since the beginning. Never discounting a dog for its merit, but always looking for the Presence of a Champion, Demeanor of a Saint (especially with family), Soundness to make you look twice(or 5 times), a Head to stop traffic and the Balance to go forever... 2016 Nationals Sweeps Judge? I welcome the opportunity for a great time! 1
SUZANNE EBERLING: COURSING CREEKS RHODESIAN RIDGEBACKS I am honored to have been nominated to judge our Specialty Sweeps. I purchased my first Ridgeback in 1981, and was told that I must show if I got a show quality puppy. I read, read, and read; I went to puppy matches on weekends and handling classes during the week (there were puppy matches all the time in California), and finished this wonderful dog from the puppy classes. I was hooked. Since that time, I have bred sparingly (about once a year, lately less). I have produced many Champions, most owner handled. I have an appreciation for structure, movement, and aesthetics. My sixth generation yielded a breeder-owner-handled Best In Show (AKC all-breed, from a RRCUS supported entry), with both parents my breeding as well. Life is good. I have served the club as a board member and president; I have taught both conformation and obedience classes for the Four Corners Dog Fanciers in New Mexico and the Durham Kennel Club in North Carolina. I have judged sweepstakes for both Ridgeback and Dalmatian supported entries. Life nowadays is shared with my husband Max, seven Ridgebacks and a Great Dane, my time split between Virginia and Alaska. I live now in a mode that makes every attempt to steer clear of dog politics, and prefer to stay focused on dogs. I have studied and continue to study canine structure and movement, and how this is applied in our Standard. As an owner handler, I have a great deal of empathy, sympathy, and humor to apply to judging dogs.i know our standard, and hope to give exhibitors every opportunity to show me what they have in the puppies and veterans that they present. The merits of the dog before me will not be confused with the exhibitor before me; it will be the dog that will be important to me. I would be delighted to have the opportunity to judge our Sweepstakes, puppy and veteran. 2
DAVID HAYEK: HPK-TROPACO Purebred dog have always been a part of my life. I grew up in a family of dog show people, though we all seemed to gravitate to different kinds of dogs. I was introduced to Rhodesian Ridgebacks as a teenager, while I owned a Siberian Husky. In 1994, I began my search for my first Rhodesian Ridgeback. As now, I was always drawn to function, and I appreciated that virtually every part of the standard describing these beautiful dogs defined type by performance. After over two years of looking and waiting, I found my first Ridgeback, Shumba. I still consider him my favorite dog ever, and though he passed away more than a year ago at 15 years old, I find myself thinking about him all the time. In 1997, puppy Shumba in tow, I promptly became heavily involved in showing and later lure coursing, obtaining my full coursing judge s license in 2000. In 2007 I was invited to judge the inaugural AKC national coursing championship in North Carolina and to be a lure operator for the event in 2008 in Washington state. The coursing experience has made a real difference in my eye for conformation. A mutual love for this wonderful breed brought my wife Helen and I together. Though we crossed each others path when I moved to Southern California, we really met at a dog show and have been together ever since under the HPK-Tropaco prefix. It is a wonderful thing that we both had a passion for the same breed that we now share together. From her I have gained an even better understanding of our breed. I view judging puppy sweepstakes the same way as when I enter them: I want to be sure the puppy has a good experience and I look for those qualities (movement and type) I strive to breed for. I look for those same qualities in junior dogs, with a bit more confidence demonstrated. Veterans hold a special place in my heart. I love to see those older dogs and bitches that are the foundation of ridgebacks to come. I would consider it the highest honor and truly a privilege to be offered the opportunity to judge the sweepstakes at a national specialty. 3
ELIZABETH LANE: LANE RHODESIAN RIDGEBACKS Thank you so much for the nomination and the opportunity to judge the 2016 RRCUS National Sweepstakes. I have loved this breed since the late 70 s, when I first met them at my horse trainers Arabian Ranch. For the past 16 years I have had the good fortune to travel to a wide variety of show rings through-out the country and embraced the intrigue and integrity of the Ridgeback community. It began in the mid-90 s, I attained my first Ridgeback (and my first dog) from Debby Jackson of Serengeti Ridgebacks, who still remains a close friend. I purchased her with my sister to live with her and my nephew. Due to life changes, she came to live with me full-time after a year. We named her Allie. I traded horse shows for dog shows and Allie finished quickly (Ch. Serengeti Allie, SC). The passion ignited! For several years I campaigned a home bred special (2002 /#12; 2003 /#6; 2004 /#9) and what a thrill that was! Canadian Champion, American DC Serengeti Tito Congo, SC, TT, JOR, known as "Congo", was a true heart dog. He lived to 13 years old and was known for his special place riding in my van s front seat! Loved by all, he was a special dog. His sister Sydney DC Serengeti Sydney MC, FCH, JOR also has a special place in my heart. She was BOS at the 2004 World Congress show in Fort Worth, Texas, shown by a close dog show friend with a bitch entry of 140. At that time, it was the largest entry of Rhodesian Ridgebacks to compete in one day in the States. It is quite an honor to be her breeder, owner, and constant companion! She was bred once with a wonderful litter of 5 puppies. I kept a male, Sheriff, MBIF DC Lane All Fired Up, MC, LCX, GRC, ORC, FCH, TT, who still resides with me and is also the sire of the my pups in the 6-9 month class at this year s National. The RRCUS Nationals in Topeka KS, has been the trip of a lifetime. Winning with my girl Lexi Lane s Luxury Edition, co-owned with my close friend and traveling companion to Topeka, we were elated to make it to the final 7 in her Sweepstakes class and won the 6-9 Puppy Bitch class out of an entry of 24 as a breeder/owner/handler. Lexi is a third generation of my own breeding on both sides of her pedigree. This was followed by an owner-handler 3rd placement in a very competitive Open Bitch class out of an entry of 37 with Girlfriend, Kimani s Dreamin Out Loud, my lovely Durban daughter. I am truly honored and thank you for your consideration to nominate me for the 2016 RRCUS Nationals Sweepstakes. Elizabeth Lane RRCUS member since 1999 AKC Breeder of Merit 4
KAREN LaFLEUR: LaFLEUR S I have been an animal lover all my life and have spent the majority of my free time with dogs, cats, and horses. I bought my first pet Ridgeback when I was twenty years old and 5 years later obtained my first show bitch. She was very special and finished quite easily. Whitney had both her Majors and a single point in her first three shows. I also put a CD and a CDX on her and she finished in the top ten (#6) for obedience. Her name was Ch. Kwetu s My Sweet Whitney CDX. I acquired a co-owned bitch from Kimani Kennels. Her name was DC Kimani s Dream Maker SC. She became my foundation brood bitch. I have bred several champions including multi-group winners, best in regional specialty show, and a group placing dual champion, 2 top 10 dogs, 2 best of breed winners at Westminster and a co bred Best in Show dog. I also bred 2 BISS National Specialty winners. One of them I handled to that win. I also love to handle dogs. I have handled my own dogs to their championship and also shown many dogs for other people. Some of the most exciting wins have been at the National Specialty shows, 2 winners bitches, 1 winner s dog, 1 best of winners, a reserve winner s dog, 2 reserve winners bitches, best of opposite in sweepstake best puppy in sweepstake a best in National Specialty Show winner and one select bitch awards and 2 select dog awards, best veteran in show and multiple awards of merits at the Nationals. I also bred 2 best in shows at the National Specialty I have judged sweepstakes at the Orange Coast Rhodesian Ridgeback Club and the Greater Valley Forge Rhodesian Ridgeback Club and a Sweepstakes in Ocala Florida. I would love to judge the puppies and Veterans at the National. Thank you for considering me for your 2016 National Sweepstakes Judge. 5
NANCY RICH, DVM: UMTALI My Name is Nancy A. Rich and I am honored to have been nominated to judge Sweepstakes at our 2016 National Specialty. I grew up in Massachusetts but have spent most of my life in the Midwest. I received both my B.S. and DVM degrees from Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN. My dream as a child was to become a veterinarian. Even though my exposure to animals was limited while growing up in a suburb of Boston, my focus never wavered. I currently am a small animal veterinarian practicing in central Ohio. I wake every day thankful that I have followed my dream. Never did I imagine that I would encounter a breed of dog so alluring as the Rhodesian Ridgeback. I have long time RRCUS member Barb Sohayda to thank. She introduced me to this wonderful breed when she started working at the hospital where I work, Gahanna Animal Hospital, back in 1993. The hospital had never treated a ridgeback before and now we have well over 40 ridgeback patients. Barb is also responsible for my beloved Sprout, AM/CAN Ch. Umtali s Keeper of the Stars, CGC, ROM. Sprout was my first ridgie and my first show dog. My first show was the 1995 National Specialty in Pennsylvania. I was impressed with all the wonderful people and dogs that I met and knew I wanted to become part of this organization. I have been to every National since, except for Seattle in 2001. So often the term breeder to a veterinarian can have negative connotations. I have learned that there are good and bad breeders. RRCUS introduced me to people who are trying to preserve the integrity of the breed, not only in conformation but also in health, temperament and performance. I am proud to be a RRCUs member since 1995 and have tried to help the organization and the breed in any way I can. I currently am a member of the Health and Genetics committee and assist in the health screening clinics at the National as needed. I have had the opportunity to attend the AKC CHF Parent Club Conference where current research involving the health of our dogs is presented. I have had the pleasure to vet the past 3 Endurance Trials at our Nationals. I participate in any educational, health, and judging seminars offered in order to improve my knowledge of the breed. I am proud to have shown many dogs to their championship, such as Ch. Umtali s Amarillo by Morning, DC Umtali s Arrest Me Red, CGC, SC and DC Umtali s C est La Vie, CGC, SC, ROM. I have had the honor to judge sweepstakes at several regional club shows in Michigan, Wisconsin and Virginia. To judge sweepstakes at a National Specialty is one of the greatest honors to bestow a breeder and RRCUS member. I thank you for your nomination. 6
MAUREEN TAUBER: LYONNESE Sometimes Fate has plans for us that we can t begin to imagine. And so began my venture with our beloved breed 25 years ago while on a quest to help my sister find a quality breeder of Rhodesian Ridgebacks. Well I did, my sister got her puppy and the Ridgebacks got me! In 1989 I got my first Rhodesian Ridgeback, a 7 month old breeder return that stole my heart and forever changed my life. Her name was Cheebah and she became Kimani s Bad and Beautiful, UD, Can CDX, TDI, CGC. She went on to earn high honors in Obedience and was the Number One Ridgeback 3X, as well as earning Multiple HIT at all breed events. Although my first passion was Obedience, I moved on to lure coursing, conformation, show handling and breeding. I am very fortunate to have Alicia Hanna as my mentor and friend throughout, and co-owned and handled some great dogs including DC Kimani s Flexible Flyer SC ROM (Mozambique), BISS Kimani s Lasting Impression JC ROM (Durban), GCH Kimani s Etched in Gold (Shani) as well as showing many others to their Championships. I co-bred, co-own and handled last year s National Specialty Reserve Winners Bitch out of the 6-9 puppy class, CH Kimani s Set in Gold, and also co-bred the Reserve Winner s dog out of this year s National 6-9 month puppy class, Kimani s Something to Admire. Through the years I have been very privileged to see, study and witness many Ridgebacks from infancy to puppy, adolescence and adulthood. This has afforded me incalculable experience in the breed, especially in understanding behavior, temperament, and conformation. I currently live with 5 Rhodesians, including my two current show dogs - Bango, CH Lyonnese Master s Blend by Kimani and Summer, Lyonnese Midsummer s Night Dream. I also indulge my family with two rescue terriers, just for fun!! I would be much honored to contribute to the futurity of our beloved breed by Judging Sweepstakes at our 2016 National Specialty, and thank you for your consideration. Maureen Tauber 7