Hadley Twp.- Rick Gschwender has gone to the dogs.
He returned shortly after Valentine’s Day.
Township resident Gschwender, 54, was selected to be one of the judges at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show Feb.13 and 14 in New York City.
‘I did breed judging (at Westminster) two years ago,? Gschwender said. ‘Usually you have to judge several times before you are invited to judge the group, if you ever are invited to judge the group.?
But Gschwender was invited to judge the ‘herding dog? group, even though he had only been a breed judge for Westminster once before.
For Gschwender, the opportunity was an honor.
‘I don’t think there’s any one that if they were offered the opportunity to judge at Westminster would turn it down,? said Gschwender.
The path to Westminster began for Gschwender about 30 years ago. He was working the afternoon shift at work and his wife,Debbie, was nervous being home alone.
‘My wife wanted a protective dog around the house,? Gschwender said. The couple decided to get a bouvier.
Gschwender said he likes the breed because they are laid-back, very intelligent dogs.
‘They’re a big breed and even though they’re a large dog they’re a relatively quiet dog? said Gschwender. ‘The drawback is the long hair and the grooming,?
It wasn’t long before the Gschwenders were interested in showing the dog and spoke to a professional handler about the possibility of doing so.
The handler advised buying another bouvier for the specific purpose of showing. The Gschwenders followed that recommendation.
‘We bred her, had puppies and went from there,? Gschwender said.
Gschwender has been involved with showing dogs since 1979. During that time he said he has owned and bred over 50 champions and several national specialty winners.
‘It’s kind of a big thing when you win the national,? said Gschwender.
‘I’ve done alright,? Gschwender said. ‘I’ve had some nice dogs.?
At one point, Gschwender said he had as many as eight bouviers living in his house.
Of all the dogs he’s owned, Gschwender said there is one in particular that stands out in his memory; Rombo Flaming Star.
‘It was our first litter,? said Gschwender. ‘She was top female Bouvier in the country in 1982.?
In 1995, Gschwender was approved to judge Bouvier at shows.
At that time, the requirements to become a judge were that you had to have been showing dogs for a minimum of 10 years, had four litters and bred two champions. ‘That was the bare minimum,? said Gschwender.
Gschwender, an electrician at Ford, said he was not paid for his services as a judge at Westminster, although his expenses were covered by the organization.
‘When we landed in New York I thought ‘boy, it’s too late to turn back now,? said Gschwender.
Gschwender decided to follow what he considered to be some very valuable advice he’d been given; just go out there and enjoy it.
Although, admitted Gschwender, he was just a bit nervous.
‘I was worse the first time, when I judged breeds there,? said Gschwender.
‘There’s the butterflies,? said Gschwender, but ‘once you go out there your mind just goes into what you’re going to do.?
And what Gschwender was going to do was judge dogs based on standards for everything from movement to eye color.
‘Each breed has a standard that is put out by the breed club,? said Gschwender. ‘I judge how close (the dogs are) are to the breed standard.?
Some imperfections are merely a fault, others are disqualifiers said Gschewender.
Aside from the pressure of judging, Gschwender said he had to work within the constraints of a television production. Judges were given 18 minutes to judge the first half of a group, but commercials went long by three minutes. It was a difference Gschwender was expected to make up by reducing his scoring time.
‘It’s a TV show about a dog show,? said Gschwender.