2011 Judging Panel
Mrs Karleen Bennett (New South Wales)
Mr Allan Brown (Canada)
Mrs Thora Brown (Canada)
Mrs Margaret Burgoine (Tasmania)
Mr Keith Cronchy (Victoria)
Mr Phillip Cross (New South Wales)
Ms Gayle Denman (United States of America)
Mr Chris Graham (New Zealand)
Mr David Harris (United States of America)
Mrs Mary Keast (New South Wales)
Ms Nicole Whyte (Western Australia)
Mrs Karleen Bennett (New South Wales)
I have owned cocker spaniels since 1948, my first cocker was a gold and then I had golden white, since then I have owned all colours. In 1962 together with my husband, we imported our first of 14 cocker spaniels from the United Kingdom. Although I only have my breed judges license, (of my own choosing) I have been honoured to judge in "All specially clubs in Australia" including Western Australia. Two years ago I was asked to Judge overseas, in England and also South Africa.
In 1962 I was honoured with Life Membership of The Cocker Spaniel Society of N.S.W. I have also been made a Life Member of The N.S.W. Women's Dog Club and The Cocker Spaniel Club of the ACT.
I was a competitor at the inaugural Canberra Cocker Show, and was thrilled when my dog, Australian Champion Royoni Ruly "N" Truly won Best in Show. Canberra cocker club, has, and always will have wonderful memories for me. I thank you for the opportunity to judge our wonderful breed, here again, in Canberra.
Mr Allan Brown (Canada)
Allan Brown's life with purebred dogs began with the kennel of American Cocker Spaniels of his parents in the Toronto area. As with most children, his original involvement was not entirely of his choice but he soon discovered he shared their passion for the dogs and shows. While living at home, he worked in his parents' kennel as well as for several others near-by.
After marrying Thora (also an All Breeds judge), they soon acquired an Irish Setter to add to their Cockers. When they moved to some country property, they they were able to expand their breeding program of Irish Setters and English and American Cockers. At this time they began handling a large number of dogs, mostly Sporting Dogs and Hounds. They retired from professional handling in 1981. They have campaigned several of their own dogs to high rankings at the Breed, Group and All Breed level. The most notable was an Irish Setter, AM. CAN. CH. QUAILFIELD RISKY BUSINESS, winner of 15 Best in Shows, and several Specialties, who attained the position of #2 Sporting Dog and #6 all breed in Canada in 1991. In 1994 he came out of retirement to be #1 Irish, and #3 Sporting. AM. & CAN. CH. CAPTIVA ARMANI, also a multiple BIS winner, became #2 Irish in 2002 and 2003. In 2004, and 2005, CH WOODSMOKE WE'D LIKE TO SUGGEST, herself a BIS winner, became #2 Whippet.
Allan turned to judging in 1985, and is now approved to judge All Breeds and Best in Show by the Canadian Kennel Club and the American Kennel Club. He travels regularly to officiate from coast to coast in Canada and the United States. His international invitations have taken him to Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Ireland, Peru, New Zealand, Korea, the Philippines, Finland, Venezuela and South Africa.
Mrs Thora Brown (Canada)
Thora Brown started showing in 1960. She has been judging since 1983 and is a well-respected All Breeds judge. Over the years, she has owned and bred Irish Setters, American & English Cocker Spaniels & Bulldogs, and now has Irish Setters and Whippets. In addition to Canada, Thora has judged in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Finland, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Ireland, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines, Portugal, South Africa, Venezuela & the USA. She has also judged many Specialties in many breeds in most Groups. President of the Canadian Dog Judges Association.
Mrs Margaret Burgoine (Tasmania)
Coming soon
Mr Keith Cronchy (Victoria)
Keith started showing a Dobermann (which they bought as a guard dog) in 1966 and his young daughter showed a Shetland Sheepdog at the same time. In 1972 they added Great Danes in partnership and with which they continued until 1985. In that year they went into partnership and established the “Brigadoon” Bearded Collie kennels. Having served an apprenticeship as a Steward for several years, Keith started judging in 1972 and gained his first Championship Show Licence in 1974. Due to work commitments it was not until 1991 that he was able to gain the final Group to make him “All Breeds”.
He has been fortunate to have judged many times in both Islands of New Zealand and in all States and Territories of Australia. It has been particularly rewarding for him to have been invited back to judge for several affiliates.
In late 2004 he had his first truly international appointments when he judged in Johannesburg and Cape Town on consecutive weekends.
Keith and his wife Jill are contracted to judge the Golden Jubilee Open Show of the Bearded Collie Club (England) in July 2005; she to judge the Dogs and Keith to judge the Bitches, this is a signal honour for both of them. They will then be travelling on to Finland to judge at the Espoo Show in early August. A further appointment to judge in Finland in 2006 has been proposed.
When Keith judges he tries to take into account the characteristics and requirements of the breed Standards rather than being influenced by “Prettiest on the Stack and Fastest around the Ring”. When judging he is continually asking exhibitors to “Slow Down” when they are gaiting their exhibits – perhaps this is because when he is exhibiting he cannot keep up with them?
Mr Phillip Cross (New South Wales)
They have concentrated on their Miniature Pinschers, but have shown Pomeranians extensively, mostly for other people! Both have judged throughout Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and of course New South Wales. They have also judged in the Philippines and in NZ.
Ms G Denman (United States of America)
My original breed is the Bull Terrier and my one special bully was named Genny. She was born in 1986. She passed away several years ago but still holds a special place in my heart. Genny is the first bull terrier to have bitten me with the dog show bug and traveling across America showing bull terriers quickly became one of my passions.
Since the late 80’s, my interests have also included pursuing an American Kennel Club (AKC) judging license. I am currently an AKC licensed judge of the Bull Terrier and Miniature Bull Terrier and I also have an AKC license to judge several of the AKC non-sporting group dogs: French Bulldog, Bulldog, Bichon Frise, Boston Terrier, American Eskimo, Chinese Shar-Pei, Keeshonden, and Schipperke and am currently provisionally licensed to judge the Chow Chow, Dalmatian, Finnish Spitz and Lowchen. Now that I have retired from a 26 year career as the VP Finance/Reporting at Dyno Nobel North America, there is more time to pursue my interests and passions.
I am a member of the following kennel clubs:-
The Miniature Bull Terrier Club of America (MBTCA)
Bonneville Basin Kennel Association (BBKA)
The Golden State Bull Terrier Club (GSBTC)
The Bull Terrier Club of America (BTCA)
Throughout my 20+ years as a BBKA member, I have held several positions, including president, vice president, secretary, treasurer and board member.
In 2002, I prepared the BTCA judges’ education overhead presentation that are in use today.
Currently, there are two very special bullies in my life, Bonnie, a bull terrier and Bindi, a miniature bull terrier. I remarried later in life and have been with my husband Dick since 2006. Dick had never experienced a “bully run” before, but he seems to be adjusting nicely. In fact, just recently he used the term, “love” when referring to our 2 very naughty girls.
Here I am with my old girl, Blanca. She since has passed away and lies in my garden along with my first love, Genny.
See you ringside!
Mr Chris Graham (New Zealand)
Chris first started showing dogs in 1978 when he got my first English Setter. He has bred only a few dogs (under my Kennel Name of Windsor Park) but with some success, having an “In Show” winning home bred bitch in New Zealand and also exporting to Australia. He became involved in club management in 1978 when he went onto the committees of the English Setter Club and the Southern Gundog Society. He spent 10 years as the Secretary/Treasurer of the English Setter Club and went on to be Vice President and then President of the Southern Gundog Society. He also was on the committee of the Canterbury Branch of the Judges Association for several years. He first became involved in judging dogs in 1983 when he judged his first Ribbon Parade. He gained his Gundog Group licence in 1987 and is now an All Breeds judge at Championship level. He has judged throughout NZ, including his first BIS for AKC at Easter 2010, and has also judged Groups 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 in Australia (Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and West Australia).
He enjoys being a part of the Dog World and having contact with the people and their dogs. He looks forward to each and every judging appointment and to him there is nothing better than having the privilege of judging beautiful dogs and meeting great people along the way (except maybe riding his Harley Davidson!)
Mr David Harris (United States of America)
David was raised in Birmingham, the home of James Hinks and the birthplace of the Bull Terrier. Involved with pure bred dogs since childhood, he has owned, bred and exhibited since 1970 under the Brummagem affix. (Brummagem means something – like the original White Cavalier – made in Birmingham or a cheap and flashy trinket. Take your pick.)
A recognized authority on the history and development of the bull-and-terrier breeds and indeed on Bull Terriers in general, David is an avid canine chronicler. His first two books – Full Circle: A History of the Colored Bull Terrier (1989) and Bull Terriers Today (1998) are viewed as classics within the fancy. His more recent publications are The Bully Breeds (2008) and Bull Terrier (2009); in addition he has contributed reviews of about 30 terrier breeds for a soon-to-be-published canine encyclopedia. He has also written numerous articles on Bull Terriers, the bull-and-terrier breeds and terriers in general. Currently David is nearing completion of a comprehensive history of Bull Terriers, entitled Made in Birmingham.
Approved by the AKC to judge all terrier breeds, David’s travels have taken him around the world for the past several decades. In addition to judging regularly in America and Canada, he has had the good fortune to judge championship and specialty shows in Australia (four times), Belgium, Brazil, Britain (numerous times), Denmark (twice), Finland (1998 World Show), Germany (three times), New Zealand (twice), South Africa (three times) and Sweden. He has judged the Bull Terrier Club of America’s Silverwood Trophy three times and the club’s national specialty, also three times.
A long time member of the Bull Terrier Club of America, David has fulfilled many roles – from president to chairperson of the Health Committee. He is the recipient of the Club’s Bar Sinister award for extreme service to the breed. He has also served as vice-president and AKC delegate for the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club of America.
Since 1979 David has lived with his canine ménage of Bullies – of late adding a Border Terrier and soon, hopefully, a Manchester Terrier – in the sunny, high desert of New Mexico; he retired recently from the faculty of the University of New Mexico.
Mrs Mary Keast (New South Wales)
Mary got her first Italian Greyhound in the mid 70's and Adrian had a Saluki not long after. It wasn't long before they had several of both breeds, taking the large and the small to shows, but always concentrating on the IGs on the breeding side. At the moment, they have two Salukis along with the IGs. Mary was involved in the writing of the ANKC Extended Standard for the Saluki, and an article 'A Comparison of Standards of the Italian Greyhound' was published in the NSW Canine Journal in 1983 and is used extensively throughout Australia as a teaching aid. Over the years they have also owned and exhibited the occasional Afghan Hound, Greyhound, Whippet, Foxhound, Shetland Sheepdog, Skye Terrier, Pomeranian & Australian Silky Terrier, but none have been able to displace the IGs from their place in their hearts. To decrease the likelihood of genetic disease, Mary has imported IGs from Finland and the USA. She also had Lhasa Apsos for some 20 years, once again, not breeding but selecting from experienced breeders, preferring to put her effort into attempting to leave the IG gene-pool cleaner than when she began. Mary has served on many committees.
Ms Nicole Whyte (Western Australia)
Coming soon
Judges biographies will be added when they become available.
Contact Details
Canine Carnival Co-ordinatorCanberra, ACT, Australia
Phone : 0413131817
Email : canberracaninecarnival@yahoo.com.au