Four golden retrievers, their fur varying shades of gold, trotted up and down a ring inside the Edith Kanakaole Memorial Stadium as a judge from Canada watched their posture. At another end, a boy and a small, puffy Pomeranian practiced their show walk. In the stands, an Irish wolfhound and a pug took a nap, the wolfhound’s head resting on the bleachers and the pug’s head resting on its much larger canine friend.
Dozens of dogs and their owners were at the stadium Saturday for the annual Big Island Kennel Club all-breed shows, but almost none of the dogs barked. Most of them had done this sort of thing before, and were at ease — even when they were having their fur blow-dried.
Saturday’s event, hosted by the Orchid Island Dog Fanciers Club, Inc., continues today with shows in the morning and afternoon. There will be four shows in total over the weekend, each with its own Best of Breed, Best in Group (there are seven groups), and Best in Show awards. All are sanctioned by the American Kennel Club.
“They’re looking for the (dog) that best represents the breed,” said Pat Ferroris of Honolulu as she clipped the coat of Wynston, a Silky Terrier, to prepare him for the afternoon show. Wynston was a new arrival to Hawaii, having come just a month before from Victoria, Australia.
He’d won second place in the Toy group during Saturday’s morning show. A flat-coated retriever named Kasey, who was the top flat-coated retriever in the country last year, won Best in Show — his tenth overall.
Kasey’s owners live in the Seattle area and Kasey travels across the country to show. But for owners and breeders in the state of Hawaii, travel is a major barrier to showing their dogs. Events like the Big Island Kennel Club’s are important opportunities to gain the wins —and the points —needed for their dogs to become champions.
Champion dogs are more valuable as breeding stock, Doberman Pinscher owner Barry George of Mountain View explained. He’d brought three 15-month-old littermates to the event (their father, a champion Doberman, is retired). Rider and Diva were at their first show.
Paige, the ‘Dobie’ who George felt showed the most promise, had already gone to Honolulu in May for a show, where she earned two points towards the 15 she’ll need to be a champion. Only one of the littermates could make the trip to Oahu, and George was pleased with how well Paige had done.
“It’s expensive to take them to Honolulu,” he said.
For George, dog showing is “kind of like a family thing.” His son and daughter were both handling dogs during the Hilo event.
Despite the cost and the time commitment, those who are invested in breeding and showing dogs make the trips back and forth for AKC-sanctioned events because in Hawaii, these shows are few and far between.
“If you want more points, you have to go to the neighbor islands,” said Arlene Origiri of Honolulu. “It’s not like on the mainland, where they have them (shows) all the time.” Origiri and husband Brad own Bradlene Kennels and breed toy poodles.
Brad has been breeding the dogs for more than 35 years and is also a judge for toy breeds, but on Saturday he was focused solely on preparing 8-month-old Smash for the ring. He would also show Smash’s father, Ohji (Japanese for “prince”).
Smash stood perfectly still as Origiri spritzed his fur with hairspray, fluffed his ears with a hairbrush, and made sure that his puppy-trim coat was even.
“Hopefully he’ll be a champion this weekend,” Origiri said.
Email Ivy Ashe at iashe@hawaiitribune-herald.com.