MINIATURE BULL TERRIER

The Miniature Bull Terrier Club of America presents...

The 2004 National MBT Specialty

by Julie Grider, Envision/Registan MBT’s

Editor's Note: Scroll to end for details on the trophy snafu *

There were 37 dogs entered under Australian Judge Mrs. Margaret Burgoine in San Jose CA on October 15, 2004. Excitement rippled as corky Mini-Bulls strutted their stuff, tails stiff and faces either smiling or glinting steel male-to-male.

Okay, there was a bit of a mess with ribbons that read Miniature Pit Bull Terrier Club Of America, (we will explain later) but first things first! Here’s the magnificent Breed Winner…

BOB: Ch. Kingsmere Moondoggie

by Ch. Graystone White on White x Darby Fair Kingsmere Can-Do

Owned by Linda Lethin and Terry Martin

”Smudge” is 2002 & 2003 Pedigree Award Winner, Van Hildrikhusen Trophy winner, and twice Nat. Specialty BOB. He is WKC BOB winner with multiple Group placements. Smudge is twice MBTCA Stud Dog, was in the top 5 Terrier producers of 2002, and is already the sire of 17 Chs. Including 3 Van Hildrickhusen Trophy Winners. His owners say “He’s done just about everything we have asked him to do! Who knows what the future will hold for all of us?”

An exquisitely feminine Breed Representative:

BOS & AOM: Ch. Tecuya's Sweet Miss Stache

Ch Kingsmere Moondoggie x Ch Tecuya's Gild the Lily

Bred by: Brenda Smith

Owned by: Deborah L. McFeely and Brenda Smith

“Stache” finished in four shows with all majors before she was one year old. She ranked fourth in the breed in 2003. In Addition to her AKC championship she holds an International championship and received an International Best-In-Show Puppy at 14 months.

Stache has won her share of awards even with the stiff competition of showing against her brother “Moe.” She is lively, fun loving and a beloved pet. Her favorite game is tug-o-war. “Girls just want to have fun” is what she’s all about. Look for Stache and her brother Moe at Westminster 2005.

The wonderful day was marred only by the Ribbons and Trophies fiasco. The class placements etched onto each trophy mug were painted over with a red heart. President Giselle Simonds explained that painting them was preferable because otherwise, they would have been wasted (they were dated 2004) or perhaps there wouldn’t have been enough 1st place trophies. She went on to say the heart is associated with San Francisco and goes along with the Bay Bridge which was also etched onto the mugs. The show was in San Jose, not S.F. but she told this easterner “it’s all the bay area.” Giselle said there were more 2nd and 3rd place mugs than there were entries in each class, so she deemed it expedient to have an artist paint over the placements, even glazing the heart so it “wouldn’t wash off.” She wasn’t sure why none of the trophies are indicative of a National Specialty win.

And then there were the ribbons on which is printed The Miniature Pit Bull Terrier Club Of America. That’s right. Pit Bull. Gisele said “they were the same ones used last year and not one single person complained about the “microscopic” mistake.”  She added that she didn’t even know about it. That explains why, true to reports, she offered no apology to exhibitors for the ribbons. She assured this editor that the ribbons will be replaced but added “only if they complain.”

Well, bully people have a great sense of humor and tremendous tolerance but the fact is, there were complaints! Treasurer Deb McFeely has already spoken with the ribbon company and reports “(they) will be reordering a die and redoing the smaller ribbons and the middle ribbon to the rosettes.”  Corrected ribbons will be sent to all who received the bad ones. Safe to say, in the future all ribbons and trophies will be checked well in advance of the show date.

The classes were certainly filled with quality!

WD & BW: CH. Jiltrain Give Me A Clue

The exciting red Imported from England in Oct. 2004

Owner: Zane Smith

“Blade” is two years old with a distinguished record in the U.K. He was Best In Show, Miniature Bull Terrier Club of England 2004 and has 2 CC’s and 2 Res.CC’s. In Ireland, his record is equally impressive with Ch. Show Terrier Group winner in Ireland (only MBT to ever win a Group in Ireland) and Blade was Top Mini Bull in Ireland 2004.

His record in the USA (in two months of shows) is #3 MBT IN America 2004, gained by having achieved BOW MBTCA National Specialty and BOW MBTCA Regional Specialty, plus he is a Multiple Best of Breed & Group Placer

Red was In! This little red girl swept the boards.

WB & AOM: VIP'S Pocket Change O'BJ

By Ch Kingsmere Moondoggie x Victoria’s Secret O'BJ

Breeders: Fran Smith-Milteer & Barbara "BJ" Andrews

Expertly handled at the Specialty by Brenda Smith.

Owned by: Fran Smith-Milteer

“Penny” is a grandbaby from two of BJ’s best imports. Her impeccable pedigree and lovely type = a blueprint for victory. She was also WB at the prestigious Van Hildrikhusen specialty. Fran says “We are looking forward to a bright future which includes a mini-vacation in balmy Palm Springs Kennel Club January 8th & 9th. Please come by and visit Penny for a little “change.” She needs only singles to finish her championship and having qualified for the Crufts Dog Show, would very much like to visit London. 

Deb McFeely sums it up nicely, "One of the highlights of the day was the awards party we all attended with the BTCA it was fun, full of laughs and the food was great. At the show there were lots of puppies jumping all over the place and this gave lots of unexpected joy to the atmosphere. Even the hotel visitors were taking pictures and laughing. Excitement was in the air. Everywhere you turned you saw a bully!"

* I’m Julie Grider, the Trophy Coordinator for the MBTCA.  I’m not a writer; I tend to write as I would speak. I’m not sure everyone is aware of exactly how the MBTCA gets funds for trophies and have been asked to explain how it works.

It was decided several years ago that the MBTCA would not give trophies at the Nationals or any MBTCA Specialty. The trophy monies would be used on health issues within our breed. The trophy money went to the K9 health fund for Lens Luxation. For years there were NO trophies.  If your MBT won breed at the MBTCA Nationals it received a ribbon, nothing else. Our obligation with the K9 health fund is now over, so as of last year the MBTCA started setting up a trophy fund again.

There are however, members that do not want money spent on trophies. They are very vocal members. Yet everything I do is split 3 equal ways between the trophy, health & rescue funds. The only thing that is raised for trophies only is the Caffepress site. That money is strictly for the trophy fund. What people don’t understand is everything goes full circle. If you have nice trophies that people want to win, they will enter their MBT to have a chance at winning it. That gets you more entries per Show. We have auctions at those shows and the money raised benefits all three funds, which means more people will be attending the auction to raise more money.

If we’re going to raise money for the three funds we must get people to the shows! NO trophy money comes from the General fund. ALL trophy money must be raised and we are only allowed to spend that money that is raised, not a penny from the General Fund. If the trophy fund has $2,100.00 that is ALL the money that can be spent on approximately 70 trophies! Now go buy 70 awesome Crystal trophies for $2,100. It can’t be done. We get the best trophies we can with the funds we have.   Sadly, the biggest complainers of the trophies are people who never gave one dime to the Trophy Fund. How can we get nice trophies if no one donates to the fund?

A trophy fund is not a new thing to do within a club. Our club is very small, with just over 120 members. Raising money is hard with so few people. It is very hard when people fight you the entire way! A friend of mine came up with the idea of people sending in pictures of their MBT and she would make a MBT quilt with the submitted pictures. I’m taking the quilt and having the MBT’s names embroidered onto the quilt. This is all being paid for by me. She is doing all the sewing. Can you imagine how much time she’ll put into this? I post to the MBT yahoo list asking for pictures to be submitted and I explained that the money would go to The Health, Rescue & Trophy funds.

That it would be split three equal ways.  Are people excited? NO WAY!  They instantly start in that the money should be for Health only, or Rescue only. Then they came up with the idea that who ever won the quilt should pick where the money goes?  I’m sorry that isn’t happening when I (Julie) will spend probably $400 on the material & embroidering.

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