A Flurry of “Firsts”

Photos by Brook Nugent

After what seemed like an eternity, 2020/2021 BCA National Week was finally upon us!

We found our little slice of Bulldog heaven at the Embassy Suites in Norman, Oklahoma. What a great hotel it was, too! From the wonderful free breakfast to the abundant meeting rooms to the seemingly cavernous show/grooming area – not to mention a great location – this hotel was absolutely as close to perfect for a National hotel as I have ever experienced. 

Hosting the week were the Oklahoma City Bulldog Club and BCA Division 4.  Show chairs Chuck Spears and Robert Newcomb did a masterful job coordinating the event, with a great set of helpers from the OKCBC and Division pitching in.

During the week, exhibitors were treated to two different bands for evening parties, wonderful auctions, a question-and-answer panel of experts and, of course, all the camaraderie one would expect of a large parent-club national.

Thanksgiving Week for many Bulldoggers also means National Week. The hotel provided an outstanding Thanksgiving dinner for those of us who elected to spend this holiday giving thanks with our Bulldog family. Kris Hobbes hosted this lovely evening with some great raffles and a lot of fun.

The judges-education seminar and workshop, as usual, were well attended.

Starting with the first “first,” we had two Nationals in one week! The 2020 “make-up” National was held on Sunday, November 21. Due to scheduling, this show did not host a Sweepstakes.

Lora Seale judged Obedience and Rally.

HIT from Novice B was Dorothy Wysaski’s CasaArabal Paradox HR Arenado RN AXP OJB BCAT ACT1 TKN BN-V.

The Rally Triple High Combined winner was Bea and Clay Page and Tammy and Amanda McAllister's RACH Wildwood Little Miss Sure Shot CD BN RM5 RAE3 FDC NAP AJP BCAT TT OSD CGC TKP. 

The Rally High Combined winner was Cindy Madill's Jamler’s Music To My Ears RA OAP OJP SEN. 

Judging class dogs was Anne M. Hier of North Branch, Michigan.

She found her Winners Dog (above) in the Open class winner, Capitan Sin Papi Bulls, owned by Edwin Carbonel Cabrera and Anghela Romero de la Piedra, handled by Ivan Garza.

Reserve Dog (above) was the 9-12 class winner, Dennilane’s Hey Mickey, bred and owned by Dennis Balanag and Lalaine Policar.

The judge for bitches was Van Blevins of Henrietta, Texas. For another “first,” the Peruvian-bred Open bitch winner, Fantasia 19 Tony Bus Bulls, was awarded Winners Bitch (above). She repeated this win on Monday at the OKCBC show.

Reserve Winners Bitch (above) was Aislinn Just South of Heaven, owned by Marcie Prior. 

So, yet another first: For the first time, Peruvian-Bred bulldogs were Winners Dog and Winners Bitch at a BCA National.

And for the first time, one handler, Ivan Garza from Mexico, showed Winners Dog, Winners Bitch and Best of Breed.

Judging Intersex – and another of our “firsts” – our beloved Jean Hetherington from Cary, North Carolina, became the first lady to judge BCA Intersex a second time. Jean also judged Junior Showmanship. Winning Best Junior was Brielle Villarreal (above) . Reserve Best Junior was Zoe Brewer.

Jean found her Best of Breed (above) in Miguel Campos’s homebred Ch. Perla (Campos), shown by Ivan Garza.

Another “first”! The first time a foreign bitch has won a BCA National. And a first for a Mexican-bred bitch. 

Best of Winners was awarded to Fantasia 19 Tony Brus Bulls, owned by Miguel Angel Riveros Naue, Jonathan Garcia and Atoche Garcia, and handled by Ivan Garza.

Best of Opposite Sex (above) was Betsy Love’s homebred GChG JWilson’s B-Loved Polar Express. Another “first” for the week: “Bear,” by virtue of winning National BOS, as well as being a newly inducted Platinum Ambassador for Health, was the first recipient of the Russ Thomas Health Award.  

Select Dog (above) was GChG Irresistabull Winter Is Coming of Danditops. Link Newcomb, Annette Nobles, owners. Handled by Jay Serion.

Select Bitch (above) was Ch. Rutila (Hernandez). Eduardo Hernandez/ Juan Garcia, owners.

Awards of Merit:

GChB Cherokee Legend Paddington (Cody Sickle and Connie Chambers).

Ch. Bright Lights Rocyn 24K Magic (Kara Gordon, Joan Fisher, Eduardo Lima).

GChB Major League Red’s Pretty Woman (Leanne and Vince Long and Teresa McDermott and Zac Lane).

GChB JK’s D1’s Lefty (Kenneth and Jean Swaim).

GChS Agape’s Belle of the Ball (Alecia Wagner and Chuck Spears).

Stud Dog: GCh. Agape’s Majestic Pavlov’s Theory (Alecia Wagner and Chuck Spears).

Brood Bitch: GChB Dog Gone’s Living On A Prayer (Christine Hermiller).

Veteran Dog: GChS Rocyn’s American Hero of Frontier (Linda Scott, Jaime Vasquez and Beverly Lamb).

Veteran Bitch: GCh Imperious Enjoy Pretty Pretty Please (Larry and Jody Hoffman, breeder/owners).

Best Puppy: Frontiers Frontrunners Pink Pokadot (Linda Scott, Jaime Vasquez and Tristan Turner).

Best Brace: Hermys Good Golly Miss Molly/GChB Dog Gone’s Living On a Prayer (Christine Hermiller).

Best Owner Handler: GChS Agapes Belle of the Ball (Alecia Wagner and Chuck Spears).

We call this “National Week” for a reason: The entire week is jammed full of activities. This year was slightly different from the norm due to the Covid pandemic. 

The iconic BCA Hall of Fame and Gallery of Winners were set up starting on Sunday and stayed open through Thursday. Our famous gallery of past BCA National BOB and BOS oil portraits, Hall of Fame plaques and historical trophies is a “must-see” for anyone attending BCA National. Even people who have been attending the National for decades are sure to stop by to visit the gallery. Many of us have our beloved dogs featured among the National winners.

The Performance Committee’s popular Fun Zone was in full swing. This offered opportunity for people to give various performance activities a try. “Sniff and Go” was a scent-work practice. Canine Good Citizen and Trick Dog Testing were offered. 

Three evaluators – April Paulman, Donna Wattenbarger and Bea Page – administered testing during national-specialty week, and all the Bulldogs passed. Results: five new CGCs (Canine Good Citizen), seven new CGCAs (Canine Good Citizen Advanced), eight new TKNs (Trick Dog Novice), seven new TKIs (Trick Dog Intermediate) and two new TKAs (Trick Dog Advanced).

The Best All-Around Bulldog was based on a variety of activities. Bea Page’s Oakley (RACH Wildwood Little Miss Sure Shot CD BN RM5 RAE3 FDC NAP AJP BCAT TT OSD CGC TKP) was the winner of this great award!

Best Trick Dog was Iroc Hit Girl RI FDC AX OAJ OF DCAT SWM SCEE SEEE SHDM (“Mindy”), owned by April Paulman.

The Oklahoma City Bulldog Club held its specialties on both Monday and Saturday. BCA Division 4 hosted its show on Thursday into Friday. Due to space constraints, complete results won’t be listed here, but can be found on the parent-club website.

The 2021 BCA National officially started on Tuesday, November 23, with Sweepstakes, Obedience and Rally. Donna Wattenbarger did a superb job as trial chair. 

Judging Rally and Obedience was Mrs. Helen Smith of Jones, Oklahoma.

HIT from Novice B was Dorothy Wysaski’s CasaArabal Paradox HR Arenado RN AXP OJB BCAT ACT1 TKN BN-V.

Winning the Rally trial was Bea and Clay Page and Tammy and Amanda McAllister’s RACH Wildwood Little Miss Sure Shot CD BN RM5 RAE3 FDC NAP AJP BCATT TT OSD CGC TKP. She was also the winner of both the Triple High Combined and High Combined.

There were a few “firsts” in performance this year, too: First back-to-back winner of top honors in Obedience-HIT went to Dorothy Wysasaki and her boy Parsnip. First back-to-back as well as first two-time winner to date of top honors in Rally, High Triple Combined for Bea Page and her girl Oakley.

Judging Sweepstakes were Sean and Alisha Worley of Jay, Oklahoma. Alecia judged Dogs and Intersex; Sean judged bitch classes.

Best in Sweeps (above) was awarded to Kristina Hobbs’ 6-9 puppy bitch, Royal Crown’s Hamitup Louise Vuitton.

Best of Opposite Sex (above) went to Landon and Stacie Richards’ Colorado’s Black Tie Affair.

The afternoon classes featured Mike Otten of Lake Ozark, Missouri, judging bitches. Claudia Brown of Sequim, Washington, judged dogs.

Claudia’s choice from Bred-By Exhibitor (above) was Alecia Wagner and Chuck Spears’ Agape’s Tequila Sunrise Spears.

Reserve Dog (above) from 9-12 was D1’s Dragon Warrior, bred and owned by Dino and Christie Garza.

Mr. Otten’s selection for Winners Bitch (above) was the Open class winner, JWilson’s-Highlander Baroness of The Loch, owned by Kenneth D Andrews and shown by Laycee Parsons.

Reserve Bitch (above) from 9-12 was Slaterpryce Little Pond Your Next Fix, owned by Shirley Slaterpryce, Danny Brooks and Liz Karshner.

The week’s next big highlight was the 2021 Intersex competition. Bridgett Higginbotham of Cedar Ridge, California, did the honors.

But first, the Junior Showmanship competition was judged by Mike Otten. Repeating her Best Junior win from the 2020 National was Brielle Villarreal of Elk Grove, California.

Repeating for Reserve Best Junior was Zoe Brewer from New Jersey.

Another “first”! Both talented young ladies repeating their wins at “back-to-back” Nationals!

And with a slew of “firsts,” we had a repeat performance! 

Perla (Campos) repeats her win from the 2020 National (above)! The first time a bitch has won two Nationals. The first time it was back to back. The first time it was twice in one week, and the first time a foreign-bred bitch (Mexico) did all this!

Congratulations to her entire “team”!

Best of Winners was awarded to the WD, Agape’s Tequila Sunrise Spears.

Best of Opposite Sex (above) went to Cody Sickle and Connie Chambers’ GCh Cherokee Legend Paddington.

Select Dog was Betsy Love’s Ch. B-Loved Shot Heard Round The World.

Select Bitch (above) was awarded to Ch. Bright Lights Rocyn’s 24K Magic, owned by Kara Gordon, Joan Fisher and Eduardo Lima, shown by Eduardo Paris.

Awards of Merit:

GChB. JK’s D1’s Lefty (Kenneth and Jean Swaim).

Ch. Rutila (Eduardo Hernandez and Juan Garcia).

GCh. Fast and Furious Pisko Bulls (Jonathan David Flores Siguas).

Ch. Agape’s Bella Donna Spears (Alecia Wagner/Chuck Spears).

GChB Agape’s Winds of Change (Alecia Wagner/Chuck Spears).

Veteran Dog-GCh. Dog Gone Poplarhill’s Man Behind The Mask (Rachel Garde, Sandra Renfro and Ciera Woods).

Veteran Bitch: 10-year old GCh. Bulldacious La Dee Da (Tammy and Amanda McAllister and Melissa Lamb).

Stud Dog: GCh. Agape’s Majestic Pavlov’s Theory (Alecia Wagner and Chuck Spears).

Brood Bitch: GChB Dog Gone’s Living On A Prayer (Christine Hermiller).

Best Puppy from 9-12 was D1’s Dragon Warrior (D and C Garza).

Best Brace: Hermys Good Golly Miss Molly/GChB Dog Gone’s Living On a Prayer (Christine Hermiller).

Best Owner-Handler: GChB Agape’s Winds of Change Spears (Alicia Wagner and Chuck Spears).

The annual awards banquet is another highly anticipated event. Teresa McDermott and Vincenza Pittman along with a fantastic group of helpers arranged a fantastic evening. A running slideshow of Bulldog and Bulldoggers played during dinner. Wonderful centerpieces were created by Mexican Bulldogger Ignacio Villaneuva.

Sean Worley did the invocation, and we had a moment of silence for our dear departed friends and loved ones. 

BCA President Dennis Ehntholt had several remarks about the week. Awards for Hall Fame breeders, stud dogs, brood bitches, individual contribution, AKC Good Sportsmanship, Ambassadors for Health and performance awards were distributed.

Slide shows for the health ambassadors and versatility awards were played.

Another of our “firsts”: The first time the performance versatility awards were presented at the annual banquet.

Well-known and beloved Oklahoma bulldog breeder-veterinarian Joel Wilson was also recognized as the banquet honoree.

The week’s judges then gave their remarks.

Bob Newcomb once again was awesome as auctioneer for several wonderful items. 

Another highly anticipated part of the banquet is the presentation of the following year’s National Week. The 2022 National will be hosted by BCA Division 8 and will be held at the Marriot Knoxville Downtown in Knoxville, Tennessee, over Thanksgiving week, November 21-26. 

We can hardly wait!