So What's the Buzz All About?

by Ellen English

Champion Aquarius Centercourt Delight has an almost unparalleled career...and a somewhat unexpected nickname: Buzz.   His owners, Kathy Sneider and Julie MacKinnon, really enjoyed the movie Toy Story and especially loved the character Buzz Lightyear. When you name a puppy, you really dont know what theyre going to turn out like, but he is so much like Buzz Lightyear, Kathy laughs. Hes on guard all the time, always standing up straight with his chest out, ready to go!

Ready to go might be an understatement. This exuberant 92 pound yellow Lab, who Kathy calls a goofball, has traveled extensively in his show career, rising in the ranks to become not only the top US Labrador in the show ring for 2003, but also to rack up some record breaking numbers for the breed:

► He has the most Best in Show wins in a single year for any Labrador in recorded history: 7

► The most Group wins in a single year: 31 (Labradors are in the Sporting Group.)

► He is the #2 Sporting Dog in the country right now, in this Group of almost 30 breeds.

► He is also the #17 dog overall- of all show dogs in the country! This overall ranking is almost unheard of for a Labrador because despite their #1 ranking with the public, Labradors are generally not as popular with the judges at All-Breed shows.

These impressive numbers are all the more amazing when you consider that Buzz barely survived his first week of life. There were only 3 puppies in Buzzs litter and tragically, the other two died during birth. The sole surviving puppy did not even gain one ounce for 7 days. I thought he wouldnt make it, Kathy remembers. My friends and family all chipped in for puppy-sitting duties so that he was never left alone for the first 8 days! Blessedly, Buzz did start gaining weight and Kathy is very grateful to all those who kept vigil that precarious first week of Buzzs life: her mom Mildred, and friends Ro, Ginny, Leslie, Corey, Abby & Lauren.

Kathy had previously bred Labs before taking a break to attend vet school, pursuing what she calls her second career after many years as a microbiologist. Once she was ready to begin breeding again, she contacted Sharon Parr of Delight Kennels on Long Island who had gotten her first show Lab from Kathy years earlier. Sharon offered her a granddaughter of that original show dog: Delight Aquarius Courtside, who became Buzzs dam. His sire was 2-time Westminster Best of Breed winner and multiple Specialty Winner CH Lobuff's Bare Necessities CD JH- the #1 Lab in the country for both 93 and 95. As a youngster, Buzz was not striking, Kathy recalls with bemusement, he was correct and pretty, but not a big, massive puppy. I used to ask my breeder friends: I know hes good, but do you think hes enough? Now that hes one of the winning-est Labs, they love to joke with me: yes, Kathy, hes enough!"

She handled Buzz in the show ring herself through much of his early career, recounting with well deserved pride that he rarely lost a puppy class and only had 2 second place finishes. In fact, at his very first show Kathy had a pretty good hint of the success to come. Entered at the New Brunswick Kennel Club show in March of 99 along with 173 others, he was awarded Reserve Winners Dog at just 6 months of age. The judge, renowned Lab breeder Sally Bell, even wanted to buy him! Of course Buzz had become part of the family, so Kathy wasnt about to let him go and he went on to finish his Championship only one year later at the Sawmill River Kennel Club show. Professional handlers started calling her, wanting to campaign Buzz for national ranking but Kathy felt he was still too young for the rigors of being on the road every week. She continued to handle Buzz herself for the most part since hes a natural show dog-all you have to do is talk to him and play with him in the ring. Hes just the perfect little showman!

Certainly one of the grandest moments of Buzzs career was his Best of Breed win at the highly esteemed Labrador Retriever Club of the Potomac Spring Specialty in April 2002. Considered by most to be the largest Labrador show in the world, the Specialty had 962 Labs entered that year! (most Specialties have entries of 150-300.) Buzzs co-owner, Julie, was handling him at Potomac and as he continued to make it through the judges cuts, several of their friends suggested with excitement that he might get a Judges Award of Merit (aka JAM.) Im not here for a JAM! Julie said with a smile of determination, and sure enough, Buzz was announced the winner. Kathy remembers the occasion with great delight: as soon as they called his name, I jumped over the ring fence and went running...Im hugging Julie and Buzz, and the Ring Steward is trying to get me out of the ring so they can finish!

Relatively few Lab owners take their dogs show career to the national level, known as being specialed, but they knew the time had come to campaign Buzz against the best of the best. They turned to professional handler Joy Quallenberg, who had handled him on occasion. Ironically, Joy had predicted their pairing years earlier when she first saw Buzz at a Boston show. Impressed with the handsome, happy puppy, shed told Kathy way back then: when he gets older, hes mine! Now theyve become quite the team. Kathy says Joy loves Buzzs up attitude and Buzz loves her too. Since theyre on the road together almost every week, its this bond that can make the difference in the ring. Buzz was in a tough battle with another dog for that # 1 ranking for 2003, so while physical conformation is the most important criteria for a champion, it may well be his love of showing that set him apart.

Buzz even takes costume contests very seriously. The Mid-Jersey LRC Specialty holds a just-for-fun costume class each year and Buzz took 1^st place this past October in, what else, his Buzz Lightyear outfit. He walked in the ring like he was in the Group ring, Kathy laughs, he was so proud of himself! When asked about how he deals with the hectic atmosphere of dog showing, Kathy says that he loves other dogs and gets along with everyone. Hes just a gentleman.

Now that hes top dog, whats left to shoot for? Even bigger records. Kathy and Julie have decided to have Buzz shown for one more year to see if he can break the career record for the most Best in Show wins, which is currently 13. With 8 already under his belt (or rather, his collar) Buzz is the man to take on the challenge. Although they miss having him at home, hes on a roll and in a unique position to make an attempt on the record. Theyll continue to travel most weekends to see their pal compete in the ring and to happily endure the body slams that he tends to greet them with. Buzz loves to come flying out at top speed and hit me with all of his force to say hello, Kathy laughs, hes a very happy dog, a fun dog-hes just our Buzz.   Whatever 2004 brings in the show ring, there are several trainers interested in putting obedience, field or agility titles on him in the future. With his exceptional attitude and physique, theres no telling how much he might accomplish.

And of course theres an almost constant stream of requests to have him sire a litter. I don't know how many puppies he's had, Kathy says, he was used as a stud dog at a very young age, so he has had quite a few litters.  Most of them were for show litters so he has produced several Champions, with many in the show ring all over the country.  He was just bred to a field champion bitch and the owner is hoping to get some dual champion puppies.

For this handsome star, the future is boundless...much like the character Buzz Lightyear, who likes to proclaim to infinity and beyond!

Tail End:

For more information on showing and conformation, visit our articles: The Veratile Lab and The History of the Lab as well as our links on Show/Conformation.

 

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