Photo © Lasting Image Photography

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SHOWDOGS: We're very pleased to meet you, Pat Guild. Can you tell us more about you, the person?

Pat: I am divorced and have two children, (a girl and boy), and two grandsons aged 8½ years and 6 years old respectively, living in Cape Town. I have been living here in Johannesburg with Ronnie for 17 years but if I could persuade him, I would also like to live in Cape Town near my family. I immigrated here to South Africa in May 1975 and have lived in Johannesburg for most of the 30 years. Believe it or not, my mother was South African, born in Bloemfontein and she went to boarding school in Port Elizabeth. In her twenties, she met my father, the First Officer on a cruise ship and after a whirlwind romance, they married in Cape Town and she went to live in Scotland. I work for Adcock Ingram, (which is part of the Tiger Brands Group), but on 1st July, I am starting a new job, (still within the Group) for the Research and Development Laboratories. My hobbies include cooking, reading, (mainly historical novels) and listening to music, (classical and something old-fashioned with a tune to it), but I don't have much spare time these days between my job, my dogs and running the household.

I like spending time with my dogs and enjoy my free weekends away from dog shows, just exercising and being with my dogs. I have recently realised that dog shows are not the most important thing in my life but family and friends are. At the end of January my daughter-in-law died very suddenly, tragically leaving my 36-year-old son a widow and four young boys without a mother. I also lost a friend.

SHOWDOGS: When did dogs and doggy matters begin to occupy a large portion of your life?

Pat: In Scotland I owned a Scottish Terrier and then Border Collies but after seeing the film "Lassie Come Home" as a child, I had always wanted a Rough Collie, (now I have many of them!). I try and encourage newcomers at shows, showing them what grooming products to use and how to use them and helping them with the correct type of show lead and a few handling lessons. Our sport is getting smaller by the year and we need to encourage more people to participate. My biggest fault is impatience but this is improving with age.

Although our household, from the time I was a baby, always included dogs of varying types, I really only started in the breed ring when I came to this country. I was encouraged to show my first Rough Collie by her breeder who thought that she was "show quality"! But she wasn't as I learned after about a year of standing last in my class, but I loved her anyway. The bug had bitten and I immediately decided to buy something better and progressed from there. Neil Kay can be blamed for starting off my judging career as he telephoned me out of the blue one day and asked me to judge part of the then Working Group at Pietermaritzburg Open Show when he was the Chairman of that club. I told him that I had never judged before but he said that I had to start somewhere, and that is how it began. I am now a Best in Show Judge and on the panel for 6 groups. I just have to finish off the Hound Group to become an all-rounder. I am the Assistant Secretary for Eastern Districts Kennel Club and take the minutes at their meetings. I am also a committee member of Toy Dog Breeders Association. I enjoy my committee work and have especially enjoyed helping to put together "The Supa 7 Spectacular" for Eastern Districts. I think that we have to consider putting something back into our sport instead of continually taking out.

I took on Pekingese and Siberian Huskies. I love the Pekingese character and enjoy showing these feisty little dogs. Although the Siberian Huskies are really Ronnie's, I still get involved in their grooming and preparation. But you will never see me running round the ring with one of them! I try to keep my private life separate from my dog life but inevitably they mingle.

SHOWDOGS: Can you share some of the highlights in your breeding/exhibiting career?

Pat: One of our best moments was with our blue merle Rough Collie, Ch.Ukulunga Kaleidoscope, (Speck) going B.I.S. at Western Province Kennel Club Championship Show. It is not often that a Rough Collie achieves this feat. It was made even better for us as his breeders and former owners Di and Alan Falconer were there to see it before their departure to New Zealand to begin a new life. It validated their trust in us to take this dog to the top in his dog showing career. They were in tears and it was a fitting finale to their dog showing in South Africa. Another momentous moment was when our Eng. Ch. & Ch. Rubec Blue Whisper of Saredon, (Robert) went 6th in the Dog of the Year competition at Goldfields. Also Ch. Seawind Moonlite Man, (Rory) who finished his show career on 115 Championship Show BOBs in a breed where he was never the only dog in the ring. He won many groups and group placings, and we bred him ourselves. He had a wonderful character and was a true companion. I don't think that there was anyone in the dog showing fraternity at that time that did not know "Rory Ryrie"! There have been a few BIS wins with Pekingese - each one momentous in its own way, especially with Ch. Seawind Beau Gem, (Teddy) who won several BIS. I don't think one ever gets tired or blasé with these big wins. Each one has its own thrill.

SHOWDOGS: What motivates you as a judge?

Pat: I take an interest in most breeds and enjoy watching at the different group ringsides. I get very absorbed in my judging and I'm always looking for that "great dog" I love finding a very promising puppy. I love judging puppies and when that special one comes into the ring, and watching how it goes all the way to the top winning line-up. Every now and again a dog comes into the ring that gives you goose bumps - not often, but it occasionally happens. Then you actually feel that you have discovered a potentially great dog. I judge when I am asked and I do not ask for appointments.

SHOWDOGS: In which other countries have you judged? Which was the most memorable?

Pat: I have judged in Australia, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Zambia. I am returning to Australia to judge at the beginning of August and I am judging in Norway at the end of August. Norway will be a challenge as it is FCI and I will have to do critiques. The most challenging judging appointment was the Brisbane Royal where I judged upwards of 2 000 dogs over 8 days with the finals of all the groups on the 9th day. Then Ronnie judged BIS. I learnt a great deal from this appointment through the large number of dogs that I had to go over. There is no time to stare at a dog for 10 minutes wondering where to place it. You have to rely on your "eye" and your experience to tell you. No time for measuring with your fingers a dog's head or length of loin. I firmly believe good judging comes from number of dogs seen. The more dogs you judge, the more your "eye" tunes in. At that show, I judged 126 Border Collies in approximately 2½ hours. I found a beautiful, sound Cavalier King Charles Spaniel for my Toy Group, a stunning Border Collie for my Herding (Australian Working) Group and a very lively, short-backed, well constructed Smooth Fox Terrier for my Terrier Group. I have also judged in Adelaide and Hobart.

SHOWDOGS: What do you expect from exhibitors?

Pat: I expect them to be at the ringside on time and not keep me standing for ½ hour waiting for them to get another dog out of their trailer/crate. If there is a problem, a word with the ring steward can clarify things. Those seasoned exhibitors should know that, for example, if the Junior Dog gets the CC the second in the class must be ready to go back in. I have wasted more time in this country standing idly in a ring than judging in it. All exhibitors must go to their places after the judging even if they do not like what I do. This is only good manners. No one likes standing last but it happens sometimes. I hate exhibitors to come into the ring in shorts and sandals or looking scruffy. I take the trouble to be smart and I expect them to go to some effort too. And that goes for the dogs too. Don't present me with scruffy, dirty dogs with matts and knots in the coat. I don't think as much bribery goes on as people give credit for. Exhibitors like to find a reason why they lost except that their dog was not, in the opinion of that judge, as good as the winner.

SHOWDOGS: How do you handle bad sportsmanship?

Pat: You always get it to a certain extent. The winners love you and the losers think that you are an idiot or someone's friend! It's something that you live with. I don't lose any sleep over it. If it starts to worry you then you shouldn't be judging. I have never had a display of really bad behaviour in the ring. I always make a point of smiling and talking to someone afterwards that I have previously had to "dump" whilst judging. Most people get over it. They just have to realise that it is not personal. You just prefer the other dog and perhaps on a different day……. I feel that if someone is your friend, they won't let this spoil a friendship! If it does, then they were never your friends and you are better off without them. Reporting someone to KUSA never achieves very much except to make really bad enemies and our sport really doesn't need this. I remember one of the "older" Bull Terrier exhibitors saying that in the "good old days", if you disagreed with a judge you had a good rip-roaring fight then went into Goldfield's pub and bought each other a drink, and it worked. No one has ever telephoned me with invitations or an offer of money to put them up!

SHOWDOGS: Do you have any amusing judging anecdotes to share with us?

Pat: Some of the conversations that some of the exhibitors try to have with you is quite eye-opening. When I judged in Zambia, where the whole show consisted of about 35 to 40 dogs, my Ring Steward was a Retired Colonel. After I had judged the first dog and I was wondering how to make my judging spread outover a couple of hours, he asked me if I would like to sit down now and have a beer! Problem solved!!!

SHOWDOGS thanks you most sincerely, Pat, for participating in this programme and wishes you lots of stunning dogs to go over.