Specialty Conformation Judge: Neil Graves

Neil Graves is from Calgary, AB and is licensed to judge all breeds, Groups and Best in Show with the Canadian Kennel Club.
 He started in the dog world by showing a German Shepherd dog in Obedience in 1966. Shortly thereafter he decided to show in conformation and began to breed and show Old English Sheepdogs. He soon realized that living in the city was not conducive to an Old English breeding program so he went in search of a smaller breed, thus the Lhasa Apso. He has owned and bred Lhasa Apso’s from 1974 – 2008. Mr. Graves is no longer breeding or showing the Lhasa Apsos, but still has the Shih Tzu breed in the TruBlu kennel. The TruBlu kennel has been the dominate Lhasa Apso kennel in Canada from 1977 to present achieving over 60 Best In Shows. He has also campaigned and handled Great Danes, Shih Tzu’s, Pekingese and Whippets.

Mr. Graves is a retired firefighter serving on the City of Calgary Fire Department for 32 years. Upon his retirement in 1999, he became an all breed judge. He has judged in many countries including: Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Columbia, Brazil, Sweden and Norway.

In 1996, he judged the Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Canada (BMDCC) National Specialty in Saskatoon, SK (pictured above) and comes highly recommended by Bernese breeders and exhibitors from the Prairie region.

Jeni West showing CH Jenda's Hail The Queen

Sweepstakes Judge: Jeni West

Jeni West has been involved in dogs her entire life. She has been involved in Conformation, a little bit of Obedience, and plans to  get involved with draft with my dogs. Jeni is a professional handler and she was honored to show one of the best Bernese Mountain Dogs of all time--CH. Nashems Taylor Maid--who has made a huge impact on her life.
Taylor became the Top Winning Bernese Mountain Dog Bitch of all time and has produced many Champions. 
Jeni breeds Bernese under the kennel name Jenda www.jendabernese.com 
In 2008, Jeni judged Futurity at the BMDCA National Specialty in Rhode Island.
 

All Breed Obedience & All Breed Rally Judge: Michel A. Calhoun

Mike Calhoun has been a member of the Canadian Kennel Club since 1975 and was the owner of Zoon-Monere Training School for 15 years. Following an illness, he closed the school and now trains only with obedience clubs in his area. While training Dobermans, Bouvier des Flandres and German Shepherd Dogs in obedience, tracking & schutzhund, Mike also found time to offer classes in Quebec, Ontario, New York and Vermont. Mike Calhoun has been judging for 16 years, the Sport of Obedience taking him across Canada, parts of the United States and into Bermuda. During this time, he has met - Great Clubs, People and Dogs. Mike has the utmost respect for Juniors and Seniors in his ring, doing his best to help people relax so they may give their best routine on the day.  Mr. Calhoun has judged Bernese Specialty Obedience Trials in Bradford, Ontario in 2004, and in Edmonton, Alberta in 2006, and in Trois Rivières, Quebec in 2006 & 2009.
 

Wanda Tait with Ch Oberland's Don't Think Twice

Sieger Show & Draft Test Judge: Wanda Tait

For Wanda Tait and her husband Eric, dogs have always been part of their lives, but it was not until the early 1980’s, that they were fortunate to meet some extraordinary Bernese Mountain Dogs and have them join the household. Over the years she has imported dogs from a number of countries, traveled to shows in different regions, the US and Europe. This helped to form the impression of what to strive for in her breeding program: beauty, utility, health and that all winning Berner temperament. Wanda's first Bernese litter was born in 1988. Her Oberland kennel had five BMDs recognized as Bernese Mountain Dog Club of Canada (BMDCC) Top Producers, with Meadow Wood’s Risa v Oberland and Alpenblick’s Hjera v Oberland ranking #1 and #2 on the list.

Wanda and Eric became involved in conformation and obedience showing. They developed a keen interest in drafting through involvement with the local Newfoundland Club, which evolved into a continued passion. Wanda became a Draft Judge in 2000. She has actively participated in every aspect of drafting from entrant to Chair and Judge. She has been honored with judging at two previous Specialties and several other tests. In 1999, Wanda had the good fortune to judge Sweepstakes at the BMDCC National Specialty, and again in 2005. Wanda is looking forward to the opportunity of combining what she has learned in an effort to honestly and effectively judge the Sieger show and Draft Test at the 2010 BMDCO Specialty.

Draft Test Judge: Rick Connell

Rick Connell first became aware of the Bernese Mountain Dog breed when his cousin brought a male back with him from Switzerland in 1989.  Rick and his wife Heather started investigating the breed and it took over a year and a half before they received their first Bernese "Bronson".  Bronson sold them on the breed to the point that they even went to Switzerland.  Returning home they started socializing Bronson, and he won the Best in Sanction Match at the KW Kennel club show in Kitchener, Ontario.  This was Rick's introduction into the world of confirmation, Obedience and Drafting.

Over the years, Rick has found that he enjoyed the interaction of the dog and handler working as a team in Drafting, and this has been his focus of late.  Working with this breed, doing drafting work shops, training and eventually judging has given him great pleasure watching the teams working. Mr. Connell is looking forward to judging the Draft Test at the 2010 Specialty.  He wishes all participant the best, and will enjoy seeing the teamwork for which this breed has become famous.
 

Draft Test Judge: June Ward

June Ward first became interested in Working Dogs in 1989 when she purchased a Newfoundland from Swissview Kennel, which was also at the same kennel where she first saw a Bernese Mountain Dog. June's first Bernese came from Anderlea Kennel in 1993 -- Ch Anderlea's Lady Guinevire CD "Gwen". She began breeding Bernese in 1995 under the kennel name of Kumnc.
June is a member of the Canadian Kennel Club, the Bernese Mountain Dog Clubs of Canada and Ontario, and is currently a Director for both the Ontario and the National Club. She has worked with the Newfoundland Dog Club of Canada, stewarding and assisting with draft and water rescue seminars. She has carted with her Newfs and Berners at Fund Raisers and was on the CKC committee that formalized the Draft Dog rules to open it up to all breeds.  June has been the Zone 6 -Ontario West- Draft Dog Rep for the CKC since 2002. June has been judging and stewarding at specialty and draft tests since 1989. She has also had the pleasure of training and introducing new people to the sport at carting seminars and workshops for a number of years. June has judged draft tests in Ontario, Quebec, BC, and New Brunswick. She has enjoyed meeting draft enthusiasts and sharing stories in different parts of Canada and is looking forward to judging in the BMDCO Draft Test in October 2010.