childhood friend that I’ve kept in contact with while we were showing at the Columbia Poodle Club in conjunction with the Rose City Classic where we also did agility. We had Thanksgiving dinner with my brother in Tucson while showing at Valley of the Sun Poodle Club. In Florida, for the Tampa Bay Poodle Club at the huge and lengthy Brooksville cluster, we were able to visit and sightsee with Patty’s sister and her husband. We camped on the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Every show site has different rules about food and food really does add to any festivity. The Great Lakes Poodle Club really does a super job with having an extensive spread for lunch. Yummy! They have a stand-alone show site so there aren’t many restrictions. Even the big show venues can have some type of celebratory food like simple snacks or candy. Local ambience or timely themes is always cool such as King Cake at the Creole Poodle Club of New Orleans, a “Some new exhibitors are nervous at an AKC show. I’ve been at a specialty where there was a first-time exhibitor and I was the only person helping them.” Appalachian Mountains, the Ozarks, and the Rockies. So, what makes a good specialty? My view is that a specialty should be a celebration of the breed. A Poodle Party! It should be more than a regular dog show. A Poodle specialty is the only place a Best of Breed is awarded. Grooming near the rings reserved for Poodle exhibitors is great. It’s easier to share grooming tips, share a joke and a laugh, share a snack, and share a win celebration when exhibitors are close together. It certainly creates a camaraderie among Poodle people. Having nice prizes is great. I’m not big on monetary awards although I’m sure the more frequent exhibitors might think otherwise. Items embroidered with the club’s name are a nice touch. The zippered bags from the San Diego Poodle Club are used often and bring back happy memories of the Bates Nut Farm show site. A couple of clubs have party favors for every entrant which is appreciative. Other seemingly simple things like a coaster or a little cloth cover squeaker with an imprint of the club’s logo adds to a festive feel to the show. Decorations near the ring, especially Poodle blingy stuff, creates a cheerful atmosphere. The Columbine State Poodle Club is in a big venue and had Poodley things at the ring. Raffles always seem to be a big hit and generate a bit of a buzz. I was super lucky to win Artero clippers at the Palmetto Poodle Club at their first specialty show. Christmas theme at the Poodle Club of the Lehigh Valley, and of course a wine theme for the Poodle Club of Central California in Napa, California. The Palmetto Poodle Club’s first specialty was very lively and festive with their pink flamingo theme. All very clever enhancements! Here are some suggestions for clubs. Appoint someone to be the host/ hostess. Jean Lazarus was a great hostess for the Greater Milwaukee Poodle Club. Because of Jean’s encouragement to me in the mid-1990’s, I have one of my most cherished win pictures when I went High in Trial at the Obedience trial. I didn’t know enough at that time how to even ask for the photographer. I notice there are lots of new young handlers/groomers. Some new exhibitors are nervous at an AKC show. I’ve been at a specialty where there was a first-time exhibitor and I was the only person helping them. This exhibitor was a young, local person. I pointed this out to the show chairperson suggesting they introduce themselves and hand out a membership application. There wasn’t a membership application on site. A specialty can be a new member recruitment opportunity. Be a good host and go out of your way to make sure exhibitors (especially new/unfamiliar exhibitors) are comfortable, that the grooming setup is adequate and that they know how to get pictures, etc. For any new exhibitors reading this, here are a couple thoughts. I’ve met many, many great Poodle people and January-March 2025 • POODLE VARIETY everyone has been so helpful. The list would be too long to mention for this article and I’d probably miss someone. From helping me put in a topknot bubble to loaning equipment when I forgot mine at home or getting a great show picture, everyone, pro-handler or experienced breeder-owner-handler, has been so helpful. As a new handler, don’t hesitate to ask for advice but be respectful. The other handlers have their own dog or 10 to get ready which means it’s probably better to wait until after the show. At a specialty show, all the Poodles are top quality so don’t be too disappointed when you don’t win. Be sure to congratulate the winner. Watch the whole specialty as you might learn something from the pros and more experienced handlers. My journey with showing Poodles is not over. I’m still dreaming of a Best in Specialty Show win. Plus, we’ve had 10 years of enjoyable experiences in trying to reach this goal. There are three clubs that haven’t had a specialty show in years. If that ever changes, I’ll have some new shows to add to the list. Supporting Poodle specialties and meeting Poodle people from coast to coast has been interesting and fun. Yes, I’ve been everywhere! ABOUT THE AUTHOR John Pittman has been showing Standard Poodles since 2001, exclusively in AKC events. He also competes in many other AKC companion events. His Standard Poodle, Gerard, was the top agility Poodle in 2024; Gerard is the only Grand Champion Poodle to be an Agility Grand Champion. Breeding under the Gladystar prefix, John became an AKC Silver Breeder of Merit in 2021. John and his wife Patty are based in Saukville, Wisconsin. 75
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