By TREVOR WALES
Star Reporter
For Bonnitta Ritchie, the top dog with the Yukon Kennel Club, it should be no surprise that her own pup was top dog at the Burns Lake Dog Show two weeks ago.
Ritchie, the executive director at the kennel club, had her dog Sinner win Best in Show, the top honour at the British Columbia competition.
Sinner is an 18-month old Schipperke whose registered name is Champion Camplaren Klondike Connection.
The canine won best of breed and then placed first in the non-sporting group before it took Best in Show.
"Sinner went up against other breeds like standard poodles, which are impeccably groomed, pretty impressive-looking dogs, and aren't easy for a little black dog to win against, but that's what Sinner did," Ritchie said in an interview.
"It was his first Best in Show, but hopefully not his last."
Ritchie has been showing dogs for 20 years, and while she's won several groups before, she's never had a Best in Show winner.
One of the judges said she couldn't a fault on him, just raved about He's well put-together, has a plush coat, and was real steady in the confirmation ring, which I think is what gave him that extra push towards the win.
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"He was just rock-solid in the ring."
Over the years, Ritchie has trained a variety of different breeds, including Rottweilers, Australian shepherds, and English Springer Spaniels.
"One of the
judges said
she couldn't
find a fault on
him, just raved
about him."
- Bonnitta Ritchi
Sinner will soon have a few more chances to win Best in Show again with an upcoming competition in Fairbanks, and then at the Yukon Kennel Club's own all-breed championship show June 15-17.
Several judges from out of town will be coming to Whitehorse for the event, including one from Florida, two from Manitoba, and four from Alberta and British Columbia.
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Events include obedience, confirmation, and the new "rally" sport which, according to Ritchie, "is taking the dog world by storm."
Owners and their dogs move along a course one at a time and encounter signs. The owners read the commands on the sign, then tell their dogs what to do.
"They might have to sit, lie down, make their dog turn 180 degrees, a whole variety of things," Ritchie said. "It's a really fun sport.
"Obedience competitions have become really strict, to the point where it's almost unnatural for the average person to just come into it. You aren't really able to move your head or talk to your dog; it can be a little difficult if you're not used to it. That's why rally can be a lot of fun for the average person.
"If your dog can do sit and down without a lot of teaching, you can probably do this sport."
Applications for the all-breed championship show can be downloaded online at www.yukonkennelclub.com; however, the deadline for application is today.
Ritchie said the kennel club is always welcome to new members, and meets every second Monday of the month at Sport Yukon on Fourth Avenue.
For more information, check the website.
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