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Insights from Darryl Vice | 2024 MCKC Breed Judge

Darryl Vice

Interview with Darryl Vice | 2024 MCKC Breed Judge

1. What does it mean to be invited to judge at one of the most important dog shows in the world—Montgomery?

Darryl Vice: I can’t begin to tell you how excited I was to be able to do Sealyhams at Montgomery. It’s such an honor, in my opinion, for a non-Terrier person to be asked. Coming up from Toys, and Working breeds, I never had a Terrier until 2005. At that time, I got my first Kerry Blue, and my second one in 2017. So, as much as I would like to say I’m a Terrier person, I really can’t. However, it is my favorite Group to judge.

2. Can you share your thoughts on your Breed assignment? Please be specific.

Darryl Vice: I had four very lovely bitches in the Breed class. All four, very similar Sealyham type. They were very much in the 10-1/2 inches with substance, without being overdone. Very strong and powerful in movement. All very strong in the head. My final decision with those four bitches was movement. I moved them all together and my BOB just held everything together, with powerful movement, level topline, and using her angles well.

3. In your opinion, what does the future hold for the Terrier Breeds in America and around the world?

Darryl Vice: I am very worried about our Terrier breeds in the future. I feel there are not enough young people growing up in these tough-coated Terriers. Someone has to be trained in stripping and trimming of these tough coats. It’s not something you can read in a book and put down Terrier coats the way they should be. It takes years of apprenticing under top Terrier handlers to understand the difficulties in putting down these hard coats. Just not sure the younger people want to put in the time to understand these coats.