Measuring Progress: Playing the Group Game

Every all-breed dog show has three separate tiers of competition: Breed, Group, and Best in Show. (The National Owner-Handled Series, when offered, provides its own concurrent triple-tier tournament.) BIS is the ultimate prize, of course, but most longtime breeders and exhibitors emphasize the importance of the Breed ring, provided there’s a quality entry in the classes and majors available in both sexes. However, it’s the mid-level competition that tends to generate the lion’s share of excitement. As a showcase for their respective BOB winners, the Groups allow spectators a chance to observe how each breed is presented when it’s the only representative in the ring; to see how breed type can be accentuated at an elevated level of presentation. Watching the Group judging isn’t a passive experience about just seeing who wins. In fact, “staying for Groups” can be a real learning activity, and it can be a lot of fun when it becomes a communal practice and viewed as a game.

When I began showing my first dog, I met a number of people in the breed who were also rather new to dog shows. Like me, many of my fellow exhibitors were in their early 20s. We were all novices to some degree, competing in the ring, learning as we went, and supporting each other along the way. We coordinated our schedules by mail or by phone, and we typically set up together at every show, freely sharing grooming tools and handling tips. We usually ate lunch together too, and almost without exception, we’d stay to cheer on the Breed winner in the Group. Showing dogs in those days was always a lot of fun, and the camaraderie we shared is how “The Group Game” got its start.

At each show, just as the Groups were about to begin, we would grab our lawn chairs and stake out a strategic spot around the ring (usually in a corner where we could see the down-and-back). We’d assemble our chairs together so that we could observe the dogs from the same vantage point and share our thoughts on our favorites: “I like the Black Cocker.” “What about the Pointer?” “Well, did you see that Curly? Beautiful!” Our comments were mostly honest reactions to the dogs in the ring—without much knowledge of their Breed Standards. We simply shared that we thought the English Foxhound was magnificent and the Pomeranian was adorable, and we wanted to hear what everyone else had to say too. By the time the judge had made a cut, we’d be glad to see that “our” Newfoundland was still in contention. And when “our” Airedale would be awarded Group First, we’d receive congratulations as if it truly was “our” dog. This no-stakes activity not only helped to pass the time (what else was there to do while sitting in a field before the Internet, smartphone, and WiFi were invented?), it allowed us a chance to strengthen our bond as fanciers and friends in ways that would only become clear years later.

As we played this game at all-breed shows near and far, the seasons turned into years. Puppies became champions and champions became sires and dams of merit. Puppy buyers brought along their own dogs to compete—and their own chairs to sit ringside and pick their favorites in each Group. Of course, life also happened outside of dog shows. Marriages were celebrated and children were born. Divorces happened too. Careers and divorces both led to relocations, making it harder for everyone to meet up regularly. Supported entries still encouraged get-togethers, but the gatherings became seasonal instead of every other weekend. Eventually, playing The Group Game fell out of favor when we all gained the ability to livestream the proceedings and offer a play-by-play to people sitting at home.

But the game can still be played. At a show held earlier this year, I watched the judging while seated next to a good friend who was always deft at playing The Group Game. Although we hadn’t been together at a show in years, we seamlessly picked up where we’d left off and began to share our thoughts on the dogs in the ring. The experience reaffirmed my affection not only for “the game” but also for the dear friend who plays it so well. Our impromptu conversations that day were as enlightening as they were entertaining, and that’s when I understood: watching Groups, year after year, alongside someone who has an eye for a dog, a knowledge of canine anatomy, a sensitivity toward canine behavior, and an understanding of individual breeds based on both scholarly investigation and personal experience is really a form of independent study. Applied over decades, the simple act of observing dogs in the Group ring can result in a profound awareness of breed type; not merely a decision-on-the-day type of appreciation but a genuine comprehension of the characteristics that distinguish a dog as an exemplary member of its breed. For some students, no amount of applied study or exams taken can equal the awareness that comes from watching thousands of Groups alongside dog people who are genuinely curious—and extremely informed. Studious ringside observation, over time, becomes both an instinctive and an academic exercise, and it can be so much fun when it’s shared with people who treat it like a game. A stylized black line drawing resembling a coiled snake or a winding path with a loop at one end.