Sue Sobel
1. My kennel name is Foxfield Terriers. I live on Long Island in New York about an hour from New York City. I have a small two-acre horse farm named Foxfield Farm. My husband and I both foxhunted with the Smithtown Hunt for 25 years and also hunted in England and Ireland many times. During those years, I also rode competitively at “A” horse shows in Adult Amateur Hunters and Equitation. I guess you could say I have always had a competitive spirit.
I’ve had “Russells” since 1980. Back then they were called Shorty Jack Russells. When the breed was recognized by the AKC, I immediately registered mine with the Foundation Stock. Before that I had not even been to a dog show. I started showing almost immediately and was blessed to have the first GCH in Russells. Her name was GCH Rivendell’s Just Katie Kate. Most of my dogs now go back to her. In 2012, the Russells went to Westminster for the first time. I am proud to say we showed GCH Meadowbrook Madison to Select Bitch that year. We also showed GCH Foxfield Pepper Patch. I’ve been breeding these cute little dogs since 1982.
2. In my opinion, the Russell Terriers have been a little all over the place since the beginning in style and type. It has been getting steadily more consistent each year and I think it will continue to do so. My biggest concern is that we remember they are not a long-legged and slightly built breed. Yes, they need to be spannable, but they need to stay distinctly different from the Parsons. That’s why we have two distinct breeds.
3. The old knowledgeable breeders are retiring and aging out. That’s one of the reasons the numbers are down at shows. It’s getting harder to find points and majors. We need to encourage young people to show and continue to breed. The same is true about judges. They need to be replenished as they retire and pass on. I would like to see more new judges. Maybe fewer shows and different judges would help to get the numbers up again. The judging overall is good; just hate to see the same judges all the time.
4. The Montgomery County KC represents the Best of the Best. That’s where to go to see quality dogs from around the world. Pictures are nice, but nothing beats seeing them in person. More than once I picked out a future stud dog for one of my girls. It’s the place to meet new friends and catch up with the old. As an exhibitor, it’s an honor to be in the ring with so many people and dogs that I admire.
5. Social media is a mixed bag. It has a lot of educational groups on Facebook that I enjoy. One of my favorites is “Canine Fertility, Reproduction and Neonatal Issues.” I enjoy learning new things and helping people who need advice on there. It’s nice to keep up with friends and see their dogs and puppies. The down side is the occasional bickering and complaining in public. I think we should all listen more and complain less.
6. Again, with breeders aging out, we need to continue to encourage the younger generations to breed and keep the entries coming. That’s a big reason why numbers are down; not enough young entering. I would love to see more Meet the Breeds across the country to remind people that what we do can be fun; not only Conformation shows but Agility and all the other fun things.
7. I really love the 4-6 Month Beginner Puppy Competitions. I wish there were more of them. The National Owner-Handled Series is very popular.
