Donald Sturz, this year’s Best in Show judge, spent the last few days isolated in his hotel room, isolated from any news about which dog has won which award in the competition so far.
“There is no Facebook, there is nothing,” Sturz, 60, said by telephone. “I stay away from social networks. I posted a picture of myself and my husband at the judges’ dinner on Sunday night and then fell silent on the radio.
The idea, he said, is that when he enters the ring tonight, he will be free of prejudice.
“Part of the dream of this judge’s task is to get out on the floor and have no idea who the seven dogs are coming in,” Sturz said.
The best in a show jury requires skills that are both specific and special. Dogs do not compete with each other on their own, but are judged on how closely they adhere to a set of breed standards set by the American Kennel Club.
“It comes down to the dog that has the most virtues, as described for their breed,” Sturz said. “They must also convey the essence of their breed in behavior, character and demeanor.”
With 209 different types of dogs competing in the show, Sturtz should be familiar with the breed standards of all of them. So he learns, mostly by looking at endless pictures of dogs in books, magazines and online, to pin a pattern in his head for each breed, something like Plato’s ideal.
Regular people who watch dog shows often support their favorite dogs – spectacular Golden Retrievers, such as elegant Afghan Hounds or stupid Shepherd Dogs – without realizing that these qualities are not necessarily considered winning virtues in the eyes of a judge.
“There are some breeds that lend themselves to a show atmosphere,” Sturz said. “They are more active, brighter, more stylish and have more presence. But what we are looking for is what the breed has to convey. Some breeds are supposed to be more reserved, calm and regal, and that speaks just as much to the judge as the dog standing there wagging its tail and jumping up and down. ”
In real life, Sturz is the head of the Valley Stream 24 school district on Long Island. But he is also a lifelong dog enthusiast who has attended dog shows for 50 years and judged 32 of them, including in Westminster. This is the first time he will award Best in Show.
When he spoke, Sturz still did not know that one of the dogs in the finals would be a French Bulldog – and thus probably a personal favorite, given that he has one named Emmett at home. (He also has a bull terrier, Lola.)
But he promised that whatever he encountered, he would judge as a neutral observer, without fear or favoritism.
“Dogs are a work of art,” he said. “I love all breeds.”
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