Claudia McNulty
Sweeps Judge
I am very honored to have been selected to judge Sweepstakes at the 2010 BCCA National Specialty. Watching the young dogs and seeing where the Breed is headed is something I really enjoy. And I adore the Veterans – we owe them so much as they have given us years of fun and are the backbone of our breed.
I started out in purebred dogs in 1979 with Bouvier des Flandres. During the time I raised Bouviers (about 10 years), I bred and showed a number of Champions and Specialty winners. I put obedience titles on 5 dogs. I was also fortunate to have two breeder/owner handled Best in Show winning Bouvier bitches. Another Bouvier I bred and co-owned had several BISS and BIS wins.
As part of my dog education, I worked for several professional handlers. While helping them I learned about many breeds. Then, to help off-set the cost of showing my own dogs, I started to handle dogs for others. I have finished dogs in every Group. This was also a great learning experience. I had the chance to learn about many breeds from the ground up. And I find that everything one learns is helpful in breeding and judging.
I got my first Bearded Collie in 1980 or ‘81. I had one co-owned litter shortly after that. I kept one male – my first home bred Beardie Champion. But I realized he was nothing I really wanted to breed and started watching and learning more about this lovely breed. I then was lucky enough to be owned by a cute little Canadian bred bitch, Dory, who became my foundation bitch and mother of 9 champions – a BIS winner, BISS winners, a National Specialty Winners Dog, a number of Regional Specialty winners and a number of Group winners. Her first litter – and the true start of Meadows Beardies – was born in 1989.
Since that time I have been fortunate to finish a number of Meadows Champions and to have a few in the Top Ten Beardies, as well as several Best in Show winning Beardies. I have also bred two BCCA National Specialty Winners Dogs and a Bitch who won Best of Winners at the 2004 BCCA National Specialty. Meadows Beardies have also had several BCCC Specialty Winners and Best Puppy in Shows. Meadows Beardies have also won quite a number of National and Regional Specialty Awards of Merit. And a number have enjoyed successful careers in obedience, agility, rally, herding and as Therapy dogs. One is even a Registered Service Dog. And several are on working farms – doing what the breed was bred for generations to do. But all have excelled as companions and beloved pets. Breeding mentally and physically balanced Beardies is my idea of success.
Claudia McNulty
Meadows Bearded Collies