Judges » Gary M Withers

Mr Gary M Withers

Panels

Open Show, Group 7

About Me

My introduction to showing dogs was with my first Irish Setter back in 1968 while living in the UK. I registered the kennel name LAPSEWOOD in 1970 and bred a number of quality Irish and English Setters under this prefix. Some years later I became a partner in the Lameda kennels breeding and showing Old English Sheepdogs. There were a number of excellent OES bred at Lameda including the 1975 BIS winner at LKA.

My judging career started at Open Show level in 1976 before eventually making the move from the UK to New Zealand in 1989. It was here that I aquired my first Great Dane, a breed I had always admired and longed to own. I was fortunate to be able to register my UK kennel name with the New Zealand Kennel Club which allowed me to move forward with breeding and showing this most majestic of breeds. I have made up Champions in Fawn, Brindle and Black and have both owned and bred BIS and BISS winners. I have also owned Bloodhounds and a Dobermann.

I am currently the President of The Great Dane Club (NZ) and President of the North Harbour KA. I Chaired the National Dog Show 2017 and was a member of the NZKC Executive Committee during 2011/12 and served on the staffing sub committee.

Recent Shows Judged At

In 2017 I judged a Great Dane specialty for the Parent Club in the UK, The Great Dane Club (UK). I also judged Grp 7 in Australia for Heidelberg and Dist KC.

2018 has been a big year for judging Great Dane Specialty shows.  In July I flew to the USA and judged the San Diego Great Dane Club breed specialty, then in August I judged the Great Dane Society of Queensland's Championship Show and then the following month in September I was flown out to Denmark where I was honoured to judge the Great Dane Club of Denmark's 90th anniversary show with a record number of Great Danes.