Glacier Creek Show Record

Our Show Record and Breeding Philosophy

We've worked very hard to accomplish the wonderful show wins we have received, it's not very easy being in Alaska where there are so few shows, but we felt it was important to get out of Alaska, meet other breeders and their dogs, exchange information and keep our state of the breed knowledge current. We try to attend every National Specialty, and have been able to get to at least one other show a year. We've been grateful to win with several dogs at National Specialty weekends over the years and have been very competitive in the breed and the Working Group all over the Nation.

With only a few exceptions from time to time, our dogs have been owner/handled to every championship. Several have had memorable wins with Novice Junior Handlers. In just the few years we've been showing and breeding, we have achieved 38 (30 "Glacier Creek") Titles on our dogs: 21 American, 6 Canadian, 2 States-International, 6 UCI-International, 2 States Kennel Club, and 1 UCI-National Championship, and Companion Dog (CD) and Rally Novice. Five more are major pointed. We've ranked seven different dogs in the Top 10 (Shiner, Michael, Sonia, Tanya, Rainey, Homer and Brenda) and have had a dog in the top 10 ten of the last eleven years (Five ranked in the top 5--Shiner, Sonia, Tanya, Rainey and Brenda; and Sonia was #1 Bitch for 2002, #1 All Breed 2003 (Dog News System) and Brenda was #1 Breed 2005. Eight are AKC group placers (FOUR Group Winners), three are multiple States group placers, three (and a grandson, Yeti) are multiple Canadian group placers (and top ranked for three years in Canada, including #1), and Sonia is the only American/Canadian/States/International Best in Show winner and was a KCA Conformation Performance Award qualifier at only 2 years of age (Outstanding CPA at 6). Brenda also received her CPA at 2 years of age. We also showed the only mother and daughter pair (Kizzy and Tanya) to KCA Specialty Best of Winners (Kizzy also won a KCA Award of Merit as well as BOS at a Canadian Specialty, both from the classes), and Tanya has the distinction of being the first kuvasz to go Best of Winners at a Kuvasz Club of America National Specialty from the Bred-by Class. Kizzy's Great Grandson Pluto also won Best of Winners in 2005 from the Bred-by class, and Brenda was Reserve Winners in 2004, giving us the most bred-by wins of any breeder at a National Specialty. Tanya at 7 1/2 won an Award of Merit at the 2004 Nationals. Pluto is the only male to win Best of Winners from the bred-by class and the only male to win Best in Sweeps and Best of Winners at a National. Fang has now become our obedience star with his AKC CD and one leg towards his ASCA (Australian Shepherd Club of America) both with a first place in Novice A Class, and one leg for his Canadian C.D.! He finished his AKC C.D and qualified for his CGC all in 2001 and received the Versatility Outstanding Achievement Award from the Kuvasz Club of America, the only VOAA kuvasz with any breeder/owner/handled titles and to date is the only breeder/owner/handled group placing male with a performance title. He was also #1 kuvasz in Novice Obedience, Hoflin System II. He recently finished his Rally Novice title in 3 straight trials, at 9 years of age!

Our breeding philosophy is simple, we breed only what we want to keep ourselves. Our dogs live in our home as members of our family, not as kennel dogs. They are an integral part of our lives and go everywhere with us. They've saved our lives on many occasions. We live in the forest next to thousands of acres of wilderness and grizzly bears, black bears, moose, lynx, wolves and coyotes regularly cross our property, so the dogs all are experienced predator control dogs. The Alaska environment is extremely healthy with no fleas, ticks, heartworm and nearly non existent diseases such as parvo or distemper, but we live in a very rugged environment so the dogs have to be extremely sound in body and mind to excel.

The Kuvasz is our first and only breed, so we have a great appreciation for the FCI Hungarian Standard, and use it as the basis for our breeding program. We love showing off our dogs, and have consistently excelled in the American and Canadian show rings because of the temperament, type and soundness of our dogs. We never make excuses for how well our dogs have done, and travel to exhibit our dogs against the nation's best so we don't just have just a bunch of "kennel champions". However, we believe in breeding for the whole dog. We only breed dogs based on temperament, type and strength as well as for a nurturing nature and predator savviness, never because of what is popular in the showring. In fact, we have had some major wins, in spite of what is popular in the show ring, as we have never compromised on our idea of FCI Hungarian type. We also try never to lose focus on their original use as predator control dogs (much appreciated in Alaska with all our bears and wolves!) or their suitability as family dogs. Our dogs are only bred if they have passed CERF (eyes clear) and have OFA/OVC normal hips.

We rarely breed (quality, not quantity), so that we can spend a lot of time with the pups and be more available to our owners. When we do breed, our bitches and puppies come first. We feel very strongly that our responsibility to the pups begins once our girls are bred and does not end for the life of the pups. Our pups are whelped right in the house and grow up well socialized, surrounded by dogs, kids, people and the Alaskan wilderness.

We don't always win, but the many wins we have achieved are all that much more heartfelt, because we hope we are helping to preserve a piece of history, nearly lost, "from the Old Country". For the overwhelming response of AKC judges to our idea of an FCI style of Kuvasz, Sonia and Brenda, (tall, long-legged, long flat head, higher earset, bigger ears) we are extremely grateful. Our goal is not to produce litter after litter of mediocre pets, running through the alphabet to increase our paycheck, or generic showdogs, but to try to produce a solid, well rounded kuvasz that reflects their Hungarian heritage. We believe each litter should be a work of art. We breed carefully and consistently (as evidenced by the years of multiple Best Brace in Show awards the dogs have won) We realize not everyone wants a "show dog" so we pay particular attention to temperament and natural instincts, which we can test right here on our wilderness acreage. The dogs are not just "pretty faces" or livestock stuck in kennels never seeing the light of day, but are actual working predator dogs (all have chased a grizzly bear or two off and go on daily hikes up in the mountains) and have the capability to achieve performance titles. We spend a lot of time making sure our pedigrees have solid temperaments behind them, and knock on wood, have never had a dog excused or disqualified from the ring for temperament problems. Shiner is a born showdog and he has passed his twinkling black eyes and tailwagging legacy down through the generations. He is definitely the true secret of our success!

We're entering into a new phase of our breeding program in that our dogs are now becoming foundation stock for other breeders. Ch. Glacier Creek's Alaskan Icefog was owner/handled by Icefog Kuvaszok to her Canadian Championship and whelped a lovely litter, one of which went to a show family. This pup, Yeti, is now a Canadian Group Placer and Puppy Group Winner at only 7 months of age! Maci was at stud for Brantwood and Icefog (which is how we got Kiska). Other owner/handlers have also had wonderful success with our dogs in the showring. Windy, Noel, Chance, Chena, Madga, Buzz and Rajah all won majors and/or Best of Breeds (some over group winning champions!) with their owners. Cory made the cut in the tough Florida group his first show weekend! Kiska was awarded the Outstanding Dam Award from the Kuvasz Club of America and was the top producing dam for 2004, and well on her way for 2005.

Thank you to everyone, courageous judges, friends and family, who have appreciated what we have tried to accomplish and given us so much support to make it a success. You have helped preserve the uniqueness of this breed. Most of all, thank you to the dogs, for just being you.

Glacier Creek's Major Show Accomplishments to Date:

Shiner	1992 Winners Dog, Kuvasz Club of America's Supported Entry, Chintimini, Oregon 1992 Best Adult in Match, KCA Sanctioned Match, Portland, OR 1993 Top 12 Kuvasz Breed Points 1994 Top 5 Kuvasz Breed Points Best of Breed, 2XBOS, Columbus, Ohio Cluster. Multiple Champion
Michael	1994 Canine Good Citizen, New Champion at 8 months 1995 Top 10 Kuvasz Breed Points, Multiple AKC/CKC Group Placer, Multiple Champion 1996 Top 10 All Breed, #3 In Canada (Top Group Placer) Multiple AKC Group Placer 1998 Versatility Certificate, Kuvasz Club of America
Kizzy	1994 Canine Good Citizen, BOS KFA Hungarian Match, GA 1995 Winners Bitch, Best of Winners, Judges First Award of Merit (first one ever awarded to a kuvasz from the classes), Kuvasz Club of America Specialty, Burbank, California, New Champion 1995 Winners Bitch, Best of Winners, Best of Opposite Sex, Kuvasz Club of Canada's 20th Anniversary National Specialty, Multiple Champion 1998 New International Champion with three V-1 (Very Excellent--the highest) Ratings
Windy	1997 Bred-by Class Winner 3 out of 4 shows, including the Kuvasz Club of America's Specialty, Winner's Bitch, 5 point major, Chaparral KC, Albuquerque, NM 7 X Best In Show Brace, Puppy Group Placer
Noel	1997 Multiple Group Winner, AK Kennel Club Sanctioned matches, Majors over Group placing Champions 7 X Best in Show Brace
Tanya	1998 Winners Bitch, Best of Winners from the Bred-by Class, Kuvasz Club of America Specialty in Perry, Georgia 1999 Multiple Group Placer, International Ch., States KC, Multiple Champion 2000 Best of Breed to new Canadian Ch. Kuvasz Club of Canada Specialty Weekend. 2003 Best Opposite Sex Specialty Weekend 2004 Multiple Group Placer from the Veteran’s Class, Best of Breed Specialty Weekend, Award of Merit 2004 Nationals. #4 Breed, #7 All Breed, Invited to Westminster and the Eukanuba Invitational
Sonia	1997 Multiple Regular Group Placer, Multiple Best Puppy In Show, States KC New Champion from the Bred-by class at the River City Cluster of Dog Shows in San Antonio, Finished in three weekends with four, 4 point majors. 1998 Best of Breed, Hungarian Style Match, Kuvasz Club of America's Specialty Weekend, Perry, Geogia Multiple Group Placer, States Kennel Club Shows. Multiple Champion Multiple Canadian Group Placer, Yukon Kennel Club Shows, June AKC Group 4, Cook Inlet Kennel Club, Group 4 Whidbey Island KC, WA BEST IN SHOW/ Best Bred-By Exibitor in Show, 2 X Reserve Best BBE in Show, Three group placements, UCI International Shows, Palmer AK, August #2 in Canada, #8 AKC All-breed 1999 Thirteen AKC Group Placements in AK and TX, Multiple BOB's over top ranked kuvaszok in 4 States. BEST IN SHOW--Canada, BEST IN SHOW--States Kennel Club (AK) BIS-BBE (2X) UCI International #1 in Canada, #3 AKC Breed, #4 AKC All-breed, KCA Conformation Performance Award 2000 Group 3, Cook Inlet Kennel Club Group 3 Kennewick WA. Top 10 Breed and All Breed 2001 Judges First Award of Merit, BOB All Breed Shows and Group 1, KCA Specialty Weekend. Group 4 Houston, Group 3 Sheboygan, Group 4 Tanana Valley. Top 10 Breed and All-Breed 2002 BOB KCA Supported Entry, BOB AKA Sponsored show, BOB Eukanuba Invitational, Group 1 MN, Group 2 California, #1 Kuvasz Bitch (Breed), #2 overall, #4 All-Breed 2003 All Breed Best in Show, Michigan, Multiple Group placements
Alaska	1998 Best of Breed her first weekend out over top ranked specials, Canada 2000 Dam to #1 Kuvasz male in Canada ("Yeti")
Fang	1997 Our First Champion from the Bred-by Class at 9 months by going Best of Breed over Group Placing Champions, made the cut in group 1999 Multiple Group Placements, States Kennel Club shows, May and September, AK. Handled to a Group 2 and his States and States International Championships by his new Junior Handler, Juliann Hanson. 2000 Working Group Placer handled by Julie Hanson, #12 All-Breed 2001 AKC C.D., and one leg towards ASCA C.D. both with first in class placements. CGC. Awarded the Versatility Certificate and Versatility Outstanding Achievement Award from the KCA. #1 Kuvasz in Obedience, Novice Hoflin System II 2002 Four group placements in Canada, 1 Canadian CD leg, Group 4 Kenai Kennel Club #1 Kuvasz in Canada
Curly	1997 Championship from the Bred-by Class at the River City Cluster of Dog Shows, San Antonio, TX Best of Breed over Group Placing Champions for his first major 1998 Junior Handled to a Group 4 Placement at the June Alaska Kennel Club shows #12 All Breed
Rajah	1994 Three majors at the River City Cluster of Dog Shows, including Best of Breed over Group Placing Champions
Kiska	2000 Best of Winners for a 5 point major at the Kuvasz Club of America Specialty Weekend. 2003 Major in Boise 2004 New Champion, Top Producing Brood Bitch, Outstanding Dam 2005 Top Producing Brood Bitch
Matrix	2002 BOS over Ch's KCA Supported Entry, Group 1 Winner, Breeder's Showcase Sweepstakes in Florida, New Ch. at 9 months with another BOS over Ch's. 2003 Bred-by Group Winner, Regular Group placer, UCI-International Shows
Rainey	2003 KCA Specialty Best of Winners, New Champion, Award of Merit over Ch's. Multiple Group Placer, CPA from the KCA Best in Show, UCI-International AKA Columbus Trophy Show Best of Breed Top 10 Breed 2004 Multiple AKC and CKC group placements, new CKC Champion Invited to 2003, 2004 Eukanuba Invitational Show in Tampa Invited to 2004/2005 Crufts Invited to 2005 Westminster #3 Breed, #8 All Breed Best of Breed Westminster 2005, Group Placer
Lisa	2003 Majors by winning WB at the KCA Supported Entry and AKA Sponsored Entries in California, 2004 BOB for a major in Texas, new Champion from the bred-by class Invited to 2004 Eukanuba Invitational Show in Tampa
Brenda	2004 Major in Wyoming at 8 months, Bred by Class Winner/Reserve Winner’s Bitch, National Specialty, Multiple BIS Brace with Bridget 3X Best Puppy in Group, Canada New AKC Champion with 5 majors from the bred-by class Invited to Eukanuba Invitational Show in Tampa, Award of Excellence Award of Merit Westminster 2005 Group Placer and Multiple BOB winner 2005 Group Winner, Santa Ana Kennel Club, California Group Winner Alaska Kennel Club, Junior Handled Invited to both 2006 Westminster and Eukanuba (won Best Bred-by) Top 10 Breed and All Breed 2005 #1 Breed 2005, Conformation Performance Award
Bridget	2004 Major in Wyoming at 8 months, BIS Brace with Brenda Back to Back Majors in Texas for Ch at 13 months. Invited to 2006 Eukanuba
Magda	2004 Major by going BOB at 8 months in California, International Champion, New AKC champion with back to back 5 point majors Invited to 2006 Eukanuba 2006 Group Winner
Murray	2004 5 point major by winning BOW National Specialty Weekend, Finished with a major 2004.
Homer	2004 Winner's Dog AKA sponsored Show, Columbus Best in Match, Texas Working Dog Association Back to Back Majors, Mesquite, TX Bred-by Group Placer Best of Breed over multiple group placer in OK Multiple Group Placer, Top 10 2005 Invited to 2006 Eukanuba
Pluto	2004 Major in Tulsa during supported entry weekend, 3 majors by 10 months 2005 Finished his championship with 5 majors from the Bred-by class Best in Sweeps, Best of Winners KCA National Specialty, Wichita Kansas UCI International Champion, Group Winner, Reserve Best Bred-by in Show Invited to 2006 Eukanuba (won BOS) BOS twice during the 2006 Nationals Weekend
Sarah	Best of Breed over four specials for a 5 point major, both majors in one weekend in California from the bred-by class Bred-by Group Winner New Champion 2005 Invited to 2006 Eukanuba
Phil	Best of Breed over 20 champions for his second major Specialty Weekend 2006

Many wins were owner/handled or junior/handled and lately, breeder/owner/handled. Fang's CD legs were the first breeder-owner-handled qualifying obedience scores in almost 10 years!