Judge's Background & History

Mr. Thomas Nesbitt
Home: Ontario, Canada
Initial Breed: Siberian Husky & American Cockers [Bryden and Prelude]

I have always loved dogs and got smitten by the conformation world when I bought my first show dog, a Siberian Husky, in 1968. The breed proved more challenging than I expected and I later fell in love with American Cockers, buying my first cocker in 1982. I thought she was beautiful but quickly was made aware that Misty was not a show dog so I got involved with obedience and put my first CD on a purebred dog. I then obtained another American Cocker (Parti-Colour), this time with show potential and ultimately she was my first Canadian Champion and the basis of my breeding program in American Cockers. In 1993, David Swartwood, my partner, moved to Canada and he introduced me to the wonderful world of English Springers (Bryden prefix) (the joy of his life and they grew on me rather quickly)! We also launched ourselves into the world of miniature wire-haired dachshunds which we breed and show under the prefix of Prelude. We have owned and shown Dalmatians, English Springers, Dachshunds, English Bulldogs and Siberian Huskies. We are proud to say that Prelude Dachshunds and Bryden Springers are being shown in many countries around the world including the United States, Mexico, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and Spain.

In 1994 I began my judging career, first getting my license for the Sporting Group and then Hounds and I am now licensed as a Canadian Kennel Club all-breed judge. I am a theologian by training, having graduated Mcgill University in Montreal. My career was in Health Care as a Palliative Care Counsellor and I was National Executive Director of Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind. Today, I am retired and David and I enjoy our 57-acre hobby farm in Gananoque, Ontario where we raise sheep, goats, llamas, donkeys as well chickens, turkeys, ducks, peacocks and Guinea hens. I have had the privilege of judging in Canada of course, the USA, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Australia, Colombia, Costa Rica and Indonesia.

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