Judge's Background & History |
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With Dr. Richard Meen, they established Kishniga Kennels in 1971. In partnership, they have bred group- and BIS-winning Dobermans, Old English Sheepdogs, Skye Terriers, French Bulldogs, Borzoi and Harriers. They have also owned and exhibited group and BIS winning Lakeland Terriers, Norwich Terriers, Standard Poodles, Scottish Deerhounds, American Foxhounds and Whippets.
In 1977 Kishniga’s Desert Song, a Borzoi, bred by John and Richard and shown by Richard was Canada’s top dog all breeds. The following year “Moustache” as he was called was exhibited in the USA and was number two hound in the USA. He is still the record holder for the breed with forty-seven all breed BIS in Canada and the USA to his credit. His brother “Dalgarth” was the youngest of his breed to win a BIS, which he did at nine months of age. Dalgarth was later owned and exhibited by Dyanne Roth of California. His American BIS total was twenty-nine. The brothers are still among the top fifty winning hounds in the history of the AKC. In 1985, a grandson of Desert Song went BIS at the World Show held in Mexico City.
John, since becoming licensed to judge, has officiated at shows in Canada, USA, Mexico, China, Japan, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Belgium, Holland, Columbia, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Spain, Venezuela, Uruguay and Portugal. He has had the honour of judging at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City on five occasions, including the Hound Group at the 2004 show.
John is a member of the Ontario Sighthound Association, The Borzoi Club of Canada, Borzoi Club of America, Midwest Borzoi Club, Morris and Essex Kennel Club and the Santa Barbara Kennel Club.
Professionally he is a member of the Canadian Veterinary Association, the American Animal Hospital Association, the Ontario Veterinary Medical Association and the College of Veterinarians of Ontario where he has served as Councilor and as President 1993 - 1994. He was the founder, and is still, the CEO of the Veterinary Emergency and Referral Clinic Partnership of Toronto, the first veterinary emergency clinic established in Canada.