Wins Best of Breed at Swissy National Specialty

LEESBURG, Va. --   Best in Show/Best in Specialty Show BIS/BISS CH Red Fern’s Beau Derby CGC NWPD (“Spot”) has won Best of Breed at the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog (GSMDCA) National Specialty, held in September. 

            Handled by Wendi Cowell of Knoxville, Tenn., Spot is owned by Debbie Echols and Alan McFadden of Philadelphia, Tenn. The 4-year-old male dog was co-bred by Kristin Kleeman of Derby Swissies and Debbie and Jerry Kennedy of Red Fern Kennels. He was sired by CH Derby’s Ivan the Hoss, ROM out of Am/Int CH Rina Derby’s Jolee Von Trall, ROM, HIT.

Spot became the third Swissy to win an AKC all-breed Best in Show title when he won the Memphis (Tenn.) Kennel Club All-Breed Show in October. Earlier this year, Spot won Best of Breed at the AKC National Championship and an Award of Merit at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. “He’s had an amazing year,” Echols says. “We can’t quite believe it.” Spot is fed Purina Pro Plan Chicken & Rice and Performance Formulas.

Kleeman, who was featured in Today’s Breeder, Issue 53, was honored at the GSMDCA National Specialty when she received the Margaret Poole Lifetime Achievement Award for demonstrating exemplary service in handling, breeding, education and mentoring. The Georgetown, Ky., breeder-owner-handler has produced over 60 Swissy champions, including nine of the 12 Register of Merit winners she has achieved.