Cheryl Green – AlCher
A lifetime of success, grounded in a passion for Dobermans
It’s fitting that Cheryl Green’s contribution to Dobermans is the subject of this important Stud Dog Issue of the Doberman Digest. Few today can reflect back on over forty years of owning and breeding competitive show dogs, with the perspective of still being actively involved in 2016. In all, Cheryl has bred and or owned over 150 AKC conformation champions, representing about half a dozen breeds, including Whippets, Pointers, Danes, Shih Tzu, and Min Pins. But it is the Doberman Pinscher that has always held a special place in Cheryl’s heart. She has bred and owned top record holders in the show ring and dogs who have had great influence in breeding. Some of these dogs have carried her AlCher kennel name, but many have not.
“AlCher was originally a contraction of my ex-husband’s name and mine. He’s long gone, but I am still here,” Cheryl says with a tinge of pride. “I love the dogs, love the Breed. My commitment to each and every dog is genuine, from the moment it’s whelped - to that last breath it takes. And that will always be true. So I guess “AlCher” really stands for “all Cheryl” because in the end I’m always the one who carries on, and I would not have it any other way. It’s always been about the dogs themselves for me. It’s just never mattered much who’s in the spotlight or whose name is on the dog. There were AlCher dogs winning in the show ring in the 1970’s and there are AlCher dogs winning in the ring in 2016, including - CH AlCher Captain America, who finished at eight months with four majors. Captain was co-bred with Judy Pinkevich who has been a close friend of Cheryl’s for over 40 years. Several of Captain’s littermates will be in the ring this spring, including a lovely Black and Rust vWD CLEAR male AlCher Mr. Marvel that is proving to be “a sleeper” whom we all missed at 8 weeks.”
“From a breeder’s perspective Captain’s litter is important,” Cheryl explains, “because the dam of the litter, Phillmar Thunderedda RN NA NAJ NF NAP RATN CGC is a line-bred daughter of BIS BISS CH Soquel's Distant Thunder. I loved so many things about Thunder, and as you know, there are very few Dobermans with Thunder so close up in the pedigree in 2016. It took several tries to get a bitch pregnant with his semen, and for that reason alone Thunderedda is very important to me. The goal of using Thunder’s frozen semen was to retain in my breeding program many of Thunder’s valuable attributes, especially his beautiful head and expression and his superb flow of neck into shoulders. The focus of some breeding is to retain or re-capture important physical attributes that I feel we are losing in the gene pool. I have always felt that a breeder’s job is to think of the generations ahead, as much as what is in the litter box today.”
Over the years Cheryl’s impressive record includes many special dogs and special wins, some of which were simply personal favorites, like her first Doberman Champion - CH Brante Von Merliss CDX in 1971, and later the beautiful CH Jaymare’s Vixen of RehBar. There have been numerous Best in Show and Best In Specialty Show winners, seventeen DPCA Top Twenty Conformation dogs, and two DPCA Top Twenty Obedience dogs. BIS BISS CH Phillmar X-Static CD ROM won Best Veteran and was the first AOM at the 2009 DPCA National. Stat was also the first recipient of the DPCA Ryan Award, for being in the Top Twenty in both Conformation and Obedience in the same year (and he is the sire of the only other Doberman to win this award AKC UDC INT GCH Sharjets Starr Catcher CD, RE, ROM, CGCA, owned by Sharon and John Marinelli, Sally Kapp, Gabrielle Hanna, and Marcy Feller. BIS BISS CH Phillmar Thunderella CD ROM won the Breed at the 2005 Eukanuba National, with her litter of seven-week-old puppies back in the hotel room. A puppy from Thunderella’s litter, BIS BISS CH Phillmar Sobe Monster (owned by Mary Klein) went BOS in 2009 at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. CH Phillmar Superman (Steel) recently retired after having amassed an impressive 7 Best In Shows, 10 Reserve Best In Shows and over 40 Group I, making Steel the top winning Phillmar dog of all time. Steel is owned by Tim and Sharon Stone and Cheryl, and was handled by Ms. Cindy Lane Smith. Steel has sired over a dozen champions to date, including GCH Phillmar Man of Steel who was Select to his sire at the 2014 DPCA Host Club Specialty, and CH Phillmar Lois Lane who was Select Bitch at the 2015 DPCA National Specialty under Pat Hastings. In 2016, CH Phillmar Ms. Marvel is out as a Special with Ms. Cindy Lane Smith, for owners Bernard Kennedy and Cheryl Green.
People around the world have often admired Cheryl’s successful show dogs and breeding records, yet many are largely unaware of her important contributions to the success of these dogs, in part because Cheryl has never really sought the spotlight for herself. This amazingly modest woman has managed to participate for decades, with an enormous record of success, entirely on her terms. Her friends will tell you that Cheryl tends to prefer soaring “under the radar” which is why having her AlCher kennel name on the dogs she breeds and owns has never been an issue for Cheryl. Nor is it important that the whole world gives her credit, even though credit was due. Choosing to avoid the limelight has had some humorous consequences, like the time a top handler could not recall who Cheryl was, even though this handler had recently Specialed a Doberman that was bred and co-owned by Cheryl Green. While some might have been offended by this oversight, Cheryl found it funny.
She has known and counted as close friends many of the icons of the sport, an eclectic mix of talent and ability, spanning decades, including Tess Hensler, Peggy Adamson, Bettye Carter, Elaine Merlis, Virginia Markley, Charlie Cooper, Dr. Cindy Brown, Desi Murphy, Barbara Bachman, Dickey Brue, Betty Regina Leininger, Edd Biven and his beloved wife Irene. Cheryl’s friends are family to her, and “family is everything.”
Cheryl is one of four children, and was very close to her siblings, all of whom succumbed to cancer in the past ten years. Cheryl too is a cancer survivor, which gives her a great deal of tolerance for the trivial things that pop up in life. She doesn’t sweat the small stuff, and never has. Cheryl’s beloved husband Andy is wonderful anchor for her, especially when it comes to the dog world, in part because Andy has one foot in the dog world and one foot out, which helps maintain balance. “Andy has a slightly different perspective on the sport than I do,” Cheryl says. “He loves the dogs, and the people, but he never gets so deep into things that he loses his objectivity. Showing and breeding can get pretty intense at times, and when it does, Andy will draw me back to a place of calm and sanity, which helps keep all of this fun for me, and for us.”
Those who know Cheryl will tell you that while she is always a lady, she is no pushover. For proof, you need only note that Cheryl has succeeded on her own, in the highly competitive male-dominated insurance industry. Her successful company - Benefit Consultants Incorporated – provides services to companies with as many as 70,000 employees, in roughly 30 states. Like many women who succeed in business, Cheryl is the epitome of femininity, with balls of brass.
Cheryl’s dear friend Mary Klein tells of an incident from a DPCA National a few years ago to illustrate the power Cheryl can draw on, if or when the need should arise. And to retell this story, while protecting people’s privacy, some details will have to be obscured or omitted.
“Essentially, Mary, Cheryl and a group of folks were sitting around a dinner table at a DPCA National a few years back, when a conversation between two of the men at the table became heated, with verbal insults flying back and forth, then threats, and posturing like two old roosters in a cock fight. The whole thing escalated to the point where the two men decided to go outside and fight each other. Any fist fight is appalling and unacceptable, but this scenario evoked images of CPR, Medicare and Medicaid, as much as anything. Still, people could get hurt. Given that there was no waterhose handy, it seemed impossible to stop this lunacy. As the two enraged old bulls stormed out the door, ready to “punch each other’s lights out” Mary wisely advised everyone else at the table to “stay put,” so as not to escalate things further. Truth be told, no one at the table really wanted to put themselves in harm’s way to keep these idiots from hurting themselves. No one that is - except Cheryl Green. Cheryl was pissed as hell at the sheer stupidity of it all. You could almost see the steam coming out of her ears as Cheryl followed the two men out the door. It’s hard to say exactly what happened outside, but in a few short minutes all three returned. Cheryl decorously sat right back down at her seat and seamlessly picked up the conversation with the person next to her, exactly where she had left it. The two crestfallen gentleman were now completely deflated, and sat quietly for the rest of the evening, like two errant school boys who’d just been taken to the wood shed. The strong impression was that neither wanted to incur Cheryl’s wrath for a second time.”
As told by Mary Klein
Like many people in dogs, Cheryl was born with the passion, acquiring her first dog when she was three years old. Even now Cheryl can tell you the name of every dog she has ever owned. Her dearly loved grandfather bred Field Trial Pointers. From an early age he instilled in Cheryl the principle that “form and function” were an integral part of any concept of canine perfection, and that “beauty” involved the total package, of proper temperament, structural correctness, exceptional physical ability, all within the construct of the original purpose for the Breed as defined by the Breed Standard. Cheryl’s ideal Doberman is a compact, square dog, with heavy bone and substance, yet with that perfect harmony of balance and angulation which is necessary for the endurance and speed our Breed Standard calls for. “A Doberman must have obvious sex type, and elegance, yet be well-muscled, sound, energetic and athletic. And they must be a stable loving family companion. In short, the ideal Doberman must have
“Brains and Beauty. ” As reflected in the newest member of Cheryl’s household “Giselle” is only a few months old, but she seems to fit this description perfectly. “Giselle is smart as a whip, easy to live with, and beautiful to boot. She’s only been here a few days and already she has our routine down pat. Nothing gets past her. The minute she hears me starting dinner, she runs and jumps in her open crate, waiting to be fed.” Giselle is also known as Sharjets Land of Hope and Dreams at AlCher. She is the daughter of BIS BISS GCH Phillmar Superman out of the beautiful Stat daughter AKC UDC INT GCH Sharjets Starr Catcher CD, RE, ROM, CGCA.
Cheryl got her first Doberman when she was in her early twenties, and became smitten with the breed. She jokes that her first Dobe, Green’s Scarlet Helena CDX, “had just about every fault in the breed.” Later, a chance encounter with Jeff Brucker at a Nashville dog show led Cheryl to purchase her first show Doberman, a four month old black and rust male puppy, bred by Elaine Merlis, who went on to become CH Brante Von Merlis CDX.
Brante was handled by Jeff and his then wife, Betty. People in Dobes now know Betty as Ms. Betty Regina Leininger, a respected AKC judge who notably gave Fifi a.k.a. BIS BISS GCH Protocol’s Veni, Vidi Vici WAC the Working Group at the 2012 Westminster Kennel Club show.
Winning is only half of it - Having fun is the other half
Back in those early days Jeff and Betty were adamant about good sportsmanship. Rule #1 was, “Never speak about a competitor’s dog ring side.” Ruler #2, “Always support the breed in the group.”
Cheryl has a deeply personal appreciation of the sacrifices folks make to show and breed dogs, especially on a budget. While she may not wish to turn back the clock to her days of Motel 6s and macaroni & cheese dinners, she cherishes the memories of time spent on show circuits, sharing expenses, hotels, and shoestring budgets, which generated many life-long friendships. She had the privilege of being mentored by some of the greatest breed experts who ever lived, names this generation of breeders sometimes forget, like Peggy Adamson (Damasyn), Tess Henseler (Ahrtal), Bettye Carter (Classic), Elaine Merlis (Von Merlis) and Virginia Markley (Hotai) who gave our breed the foundation which carries us forward even today. These vanguards of the breed indelibly impressed upon Cheryl the importance of breed type, structure, temperament, and the need for breeders to retain the strengths of the foundation dogs while selectively breeding away from the faults. Many of the top handlers in this sport have handled for Cheryl including, George Rood, Charlie Cooper, Terry Hunt, Gwen DeMilta, Andy Linton, Cindi Huckfeldt, Barbara Alderman, Houston and Toddie Clarke, Perry Philips, Esteban Farias, Diego Garcia and Cindy Lane Smith, and each and every one has been a valued addition in her life. Cheryl’s friends will tell you that she is a generous and loyal to a fault, and unfailingly supportive, exemplifying the best of our sport and this breed. She is the living embodiment of the old Knute Rockne quote, “One person practicing good sportsmanship is far better than a hundred teaching it.”
Cheryl feels fortunate to have been in Dobermans back in the 70’s through the early 90’s when the breed was at the height of its popularity. “Back then Breed entries were typically 100 dogs or more. As I recall, it took 53 bitches to make a 3pt major to finish Tilly (CH Lujac’s Waltzing Matilda), in 1979, and that was the norm.”
Back then exhibitors left the competition in the ring. It could be tense around ringside during the judging, but once the judge pointed, it was over, almost as if the crowd ringside all took a deep breath, exhaled, and were friends again. People in the breed considered themselves part of an extended social family, sharing everything from knowledge and experience, to the ups and downs of life on the road.
Jeff Brucker was adamant that his clients support each other ringside. “No sour attitude” was allowed. The clients often went to dinner together after the show, and could be found in the hotel parking lot “talking dogs” until late in the evening. They enjoyed sharing knowledge, experiences, going over each other dogs, exchanging ideas about breeding, training, diet and conditioning, and all the joys and sorrows of owning, breeding and showing Dobermans.
“We’ve drifted away from the comradery of those times,” Cheryl says. “Showing these days is expensive, and I understand that. I think we all need to keep in mind what it costs to show a dog, and it’s not just the money, it’s our time and effort, and not just for the days we show.” Cheryl says. “Win or lose, every exhibitor in the ring has gone to a great deal effort to be there and show their dog. We all need to remember to be kind, civil and respectful of each other, and appreciate each other. Congratulate the winners, be reassuring if possible to those who didn’t win. Plan to stay to support your breed in the Group and Best in Show, which tends to be a more relaxed time around the ring for those who do not have a dog still in competition. Talk to each other. Get to know your fellow competitors and be supportive and encouraging to new people. The new exhibitors of today may be the breeders of tomorrow. And best of all, some of the friendships you make ringside will be treasures for a lifetime.”
Diego and Evie Garcia are two of Cheryl’s treasured friends. “People may have an impression of Diego based upon his competitive fire,” says Cheryl, “and it is true that he can be very intense during competition, so I understand people’s perceptions, but there is another more privately guarded side to Diego, which is tender and kind and very unlike the Matador in the show ring.”
Cheryl and Evie are particularly close and speak daily. “We have shared so much over the years, including great successes that Diego has had in the ring, like the three consecutive Breed wins at the Boxer National with Scarlet, or simple things like the time I flew up and we all celebrated his birthday just after Westminster show in 2012. Evie had this very special birthday cake made, that had fondant replicas of all the breeds Diego shows, but after all the trouble Evie went through to get the cake just perfect, the baker forgot to put a Doberman on the cake, which spoiled things for Evie. (For a few years after I always had a toy Doberman in my purse that I’d found at a Hallmark store, just in case we ever had a “cake emergency” again.) One of my fondest memories of Evie and Diego has to do with a time when Andy was going into the hospital, with some very serious health issues. My health was not so good at the time either, and I was worn to the bone trying to care for Andy, to see that he was getting the very best medical care, and everything he needed, when I was not feeling all that well myself. At one point I was just exhausted, and truly near the end of my rope, and then the doctors said that Andy needed surgery. Evie literally dropped everything and flew in to be with me in the hospital, just to comfort for me. It could not have been easy for Evie to take time away from the dogs and the shows, and I can’t even begin to imagine the stress it put on Diego to have to get along without her, but neither Diego nor Evie ever once let on that it was any inconvenience for them at all. To this day I don’t think they realize how much what they did means to me. I remember that we had been at the hospital for hours, while Andy was in surgery, where so many things hung in the balance, and I was really about to fall apart, except that I had Evie to draw strength from. At one point we were in the family’s waiting room, and then Andy’s Cardiologist appeared, with that strained somber look that no wife ever wants to see. The doctor called me into another room to discuss the operation. It probably took over 20 minutes to explain things, and when I walked back into the waiting room I saw Evie, bent over, white as a sheet. She had been so worried she was nauseated and had been throwing up, but she didn’t want me to even know that this all was impacting her almost as strongly as it impacted me. Evie never said a word about her stress. She remained with me for days, at a time when I needed her most, forever my friend, forever my sister. ”
Anyone who knows Cheryl will tell you that her passion for showing dogs competitively has nothing at all to do with her ego. Quite the opposite actually. Betty Regina Leininger recalls what a generous “true” friend Cheryl could be, willing to put ego aside, and go beyond, in ways that only women can truly appreciate.
“I remember an incident, from back in the late 70’s, when I took Cheryl up on her offer to stay with her for a few nights on a show circuit near her Nashville, Tennessee home. We were both single at the time, and loving it. Before I get to my story, I have to mention that I recall that Cheryl was possibly not the world’s most avid cook. I remember looking in her fridge for what we were going to have for breakfast the next morning, and all she had were two puppy vaccines, but not one bit of food, no juice, no milk, nothing. To this day the memory of opening Cheryl’s fridge looking for breakfast makes me laugh.
Anyway, getting back to my story: Saturday night, after the dog show, Cheryl and I decided to get dressed up and go into Nashville, to Printer’s Alley and a trendy restaurant called the Captains Table, which was a favorite local hangout for lots of handsome single guys, including folks in the entertainment business. Cheryl and I were dressed to kill and looked fabulous, or so I recall thinking, and we had a great time. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was electric, and the crowd was basically the crème de la crème of Cheryl’s hometown friends. At one point in the evening I dropped the small clutch I was carrying, and did not notice that my driver’s license and credit cards had fallen out onto the floor. Chery and I finished dinner, hit another trendy night club and then, exhausted, and taking note that we had an early ring time the next day, decided to call it an evening. We went back to Cheryl’s place and got ready for bed. Back in those days women’s beauty regimens were are bit different than they are today. Cheryl had on a robe, some big fuzzy bunny slippers. Her beautiful long hair was rolled up in what looked like large soup cans. How any of us slept on those things I will never know. I forget exactly what I was wearing, but we both looked like we could “haunt a house.” It was about twenty minutes to 1:00 AM when I noticed that my driver’s license and credit cards were missing. Panicked, I then recalled the moment when I’d dropped my purse. We called the Captain’s Table. “YES , they’d found ‘em.” But they closed at 1:00 AM and would be closed Sunday and Monday. I had the dog show Sunday and then a long drive home to Atlanta, Georgia. There was no way I could go without my driver’s license and credit cards until the following Tuesday. Cheryl was exhausted and wanted to go to sleep, but I insisted that we simply had to go right then, back to the Captains Table. We didn’t even have time to argue, there was barely time to get to the restaurant before it closed. Cheryl reluctantly agreed, “Okay Huzz, I’ll drive you.” We jumped in Cheryl’s van and beat it down the expressway, bathrobes, slippers, soup cans and all. During the entire drive to the restaurant Cheryl was adamant that she was only driving me, that she would not even get out of the van, and that under no circumstance in heaven or hell - was she going in to the restaurant, where many from the crowd we had left a few hours earlier were still hanging around. I agreed with Cheryl, right up until the minute we arrived in the restaurant’s parking lot, and then I froze. So there we were, at about five minutes to 1:00 AM, in the van, in our robes and slippers, Cheryl with her soup can hair, arguing with each other. I was begging and pleading that Cheryl now do the very thing she had just spent the last 15 minutes telling me she absolutely refused to do. As the clock was ticked away. Bless her heart, at the last minute, Cheryl took pity on me. I will never forget the image of Cheryl, sacrificing her dignity for my sake, as she marched into the restaurant, which still contained her crowd of her friends, at 1:00 AM, in her bathrobe, bunny slippers, with a soup can hairdo.
Needless to say; Cheryl did not say one word to me the entire ride back to her house.
Not one word.
I made it up to Cheryl a short time later by finishing her lovely Doberman bitch “Tilly” CH Lujac’s Waltzing Matilda, and all was forgiven.”
As told by Betty Regina Leininger
Whether in business or in leisure, Cheryl is attracted to excellence and inspired by talent. She has always surrounded herself with talented people, and is the first to say that doing so can be double edged sword. Extremely talented people tend to be complicated, and over time that can put a strain on friendships. Even so, there is not one moment in dogs that she would change for the world. She has had the privilege of being part of some very successful partnerships in dogs, which started as friendships.
When one of her first partners and dearly loved friends Bettye Carter died of cancer, Cheryl took a break from showing dogs to focus on building her business. Because of her initiative, hard work and business acumen, Cheryl built a very successful business, and she now has the luxury of living life on her terms. Cheryl shows when she wants, superbly presenting dogs she is proud of, in the most competive way possible. Still, merely owning or backing a champion is not enough for Cheryl, she favors a hands on approach Great dogs, and winning records are not created in the moment a judge points. The win itself is merely a reflection of the hours, weeks, months and years of breeder’s and owner’s hard work and dedication - over generations. Great champions and great show records are always a team effort.
Over the past 14 years Cheryl had partnered with Phillip Martin and the Phillmar dogs. It all started in 2000 when, after having been away for almost a decade, Cheryl was at a show and saw Philip from across the ring with the beautiful bitch - BIS BISS CH Phillmar Thunderella, CD. Cheryl had come to the show to check out another dog, saw Thunderella, and fell in love.
Success is a function of consistency
Consider for a moment the consistency of Cheryl being drawn to Thunderella, which goes back to the 1970s. In 1975, Bettye Carter and Cheryl purchased a bitch from a litter bred by Jack and Louise Strutt, out of CH Lujac’s Stinger, who had been bred to her half-brother, CH Mikedobe’s Cupid. The litter included CH Lujac’s Arcaro, CH Lujac’s My My, CH Lujac’s Riva Ridge, CH Lujac’s Waltzing Matilda whom Cheryl co –owned with Bettye Carter and CH Lujac’s Daniel. Many will recognize CH Lujac’s Daniel as being the sire of Am/Can CH Teraden's the Chocolate Soldier CGC WAC, a.k.a. Cody.
In the March April 2012 issue of Doberman Digest, on page 21, Linda Siegel wrote; “For 30 years everything we celebrate and cherish in Soquel Dobermans can be traced back to Cody.’”
Cody was the sire of Am/Int CH Angel's Dark Thunder WAC, who in turn sired CH Soquel's Thunder Storm WAC, who sired BIS BISS CH Soquel’s Distant Thunder, who is the sire of BIS BISS CH Phillmar Thunderella, CD, whom Cheryl admired the moment she saw her from across the show ring.
For over a decade Cheryl and Phillip produced beautiful dogs, great show records, and over 40 AKC Champions. Thunderella and Stat will forever hold a special place in her heart. Cheryl loves the dogs in the ring today who are the result of skillfully blending the progeny of these T and Stat. One bitch in particular, CH Aquarius Tantrums and Tiaras v Phillmar (Gia), by Stat out of CH Aquarius Red Sapphire (a CH Trotyl de Black Shadow daughter and a full sister to John Dolan’s beautiful and top producing BIS CH Aquarius Garbo v Tiburon), is proving to be extremely valuable for Cheryl’s breeding program. But that is getting a bit ahead of things.
In 2006, Thunderella was bred to Dr. Sophia Koster’s prepotent sire BIS BISS CH Eastwick’s Meadow Monster, producing an all-champion litter of seven, from which five were also Best In Show and Best In Specialty Show winners, including BIS BISS GCH Phillmar Sobe Monster WAC, CH Phillmar Monster Mania v Simca, BIS CH Phillmar Monster Piece, BIS CH Phillmar Rach Monster, BIS CH Phillmar Sisterelle, BIS CH Phillmar Monster Magnificent and BISS CH Phillmar Monsterella. Of these BIS BISS GCH Phillmar Sobe Monster WAC (a.k.a. Sobe) owned by Mary Klein, is a valuable sire, with several champions to date and some promising young dogs just now entering the show ring. BISS CH Phillmar Monsterella was bred to Am Int Mex Arg Brz CH Nello's Lex Luthor WAC (Stat’s sire), producing BIS BISS CH Phillmar Superman (Steel). As noted earlier, Steel recently retired from the ring. His influence as a sire is only just now beginning to be seen. Steel has over a dozen champions to date, with more and more breeders expressing interest. Those who have used Steel will often commented that they love the bone, substance, elegance and intensity of his puppies, and they always mention the temperament he passes on. Steel puppies have that “true Doberman temperament.” They blend easily into the life of an active family, yet the owner will never fear a stranger on a jogging path.
Steel was bred twice to CH Aquarius Tantrums and Tiaras v Phillmar (a.k.a. Gia), producing seventeen puppies, eleven of whom have earned their championships or are near their championships, including: GCH Phillmar Man of Steel, CH Phillmar This Girl Is On Fire, CH Phillmar Guardian of the Galaxy, CH Phillmar He Man, Int CH Phillmar The Falcon, CH Phillmar I’m Wicked Good, Phillmar Iron Lady and Phillmar Zena Warrior Princess. CH Phillmar Lois Lane was Select bitch under Pat Hastings at the 2015 DPCA National Specialty. CH Phillmar Ms. Marvel is now being Specialed with Cindy Lane Smith for owners Bernard Kennedy and Cheryl Green.
GCH Phillmar Man of Steel (Thor) finished his championship in 10 shows, with 4 majors. He began his Specials career going Select to his sire BIS BISS Phillmar Superman, at the 2014 DPCA Host Club Specialty. Though Thor won a few Groups, it quickly became apparent that life on the road did not agree with him, so he is now retired from the show ring, and home with his owner Randy Stamm. Thor offers breeders an alternative to his sire, depending upon what the individual bitch needs. Breeders who have used Thor invariably praise the bone, substance, compact bodies, strong top lines, beautiful heads and great temperaments of his kids, many of whom are in the show ring now.
Away from dogs Cheryl has also had considerable success breeding and racing Jockey Club Thoroughbreds. Her colt Bull Market, bred by Cheryl and trained by Bob Baffert, ran the 2002 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Bull Market led much of the way, injured himself at the quarter pole, and still finished a very respectable forth in this prestigious million-dollar race. Readers might recognize Bob Baffert as the trainer of American Pharoah who in 2015 won Triple Crown Winner, the $5,000,000.00 Breeders’ Cup Classic and was Horse of the Year. Cheryl has a Thoroughbred broodmare herd that includes mares with pedigrees of Tapit, Tiznow, Holy Bull, Deputy Minister and Storm Cat, who are all top Thoroughbred sires. Cheryl’s Deputy Minister Mare from his very last foal crop making the mare extremely valuable to Thoroughbred breeders.
Cheryl also has an ownership interest in a Grand Prix showjumper – a mare named Annie Lennox - who is competing with partners Josh Dolan and Alex Granato. Josh and Alex are two top young professional U.S. show jumpers. Josh is currently in training for the 2016 Olympics Modern Pentathlon, which is an Olympic sport comprising five events: fencing, 200 meter freestyle swimming, show jumping, pistol shooting and a 3200 meter cross-country run. Alex is currently ranked in top 25 for the Rolex/USEF Horse Ranking List along with names like Mclain Ward and Beezie Madden. “Our mare Annie Lennox has great scope and talent, but she can be a bit tricky to ride between the fences. Annie is progressing steadily and we’ll see how she does this year. She is a daughter of Acord II and should be a tremendous Sporthorse broodmare for the future. We are looking in to doing a few embryo transplants with Annie, which will allow her to continue in competition, while recipient mares carry her foals.
“Racing Jockey Club Thoroughbreds must all be produced via live cover, so there is no frozen semen, artificial insemination or embryo transfers allowed in the Thoroughbred racing world. But the use of frozen semen, artificial insemination and embryo transfers are allowed and now widely accepted practices for the FEI Sporthorse breeders,” Cheryl says. “I wish it were possible for canine breeders to store embryos and do embryo transfers with our bitches the way we can with the Sporthorses, so that Doberman breeders could retain the valuable contributions of our breed’s top bitches, the same was as we are now able to preserve and utilize the contributions of our top sires through frozen semen.”
Before ending this article, Cheryl was asked if there were any misconceptions or rumors she wanted to clear up, and after pausing thoughtfully for a moment, she said, “Yes. People have asked me why Steel now lives with Cindy Lane Smith. The answer is very simple. For every dog there is that one person, and for very intense dogs like Steel, there is truly only that one person. So, while Steel loves Tim and Sharon, after he retired it became clear to all of us that he LOVED Cindy. This happens with many Doberman Specials, the bond they develop with their handler grows into something stronger than the formalities of legal ownership. In the end, out of love for Steel, and with respect for his feelings, it was agreed that his partnership with Cindy would endure beyond his show career.”
Cheryl had a few other parting thoughts: She is the first to say that success for a competitor depends upon more than just having a very good dog. The dog must be superbly conditioned, excellently trained, and flawlessly presented. For that, few can match Philip Martin’s ability to train, condition and prepare a top show dog, and few can match great Doberman handlers like Diego Garcia, Esteban Farias and Cindy Lane Smith.
Success for a breeder is a matter of staying true to the quality of your foundation dogs, yet going out when necessary, to skillfully blend back in needed pedigrees and phenotypes. Without question these are precarious times for purebred dog breeders, and most especially for Doberman Breeders. In 2016, fewer and fewer people are willing to take on the enormous responsibilities demanded of breeders, in the face of dwindling support from almost every direction. Any experienced breeder will tell you that breeding Dobermans in 2016 is a daunting prospect. Over and above understanding structure, movement, the Breed standard, the strengths and weakness of pedigrees, and choosing the best breeding combinations in each generation, breeders are faced with a myriad of other challenges. Health tests we once relied upon are proving to be of little value; veterinary medicine simply does not offer the “guarantees” of perfection that the public has been led to believe exist. Doberman breeders have the additional concerns of tail docking and ear cropping, which involve medical expertise and talent that is fast disappearing. Breeders face the unpredictable and potentially disastrous consequences of environmental toxins, over-vaccination, mis-use of parasite controls, breed specific laws, strict liability, treble damages and on and on. The public’s expectations have never been higher, while their basic animal husbandry skills have never been lower. And in the end, it is always “the breeders fault.” Breeders are blamed for everything but the Kennedy Assassination and Global Warming.
Those of us who love this breed understand the urgent need to support the breeders of today, and even more important, the need to nurture and encourage the breeders of the future. But to understand the challenges breeders face, we need to look at what it means to be a Doberman Breeder. There are very few breeders around today who bridge any significant time period as magnificently and graciously as Ms. Cheryl Green – AlCher. Cheryl can be reached through her website, AlCherdobes.com.
Dobe Digest AlCher Interview 2016 Stud Dog Issue Cover Story
Cheryl Green – AlCher
A lifetime of success, grounded in a passion for Dobermans
It’s fitting that Cheryl Green’s contribution to Dobermans is the subject of this important Stud Dog Issue of the Doberman Digest. Few today can reflect back on over forty years of owning and breeding competitive show dogs, with the perspective of still being actively involved in 2016. In all, Cheryl has bred and or owned over 150 AKC conformation champions, representing about half a dozen breeds, including Whippets, Pointers, Danes, Shih Tzu, and Min Pins. But it is the Doberman Pinscher that has always held a special place in Cheryl’s heart. She has bred and owned top record holders in the show ring and dogs who have had great influence in breeding. Some of these dogs have carried her AlCher kennel name, but many have not.
“AlCher was originally a contraction of my ex-husband’s name and mine. He’s long gone, but I am still here,” Cheryl says with a tinge of pride. “I love the dogs, love the Breed. My commitment to each and every dog is genuine, from the moment it’s whelped - to that last breath it takes. And that will always be true. So I guess “AlCher” really stands for “all Cheryl” because in the end I’m always the one who carries on, and I would not have it any other way. It’s always been about the dogs themselves for me. It’s just never mattered much who’s in the spotlight or whose name is on the dog. There were AlCher dogs winning in the show ring in the 1970’s and there are AlCher dogs winning in the ring in 2016, including - CH AlCher Captain America, who finished at eight months with four majors. Captain was co-bred with Judy Pinkevich who has been a close friend of Cheryl’s for over 40 years. Several of Captain’s littermates will be in the ring this spring, including a lovely Black and Rust vWD CLEAR male AlCher Mr. Marvel that is proving to be “a sleeper” whom we all missed at 8 weeks.”
“From a breeder’s perspective Captain’s litter is important,” Cheryl explains, “because the dam of the litter, Phillmar Thunderedda RN NA NAJ NF NAP RATN CGC is a line-bred daughter of BIS BISS CH Soquel's Distant Thunder. I loved so many things about Thunder, and as you know, there are very few Dobermans with Thunder so close up in the pedigree in 2016. It took several tries to get a bitch pregnant with his semen, and for that reason alone Thunderedda is very important to me. The goal of using Thunder’s frozen semen was to retain in my breeding program many of Thunder’s valuable attributes, especially his beautiful head and expression and his superb flow of neck into shoulders. The focus of some breeding is to retain or re-capture important physical attributes that I feel we are losing in the gene pool. I have always felt that a breeder’s job is to think of the generations ahead, as much as what is in the litter box today.”
Over the years Cheryl’s impressive record includes many special dogs and special wins, some of which were simply personal favorites, like her first Doberman Champion - CH Brante Von Merliss CDX in 1971, and later the beautiful CH Jaymare’s Vixen of RehBar. There have been numerous Best in Show and Best In Specialty Show winners, seventeen DPCA Top Twenty Conformation dogs, and two DPCA Top Twenty Obedience dogs. BIS BISS CH Phillmar X-Static CD ROM won Best Veteran and was the first AOM at the 2009 DPCA National. Stat was also the first recipient of the DPCA Ryan Award, for being in the Top Twenty in both Conformation and Obedience in the same year (and he is the sire of the only other Doberman to win this award AKC UDC INT GCH Sharjets Starr Catcher CD, RE, ROM, CGCA, owned by Sharon and John Marinelli, Sally Kapp, Gabrielle Hanna, and Marcy Feller. BIS BISS CH Phillmar Thunderella CD ROM won the Breed at the 2005 Eukanuba National, with her litter of seven-week-old puppies back in the hotel room. A puppy from Thunderella’s litter, BIS BISS CH Phillmar Sobe Monster (owned by Mary Klein) went BOS in 2009 at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show. CH Phillmar Superman (Steel) recently retired after having amassed an impressive 7 Best In Shows, 10 Reserve Best In Shows and over 40 Group I, making Steel the top winning Phillmar dog of all time. Steel is owned by Tim and Sharon Stone and Cheryl, and was handled by Ms. Cindy Lane Smith. Steel has sired over a dozen champions to date, including GCH Phillmar Man of Steel who was Select to his sire at the 2014 DPCA Host Club Specialty, and CH Phillmar Lois Lane who was Select Bitch at the 2015 DPCA National Specialty under Pat Hastings. In 2016, CH Phillmar Ms. Marvel is out as a Special with Ms. Cindy Lane Smith, for owners Bernard Kennedy and Cheryl Green.
People around the world have often admired Cheryl’s successful show dogs and breeding records, yet many are largely unaware of her important contributions to the success of these dogs, in part because Cheryl has never really sought the spotlight for herself. This amazingly modest woman has managed to participate for decades, with an enormous record of success, entirely on her terms. Her friends will tell you that Cheryl tends to prefer soaring “under the radar” which is why having her AlCher kennel name on the dogs she breeds and owns has never been an issue for Cheryl. Nor is it important that the whole world gives her credit, even though credit was due. Choosing to avoid the limelight has had some humorous consequences, like the time a top handler could not recall who Cheryl was, even though this handler had recently Specialed a Doberman that was bred and co-owned by Cheryl Green. While some might have been offended by this oversight, Cheryl found it funny.
She has known and counted as close friends many of the icons of the sport, an eclectic mix of talent and ability, spanning decades, including Tess Hensler, Peggy Adamson, Bettye Carter, Elaine Merlis, Virginia Markley, Charlie Cooper, Dr. Cindy Brown, Desi Murphy, Barbara Bachman, Dickey Brue, Betty Regina Leininger, Edd Biven and his beloved wife Irene. Cheryl’s friends are family to her, and “family is everything.”
Cheryl is one of four children, and was very close to her siblings, all of whom succumbed to cancer in the past ten years. Cheryl too is a cancer survivor, which gives her a great deal of tolerance for the trivial things that pop up in life. She doesn’t sweat the small stuff, and never has. Cheryl’s beloved husband Andy is wonderful anchor for her, especially when it comes to the dog world, in part because Andy has one foot in the dog world and one foot out, which helps maintain balance. “Andy has a slightly different perspective on the sport than I do,” Cheryl says. “He loves the dogs, and the people, but he never gets so deep into things that he loses his objectivity. Showing and breeding can get pretty intense at times, and when it does, Andy will draw me back to a place of calm and sanity, which helps keep all of this fun for me, and for us.”
Those who know Cheryl will tell you that while she is always a lady, she is no pushover. For proof, you need only note that Cheryl has succeeded on her own, in the highly competitive male-dominated insurance industry. Her successful company - Benefit Consultants Incorporated – provides services to companies with as many as 70,000 employees, in roughly 30 states. Like many women who succeed in business, Cheryl is the epitome of femininity, with balls of brass.
Cheryl’s dear friend Mary Klein tells of an incident from a DPCA National a few years ago to illustrate the power Cheryl can draw on, if or when the need should arise. And to retell this story, while protecting people’s privacy, some details will have to be obscured or omitted.
“Essentially, Mary, Cheryl and a group of folks were sitting around a dinner table at a DPCA National a few years back, when a conversation between two of the men at the table became heated, with verbal insults flying back and forth, then threats, and posturing like two old roosters in a cock fight. The whole thing escalated to the point where the two men decided to go outside and fight each other. Any fist fight is appalling and unacceptable, but this scenario evoked images of CPR, Medicare and Medicaid, as much as anything. Still, people could get hurt. Given that there was no waterhose handy, it seemed impossible to stop this lunacy. As the two enraged old bulls stormed out the door, ready to “punch each other’s lights out” Mary wisely advised everyone else at the table to “stay put,” so as not to escalate things further. Truth be told, no one at the table really wanted to put themselves in harm’s way to keep these idiots from hurting themselves. No one that is - except Cheryl Green. Cheryl was pissed as hell at the sheer stupidity of it all. You could almost see the steam coming out of her ears as Cheryl followed the two men out the door. It’s hard to say exactly what happened outside, but in a few short minutes all three returned. Cheryl decorously sat right back down at her seat and seamlessly picked up the conversation with the person next to her, exactly where she had left it. The two crestfallen gentleman were now completely deflated, and sat quietly for the rest of the evening, like two errant school boys who’d just been taken to the wood shed. The strong impression was that neither wanted to incur Cheryl’s wrath for a second time.”
As told by Mary Klein
Like many people in dogs, Cheryl was born with the passion, acquiring her first dog when she was three years old. Even now Cheryl can tell you the name of every dog she has ever owned. Her dearly loved grandfather bred Field Trial Pointers. From an early age he instilled in Cheryl the principle that “form and function” were an integral part of any concept of canine perfection, and that “beauty” involved the total package, of proper temperament, structural correctness, exceptional physical ability, all within the construct of the original purpose for the Breed as defined by the Breed Standard. Cheryl’s ideal Doberman is a compact, square dog, with heavy bone and substance, yet with that perfect harmony of balance and angulation which is necessary for the endurance and speed our Breed Standard calls for. “A Doberman must have obvious sex type, and elegance, yet be well-muscled, sound, energetic and athletic. And they must be a stable loving family companion. In short, the ideal Doberman must have
“Brains and Beauty. ” As reflected in the newest member of Cheryl’s household “Giselle” is only a few months old, but she seems to fit this description perfectly. “Giselle is smart as a whip, easy to live with, and beautiful to boot. She’s only been here a few days and already she has our routine down pat. Nothing gets past her. The minute she hears me starting dinner, she runs and jumps in her open crate, waiting to be fed.” Giselle is also known as Sharjets Land of Hope and Dreams at AlCher. She is the daughter of BIS BISS GCH Phillmar Superman out of the beautiful Stat daughter AKC UDC INT GCH Sharjets Starr Catcher CD, RE, ROM, CGCA.
Cheryl got her first Doberman when she was in her early twenties, and became smitten with the breed. She jokes that her first Dobe, Green’s Scarlet Helena CDX, “had just about every fault in the breed.” Later, a chance encounter with Jeff Brucker at a Nashville dog show led Cheryl to purchase her first show Doberman, a four month old black and rust male puppy, bred by Elaine Merlis, who went on to become CH Brante Von Merlis CDX.
Brante was handled by Jeff and his then wife, Betty. People in Dobes now know Betty as Ms. Betty Regina Leininger, a respected AKC judge who notably gave Fifi a.k.a. BIS BISS GCH Protocol’s Veni, Vidi Vici WAC the Working Group at the 2012 Westminster Kennel Club show.
Winning is only half of it - Having fun is the other half
Back in those early days Jeff and Betty were adamant about good sportsmanship. Rule #1 was, “Never speak about a competitor’s dog ring side.” Ruler #2, “Always support the breed in the group.”
Cheryl has a deeply personal appreciation of the sacrifices folks make to show and breed dogs, especially on a budget. While she may not wish to turn back the clock to her days of Motel 6s and macaroni & cheese dinners, she cherishes the memories of time spent on show circuits, sharing expenses, hotels, and shoestring budgets, which generated many life-long friendships. She had the privilege of being mentored by some of the greatest breed experts who ever lived, names this generation of breeders sometimes forget, like Peggy Adamson (Damasyn), Tess Henseler (Ahrtal), Bettye Carter (Classic), Elaine Merlis (Von Merlis) and Virginia Markley (Hotai) who gave our breed the foundation which carries us forward even today. These vanguards of the breed indelibly impressed upon Cheryl the importance of breed type, structure, temperament, and the need for breeders to retain the strengths of the foundation dogs while selectively breeding away from the faults. Many of the top handlers in this sport have handled for Cheryl including, George Rood, Charlie Cooper, Terry Hunt, Gwen DeMilta, Andy Linton, Cindi Huckfeldt, Barbara Alderman, Houston and Toddie Clarke, Perry Philips, Esteban Farias, Diego Garcia and Cindy Lane Smith, and each and every one has been a valued addition in her life. Cheryl’s friends will tell you that she is a generous and loyal to a fault, and unfailingly supportive, exemplifying the best of our sport and this breed. She is the living embodiment of the old Knute Rockne quote, “One person practicing good sportsmanship is far better than a hundred teaching it.”
Cheryl feels fortunate to have been in Dobermans back in the 70’s through the early 90’s when the breed was at the height of its popularity. “Back then Breed entries were typically 100 dogs or more. As I recall, it took 53 bitches to make a 3pt major to finish Tilly (CH Lujac’s Waltzing Matilda), in 1979, and that was the norm.”
Back then exhibitors left the competition in the ring. It could be tense around ringside during the judging, but once the judge pointed, it was over, almost as if the crowd ringside all took a deep breath, exhaled, and were friends again. People in the breed considered themselves part of an extended social family, sharing everything from knowledge and experience, to the ups and downs of life on the road.
Jeff Brucker was adamant that his clients support each other ringside. “No sour attitude” was allowed. The clients often went to dinner together after the show, and could be found in the hotel parking lot “talking dogs” until late in the evening. They enjoyed sharing knowledge, experiences, going over each other dogs, exchanging ideas about breeding, training, diet and conditioning, and all the joys and sorrows of owning, breeding and showing Dobermans.
“We’ve drifted away from the comradery of those times,” Cheryl says. “Showing these days is expensive, and I understand that. I think we all need to keep in mind what it costs to show a dog, and it’s not just the money, it’s our time and effort, and not just for the days we show.” Cheryl says. “Win or lose, every exhibitor in the ring has gone to a great deal effort to be there and show their dog. We all need to remember to be kind, civil and respectful of each other, and appreciate each other. Congratulate the winners, be reassuring if possible to those who didn’t win. Plan to stay to support your breed in the Group and Best in Show, which tends to be a more relaxed time around the ring for those who do not have a dog still in competition. Talk to each other. Get to know your fellow competitors and be supportive and encouraging to new people. The new exhibitors of today may be the breeders of tomorrow. And best of all, some of the friendships you make ringside will be treasures for a lifetime.”
Diego and Evie Garcia are two of Cheryl’s treasured friends. “People may have an impression of Diego based upon his competitive fire,” says Cheryl, “and it is true that he can be very intense during competition, so I understand people’s perceptions, but there is another more privately guarded side to Diego, which is tender and kind and very unlike the Matador in the show ring.”
Cheryl and Evie are particularly close and speak daily. “We have shared so much over the years, including great successes that Diego has had in the ring, like the three consecutive Breed wins at the Boxer National with Scarlet, or simple things like the time I flew up and we all celebrated his birthday just after Westminster show in 2012. Evie had this very special birthday cake made, that had fondant replicas of all the breeds Diego shows, but after all the trouble Evie went through to get the cake just perfect, the baker forgot to put a Doberman on the cake, which spoiled things for Evie. (For a few years after I always had a toy Doberman in my purse that I’d found at a Hallmark store, just in case we ever had a “cake emergency” again.) One of my fondest memories of Evie and Diego has to do with a time when Andy was going into the hospital, with some very serious health issues. My health was not so good at the time either, and I was worn to the bone trying to care for Andy, to see that he was getting the very best medical care, and everything he needed, when I was not feeling all that well myself. At one point I was just exhausted, and truly near the end of my rope, and then the doctors said that Andy needed surgery. Evie literally dropped everything and flew in to be with me in the hospital, just to comfort for me. It could not have been easy for Evie to take time away from the dogs and the shows, and I can’t even begin to imagine the stress it put on Diego to have to get along without her, but neither Diego nor Evie ever once let on that it was any inconvenience for them at all. To this day I don’t think they realize how much what they did means to me. I remember that we had been at the hospital for hours, while Andy was in surgery, where so many things hung in the balance, and I was really about to fall apart, except that I had Evie to draw strength from. At one point we were in the family’s waiting room, and then Andy’s Cardiologist appeared, with that strained somber look that no wife ever wants to see. The doctor called me into another room to discuss the operation. It probably took over 20 minutes to explain things, and when I walked back into the waiting room I saw Evie, bent over, white as a sheet. She had been so worried she was nauseated and had been throwing up, but she didn’t want me to even know that this all was impacting her almost as strongly as it impacted me. Evie never said a word about her stress. She remained with me for days, at a time when I needed her most, forever my friend, forever my sister. ”
Anyone who knows Cheryl will tell you that her passion for showing dogs competitively has nothing at all to do with her ego. Quite the opposite actually. Betty Regina Leininger recalls what a generous “true” friend Cheryl could be, willing to put ego aside, and go beyond, in ways that only women can truly appreciate.
“I remember an incident, from back in the late 70’s, when I took Cheryl up on her offer to stay with her for a few nights on a show circuit near her Nashville, Tennessee home. We were both single at the time, and loving it. Before I get to my story, I have to mention that I recall that Cheryl was possibly not the world’s most avid cook. I remember looking in her fridge for what we were going to have for breakfast the next morning, and all she had were two puppy vaccines, but not one bit of food, no juice, no milk, nothing. To this day the memory of opening Cheryl’s fridge looking for breakfast makes me laugh.
Anyway, getting back to my story: Saturday night, after the dog show, Cheryl and I decided to get dressed up and go into Nashville, to Printer’s Alley and a trendy restaurant called the Captains Table, which was a favorite local hangout for lots of handsome single guys, including folks in the entertainment business. Cheryl and I were dressed to kill and looked fabulous, or so I recall thinking, and we had a great time. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was electric, and the crowd was basically the crème de la crème of Cheryl’s hometown friends. At one point in the evening I dropped the small clutch I was carrying, and did not notice that my driver’s license and credit cards had fallen out onto the floor. Chery and I finished dinner, hit another trendy night club and then, exhausted, and taking note that we had an early ring time the next day, decided to call it an evening. We went back to Cheryl’s place and got ready for bed. Back in those days women’s beauty regimens were are bit different than they are today. Cheryl had on a robe, some big fuzzy bunny slippers. Her beautiful long hair was rolled up in what looked like large soup cans. How any of us slept on those things I will never know. I forget exactly what I was wearing, but we both looked like we could “haunt a house.” It was about twenty minutes to 1:00 AM when I noticed that my driver’s license and credit cards were missing. Panicked, I then recalled the moment when I’d dropped my purse. We called the Captain’s Table. “YES , they’d found ‘em.” But they closed at 1:00 AM and would be closed Sunday and Monday. I had the dog show Sunday and then a long drive home to Atlanta, Georgia. There was no way I could go without my driver’s license and credit cards until the following Tuesday. Cheryl was exhausted and wanted to go to sleep, but I insisted that we simply had to go right then, back to the Captains Table. We didn’t even have time to argue, there was barely time to get to the restaurant before it closed. Cheryl reluctantly agreed, “Okay Huzz, I’ll drive you.” We jumped in Cheryl’s van and beat it down the expressway, bathrobes, slippers, soup cans and all. During the entire drive to the restaurant Cheryl was adamant that she was only driving me, that she would not even get out of the van, and that under no circumstance in heaven or hell - was she going in to the restaurant, where many from the crowd we had left a few hours earlier were still hanging around. I agreed with Cheryl, right up until the minute we arrived in the restaurant’s parking lot, and then I froze. So there we were, at about five minutes to 1:00 AM, in the van, in our robes and slippers, Cheryl with her soup can hair, arguing with each other. I was begging and pleading that Cheryl now do the very thing she had just spent the last 15 minutes telling me she absolutely refused to do. As the clock was ticked away. Bless her heart, at the last minute, Cheryl took pity on me. I will never forget the image of Cheryl, sacrificing her dignity for my sake, as she marched into the restaurant, which still contained her crowd of her friends, at 1:00 AM, in her bathrobe, bunny slippers, with a soup can hairdo.
Needless to say; Cheryl did not say one word to me the entire ride back to her house.
Not one word.
I made it up to Cheryl a short time later by finishing her lovely Doberman bitch “Tilly” CH Lujac’s Waltzing Matilda, and all was forgiven.”
As told by Betty Regina Leininger
Whether in business or in leisure, Cheryl is attracted to excellence and inspired by talent. She has always surrounded herself with talented people, and is the first to say that doing so can be double edged sword. Extremely talented people tend to be complicated, and over time that can put a strain on friendships. Even so, there is not one moment in dogs that she would change for the world. She has had the privilege of being part of some very successful partnerships in dogs, which started as friendships.
When one of her first partners and dearly loved friends Bettye Carter died of cancer, Cheryl took a break from showing dogs to focus on building her business. Because of her initiative, hard work and business acumen, Cheryl built a very successful business, and she now has the luxury of living life on her terms. Cheryl shows when she wants, superbly presenting dogs she is proud of, in the most competive way possible. Still, merely owning or backing a champion is not enough for Cheryl, she favors a hands on approach Great dogs, and winning records are not created in the moment a judge points. The win itself is merely a reflection of the hours, weeks, months and years of breeder’s and owner’s hard work and dedication - over generations. Great champions and great show records are always a team effort.
Over the past 14 years Cheryl had partnered with Phillip Martin and the Phillmar dogs. It all started in 2000 when, after having been away for almost a decade, Cheryl was at a show and saw Philip from across the ring with the beautiful bitch - BIS BISS CH Phillmar Thunderella, CD. Cheryl had come to the show to check out another dog, saw Thunderella, and fell in love.
Success is a function of consistency
Consider for a moment the consistency of Cheryl being drawn to Thunderella, which goes back to the 1970s. In 1975, Bettye Carter and Cheryl purchased a bitch from a litter bred by Jack and Louise Strutt, out of CH Lujac’s Stinger, who had been bred to her half-brother, CH Mikedobe’s Cupid. The litter included CH Lujac’s Arcaro, CH Lujac’s My My, CH Lujac’s Riva Ridge, CH Lujac’s Waltzing Matilda whom Cheryl co –owned with Bettye Carter and CH Lujac’s Daniel. Many will recognize CH Lujac’s Daniel as being the sire of Am/Can CH Teraden's the Chocolate Soldier CGC WAC, a.k.a. Cody.
In the March April 2012 issue of Doberman Digest, on page 21, Linda Siegel wrote; “For 30 years everything we celebrate and cherish in Soquel Dobermans can be traced back to Cody.’”
Cody was the sire of Am/Int CH Angel's Dark Thunder WAC, who in turn sired CH Soquel's Thunder Storm WAC, who sired BIS BISS CH Soquel’s Distant Thunder, who is the sire of BIS BISS CH Phillmar Thunderella, CD, whom Cheryl admired the moment she saw her from across the show ring.
For over a decade Cheryl and Phillip produced beautiful dogs, great show records, and over 40 AKC Champions. Thunderella and Stat will forever hold a special place in her heart. Cheryl loves the dogs in the ring today who are the result of skillfully blending the progeny of these T and Stat. One bitch in particular, CH Aquarius Tantrums and Tiaras v Phillmar (Gia), by Stat out of CH Aquarius Red Sapphire (a CH Trotyl de Black Shadow daughter and a full sister to John Dolan’s beautiful and top producing BIS CH Aquarius Garbo v Tiburon), is proving to be extremely valuable for Cheryl’s breeding program. But that is getting a bit ahead of things.
In 2006, Thunderella was bred to Dr. Sophia Koster’s prepotent sire BIS BISS CH Eastwick’s Meadow Monster, producing an all-champion litter of seven, from which five were also Best In Show and Best In Specialty Show winners, including BIS BISS GCH Phillmar Sobe Monster WAC, CH Phillmar Monster Mania v Simca, BIS CH Phillmar Monster Piece, BIS CH Phillmar Rach Monster, BIS CH Phillmar Sisterelle, BIS CH Phillmar Monster Magnificent and BISS CH Phillmar Monsterella. Of these BIS BISS GCH Phillmar Sobe Monster WAC (a.k.a. Sobe) owned by Mary Klein, is a valuable sire, with several champions to date and some promising young dogs just now entering the show ring. BISS CH Phillmar Monsterella was bred to Am Int Mex Arg Brz CH Nello's Lex Luthor WAC (Stat’s sire), producing BIS BISS CH Phillmar Superman (Steel). As noted earlier, Steel recently retired from the ring. His influence as a sire is only just now beginning to be seen. Steel has over a dozen champions to date, with more and more breeders expressing interest. Those who have used Steel will often commented that they love the bone, substance, elegance and intensity of his puppies, and they always mention the temperament he passes on. Steel puppies have that “true Doberman temperament.” They blend easily into the life of an active family, yet the owner will never fear a stranger on a jogging path.
Steel was bred twice to CH Aquarius Tantrums and Tiaras v Phillmar (a.k.a. Gia), producing seventeen puppies, eleven of whom have earned their championships or are near their championships, including: GCH Phillmar Man of Steel, CH Phillmar This Girl Is On Fire, CH Phillmar Guardian of the Galaxy, CH Phillmar He Man, Int CH Phillmar The Falcon, CH Phillmar I’m Wicked Good, Phillmar Iron Lady and Phillmar Zena Warrior Princess. CH Phillmar Lois Lane was Select bitch under Pat Hastings at the 2015 DPCA National Specialty. CH Phillmar Ms. Marvel is now being Specialed with Cindy Lane Smith for owners Bernard Kennedy and Cheryl Green.
GCH Phillmar Man of Steel (Thor) finished his championship in 10 shows, with 4 majors. He began his Specials career going Select to his sire BIS BISS Phillmar Superman, at the 2014 DPCA Host Club Specialty. Though Thor won a few Groups, it quickly became apparent that life on the road did not agree with him, so he is now retired from the show ring, and home with his owner Randy Stamm. Thor offers breeders an alternative to his sire, depending upon what the individual bitch needs. Breeders who have used Thor invariably praise the bone, substance, compact bodies, strong top lines, beautiful heads and great temperaments of his kids, many of whom are in the show ring now.
Away from dogs Cheryl has also had considerable success breeding and racing Jockey Club Thoroughbreds. Her colt Bull Market, bred by Cheryl and trained by Bob Baffert, ran the 2002 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. Bull Market led much of the way, injured himself at the quarter pole, and still finished a very respectable forth in this prestigious million-dollar race. Readers might recognize Bob Baffert as the trainer of American Pharoah who in 2015 won Triple Crown Winner, the $5,000,000.00 Breeders’ Cup Classic and was Horse of the Year. Cheryl has a Thoroughbred broodmare herd that includes mares with pedigrees of Tapit, Tiznow, Holy Bull, Deputy Minister and Storm Cat, who are all top Thoroughbred sires. Cheryl’s Deputy Minister Mare from his very last foal crop making the mare extremely valuable to Thoroughbred breeders.
Cheryl also has an ownership interest in a Grand Prix showjumper – a mare named Annie Lennox - who is competing with partners Josh Dolan and Alex Granato. Josh and Alex are two top young professional U.S. show jumpers. Josh is currently in training for the 2016 Olympics Modern Pentathlon, which is an Olympic sport comprising five events: fencing, 200 meter freestyle swimming, show jumping, pistol shooting and a 3200 meter cross-country run. Alex is currently ranked in top 25 for the Rolex/USEF Horse Ranking List along with names like Mclain Ward and Beezie Madden. “Our mare Annie Lennox has great scope and talent, but she can be a bit tricky to ride between the fences. Annie is progressing steadily and we’ll see how she does this year. She is a daughter of Acord II and should be a tremendous Sporthorse broodmare for the future. We are looking in to doing a few embryo transplants with Annie, which will allow her to continue in competition, while recipient mares carry her foals.
“Racing Jockey Club Thoroughbreds must all be produced via live cover, so there is no frozen semen, artificial insemination or embryo transfers allowed in the Thoroughbred racing world. But the use of frozen semen, artificial insemination and embryo transfers are allowed and now widely accepted practices for the FEI Sporthorse breeders,” Cheryl says. “I wish it were possible for canine breeders to store embryos and do embryo transfers with our bitches the way we can with the Sporthorses, so that Doberman breeders could retain the valuable contributions of our breed’s top bitches, the same was as we are now able to preserve and utilize the contributions of our top sires through frozen semen.”
Before ending this article, Cheryl was asked if there were any misconceptions or rumors she wanted to clear up, and after pausing thoughtfully for a moment, she said, “Yes. People have asked me why Steel now lives with Cindy Lane Smith. The answer is very simple. For every dog there is that one person, and for very intense dogs like Steel, there is truly only that one person. So, while Steel loves Tim and Sharon, after he retired it became clear to all of us that he LOVED Cindy. This happens with many Doberman Specials, the bond they develop with their handler grows into something stronger than the formalities of legal ownership. In the end, out of love for Steel, and with respect for his feelings, it was agreed that his partnership with Cindy would endure beyond his show career.”
Cheryl had a few other parting thoughts: She is the first to say that success for a competitor depends upon more than just having a very good dog. The dog must be superbly conditioned, excellently trained, and flawlessly presented. For that, few can match Philip Martin’s ability to train, condition and prepare a top show dog, and few can match great Doberman handlers like Diego Garcia, Esteban Farias and Cindy Lane Smith.
Success for a breeder is a matter of staying true to the quality of your foundation dogs, yet going out when necessary, to skillfully blend back in needed pedigrees and phenotypes. Without question these are precarious times for purebred dog breeders, and most especially for Doberman Breeders. In 2016, fewer and fewer people are willing to take on the enormous responsibilities demanded of breeders, in the face of dwindling support from almost every direction. Any experienced breeder will tell you that breeding Dobermans in 2016 is a daunting prospect. Over and above understanding structure, movement, the Breed standard, the strengths and weakness of pedigrees, and choosing the best breeding combinations in each generation, breeders are faced with a myriad of other challenges. Health tests we once relied upon are proving to be of little value; veterinary medicine simply does not offer the “guarantees” of perfection that the public has been led to believe exist. Doberman breeders have the additional concerns of tail docking and ear cropping, which involve medical expertise and talent that is fast disappearing. Breeders face the unpredictable and potentially disastrous consequences of environmental toxins, over-vaccination, mis-use of parasite controls, breed specific laws, strict liability, treble damages and on and on. The public’s expectations have never been higher, while their basic animal husbandry skills have never been lower. And in the end, it is always “the breeders fault.” Breeders are blamed for everything but the Kennedy Assassination and Global Warming.
Those of us who love this breed understand the urgent need to support the breeders of today, and even more important, the need to nurture and encourage the breeders of the future. But to understand the challenges breeders face, we need to look at what it means to be a Doberman Breeder. There are very few breeders around today who bridge any significant time period as magnificently and graciously as Ms. Cheryl Green – AlCher. Cheryl can be reached through her website, AlCherdobes.com.