The 2017 Annual NYTTS Turtle and Tortoise Show

Show Judge Patrice Whittington and Michael Sherwin

Show Judge Patrice Whittington presents
Best-In-Show trophy to Michael Sherwin
Photo by Allen Salzberg

The 43rd Annual Turtle and Tortoise Show was held on Saturday, June 3, 2017, at the Sarah Lawrence College Center for the Urban River at Beczak.

Awarded for long-term length of ownership (45 years!) and extraordinary husbandry over the years, Michael Sherwin (pictured left with Judge Patrice Whittington), received Best-In-Show, for “Woody,” an Asian Leaf Turtle (Cyclemys dentata), which Patrice marked “Intelligent!!” on the turtle’s ID species card.

NYTTS welcomed back Dr. Patrice Whittington for judging our show again this year. She is a veterinarian working for the Animal Hospital at Bideawee and several private practices in the Westchester and Fairfield Counties. We thank her


	Show Judge Patrice Whittington with tortoise Photo by Anita Salzberg

for her concerned and knowledgeable interaction with our members and their turtles throughout the day!

Judging — Awarding of ribbons is based not only on the quality of the animal (configuration and form, uniqueness, and rarity of species) but also upon ownership responsibility (length of ownership, general health and physical condition, and apparent quality of husbandry). Significant credit is also given when animals have been successfully bred in captivity. When more than one animal in a collection has clearly benefited from the high quality of husbandry, the group (a breeding pair and offspring, or long-term captives in good health) is recognized accordingly. These are designated as “breeding groups” or “husbandry groups” below.

Turtle Names

The common names of turtles and tortoises vary widely by country and region. To maintain consistency, John Iverson’s scheme of common names (A Revised Checklist with Distribution Maps of the Turtles of the World) has been followed. Therefore, a number of familiar names many of us use informally may have been partly altered or replaced. See the following informal common names and the equivalent Iverson common names below:

Burmese brown tortoise (Manouria emys) = Asian Brown Tortoise
Chinese box turtle (Cuora flavomarginata) = Yellow-margined Box Turtle
Flat-tailed tortoise (Pyxis planicauda() = Flat-shelled spider tortoise
Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca) = Spur-thighed Tortoise
Russian tortoise (Testudo horsfieldii) = Central Asian Ttortoise
Sulcata (Centrochelys sulcata) = African Spurred Tortoise

All members showing New York State native species have valid state permits.

Group photos by Allen Salzberg

First Place — Blue Ribbon Winners

Back row: Andrew Watz, Terry Troia, Andrea Ramsey, Michael Sherwin, Bob Seaver, Frank Schneider, Barbara Torres, and Brian Blecher; Front row: Sue Kretchco, Allen P.W. Karen, Ari Taub, and Heather Sandifer

Brian Blecher
Pancake Tortoise (Malocochersus tornieri)

Brian Blecher
South American Twist-necked Turtle (Platemys platycephala)

Allen P.W. Karen
Leopard Tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis)

Sue Kretchko
Hermann’s Tortoise (Testudo hermanni boettgeri)

Andrea Ramsey
Red-footed Tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria)

Heather Sandifer
Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Frank Schneider
Leopard Tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis)

Bob Seaver
Husbandry group: 2 Yellow-margined Box Turtles (Cuora flavomarginata)

Michael Sherwin
Common Snapping Turtle (Chelidra s. serpentina)

Michael Sherwin
Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata)

Ari Taub
Husbandry group: Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii) and 2 Wood Turtles (Glyptemys insculpta)

Barbara Torres
Red-footed Tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria)

Terry Troia
African Spurred Tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata)

Andrew Watz
Breeding group: 2 Eastern Box Turtles and 6 hatchlings (Terrapene c. carolina)

Second Place — Red Ribbon Winners

Standing:Andrea Ramsey, Sue Kretchko, Michael Sherwin, Frank Schneider, Barbara Torres, Brenda Angelilli, John McQuilan, and Lesley Brunelle; Kneeling: Allen P.W. Karen

Brenda Angelilli
Yellow-margined Box Turtle (Cuora flavomarginata)

Lesley Brunelle and John McQuilan
Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Allen P.W. Karen
Central Asian Tortoise (Agrionemys horsfieldii)

Sue Kretchko
Central Asian tortoise (Agrionemys horsfieldii)

Sue Kretchko
Red-footed Tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria)

Andrea Ramsey
Red-footed Tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria)

Heather Sandifer
Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Frank Schneider
Pancake Tortoise (Malocochersus tornieri)

Frank Schneider
Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene c. carolina)

Michael Sherwin
Yellow-margined Box Turtle (Cuora flavomarginata)

Barbara Torres
Red-footed Tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonaria)

Third Place — White Ribbon Winners

Dylan Blecher, Stan Nissenbaum, Allen P.W. Karen, Michael Sherwin, and Frank Schneider

Dylan Blecher
Asian Brown Tortoise (Manouria emys)

Allen P.W. Karen
Central Asian Tortoise (Agrionemys horsfieldii

Stan Nissenbaum
Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Frank Schneider
Central Asian Tortoise (Agrionemys horsfieldii)

Frank Schneider
Pancake Tortoise (Malocochersus tornieri)

Michael Sherwin
Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)

Honorable Mention

Heather Sandifer
Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegns),
dropped off at her home a week ago

Snapshots from the Show ~ Photos by Allen Salzberg
(Hold mouxe over image to pause slides.)

NYTTS gratefully acknowledges That Pet Place and Unco Industries, Inc.–Vermiculture, for their ongoing donations of gift certificates and turtle and tortoise care supplies, made available at our Annual Turtle and Tortoise Shows.

We gratefuly appreciate Tony Monahan’s contribution of three turtle prints for our Annual Show Auction.