The 2019 Annual NYTTS Turtle and Tortoise Show



The 45th Annual Turtle and Tortoise Show was held on Saturday, June 15, 2019,
at the Sarah Lawrence College Center for the Urban River at Beczak.


Show Judge Frank Indiviglio with Best in Show
winner Frank Schneider for his Pancake Tortoise
Photo by Anita Salzberg

Proud winner Frank Schneider
with Best in Show trophy
Photo by Anita Salzberg
NYTTS thanks Herpetolgist Frank Indiviglio for judging our show this year. Frank has had a long career as zoo keeper at the Staten Island Zoo and the Bronx Zoo. He is the author of That Rep­tile Blog as well as several books on the care of amhibians, geckos, and even sea horses.

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.”



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
Greek Tortoise (Testudo graeca) = Spur-thighed Tortoise
Russian Tortoise (Agrionemys horsfieldii) = Central Asian Tortoise
Sulcata Tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata) = African Spurred Tortoise



All members showing New York State native species have valid state permits.
Group photos by Anita Salzberg


First Place — Blue Ribbon Winners

Michael Sherwin, Bob Seaver, Haiden Grenier, Frank Schneider, Keith Bailey, and Sara Ramos

Mary and Keith Bailey
Diamond-back Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin
Sara Ramos
Two Red-eared Sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans)
Mark Reily
Three Meso-American Sliders (Trachemys venusta)
Bob Seaver
Two Yellow-margined Box Turtles (Cuora flavomarginata)
Frank Schneider
Group: Pancake Tortoise (Malocochersus tornieri), Leopard Tortoise (Geochelone pardalis babcocki),
Michael Sherwin
Group: Common Snapping Turtle (Chylydra serpentina), Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata), Yellow-margined Box Turtle (Cuora flavomarginata), Asian Leaf Turtle (Cyclemys dentata), Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans),



Second Place — Red Ribbon Winners

Terry Troia and friend, Barbara Torres, and Keith Bailey

Mary and Keith Bailey
Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans)
Mark Reily
Central American Ornate Wood Turtle (Rhinoclemmys pulcherrima manni)
Barbara Torres
Red-footed Tortoise (Chelonoidis carbonarius)
Terry Troia
African Spurred Tortoise (Centrochelys sulcata)



Third Place — White Ribbon Winners

Susan Kretchco and Kay Martin

Susan Kretchco
Hermann’s Tortoise (Testudo hermanni), and 2 Russian Tortoises (Agrionemys horsfieldii)
Kay Martin
Red-cheeked Mud Turtle (Kinosternon scorpioides cruentatum)




Snapshots from the Show
Photos by Anita Salzberg


Show Judge Frank Indiviglio, assistant Haiden Grenier, and Frank Schneider examine his Central Asian Tortoise.


Barbara Torres with one of her Red-footed Tortoises and Frank Indiviglio and Haiden taking notes


Frank Indiviglio and Michael Sherwin examine his Asian Leaf Turtle (NYTTS Best in Show 2017), under his care for 47 years.


Assistant Haiden Grenier and Show Judge Frank Indiviglio award winners with ribbons and the Best In Show trophy.



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


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