Normally I do not write about books I have read which do not relate to dogs, but I just finished an historical fiction novel that may be of interest to some of you. It's called The Blackest of Birds by Joel Rose, and it is about a series of murders committed in New York City in and around the 1840s. It truly is a good read if you are into historical fiction novels. But of course what is truth and what is fiction is sometimes hard to determine in these kinds of novels. What may interest certain of you are the names and roles of some of the characters. There is a Mary Olga Rogers and aMary Claire Rogers, both of whom are dominant people. Furthermore, there are two important references to an ex-mayor of New York City, Mayor Phillip Hone. Mayor Hone, in 1841, was listed in THE SUN as one of the five richest New Yorkers behind two Astors and a Vanderbilt! If the significance of those names leaves you cold from a dog standpoint, you probably won't understand why I raise them at all. If you do understand the significance , all the more reason to seek the book out. It gave me chills when I first came across the named references. In any event, it is a terrific novel, loaded with early New York City history and memorabilia.
In this week's issue, Bob Berndt surprisingly concludes that, as a result of the election results, “since no new members (to the Board) could introduce any new ideas, we will just have to wait for some new inspirations from the old thinking.” Here Bob goes again-like no one in New York City owns dogs. The fact is, any delegate at any time may introduce new thoughts and by-laws, were they so moved! Indeed, the Delegate Committees have been so set up as well! That this method is infrequently used is not the fault of the Board and the Fancy, but rather a problem within the Delegate Body itself.
Professionalism and Crufts—a problem or not? Well, to read Andrew Brace's column last week, the U.K. is the last bastion of amateurism within the dog world. In a way, he is right on-there are comparatively few professional handlers who use as ones main source of income the exhibition of the dog. Indeed, he even seems to applaud the cleaning up of the entire atmosphere at British dog shows brought about, he seems to opine, by those who come to the States from foreign parts and are impressed with, and I quote, “the sight of rings of smartly dressed, well behaved professionals (is everyone who shows a dog in the U.S. a professional? I think not.) handling impeccably schooled and magnificently groomed dogs.” He even goes so far as to recognize that most British exhibitors no longer show dogs barefoot, although we together watched a judge at Crufts this year judge barefoot, with corn plasters on her feet, which intrigued the dogs immensely.True, he calls the handling curse of the century the belief that he who runs fastest wins. Unfortunately, that's the case in certain parts of the States, for sure. But with it all, what is more professionally presented than the Crufts show itself? There is no place in the world that comes near to matching this four-day, 25-plus acre event, which runs as smoothly as clockwork. As an observer for the setting up of the hundreds, if not thousands, of concessions on the Wednesday prior to the start, only , Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's could pull off what the Kennel Club succeeds in doing there. There is nothing dog-ways in the States that even comes close to what is professionaly pulled off at this show.
I understand from Jose Payro, the mastermind of the World Dog Show to be held in Mexico City, that they have worked out a deal with Mexican customs and the airlines so that dogs will be able to fly in and out of the country as freight, without being subjected to any kind of serious interference. An official communiqué will be issued forthwith. I thought that those of you who were anticipating problems due to the May 15 heat embargo would be relieved to hear that the problem has been solved. So I am told anyways. •