The Gossip Column: August 4, 2023

The INTERNATIONAL SET will be traveling to Geneva, Switzerland, for the WORLD DOG SHOW the week of August 24 through 27. This year’s entry of 13,003 must be disappointing to the host country. Switzerland is one of the centrally located European countries, which normally draw the biggest WORLD SHOW entries. The smaller entry could be a result of Covid fatigue or the fact that it closely follows two World Dog Shows that were held last year. The first was the multi-cancelled Madrid show, followed by the December event held in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The only American on the judging panel is JASON HOKE, who will be judging Great Danes. ...

Next year’s WORLD DOG SHOW will be held in Zagreb, Croatia, on April 25 through 28, 2024. It’s a good time to visit as the weather is good and there are very few tourists that time of year. ...

For the stateside INTERNATIONAL SET, the INTERNATIONAL KENNEL CLUB OF CHICAGO will be held the same weekend at its one-time home, the spacious McCormick Place. The club is taking a cue from former owner the late LOU AUSLANDER: The success of the show was the gate. Offering lots of extras for both the exhibitors and spectators, there is CANINE CRUISE CHICAGO, a boat ride to benefit the DOG MUSEUM to be held on Friday, August 25, and the hugely popular MEET THE BREEDS will be held during the weekend. Always a popular draw, it does bring in the crowds. You couldn’t mention INTERNATIONAL and not think of the bold-face names that once were synonymous with that part of the country, which also brought to mind those heady days at the GRAND HOTEL. ...

It comes as no surprise to anyone who has had the pleasure of staying at the once DAN & AMELIA MUSSER family-owned GRAND HOTEL on Mackinac Island, Michigan, that it has been named a best all-inclusive hotel in the United States. In its “DOGGY HEYDAY” you could see GEORGE WARD, ROZ KRAMER, STAN & JANE FLOWERS, BOB & JANE FORSYTH, DICK & JUDY COOPER, PETER GREEN, BETH SWEIGART, CHUCK HERENDEEN, JERRY & ELAINE RIGDEN, GEIR & NENNA FLYCKT-PEDERSEN, BERNIE & FRANCINE SCHWARTZ, GEORGE HEITZMAN, ED & PEGGY HAAS, CLINT & JOAN HARRIS, TOMMY & ANDREA GLASSFORD, DOUGIE & VERA MCCLAIN, ERIC & JANE BERGISHAGEN, JACK FUNK, LUC BOILEAU, ED JENNER, RUTH COOPER, MARTY BOOTH, GEORGE ROOD, BOB & MARY INDEGLIA, and, as someone said, BRIAN STILL and all his wives sitting on the world-famous porch or playing a round of golf. The hotel and its famous guests brought back lots of great memories thanks to the generosity of DAN & AMELIA MUSSER.  

drea