The Gossip Column: March 31, 2023
I, like everyone else in the dog world, was saddened to hear that GEIR FLYCKT-PEDERSEN chose to relinquish his Best in Show judging assignment at the upcoming WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB, knowing how much he was looking forward to being in the main ring. Owing to his precarious health issues, he thought it best to step aside. I don't think it was any secret that BETH SWEIGART was on a very short list of judges to be invited to judge Best in Show at WESTMINSTER. Few are as qualified to stand in that Best in Show ring as BETH, who is considered one of our best judges. The obvious answer is no, she will not be wearing a white pleated skirt and white V-neck tennis sweater with navy and purple striping, sneakers and white anklet socks. But we all know she will ace it. ...
Before we get to watch that event, on Friday evening, March 5, the AKC MUSEUM OF THE DOG will host a gala honoring president and board of director ELLEN MACNEILLE CHARLES and vice chairman of the board of directors DAVID C. MERRIAM. The evening will start with a museum visit from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., when guests will move to the in-house Club 101 (taken from the address of the building housing the American Kennel Club headquarters and museum, 101 Park Avenue). There are sponsorship packages available from $5,000 to $35,000 that include, among other perks, a guest table for eight. Among those sponsors on the Grand Champion level ($10,000) are JEFFREY & LYNNE ANSELL, JEAN WALDRUP DURDIN, PETER & MARY KALIKOW, DR. CHRIS LEZOTTE & ALAN KALTER, CROWN JEWEL and HILLWOOD ESTATE MUSEUM & GARDENS. Among those on the Blue Ribbon level ($5,000) are GAYLE BONTECOU, NANCY & GARY BROWN, GEORGE W. COOK IV & ANN MARIAH COOK, KAREN LEFRAK, NANCY & MIKE SHAW, WILLIAM NICHOLSON, CAROL O’BRIEN, THANEWOOD DALMATIANS, GABELLI PET PARENTS FUND and AKC PET INSURANCE. Additional sponsors include ELLEN MACNEILLE CHARLES, THE KENNEL CLUB, THE MORGAN LIBRARY & MUSEUM, MUSEUM OF ARTS & DESIGN, MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK, ORVIS, POSTER HOUSE, THE RED FOX INN & TAVERN, THE WALLACE COLLECTION and 1-800-FLOWERS. Individual dinner tickets are $375 per person. Contact ALLISON.OKEEFFE@MUSEUMOFTHEDOG.ORG for more information. It is fund-raising events like these that help pay for all the projects, special shows and events that the museum presents to the public.