The Gossip Column: January 6, 2023

Happy New Year. Wishing you all the best for a healthy and winning 2023. As everyone heads to shows from coast to coast, travel safe and stop if you're tired. ...

The weeklong AKC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP seems ages ago. The high in Orlando was, without question, the renaming of the Best in Show ring in honor of RONALD H. MENAKER, as it was known that night and for evermore. The show is held in his memory and this final tribute was announced in the main ring by a very heartfelt and emotional TOM DAVIES, board chairman of the AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB. The low? While it is said everyone gets 15 minutes of fame, I’m afraid the seven group Breeders of the Year can’t say the same. They are the backbone of our sport and deserve to be in the main ring to accept the accolades they so richly serve. Not some voice-over at the end of each group. If it wasn’t for them, there would be no reason for the show. ...

Taking advantage of time off, the FENNER and NELSON families spent part of the holidays in Hawaii, as did TIFFANY and SHEA SKINNER. ...

WOOD WORNALL and BARBARA BENTLEY have sold their Kansas City home, where WOOD’S family is from, and are moving farther east to Delaware. It will be nice to see more of these two old friends. ...

Sadly, as we celebrated the holidays and time spent with our friends and family, we lost some old friends. Multiple-group judge LEE CANALIZO passed away following several months of declining health. An Afghan Hound breeder-judge, she went on to a long and successful judging career. Her talents didn’t stop in the show ring: She was a talented artist and jewelry maker. Several of her works proudly hang in my home, as does silver jewelry she created just for us. She leaves her three children, daughter RONNIE and sons PATRICK and MICHAEL and their families. MICHAEL followed in his mother’s love of the sport and needs no introduction to us all. All of us at DOG NEWS, especially me, send love and deepest sympathies to the entire family. A service will be held on January 17 in Florida. ...

AL KRAUSE, one of the nation’s most popular and well-liked judges, has passed away. Retired for several years, he and his late wife BETTIE judged every major show and specialty. He was always looking sharp in his Western-cut suits, which we laughingly called leisure suits. A great guy and good friend to many, he will be missed. ...

RUTH LEE, wife of the late handler-judge AL LEE SR. and father of handler AL (BEEP) LEE JR. and siblings, has passed. Our deepest sympathies to BEEP and family. ...

JIMMY LLOYD, father of handler ANGIE LLOYD, has passed away. JIMMY passed his love of dogs to his talented daughter, who has built a successful career in the ring. Our deepest sympathies to the LLOYD family. ...

Miniature Pinscher fancier HOWARD SCHWELL has passed away. HOWARD partnered with fellow Min Pin breeders ROBIN GREENSLADE and breeder-handler KIM PASTELLA CALVACCA. Our deepest sympathies to his family.