The Gossip Column, November 20, 2020
As the number of dog shows being held increases, the number of dog-show cancellations seems to grow in lockstep. What is worrying is the amount of show cancellations well into the new year. One of those is the KENNEL CLUB OF BEVERLY HILLS. Just when that show was getting some national attention with its televised event. ...
But as the shows at the moment are being held, more AKC field representatives are back at work. I hear that not all will return, either by choice or not. Field Rep JIMMY MITCHELL decided to retire exactly 19 years from the day that he started. Without question, one of the most popular reps, who never let his position of authority get to his head, he has returned to the ranks of judge. Primarily working East Coast dog shows, he was always approachable and friendly, eager to dampen any hot tempers from irate exhibitors. He will be sorely missed in that capacity, but fortunately for us, he’ll still be a presence now that he will be judging. Like all AKC employees who return to judging, JIMMY will be reinstated with the breeds he previously judged and now is approved to judge four groups: Hound, Toy, Non-Sporting and Herding. So our loss of a most popular field rep now becomes an asset to the judging community. ...
This past weekend the Kennel Club of Philadelphia held its 400-dog limit dog show over two days that will be edited and put together for a Thanksgiving Day airing on NBC television following the virtual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The two main commentators DAVE FREI and JOHN O’HURLEY did not attend the show but will be edited in the final cut. ...
JESS BONTECOU, the husband of Scottish Deerhound breeder and Hound judge GAYLE BONTECOU, has passed away. JESS was a gentleman farmer, breeding top-winning Angus cattle on his upstate New York Rally Farms and well known for his love of sailing. His love of sailing was passed on to the BONTECOUS’ former handler and now judge ELLIOTT WEISS. One of the most intelligent and entertaining men you’d ever have the pleasure of knowing, JESS had an old-world charm that is so unusual in today’s world. Not much of a city slicker by any means, he did come into Manhattan to watch GAYLE judge the Hound Group at the Westminster Kennel Club. He was just a great guy, who lived a long and wonderful life and was loved by all. You can’t do much better than that. All of us at DOG NEWS send our deepest sympathies and love to GAYLE, BRAD and the entire BONTECOU family. ...
BOB JORDAN, one-time powerhouse professional handler from Malibu, California, has passed away. BOB was active in those golden years when California was a hotbed of terrier action. He and his former wife were also the owners of the very popular and well-known Malibu Sandpiper Kennels on the Pacific Coast Highway. Just four short years ago, BOB was married to one of the sport’s nicest ladies, Airedale breeder and exhibitor GEORGIA MCRAE. It was one of those really nice finding-love-late-in-life stories. All of us at DOG NEWS send GEORGIA, BOB’S two children and four grandchildren our deepest sympathies. ...
Celebrating Birthdays … the one and only ageless WENDELL SAMMET, CURTISS SMITH, MICHAEL FAULKNER, FRED ASKIN, KAKI FISHER, GAY DUNLAP, MICHAEL CANALIZO, SCOTT KIPP, JAY HYMAN, LINDA FLYNN, GLENN LYCAN, TIM KERNAN, PAT KEEN FERNADES, PAM DEHETRE, RAY HARRINGTON and the elusive TONI SOSNOFF.