The Gossip Column, September 17, 2021
This past weekend were the three all-breed shows – Tuxedo Park, Somerset Hills and the Westchester Kennel Club – that signal the start of the fall show season in the Northeast. The weather was summer like, and the mood was upbeat. Not many mask wearers, which made the weekend more like what are now the “old days.” Speaking of old days, I was looking forward to seeing the people associated with this weekend. Absent were the likes of KATHY MENAKER, DOTTIE COLLIER, TOM BRADLEY, DAVE FREI, PAM BEALE and DAVID HADDOCK. Even the TAKE THE LEAD booth was missing its normal crew, with only TERRY HUNDT and MARI-BETH O’NEILL overseeing things. Also single-handled was the remaining half of the American Kennel Club’s tchotchke twins, PAT LEJMAN and the recently retired BARBARA OHMANN. These ladies could and would sell anything they could attach an AKC logo to, be it a garment bag or poop bag. Well, it sounds like PAT is following her former co-worker and will be retiring in the spring. They were perfect fit, and all of us at DOG NEWS will miss her. All and all, even without some familiar faces, the entry was good, as were the dogs, and it was a most enjoyable weekend. ...
All of us at DOG NEWS send our best wishes to dog-show photographer ANDREA ASHBEY and NICHOLAS WEDDE on their upcoming marriage on September 25. ANDREA is the daughter of dog-show photographer extraordinaire JOHN ASHBEY and PAT ASHBEY. ...
In 2003, the American Kennel Club created Responsible Dog Ownership Day. So, look up in the sky: It’s a bird, it’s a plane, and, no, it’s not Superman, it’s the Helmsley Building located at 230 Park Avenue (in front of the Grand Central Terminal train station), lit up in blue on Saturday, September 18, in honor of Responsible Dog Ownership Day. While not the Empire State Building adorned with Westminster colors of purple and gold, you might remember LEONA HELMSLEY (nicknamed the Queen of Mean for her running of the Helmsley Palace Hotel), who left her Maltese several million dollars in her will. Before you ask, yes, the family contested the will. After all, how much money does a Maltese need to live? ...
Happy Wedding Anniversary to JIM & MARY NORTON AUGUSTUS. ...
Celebrating Birthdays … VALERIE NUNES ATKINSON, MANDY CLEVENGER, LINDA PITTS, PAT CRUZ, JACKIE ADAMS, DAVID BUENO, ANDREW GREEN, ANNE CATTERSON, ROBERTA LOMBARDI, ZACK HELMER, GRAHM MILLER, MICHAEL SHEPHERD, PAM MANDEVILLE, COLTON JOHNSON, KATHY FERRIS, MELODY SALMI, HOLLEY ELDRED, ANNEMARIE RUGGIERI, ERICA LANASA, JOE KINNARNEY, JULIE LYNN MUELLER and PHIL PETILLO.