The Gossip Column: October 3, 2025

This weekend is unquestionably one of the three most celebrated and highly held weekends of the dog show circuit. The MORRIS & ESSEX KENNEL CLUB at the start finishing with the all terrier MONTGOMERY COUNTY KENNEL CLUB. MONTGOMERY is lead  by the BRUCE SCHWARTZ who casts his spell from coast to coast, that is when he isn’t in Switzerland. The other two include the one and only WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB and the AKC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP DOG SHOW week. M&E exceeded their limited entry 4,455 dogs. The limit is set to be one dog less than the 4,456 dogs that were entered in the time of the club founder MRS. GERALDINE ROCKEFELLER DODGE’S reign. Putting together the largest one day dog show that is held once every five years and still keeps the interest of the fancy with an ever-growing membership is a credit to WAYNE FERGUSON who works tirelessly to put together all the components that make this show so very special to and for all.  It is also in large part the generosity of the members and others to donate monies for trophies and other necessities. JD & TARA MARTIN ROWELL are attending MORRIS & ESSEX as spectators to watch her mother VICKY ABBOTT judge the toy group. As the date for the PURINA PRO PLAN SHOW DOGS OF THE YEAR AWARDS DINNER partnered with DOG NEWS nears, the nominees have been notified. The nominees for the achievement awards that include Cluster shows of the Year, National Specialties of the Year, Judge of the Year, Breeder of the Year, Owner Handler of the Year and for the first time Professional Handler of the Year will include married couples where both are professional handlers. We opened the category to recognize the equal partnership in the marriage. The date for national online voting will be announced in the coming weeks. The black-tie affair will be held on Saturday evening, during the Westminster weekend where the winners, voted on by you, will be announced. Also honored that evening are the top dogs in each variety group and top dog all breeds, top junior, the winner of the Golden Pooper Scoopers Award and the coveted ANNE ROGERS CLARK HALL OF FAME inductee. Celebrating a wedding anniversary are JOHN & HILDA BRADSHAW. Celebrating Birthdays…EDDIE BOYES, ROBIN NOVACK, ERICA LANASA, ANDREW GREEN, KAREN MAMMANO, MICHELLE SANTANA, REBECCA LYCAN, BARBARA HECKERMAN, DENNY MOUNCE, RYAN WOLFE, PATTY SOSA, LENNY BROWN, JEAN BOYD, AMELIA MUSSER, LESLIE SIMIS, PHOEBE BOOTH, CINDY HECKFELDT, AMANDA CONNEEN,