A Life Truly Lived
He was larger than life. He possessed the greatest gifts and talents of anyone I ever knew. He was handsome, brilliant, charming and athletic, a natural at everything. He was capable of doing anything he wanted. And what he wanted was to be an extraordinary dogman – handler, judge, superintendent, lecturer and mentor. Arguably, Frank Sabella was the greatest of them all.
To see him glide around the large California group and BIS rings with an exquisite Poodle was a breathtaking sight. And it was the same when you saw Frank and former silent-movie actress Lina Basquette take over the ballroom at the old Kennel Review awards dinner/dances. The pair reminded you of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, the stars of some of Hollywood’s best musicals in the day. And if you were fortunate enough to watch, you knew that Frank too could have been a Hollywood star, just as he was a Westminster star, winning BIS in 1973 and judging BIS in 1990. He was indeed an icon to us all.
As a young man, Frank was a professional ballet performer until the day he fell in love with the world of dogs. In time he came under the influence of Anne Hone Rogers (later Clark) and the rest of it, as they say, is and was history! His avid learning ability and superior intelligence put him on the fast track to success. In short order he was winning BIS with the likes of Ch. Tedwin’s Top Billing and Ch. Frederick of Rencroft, the top dog all breeds in the day. Frank groomed to perfection, selected only the best to campaign, and presented his charges fit and ready for their job. For decades his name was associated with the most famous Poodles on the continent.
His talent and patience were put to the test when the headstrong yet glorious white Standard Poodle Ch. Acadia Command Performance (“Bart”) entered his life. This dog had a mind of his own that challenged Frank every day and every step of their campaign. Who could forget the fabulous cover picture of the two of them on the California beach with Bart leaping and showing off his unbridled energy for the photographer and posterity? It remains one of the most unforgettable pictures ever of a dog and a man in all their glory. It is appropriate that this picture will be permanently displayed on his grave in Las Vegas.
Frank truly had his hands full with this dog facing the crowd and excitement in Madison Square Garden as the electric Bart fought him every inch of the way to BIS at Westminster in 1973. When the crowd voiced its displeasure at the choice of the “bad boy,” Frank remained calm and collected as he graciously accepted the honors from judge Mrs. Augustus Riggs on behalf of his owners Ed Jenner and JoAnn Sering. That particular Westminster show weekend was probably the most stressful one in his storied career, as he was clashing with good friend Ted Young Jr. in the BIS class with the popular East Coast buff Cocker bitch Ch. Sagamore Taccoa, the local favorite. Grace under pressure was Frank’s modus operandi. He was forthright and outspoken and always dealt with differences of opinion fairly and openly.
Frank influenced all of us who came of age in the Golden State during the 1960s and ’70s with wise advice and guidance. More than once he helped me with my first big winner Ch. Vin-Melca’s Vagabond [Top Dog All Breeds in 1970 – Ed.] in making important campaign decisions. He was a role model and mentor as well as an icon. Timmy Brazier, Mike Shea and Gary Wittmier were among many of his well-known protégé apprentices who utilized their schooling from Frank to become very successful in their own right.
Frank’s excellence was widespread, as his expertise with flowers led him into the florist business once he retired from handling and started judging dogs. His floral arrangements and decorations graced some of dogdom’s most glamorous events over the years. He was a much sought after judge whose opinions truly mattered to knowledgeable exhibitors. His respected reputation carried him all over the world, and he was especially fond of judging in Scandinavia due to the quality of the dogs being bred there. In 1990 he adjudicated the Westminster BIS, selecting the Luc Boileau-handled Pekingese Ch. Wendessa Crown Prince as his BIS winner.
As an aging senior Frank always kept physically fit by working out regularly into his late 80s and beyond. One of his favorite gourmet Italian dishes was veal saltimbocca alla romana, and he threw himself into preparing great meals with the same gusto and enthusiasm he displayed in all aspects of his life. As a master chef, he lovingly shared these world-class dining experiences with family and friends.
Frank Sabella’s magnetism was universal, his brilliance that of a shining star and his presence in one’s life a genuine and everlasting blessing. Since Frank could have been anything he wanted to be, how lucky was the world of dogs that he made our choice. His memory will live forever with those honored to have been in his glow. Thank you, Frank, for touching so many lives. Your legacy lives on in our hearts.