Looking Forward ...

I am at that stage of my life where there is more mountain behind me than there is in front of me. (Of course, physically, I have more in front of me AND behind me than I used to have.)

So, what does that mean as far as my place in our community is concerned? Are there still things that I look forward to, or am I stuck living with my memories of the past? I will admit that to a certain extent I am that Get Off My Lawn guy, but there are still things in my bucket list that keep driving me to try to be a significant contributor to our community.

Many people are credited with having said some version of “Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.” In our community, I prefer to think that those who ignore history will suffer because of it. Our community history consists of three items: people, dogs and events. 

There are so many people in the history of our community who deserve to be remembered for the influence and effect they had on the AKC. Among those who have had a profound effect on our entire community are Major James M. Taylor, first president of the AKC; Anna H. Whitney, one of the first judges to be approved as an AKC judge and the first woman to judge a show in the United States at the Westminster Kennel Club; Bea Godsol, the second woman to be approved to judge all breeds for the AKC, and a woman who appreciated the need for judges’ education;  Judith Daniels, first female president of the AKC; August Belmont Jr., fourth president of the AKC, a prominent Fox Terrier breeder, and the man who launched the AKC Gazette (backed with his own money), an important publication for the dog-show community for many years, and one (in print) that is sorely missed today; Len Brumby, AKC vice president, who was a driving force behind establishing Junior Showmanship competition, and Alva Rosenberg, a judge’s judge.

In addition, each of us has our own “historic” figures who — one way or another — have taken part in shaping our place in this community. For me, Joyce Nilsen and Charles Oldham (Thenderin Kennels), and George and Barbara Brodie helped to focus my “mind’s eye” for a beautiful Irish Setter with substance, balance and elegance. Working with Marianne Cook (White Oak Kennels) helped me to appreciate why a dog needs to be built in a certain way to perform its function as a Sporting breed. Watching Laddie Carswell, Bob and Jane Forsyth, and Bill Trainor made me appreciate how to be a true professional, and to realize there is always another show. Joan Viola taught me to appreciate the success of my fellow competitors. Anne Savory Bolus showed me what “class” meant.

Who were the people who helped to shape you in this community?

There were also historic dogs who affected my heart in this community. Seeing some of the great dogs of the past (Arriba’s Prima Donna, Chinoe’s Adamant James, Oak Trees Irishtocrat, Kirkside Royalist, Lady Ginger of Hampton Court, Glenn of White Oak, Clussexx Three D Grinchy Glee, Thenderin Maximillian and Registry’s Lonesome Dove) took my breath away. Then there were our own dogs, who will forever have a special place in my heart: Bayberry Sonnet, Seaforth’s Echo of Dark Rex, Tramore Just Showing Off, Bolingbroke Waterwyn Sequel, Waterwyn and Folly’s Legacy, and Clussexx Rolyart’s Payola. Each was different, each was special, each gave everything they had, and each taught me something different. 

Who are the dogs that had an effect on you? 

There have been — and are — a very few dogs who have been shown in the past 10 years and are in the ring today that I believe are almost perfect representatives of their respective breeds. When I see (or have seen) these dogs, they also take my breath away — and this is one reason I love to judge and look forward to every assignment. The question I ask myself before every show is: Will I find the next special dog?

As much as I would like to, we can’t always live in the past. So I am thankful for my special friends, today’s icons and my wife, who help to make this community a very significant part of my life. Some are judges, some are professional handlers, and some are owner-handlers. I won’t name them for fear of leaving someone out, but I hope those of you who are important to me know who you are, and that you are loved. You have all helped me to learn and grow.

There are events that shape us. Those that shape us in life are not always positive, but they are significant in how we view our society, life and others. There are events in our community that also impact how we look at every day. As an exhibitor and later as a handler, I have had many “Wins,” and I have appreciated each and every one, but perhaps it is the “Losses” — and how I have responded to them — that have been the most important factors in shaping me. 

As a judge, there have been assignments I will always remember. Assignments in Australia, Sweden, China and Canada have given me the opportunity to meet and form lifelong friendships that I would not have had otherwise. I appreciate each and every time that a club honors me by asking me to judge for them, and none is more appreciated than the many national specialties I have judged — and this year I will be proud to judge the national specialty for my breed for the second time. It means the world to me. These specialties have given me the chance to see each breed at its best, and I then move forward with the picture of this breed firmly stamped in my “mind’s eye.” It is why even with the stress of travel and the unhappiness of being away from home, I still love what I do when I walk into the center of the ring.

And then we come to my concerns: Where do we go from here? Who are the people who will take the much-needed leadership positions in our community? I see every club suffering from the same problem — the graying of their membership. In this age of “me-ism” and distrust, where will the volunteers who are the backbone of our shows come from? In this age where any judge who doesn’t put your dog up must be crooked or stupid, from where will the next judges come? In this age of rushing to get approved for as many breeds as possible as quickly as you can, where will the truly superior judges come from? In this age where breeders are no longer respected by the general public, how will we continue? And, in this age in which winning ribbons is the only thing that matters, from where will the true breed mentors and icons come? Will you be the one to step up?

Will you view every show and the winners (and losers) therein as a learning experience? Will you sit with the knowledgeable people in your breed to learn from them before they are gone, or will you just say I am entitled to my opinion and not care to learn from others? Will you be one to safeguard your breed, and appreciate when it is judged properly, or do you just want a ribbon? Will you be one to care enough to carry this community forward, or will you stand by while it takes its last breaths? Will you be one to question what is being done to protect our clubs and shows, or will you continue to be an ostrich? As J.R. Tolkien said, “It does not do to leave a dragon out of your calculations if you live near him.” It truly is up to each and every one of us. Step up and be the ONE.

* * *

In a previous article, our judges’ table shared some of what it has heard at various shows. Gratefully, I have received many positive comments about that article, and so I now share two more “table talks” with you that were contributed by a very special friend:

There was that little old lady who could barely move her beautiful medium-size dog. When asked why she hadn’t asked a [younger] friend to move the dog for her, her answer was: “Because this dog is probably the last one I’ll ever breed after breeding for almost 70 years, and I want to finish him from the Bred-by class.” It could have been the wind, but I could swear that I saw the table trembling a little after listening to that woman.

And our table watches as the young handler — one of the best we have — shows his dog. The veteran table sighs and remembers how this handler’s parents used to leave the toddler ringside, in a “puppy pen” with blankets and toys, while they entered the ring with their exhibit. The table had witnessed the baby grow, mature and learn, until he turned into this talented professional who makes his parents, and the crowd, proud. And the table smiled. 

What do you think?