The Gossip Column: May 21, 2025

The very popular PURINA EVENT CENTER in St. Louis was struck by an F2 tornado. While the damage is being assessed, I can report that fortunately no lives — neither two nor four legged — were lost. ...

The judging panel for the December AKC NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP DOG SHOW presented by ROYAL CANIN has been released. A very deserving ROZ KRAMER will top the panel, and another very deserving breeder and judge, TOMMY COEN, will select the Best Bred-by exhibitor final. Two very longtime established breeder-judges and handlers who have achieved this recognition without the self-promotion of so many in today’s judging community. Rounding out the top of the panel are the seven group judges: Sporting Group, DONALD STURZ; Hound Group, DEIRDRE PETRIE; Working Group, RITA BIDDLE; Terrier Group, BETH SWEIGART; Toy Group, PATRICIA PROCTOR; Non-Sporting Group, FRED BASSET, and Herding Group, CARL LIEPMANN. The Best Junior handler will be judged by PATTY KEENAN. ...

The group judges for the Bred-by Exhibitor competition will be Sporting Group, DAVID KITTREDGE; Hound Group, RICHARD REYNOLDS; Working Group, BARBARA BRUNS; Terrier Group, ALLISON SUNDERMAN; Toy Group, PAM BRUCE; Non-Sporting Group, DESI MURPHY, and Herding Group, JANINA LAURIN. ...

An idea that is a long time in coming is a weekend of several stand-alone group shows all in one location. Congratulations to the club members who put this all together. Called the B.O.B. GROUP CLUSTER, it consists of five group shows and a Miscellaneous Class. The clubs are the SPORTING DOG CLUB OF VIRGINIA, MID-ATLANTIC WORKING GROUP OF MARYLAND, VIRGINIA TOY CLUB, MID-ATLANTIC NON-SPORTING CLUB OF VIRGINIA and the MID-ATLANTIC HERDING GROUP OF MARYLAND. The show dates are May 23 through 25, 2025. ...

LYNETTE SALTZMAN, longtime Shetland Sheepdog breeder and multiple-group judge, has passed away. She and her late husband STANLEY were both judges and delegates, and made for a formidable couple who were instrumental in dividing the Working Group to create the Herding Group in the United States. Longtime residents of Connecticut, they were very active in the Longshore Southport Kennel Club. Certainly the highlight of LYNETTE’S judging career was doing Best in Show at the Westminster Kennel Club. She spent her last years in Florida. Longtime friends with very strong opinions on every subject, they always reminded me of the married singers LOUIE PRIMA, who was always smiling and happy, and KEELY SMITH, who was more serious and thought-provoking.