Morris & Essex – Back to the Future
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A Phenomenon of Yesterday Continues Today
by Amy Fernandez
Photos By Lisa Croft-Elliott
During its heyday, so much was written about M&E. It was immense, it was fancy, and all the biggest names in the sport were onsite. But every critic conceded that another, more elusive factor set it apart from every other show.
The indefatigable Arthur Fredrick Jones had a ringside seat for the M&E phenomenon from start to finish. Five years into it he noted, “The first Morris and Essex show was a fairly modest affair, but even then it was establishing its own earmarking of quality in all the arrangements. In its outward appearance it was better than, but little different from, most other exhibitions of dogs; in its underlying spirit it was a thing apart.” Jones realized that there was more going on here than meets the eye. He was on the right track, but he couldn’t quite pinpoint this difference.
By 1938 he had attended ten M&E shows and it was clear that this event was redefining the institution. Among other things, it was the first show to draw major entries from beyond the east coast, simply because unlike Westminster or Montgomery, M&E’s springtime show date vastly improved the possibilities for long distance travel.
He wrote, “The Madison event is a magnet not only for this show but for all the shows immediately preceding and following it. Handlers and owners are glad to come a little early and remain a little longer to take in half a dozen other shows. All in all this intercontinental competition serves to broaden the entire scope of the sport.”
It was also the first show to truly utilize the advantages of an outdoor setting, which until then had been considered a distinct disadvantage. Among other things, it removed the logistical constraints posed by indoor show facilities. And in that respect, Jones remained awestruck by M&E’s sheer size and military precision required to manage every gargantuan facet of the event from its parking concession to its lunch service. Although he had witnessed its evolution for a decade by then, he could only offer a singularly surreal description to convey the point, calling it a blend of Ringling Brothers circus and a dress parade at West Point. This was dog show nirvana where frazzled nerves and rudeness never intruded.
“It is no wonder that the newspapers make a Roman holiday out of Morris & Essex. They had a brilliant showing of over 4000 dogs and 50,000 spectators from all walks of life and perfect weather to record it all on glass and celluloid,” Jones wrote. Of course, black-and-white was the deal back then. Readers could only imagine his panoramic descriptions of fluttering blue-and-orange M&E pennants, lush flower arrangements, and the kaleidoscope of tenting, beach umbrellas, and colorful summer dresses set off against the bright green trees and perfectly manicured lawns .
M&E became the first dog show to draw major mainstream news coverage, a factor that vaulted it from the category of a fringe element of the sports world to a dazzling social phenomenon. He was clearly astonished when Life Magazine “whose circulation is close to two million thought Morris & Essex so important that it sent a special photographer with orders to take in everything using a candid camera. He snapped 300 pictures and from this editors culled 27 for an eight page spread.” He added that it was the first, but far from the only “non-doggy” publication to consider the show worthy of attention.
He said, “Competition is always strong at this largest of dog shows and the winners are always good dogs but there is so much more to see at Madison that the actual ribbon winning seems only a part of the general pattern.” Referring specifically to its overall attention to detail, quality, and quest for perfection, Jones conceded that, “All dog shows do not approach M&E. In fact, most do not come within hailing distance. But since Mrs. Dodge first sponsored this beautiful show there has been a marked improvement in all dog shows. Other show giving clubs always get new ideas from attending M&E.”
And that was the thing. No one ever saw this business quite the same after experiencing M&E. “The person attending his first dog show takes M&E as the prototype for every procedure.” Dodge and her dedicated M&E club members raised the bar for every tradition and convention within this sport.
And conceding the somewhat discomforting upshot of that fact, Jones admitted that first time visitors inevitably come away with the impression that, “all shows approach the size and magnificence of this one.” Maybe they were in for a harsh reality check in that sense, but it wasn’t their only lasting impression of the event. “At Morris and Essex, there is a glorification of the purebred dog in the larger sense. Neither individuals nor breeds stand out above the event itself.” They also came away with a newfound love for this sport.
Short URL: https://caninechronicle.com/?p=95544
Posted by ralbee
on Jan 2 2016. Filed under Current Articles, Editorial, Featured.
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