A Sport of Opinions and Respect
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By Wayne Cavanaugh
The Westminster Kennel Club pulled off the impossible in Tarrytown, New York last month. They hosted an impressive and unforgettable event against all odds and did it with superb efficiency and style. A Herculean effort indeed, WKC impressively and successfully worked to preserve the long and storied history of Westminster–a tradition that the sport around the world truly admires.
As holds true in most every sport, mixed in with the wonderful traditions are a few undoubtedly less wonderful traditions. In the case of Westminster, there is a 145-year tradition of complaining about the judging. We should all have a problem with that tradition for one simple reason; that is, our sport by definition is built on the premise of opinions. Without a serious respect for the opinions of others, the sport is nothing more than a continuous loop of whining. This is not to say we have to agree with each other’s opinions; however, at the end of the day we must respect the decisions of others for the betterment, health, and enjoyment of the sport. There is always a long list of ways being bandied about to improve the sport, but without respect heading up the list, the rest not sustainable.
In its purest sense, dog shows serve the purpose of evaluating breeding stock. These evaluations are clearly based on subjective interpretations. Overall, our sport is an amalgamation of educated opinions that come together in various forms to support arena roofs, fairground buildings and big white tents all across the country. Breed standards stand squarely in the middle of these opinions and are clearly open to interpretation. The word “moderate,” for example, appears in every (or nearly every) breed standard. That word alone is open to a tremendous variation of opinions; every one of which, it can be argued, is valid. My opinion of the word “moderate” is the correct opinion…and so is yours!
Two things result when we lose that sense of mutual respect for each other’s opinions. One, the sport and the spirit of the day is blemished. Two, and most important, we cannot learn from each other. Without respecting each other’s opinions, we are just a bunch of unwavering opinions dashing off in different directions and heading nowhere fast.
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Posted by AnthonyA
on Jul 9 2021. Filed under Current Articles, Featured.
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