From The Publisher

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10 – August, 2024

By Tom Grabe

During my time as an exhibitor, then professional handler, I had the good fortune of showing under some judges I consider to be the finest dog men and women of their time. These were people like Lang Skarda, Anne Rogers Clark, Mel Downing, Don Jones, Maxine Beam, and Michele Billings. There was Derek Rayne, Carlos deBango and Richard Guevera. I can’t forget Anna Wanner, Jean Fournier, Barbara Heller, Herman Felton and Dorothy MacDonald. This is just a sampling of the people who I remember from my time in the ring. They defined the term ‘dog man’ or ‘dog woman’. These people were breeders, handlers and anything else that involved dogs. Dogs were their life and it was reflected in their mannerisms and the way they approached the sport as judges.

There was a certain seriousness to their demeanor. There was also a reverence for the sport that was obvious when you spoke to them. An exchange with any of these people made you aware of the depth of their expertise. I had nothing but respect and the deepest admiration for them. Heck, I wanted to be like them, but I knew that wasn’t a possibility. I read about these people, and I talked to anyone who knew them. I wanted to know how they became the iconic figure I saw in the ring.

Needless to say, a win under any of these judges carried more weight than a win under an average judge. A critical comment was a teaching moment. I remember when Mrs. Clark chastised me for showing a dog she admired in less than optimal condition. She didn’t care that we were in a race, she was disappointed I showed him to her out of coat… really out of coat. She had rewarded him before but not on this day; then she explained to me in no uncertain terms that I should never show her a dog, especially one she liked, looking like this one did. Lesson learned by me and taught by one of the best.

Click here to read the complete article
10 – August, 2024

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