Percy Roberts – Dog Man Extraordinaire
One of the “greats’ of the Miniature Pinscher world, here is Ch. Rajah v Siegenberg owned by Mr. and Mrs. William O. Bagshaw. He is pictured winning the Toy Group at Plainfield, NJ Kennel Club in May 1949 under Judge Anna Katherine Nicholas
By Anna Katherine Nicholas
Taken from the archives of The Canine Chronicle – November 1994
Our presentation last month to our readers of the great all-breed judge from earlier days, Alva Rosenberg, has been so enthusiastically received that we are encouraged to bring you more of the same. We are alternating with our regular biographies of current “Guest Celebrities,” and since Percy Roberts was the name most frequently mentioned as one that would be especially appreciated, we hereby introduce him to fanciers who have joined us since Percy’s time, along with renewing memories for those who were contemporaries or even for a short time involved with the Dog Fancy during Percy’s time, first as a professional handler and eventually later as a judge.
Percy Roberts was born in Great Britain on March 26, 1889. At a very early age he went to work for another famous English dog man, the all-rounder judge, breeder and exporter of livestock, J. J. Holgate. It was Mr. Holgate who recognized even in those early days that Percy as a young man displayed tremendous potential for following a similar career course, and who encouraged him to make the trip to America in charge of a consignment of Poodles headed for the noted Redbrook Kennels on Long Island. Once here, Percy became associated with Vickery Kennels in Illinois, a large kennel involved with numerous breeds where many winners were owned.
It was in 1919 that Percy Roberts opened his permanent kennel which became world famous under the identification “Revelry” and which over the years housed some of America’s greatest show dogs.
Following the example set for him by Mr. Holgate, Percy Roberts became a Professional Handler and an importer of dogs for those seeking quality stock to bring for show and breeding purposes to America. Very quickly the Fancy discovered that this man had tremendous talent for recognizing breed type and quality, and it took him not at all long to provide leading kennels here with many of our all-time finest. Percy himself was a breeder of Greyhounds and Whippets.
“So, WHAT TO DO CONSIDERING EVERYONE’S RESPECT FOR THIS MAN’S KNOWLEDGE AND MY LACK OF GREYHOUND EXPERIENCE?”
The dogs with whom Percy was associated included some of America’s all-time “greats” of the period. They included three remarkable Wirehaired Fox Terriers which he selected in England for the Halleston Kennels of Stanley J. Halle, all three of which distinguished themselves by taking Best In Show at Westminster; Ch. Signal Circuit of Halleston who gained the Westminster Best In Show in 1926, Ch. Flornell Spicy Bit of Halleston and Ch. Flornell Spicy Piece of Halleston who gained Westminster Bests in Show in 1934 and 1937 respectively–all handled by Percy who later gained a fourth Best in Show with another one of his charges. His portrait now hangs in Madison Square Garden Hall of Fame as the person who holds the record for Number of Bests in Show handled at the Westminster Kennel Club. There are only two other Professional Dog Handlers honored in the Hall of Fame, they being Anne Rogers Clark who scored three Bests In Show there; and Peter Green who this year brought his total to three! [Editor’s Note: Peter Green tied the BIS record with his 4th Best in Show win in 1998]. But as of now, Percy holds the record for Westminster Bests in Show, plus he also has gained the top honors at Morris and Essex and the Sesqui-Centennial in Philadelphia. Wherever the competition was keenest, wherever the shows the most prestigious there Percy would be found and in the Winners Circle!
As a handler, Percy was a formidable contender. He had dogs of quality, plus the knowledge of how they should be presented to their best advantage. His somewhat stern demeanor was sometimes intimidating to both the judge under whom he might be showing and to folks showing against him, but actually this impression of him was often in error. For example, I recall my own experience as a very new judge of Greyhounds when Percy turned up in my ring with an assistant or two and at least several entries. I had seldom done the breed at that time, and I was especially anxious–owing to Mr. Roberts’ respected presence–to do it correctly. But as we came down to the finals there was a problem! As we all know it is customary for professional handlers with several entries to push the one they consider most likely to win for the leading awards. But in this case as we came down to the finals, I realized that the dog Percy had brought back into the ring himself was NOT the one I had admired mentally, and that I STILL preferred that one, now with, I assume, his assistant. So, WHAT TO DO CONSIDERING EVERYONE’S RESPECT FOR THIS MAN’S KNOWLEDGE AND MY LACK OF GREYHOUND EXPERIENCE? I did not think about it long, however, as my belief in judging is that one should please oneself; and I did think that probably I might be eaten alive by Mr. Roberts later on. But when I turned to put my book down on the table for my next breed, there in front of me was Percy, hand extended and smiling. He said to me, “You are a good judge. That dog you put up is the better and should have won. I was just testing you.” Needless to say, it took a while to get me back from Cloud 9! Percy always showed to me right up until the time he stopped handling, and was always a good sport win or lose.
At Interstate Kennel Assn. in 1944, Percy is pictured winning with Mardormere Kennels’ Greyhound, Ch. Montpelier Icabod
Percy was one of those handlers, as in the case of the Forsyths and numerous other leading handlers of that period, who was approved to judge Specialty Shows due to being a licensed handler. He did all-breeds under this ruling at various Specialties between 1937 and 1950, so he knew that he would enjoy a judging career prior to retiring from his importing and handling business, which had been so enormously successful, even before the time came to make a definite decision involving this change of activity. I am sure that he never regretted his decision, for while he had attained brilliant success dealing and handling, he was promptly successful as a respected and honored judge as well. Demand for his services was immediate and constant, his assignments taking him to all of the major dog shows here at home as well as in England; South America; Canada; New Zealand and Tasmania.
On five occasions Percy judged at Australia’s leading dog show, The Sydney Royal, plus various others there. In 1967 he judged Best in Show at Westminster; also enjoying that honor at the Chicago International in 1958, 1963 and 1969.
Percy was voted “DOG JUDGE OF THE YEAR,” receiving the Gaines “Fido” for this honor, in 1952 and 1953.
Despite his sometimes forbidding manner, Percy had respect for the exhibitors and was well liked by them. For example, one of Marcia Foy’s favorite dog show stories is telling of how Percy would never allow her to kneel to show one of her Beagles under him. “Young lady,” he would say, “do not get on your knees before me. I’m not God”, which always brought Marcia immediately back to her feet.
Desi Murphy recalls, as a little boy when he owned his first dog which was a Norwich Terrier, of showing his puppy to Percy and winning his class. In his excitement Desi picked up the puppy and ran to first place clutching him in his arms, followed by Percy who came behind him, took the puppy and dropped it to the ground saying to Desi, “Let him walk. He’s a Terrier.”
Percy had difficulty not doing something about it when a poorly handled dog was brought into a ring. The exhibitor was set on the right path towards better presentation of his or her dog by Percy who had a habit of pushing away the exhibitor’s hand and saying, “do it this way” as he showed that person HOW to make the dog look its best.
During the last years of his life, following his retirement from judging, Percy made his home with his daughter who was, I believe, his only child.
Without a doubt Percy was one of our most colorful and admired judges over the decades of his career. His influence on the Fancy is also inestimable when one considers the scores of magnificent dogs he was involved in bringing here from England; the careers in the show ring many of them enjoyed; and most of all their impact on the breeding kennels here in the United States. Additionally, just discussing almost any breed of dog with Percy was in itself an education. He was what we mean when we refer to a “real dog person” the likes of whom we see far too seldom nowadays! Percy was indeed one of the greatest!
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on Apr 23 2020. Filed under Current Articles, Dog Show History, Featured.
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