Photo by Sharon Carvalho.
JUST THINK ABOUT IT: diving headlong into 2018 with my annual trip to the shows in Palm Springs, followed by the blockbuster circuit in Brooksville (FL), and then on to Westminster in New York. I’m not sure I could’ve envisioned a better itinerary to see great people, stellar dogs and cities I love. So, a few words about each…
The Kennel Club of Palm Springs has long been a favorite of mine; every single thing this club does, it does first class. Held at the stunning Empire Polo Grounds in Indio, and commanding a huge entry every single time (this year we topped 3500) this extremely well-run show is a thrill to attend and a bigger thrill to work. I’ve lost track of how many times I’ve attended but my memories are crystal clear; this is a four-day cluster?(two days of Specialties, two all-breed shows) that is unlike any other in the country. Even the wonderful photos we have in this issue fail to fully capture the ambience and attitude that surrounds KCPS; it is truly tremendous. My hat is off to Show Chair Darryl Vice and the entire team for giving us such an incredible event. (I had the pleasure of watching Darryl judge a Dobe Specialty while I was there—his expertise in the ring equals his ability to put on a show.) Even when the weather’s iffy—as it can be in the Desert in January—it’s wonderful, but this year the conditions were postcard-perfect. What an absolute treat. My hat is off, as always, to the guardians of this great club. And speaking of kudos, I want to send out a huge thank you and get well to Barbara (BJ) Andrews who in this magazine’s twenty-five year history has never missed a deadline…except today. The wonderful BJ has unfortunately broken her arm and although her brain’s working at its usual fevered pace, her typing skills are down for the count. She’ll be back with us next month. Heal fast, my friend!
The fourteen days that comprise the Florida January Circuit, in Brooksville, is an exhausting but thrilling experience for all. This year the chamber of commerce would prefer to forget; it was cold with temperatures dipping into the twenties. That’s very unusual for the area, of course, but regulars are used to the capricious climate and dress for the occasion. Many breeds had bigger entries than we’ve seen in years so ringside was packed and the rings themselves filled with quality and quantity befitting our sport. With what I saw, it promises to be a very challenging, exciting year of dog shows.
And last but not least, Westminster in my wonderful ex-home:?Manhattan. This will be my thirty-ninth consecutive trip to the Garden and I look forward to it just as much as I did my first.
I hope to see you there, and if not there, here. ShowSight continues to strive to be the very best that we can be, and the entire team here sends our best Valentine’s Day wishes to everyone in dogs. Next month we’ll bring news from New York
and everywhere else where dogs reign supreme. Which is, as far as I’m concerned,
everywhere, period. See you in March.Till
then, remember…ShowSight Magazine
wishes you ALL THE BEST!
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