FROM THE EDITOR EMERITUS Continued
Yes, ShowSight’s more than old enough to vote and in every State, old enough to drink, so I’d like to raise a toast to every- one who’s been part of this magnificent publication since day one. I also send my love to my late husband, co-breeder of the many champions we showed, my business partner and my co-founder of this magazine, the late Duane Doll, so sorely missed by all. But since I don’t drink and haven’t since ‘95, I had to find another way to celebrate the occasion. So I ordered a cake for you and me. It appears below in all its glory, as yet untouched (but
Access to everyone at any time has emboldened those with an axe to grind. I cannot count the times I’ve seen defamatory or slanderous digi- tal spears hurled between dog fanciers due to any number of real or imagined transgres- sions. This has got to stop because although one’s friends might agree, hundreds if not thousands of people outside our inner circle might believe our sport condones such behavior. Our reputation must stay crystal clean for the bene- fit of all. Losing it would be devastating. That’s a huge fear that I have for our future.
Adna Balas & Romeo. Photos taken by yours truly at my house in July of 2015.
I have no fear that you’ll find this issue as amazing as I find the idea of the at-home dog show awful. In-resi- dence judging would, of course, have helped to prevent the Canine Influenza situation, tackled by Caroline Coile this month, but it wouldn’t have improved much else. Speaking of which, our august team of writers, Jackie Fogel, Linda Ayers Turner Knorr, Dan Sayers, BJ Andrews—joined this month and every month to come by the uber-accomplished Allan Reznik to whom we extend open arms—as ever gives you much to think about and cause to applaud. And the contributions of the guests who share their expertise with us in our Herding Breeds section and our individual Breed fea- tures would keep you occupied from the time you take off from LAX to the time you land in Perth (with much left to savor later). And that’s taking the scenic route. But back to my shocking, in-flight mental movie. In my dream everyone
not for long). Since you weren’t here, each of my dogs got an extra, canine-appropriate healthy treat, while I ate a piece of cake for you and I ate a piece for me. (Perhaps that fantasy treadmill’s not a bad idea after all.) And I thought back over the quarter-century since we invented this magazine, the views and values we’ve promoted, and ShowSight’s gifts to me, to you, to our sport and to our dogs. I no longer own it, but no one loves it more. And no one loves dogs more than the people I’m proud to know. My fellow dog fanciers have kept me going through thick and thin, and dogs have been the highlight of my entire life. With my Sights firmly set on the future of dogs and Shows, I vow that I will view each day, each person, and especially each dog, just as the pictures show: through the delighted, devoted, wonder- ing eyes of a child. I’ll see you next month. n
was kindly to one another online and all the news was “Real.” That in itself would be a dream come true. But regardless of the dire pre- dictions we hear, I cling to a rosy picture of our future. I’m not quite sure where we’re heading but I know where I want to go: to a place where we’re united in
our fight to protect dogs. What has made this sport so powerful and so attractive through its one-hundred- fifty-eight years has been the camaraderie of the people in it, and the dogs that possess the most healing, nur- turing, loving ability of any living thing. And what has made this magazine one-of-a-kind since inception has been the people behind it and the people in it. I’m extremely proud to have been at its helm for what has now been twenty-five years.
44 • S how S ight M agazine , A ugust 2017
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