PAYING IT FORWARD WITH MEET THE BREEDS
My neighbor, Al, is a pet owner. He has a spayed bitch, Beatrix, that he walks for a mile four times each day, has groomed regularly, and con- siders to be the consummate housepet. Al gets his dogs from breeders and recognizes quality, health, and good temperament. A few years ago, I was des- perate for dogs for MTB and asked if he’d consider taking Beatrix. He somewhat reluctantly agreed and an “MTB groupie” was born. I asked him why and he explained that Beatrix loves to meet and greet and he’s happy to oblige her. This year she was out there doing her thing more than any of the rest of our dogs, never tired, never grouchy. Al answered all of the questions thrown his way and referred the tough ones to some of the breeders. Al and Beatrix are in the category of folks who like going and look forward to the opportunity every year. Their reward is in the expressions and thanks of those they meet. Now, of the 201 recognized breeds (and some FSS and Miscellaneous), we had 132 booths. A lot of them, including ours, had a bunch of old famil- iar faces, and quite fortunately, some familiar dogs as well. What really impressed me, though, was the number of parent club Presidents who considered the event important enough to their breed and to their club to travel great distances (one at least from Los Angeles and several from the Midwest and sunny Florida) to attend. Many brought dogs, some brought years of expertise in their breed. The point is… they came! Not to be a judge or a del- egate. Not to preside over a grand meeting or sight- see in our grand city, but to “pay their dues” for all
The look on the faces of the public, their surprise and the kind words that follow, make Meet the Breeds a unique experience for everyone. ‘Malin’ (pictured) is a five-year-old retired brood bitch newly arrived from Canada. (L. Friesen photo)
the benefit that the sport has given them over the years. The same is true of a few of the folks I consider to be world-class breeders and authorities who came to share their experience for the benefit of the breed. But conversely, we had 66 percent of our breeds not represented at all. Some of the absentee breeds were surprising given their popularity in the New York area and the obvious benefits of attending to the breed, breeders, and the public. Still others came on strong the first day and were totally AWOL on the second. An empty booth sends an awful message. While I’m sure there are good reasons for their absence, I can’t imagine any parent club, even the regionals, not wanting to scoop up this opportunity to advance their breed (and, of course, to create a market for their members). There is nothing like teaching others as a learning experience for oneself. You don’t have to have decades of experience as a breeder to be an exhibitor at a MTB near you. Your knowledge of your dog, your daily experience, and the useful infor- mation that you already have are just what the public wants to hear. A day or two of your time is a sound investment for everyone and the payback is immense. So, every January, we suck it up and prepare for MTB and two days of con- trolled chaos. In our case, we have the support of a genuinely concerned parent club (Bedlington Terrier Club of America), dedicated officers and directors, long-time, experienced breeders, and even pet owners who quite willingly show up year after year. All of them recognize Meet the Breeds as something that we do to give back, in a small way, all that our dogs have given us.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Richard Reynolds has been chasing dogs at home and around the world for 58 years. That quest has taken him from the manicured rings of Montgomery and Westminster to the hog bay pens of Texas. Whether hunting rats or rosettes, there’s always some good dogs involved and some mighty fine people too. In this issue, he takes you with him to Meet the Breeds in New York. It’s an experience you don’t want to miss, no matter which side of the table you may be on.
© Margaret Foxmoore
74 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 2024
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