I attended my first dog show in 1968 with a Basenji I had acquired from a familyrelation. That summer, I went to the "Carolina" Summer Circuit, and saw and fellin love with Luis and Mary Jo Aizcorbe's Ch. Aizbel the One and Only, and knew aPoodle was in my future!
In 1973, I went to work for Lew Grello, who handled for the late Caroline Keene ofthe famed Round Table Kennels. This was the year I attended my first Poodle Clubof America Show in Devon, PA. I can still recall who judged, who handled, and whowon. I was captured and under a spell! Late in that year, I spent several months atDassin Farm watching and learning from the late Freeman C. "Bud" Dickey. He wasa wealth of knowledge, and I recall the months I was there with much pleasure.And what a great “dog man” he was!! I learned so much.
In 1975, I returned to Delaware to work directly for Round Table, building a LongCoat Chihuahua breeding program with Mrs. Keene, resulting in one of the topwinning Long Coat Chihuahuas in those years, Ch. Round Table the One and Only.He won the National Specialty twice.
I bred my first litter of Miniatures in 1973, and three Champions came from thatlitter.
I have been honored to judge at PCA five times, I have judged four Nationals andone Regional. They are all a true honor, as you have to have sufficient Membervotes to make the final ballot, and then the Members vote is what determines thefinal panel. It is a humbling event when that is announced at the Blue RibbonDinner two years prior!
I have judged Poodles since 1992 and had the further honor in 2019 to be doingthem at the December American Kennel Club show in Orlando.
I have judged in Australia, England, Japan, China, and many states here at home,including Hawaii.
I handled dogs for about ten years, have many great memories of dogs I showed,and was lucky to have many great clients. But approaching 30, I decided it was notfor me for the long haul. I worked in the hospitality industry, joined Sodexo, aworld-wide services management contract company in 1995, and had a wonderfulcareer at my day job, and still was able to enjoy the dogs. I left Sodexo in 2020 butcontinue to work as a Human Resource Director for a small company in my homecounty.
I do not breed for myself now but have a multiple Group and Specialty BIS winningstud dog who is 9 years old now, who has ten Champion children to date, and sireda litter in Japan last year from frozen semen. I have had a great run in the dogsand am honored whenever invited to pass along my opinion. And every litter Ievaluate are as thrilling as it was in 1974 when I started the ones from my very first litter. |
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