Page 3 - LeMagWinter2015

From the Chief Le Mag Wrangler

It has been a wicked winter. I’ve finally come to under- It’s been a few years since I’ve been to WKC. The last

stand the lure of Florida. I didn’t “get it” back in the early time was when a huge snow storm left planes with dogs
80s when my parents retired there. I do now. It became in holds on the runway at Kennedy and LaGuadia waiti-
official that up here in NY it was the coldest month in
ing for long delayed takeoffs. That year it took me 11
recorded history.The wind tunnels that the streets of NYC hours to drive from NYC to Scranton PA (and grab the last
create didn’t make it any warmer slightly south of home ei- hotel room to be had in town). Oddly, I ended up at that
ther. Wind chill factors there were below zero for much of same hotel room on the way home this year but it was a
the long weekend. But as rugged dog people we survived planned stop not one of total exhaustion. And the trip was
to do it all again next year.
the usual 2 1/2 hours.

We started off the fun n games in NYC at Meet the So this was the first time I was at the Piers to watch breed

Breeds. We being my partner in MTB crime, Donna Mor- judging. It was nice that some seating was reserved for

rissette, my Briard Zelda and I. AKC moved it from the handicapped and seniors at ringside. Mike Greenberg and

roomy, comfy Javits Center to the Piers. Im sure there I managed to snag two seats and watched the judging

was some financial convenience with sharing the venue together. My trusty service-balance dog Zelda accom-
panied me to the Garden, and she lay quietly next to my
with WKC’s Agility Trial but for upstairs in the closet where seat watching too. There was a funny moment (well to
MTB ended up it was a pale imitation of the pleasant me it was). Regina had handed me her grooming tote
surroundings the Javits offered. It was cramped, overly bag to have at ringside, then when she needed it she
crowded to the point that in the afternoon no more peo- had to send Gina Klang to retrieve it knowing that if Zelda
ple could be allowed to visit the dogs. Instead they were saw her she’d go bonkers. She was right, later on at the
directed to the Agility Trial downstairs instead. Not quite benches, Regina came up behind me and Zelda nearly
the same thing, especially for the repeat visitors to MTB. pulled me over trying to get to Regina. They had a huggy
Some solution has to be made. It was actually frightening reunion and Zelda was really happy after that. She adores
with the crowds being so dense and not moving. I men- Regina, as most of the dogs she’s ever shown do.
tally began plotting a way for Zelda and I to escape the

room if it became necessary to do so. That’s not usually The entry was lovely at the Garden, most of the dogs
the way I think but that’s what the situation prompted me I’ve seen often this past year, or at least at the National
to do.
or in Eukanuba. The ring was large so the Briards had

plenty of room to move out and strut their stuff. By now

I understand the thinking on doing MTB at this time but it everyone knows that Merry Jeanne and Tommy Millner’s

actually tends to blunt some of its focus by sharing with Sparkles was Best of Breed. Congratulations!

the Agility and Conformation stars. I think a spring date We have full coverage of the results and photos of the

would work better for everyone, especially given the
amount of snow storms many volutneers had to deal with dogs in the ring in this issue.

either coming in or leaving from NYC. Without all those
volunteer fanciers and their dogs, there is no MTB. It’s just It’s spring so time to start thinking about those spring Re-
gionals. We have flyers for both Harrisburg and Southern
an empty room with signage. Hopefully AKC will give this California in this issue.
some serious thought and come up with some better solu-

tions. I fully believe MTBs are excellent PR for purebred The Helper Briard continues as promised with more
dogs and that they are important in the toxic atmosphere photos of her exploits. We also have the annual Top 10
of AR rhetoric. I understand it was to be a topic brought review from the previous year in photos and details. And
up during the March Delegates Meeting, since it allows for information on canine health issues.

a full participation of the breed clubs on what worked and

didn’t to be passed along to AKC personnel. If you would like to advertise in Le Mag please contact me

at lemag4briards@gmail.com You can pay for member
Thanks go out to Robert & Starr Baum,with Soleil; Bob & ads via Paypal on the ASBC website.
Marsha Mebus with Sand; Hazel Lyon with Clovis; De-

lores Dement with Gilbert; Michele Brown & her husband, We continue to ask for and welcome photos of your bri-

GL, with Frankie; Denise Simenauer, for helping out at ards past and present for inclusion in Le Mag. they can be

MTB and bringing your terrific dogs. Also thanks to my sent to the same email address as above.

co-coordinator Donna and my Briard, Zelda. We enjoyed Barbe
seeing you all again and hope to see you again next year.

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