Page 44 - ShowSight - October 2019

C I N A A P E WD C O R R U D S . . A . D E R
FHR O OM UT HSE TE XOE CNU T I V E E D I T O R E M E R I T U S
Joseph Neil McGinnis III
FROM THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR EMERITUS
IJotrsyetopkheeNp tehisl pMagecGupibnenatis, uIpIIto the minute, and maybe even up for discussion, but most importantly, I try to look at everything in a positive light. Now, I’m no Pollyanna—I recognize and react negatively to ill behavior all the time—but I don’t think concentrat- ing on the bad without looking at the good does any good for anybody, any time. Period.
Speaking of good, it’s a bit of a Sneak Preview, but I couldn’t resist running this photo because it’s such a happy shot. We are shown at Devon Dog Club October 5th, and the smiles on our faces are far from fake. (Full coverage of Hat- boro, Devon and Montgomery—and more—next month.) Any- how, this lady looks so smashing that I hate to muddy up the image with my ugly mug. But PhotoShopping an X over my face would probably look quite strange.
Sydney Leblanc Good is no stranger to anybody in the sport, what with over 40 years as an Executive Field Rep for AKC, along with a myriad of other things she did and still does for dogs. Sydney grew up with Dobermans and she was active in Junior Showmanship. Luckily for us, she’s one of the Junior Handlers that we managed to keep involved in the sport as they matured. (I’d like to see that percentage increase.) She went on to become an AKC-licensed handler for Sporting, Working, and Non-Sporting breeds. She has owned Doberman Pinschers, Poodles, Vizslas, Whippets, Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Chihuahuas, and Brussel Griffons. She is now approved to judge thirty-two breeds in the Sporting, Hound, Working, Toy and Non-Sporting Groups.
Sydney started out as a teacher in New York City before joining the staff of AKC. (And trust me—she’s still teaching.) Perhaps we should have an interview with this fascinating woman sometime soon...Our photo was taken by Dr. Michael G. Knight, a victim of my quest for learning more about Show Chairs and Chairing Shows, and he kicks off a new department in this very issue: WHO’S RUNNING THE SHOW? We also have an in-depth look at SEMINARS in the first of a series by Celeste Gonzalez, and another by Dr. Andrea Bradford on CONFOR- MATION DOG SHOW JUDGES: WHAT DO WE WANT? Walter Sommerfelt is another welcome addition although we’ve en- joyed his work here before. He promises to be with us often in the months to come. See him in VOLUNTEERS, THE BACK- BONE OF THE SPORT. These great minds join our already-top- notch panel of experts to help us provide the biggest and best content available in the sport. As always, I thank you ladies and gentlemen!
But now, since I blathered on about wonderfully fun people and places, I now have a bone to pick with some of us. I’m basically referring to FaceBook Fanatics but it applies to other venues as well.
People, please. You are not only speaking to a friend (or quite often, enemy) with your online barbs and jabs. You don’t have two soup cans and a string between you. You have the entire world—or at least, those with strong stomachs—reading some of the terrible and probably actionable things you say to one another in the name of, what—proving your superiority? You’re certainly entitled to your opinion. I am, too. And it’s my opinion that when it gets nasty it’s terribly damaging to our sport, to ourselves, and to our dogs.
In the interest of sanity—or to avoid flying into a rage—I tend to ignore or shrug off much of what I read. If it continues too often I cut off the line of communication. But today I got a bit fired up, and at four a.m. fired off the following reaction
to some online garbage. The original writer was predicting he’d be voted down as an applicant for membership in his breed’s parent club, due to things he’s said online. Someone told him that it should make no difference in voters’ opinions. I dis- agreed. When you are in public, or speaking to the public in your bedroom in your bathrobe on your digital device, and you’re boasting about dog shows and dog show wins, you’ve identified yourself as a member of our sport and when you get into an on-the-air pitched battle with someone, you are disre- specting yourself, your dogs, and US. Because we’re all in this together. People—often complete strangers—in the sport and outside of it are watching and listening. So I said:
If someone is online constantly spewing profanity, mean spirit and sour grapes—or impugning the rep- utation of every judge that doesn’t give him a ribbon, I’m not sure I want him or her representing my breed—certainly not making decisions affecting it. I also hate for Juniors, their parents, or anyone, acutally, to read hate-fueled diatribe and think it’s how real dog fanciers think, talk and act.
Just sayin’.
Joe McGinnis
50 years fighting for purebred dogs
I was in the entertainment business. I was in the nightclub business. I am in the publishing business. Through it all I’ve had a credo that I repeat often: “I don’t care if you beat the hell out of one another in the back room (or backstage, or in the parking lot), but <onstage, in the dining room, at a dog show, anywhere in public AND online>, unclench your fists, put a smile on your face and improve everybody’s day.”
It’ll probably improve yours, too. Have a wonderful Hal- loween, my friends, and keep smiling. I’ll see you next month.
Joseph Neil McGinnis III Executive Editor Emeritus
42 • ShowSight Magazine, october 2019