Page 214 - ShowSight - November 2019

WHO’S RUNNING THE SHOW?
EPISODE TWO: Wayne Ferguson cont’d.
After observing the absence of quality show products at dog shows, Wayne started a small show-supplies business in 1969 at the Mid Hudson Kennel Club dog show in Rhinebeck, NY. Cherrybrook was born with an investment of $100.00 worth of items and were sold over a card table and under a beach um- brella.
It didn’t take long for Cher- rybrook to take off. It became and still is one of the largest pet supply companies in the world. Wayne was CEO and President until October of 2005 when he sold his “baby.” He continues to be a consultant for Cherrybrook as Founder and Chairman.
Prior to this, Wayne had a vi-
brant career in finance and PR.
He worked at Magyar Savings &
Loan, City Federal Savings &
Loan, and Edison Federal Sav-
ings & Loan before bellying up
to the bar, so to speak, with
Seagram Distillers NYC as
Chivas Regal’s National Brand
Manager (NOW we know
whom to thank!). Now, post Cherrybrook, Wayne operates WEF Consulting Inc. of Broadway, NJ.
The dog-related organizations that Wayne belongs to are many and varied. He is a Board member of the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine and the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. His kennel club affiliations include being President and Show Chairman of the Morris & Essex Kennel Club. Wayne’s unique ability to unite the entire M&E membership—over 300—into blending their talents and re- sources, produced the very popular shows every five years since its rebirth in 2000. The widely anticipated next show will take place October 1, 2020. Join us October 1, 2020! The 2015 Morris & Essex Kennel Club Dog Show was the largest outdoor show held in the United States in the past 20 years—and possibly much longer. The 2020 show's entry will be capped at 4,455 dogs—exactly one dog less than the record set by Mrs. Dodge at her biggest show, in 1939.
Wayne has served as a Board Member of the Philadelphia KC, President of Delaware Water Gap KC, and is a member of the Metropolitan Dog Club. He is past President of the Canine Health Foundation and past Vice Chair of the Morris Animal Foundation. In addition, Wayne sits on the Board or
is a member of iDwDi, The Two Hundred Club of War- ren County NJ, Domestic Abuse & Rape Crisis Center (Belvidere NJ), St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center, Hun- terdon Developement Cen- ter, BOD and Treasurer, Middlesex County SPCA, Planning Board, Township of Franklin, and was mem- ber of Bucks County KC. Wayne was also Committee- man and Deputy Mayor, Township of Franklin, NJ. The list goes on and on.
I’m sure Wayne’s daily list is even longer than that; how he manages is less of a mystery now that we’ve heard his thoughts. We thank him for his time, con- sidering that in two weeks the National Dog Show takes place, to be aired on Thanks- giving Day following the Macy’s Parade. The show an- nually reaches millions. It’s probably the most televised dog show on earth.
Most know the history of Morris & Essex but let’s take a look at this other venerable club.
A RICH HISTORY
Since hosting a major dog event in 1876 at the Centennial Exposition, Philadelphia has been at the forefront of the purebred dog world. The Kennel Club of Philadelphia (KCP) and its predecessor clubs have been presenting dog shows since 1879. In fact, the Philadelphia club predates the Amer- ican Kennel Club (AKC) which was organized on September 17, 1884. The Philadelphia club went through several changes of name in the years spanning the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. Records show a Philadelphia Kennel Club benched show in 1896 and a Philadelphia Dog Show Association with a “bench show of dogs” from 1899 to 1909. Shortly after, the group reorgan- ized and formed the present-day Kennel Club of Philadel- phia.
The Kennel Club of Philadelphia’s two benched, all-breed dog shows are held on Saturday, November 16 and Sunday, November 17, 2019. The shows, sanctioned by The Ameri- can Kennel Club, will help raise money for a variety of ca- nine-related causes. Prior beneficiaries of The Kennel Club
212 • ShowSight Magazine, noveMber 2019