Page 80 - ShowSight - December 2019
P. 80

                  A Merry Little Dog Show: ‘Tis The Season for Faithful Friends BY DAN SAYERS continued
 The Holiday Season is all about visiting with good friends, sharing good times, and enjoying a little “chow” together. Photo by Dan Sayers
AKC Dock Diving National Champion- ship also takes place, as does the award ceremonies for Breeder of the Year and the AKC Humane Fund Awards for Canine Excellence that honors “five hard-working canines who significantly improved the lives of their owners and communities.” More than 5,000 canine competitors and their human companions share the holidays with the AKC in the bountiful Florida sun- shine. For the rest of the dog fancy, many of the scheduled events may be viewed via livestreaming on AKC.TV.
No matter where dog people gather this December to celebrate the sport of purebred dogs, the spirit of the season is sure to be acknowledged both in and out of the rings. Some stewards (and a few judges) will greet exhibitors in their “ugliest” seasonal sweat-
ers, and many of the exhibitors will also be dressed in the colors of the season. In fact, more than a few gentlemen handlers will be seen sporting those garish Christmas suits with flamboyant prints that feature candy canes, reindeer and snowmen. Equally eye- catching are the vendors’ booths, many of which seem transformed by colorful lights and holiday-themed wares. Show photogra- phers get into the act too, creating winter wonderlands for the shows’ luckiest exhibi- tors. Not to be outdone, some of the han- dlers even manage to transform their set- ups. A few even set a (grooming) table with a bounty of cakes, pies and candies made from grandma’s old recipes. (Only the day’s Best in Show winner attracts more attention from friend and foe alike.) However, to tru- ly get everyone into the right holiday mood,
the sounds of the season must be part of the experience. After all, what would Christ- mastime be without the unforgettable voices of Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole and Mariah Carey playing as the soundtrack? Perhaps the best song lyrics that capture the magic of being at a dog show during the holidays are those from a song written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blaine and immortalized in 1944 by the legendary Judy Garland:
“Here we are as in olden days, happy gold- en days of yore. Faithful friends who are dear to us, gather near to us once more. Through the years we all will be together, if the fates allow. Hang a shining star upon the high- est bough, and Have Yourself A Merry Little [Dog Show] now.”
 78 • ShowSight Magazine, DeceMber 2019
   


























































































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