Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-09
DISPUTE OVER
GREAT DANES AWARD
Grievance of a Local Owner
Intention of the Irish Ter
rier Club.
By James Watson.

very uncivil war Is being waged in the
kennel press between some gentlemen in
terested in Great Danes. One Washing
tonian claimed that he had not got his des-
erts at a show where he should have been
| awarded a special. but which was given to
another person who should not have had
any claim to 1t. The proof seemed very
| conclusive that an error had been made.
that the Washington dog should have won
| the special in question, but the award went
! to another dog. Reparation- was promised,
| but through neglect or other cause 1t was
| not carried out and when it was denied the
Washngtonian he was then debarred by
| the time limitation rule from making any
! appeal to the American Kennel Club. SUD-
| sequent correspondence ant; tonisttc to the
| owner of the dog has not shown that these
various claims are Incorrect in any partic-
ular but he is assailed for some such rea-
son as that he does not wear MS nat
straight or once spoke derogatorily of some
one not a party to the dispute IN question.
or some equally important polnt-aH OF
which goes to show that ms ciaim must
have very solid foundation in fact, or the
reply would have attacked the facts In
place of saying the dog was a bad one, and
the owner had done all sorts of Irrelevant
things. There is no question that the spe-
cial should have gone to the Washington
dog.
X
''Who is going to judge at New York;"
was the prevailing question at Philadei-
phia, but there no one to answer l
did hear that gentleman might have been
asked to judge had it not been for his hav-
ing written lately that the New York show
might with advantage give more money In
some of the leading breeds and in some or
the classes which were largely supported.
This had given offense to some of the COM
mitteeme and he is not likely to be asked
to pose in the ring. If good men are to be
turned down for reasons such as that 1t 1s
little wonder we sometimes have to hold on
to the ratings when we see the NUMBERS
go up. The very independence of the man
might have suggested that he would be
similarly independent in the judges ring
The same person declined to judge at New
York some years ago because he han been
interested in buying dogs during the pre-
vious six months which might possibly be
shown under him. Perhaps that was also
a black mark against him. but with most
exhibitors it would be in pleasant contrast
to some of the practices of the present time
in the way of the judges standards OF
probity.
y X
A year ago the Irish Terrier Club de-
cided to make a splurge at the New York
show of 1907, and it is going to do so by
the value of 500 each. It is certainly time
the club did something with the 5000 1t
has fostered from club dues; but is 1t any
thing but pyrotechnic to broadcast $500 at
one show when that amount of money
would have given all the cash prizes neces-
sary and would have purchased half a dozen
cups, which might have remained in con:pe-
tition for several years?
1t is very doubtful whether there will be
any additional importations In this breed
for the New York show, for all the $500 in
cash is offered for American and Canadian
bred terriers, except two prizes each Of $15
for the best brace and team. So that the
money will be of incalculable benefit in d.
recting attention to picking up good Amer
lean bred Irish terriers and bringing them
out. That we have good specimens in this
country is beyond question. but 1t has been
the habit to disparage home product so
much that many Of our own breeders can
not at times recognize when they have a
good one of their own. One of the best
dogs of this breed shown at Philadelphia
was an American bred puppy. He only
got as high very, highly commended in
the open class. after taking third in limit
and first in his other three classes. but he
pleased the critics, and I might say more
for him but that I own the dog and am
therefore unable to blow his trumpet.