The New York herald., 1922-08-13
MOVE TO ABOLISH
SPECIALITY CLASSES
Dog Fans May Have to Give
Up variety as Well as
Best i'm Show.
ny FRANK f. DOLE.

A move Is on foot to abolish speciality
classes at shows. Those are the classes
which bring all the terriers. sporting
oogs. nonsporting dogs and toys into
the ring together to determine the best
of each class. irrespective OF breed.
Those who believe the variety classes
should be preserved should let their
voices be heard before the rule is taken
UP and adopted.
There was disappointment In a mum
Der OF circles at the abolition Of the
award for best in the show. 1t went
into effect before many were aware
such action was contemplated and be-
fore they had been able to give their
views on such step. 1t virtually elm
mated the chance for q dog to be
crowned king or queen of the kenns.
world. 1t would be unfortunate II the
same thing happened in the variety
class before opinions could be fully
gathered on the desirability OF such
step.
One who has followed the dog game
can coniure up many fascinating pict-
ures which the special for best In the
show brought before him. Take, for In
stance. the shows on the lawns of the
Meadow Club at Southampton, l.. !.
There. around the ring, watching the
judging. were the representative mem
bers Of the fashionable summer colony.
seeing the best dogs in the show GO
through their PAGES.
This crowd always waited for the
judging of the best in the show. They
saw the saucy terriers matched against
the sedate st. Bernards and the aris-
tocratic greyhounds and wolfhounds
1t was the kind of picture that re-
mained in ones memory. Then. as soon
as judging for best in the show was
completed they quickly departed. That,
for them. was the major attraction.
The Same thing was true at other
shows. No real dog fan ever left the
Westminster until the last day had
brought the crowning of the best in
Americas greatest show. The crowds
packed around the big center ring and
lined the front of the galleries. They
watched the dogs. big and little, the
best Of their respective breeds, 20
through their PAGES under the light OF
the powerful incandescents. They saw
cogs stand like statues of marble and
tronze on the block as the judges looked
at them. They watched the pugnacious
little fellows strain at their leashes to
get at the big dogs and laughed at their
antics. 1t. too. was a sight not to be
forgotten.
of course. II must be admitted there
nave been some pretty queer awards In
the judging of best In the show. Even
our greatest show has no. been entirely
iree. That, however. has been the fault
of show managers. They do not get real
Judges to officiate. When Mr. Henry
Jarrett of Philadelphia was judging the
rest ne told the spectators why he put
up the winner and why he rejected the
other contestants. There was nothin.
more instructive to dog fancers. a.
wei as to noviccs in the game. n
showed how a good judge made I'D his
mind on a good dog.
1t is suggested that the variety
oiasses follow the best In the show
award into oblivion. Why2 Tho idaa
must have had it's inception in tho mira
or those who do not own real winners
The world loves a winner In any game
Ihere Is nothing better to be able to saw
than that your terrier beat all other
terriers OF various breeds at big show.
IL ADDED to the glory OF the dog and
gave the owner something to be always
proud or. To take such an award away
VIII take the heart out OF many In the
show game
When the variety classes are Judged
right. they. like any other classes Arc
judged on the minute. Consequently.
when a dog which has won one week Is
beaten the next by dog he defeated. II
by no means signifies that the judging
was bad in either case. Nor does II
mean that the Judges disagree A ter.
rier, or any other dog. may be In fine
coat and fine fettle. and show to wonder
ful advantage one day. The next, for
some reason or other. he may be off his
feed.> refuse to show properly, and make
a distinctly unsatisfactory impression on
another judge. Any true Judge sees
only the dog before him. and not the
reputation which has come from the
past.
The abolition of best In the show and
the proposal to dispense with variety
classes. would seem to Indicate an In
tention to prevent dogs OF one breed
meeting dogs of another in the ring.
There is no sport in the world where
there Is not some competition which
singles out one individual and makes
him better than his fellows. 1t is true
OF rowing. of swimming, of tennis and
any branch OF sport you care to name
except now In dog showing. Even the