Morris & Essex Kennel Club to hold Match Show and Responsible Dog Owners’ Day events Sept 21

MADISON, N.J. - Sept. 4, 2014 - PRLog -- Every five years, a very special dog show appears, and we are transported to a gentler time honoring the heritage of one of the dog show world’s most devoted benefactors and the Show’s founder, Mrs. Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge.

GREEN VILLAGE, NJ - The Morris & Essex Kennel Club will hold its annual Match Show on Sunday, September 21, 2014 at the Green Village Volunteer Fire Department, 529 Green Village Road, Green Village, NJ with entries beginning at 10am through 12:30pm, Judging begins at 1pm. Match show entry fee is $10.00 per dog, with no charge for Junior Showmanship. Regular classes are offered with puppy classes beginning at 3 months old.  Best in Match Adult and Best in Match Puppy awards are offered.  There is no charge for spectator admission or parking with grounds open for parking at 10am.  For the first time, Miscellaneous Classes will be eligible for the all-breed match; Specialty Matches (featuring a variety of individual breed clubs) and an expanded “Meet the Breeds” area will be featured starting at 10 a.m.

Morris & Essex Kennel Club’s All- Breed Match Show judge’s list is comprised of M&E members with expertise in the dog show world and features the following individuals:
Best Puppy & Adult in Match
Ruth Pereira of Liberty Corners, NJ

Sporting Breeds & Group
Debra Lampert-Rudman of Pennington, NJ

Hound Breeds & Group
Connie Butherus of Lebanon, NJ

Working Breeds & Group
David Helming of Flemington, NJ

Terrier Breeds & Group
Marcy Zingler of Ringwood, NJ

Toy Breeds & Group
Diane Zdrodowski of Blairstown, NJ

Non-Sporting Breeds & Group
Dr. Jewel Elias of Pine Brook, NJ

Herding Breeds & Group
Kathryn Madden of New York, NY

Miscellaneous Breeds, Best Puppy in
Miscellaneous, Best Adult in Miscellaneous
Connie Butherus of Lebanon, NJ

Junior Showmanship
Dr. Fred Askin of Baltimore, MD

Full details, brochure, and pre-entry  information available by emailing zokiji@aol.com or calling Match Show Chair Stacey La Forge at 908-790-1821.  Entries will be taken day of the Match.

AKC Responsible Dog Owners’ Day Events

M&E’s Sanctioned B-Match show offers an opportunity for those with American Kennel Club registered dogs to practice their dog showing skills.  It is also part of the AKC’s “Responsible Dog Owners” Day celebrations with Canine Good Citizen and the new AKC Community Canine (CGCA) testing being offered by Certified Trainers Dr Fred and Duffy Askin  of Maryland from 10:30-noon.  CGC and CGCA Entry Fees are $10 per dog, and dogs must have valid rabies certificate and bring their own brush.

At noon, a free “New Exhibitor Class” will be presented by Sandie Rolenaitis of Aspers, PA of to give exhibitors and spectators the opportunity to learn dog show handling skills and have any questions answered about dog shows.

For the first time, several breed groups will also hold specialty matches.   Details on some of these specialty matches are as follows:

Cocker Spaniel Club of New Jersey

Cocker Spaniel Club of NJ will host its Annual Fall Breed Match & “Meet the Breeds” in conjunction with the Morris & Essex All Breed Match. Entry fee is $6.00 per dog and entries will be taken from 10-10:45 am at the Club table with the Match beginning at 11 am, judged by Bill Gorodner of Virginia.   Classes will be offered for Puppy, 4-6 month, 6-9 month, Open, For Exhibition Only.  There will be no restrictions on handlers or dogs with majors. CSCNJ will host a Meet the Breed table and offer suggestions on proper Cocker Spaniel grooming and care.

For additional details, contact Pat Crew at 908-526-3329

Herding Group Association of New Jersey

Herding Group Association of New Jersey will be holding its Match open to all Herding breeds featuring judge Joe Reno.  Classes will be offered for Puppy 3 to 6 months, Puppy 6 to 9 months, Puppy 9 to 12 months, 12 to 18 months, Novice, and Open.  Entries will be taken from 9am to 10am with judging beginning at 10:15 a.m. For additional details, email Sharon Fremer at teneo@mac.com or call 201-665-2565.

         The Central New Jersey Hound Association of New Jersey will host a match for all Hound breeds prior to the Morris & Essex all-breed match and the Borzoi Club of Central New Jersey will hold its specialty match for Borzois only.

“Meet the Breeds”

Various  representatives from a variety of dog breeds will be hosting “Meet the Breeds” areas with club members and their dogs on hand to answer questions and invite interested spectators to learn more about their breeds, clubs, and programs.

         Representing the Toy Group, the Watchung Mountains Yorkshire Terrier Club will be presenting a 'Meet The Breed' for the Yorkshire Terrier as a pet and as a show dog. Puppy education, grooming tips, grooming demonstrations, house-training tips, and more will be presented.

Hat Contest & Morris & Essex Kennel Club History

The day’s events also include a “Hat Contest” since the Morris & Essex Kennel Club Dog Shows are renowned for their pride in carrying on the legacy of style and elegance seen in the M&E Dog Shows of the 1920’s-1950’s in Morris County.  To honor this tradition, all exhibitors, judges, and spectators are invited to participate in a period hat contest with one winner selected from each era
(1920’s, 1930’s, 1940’s and 1950’s) by M&E President Wayne Ferguson and Ruth Pereira prior to Best in Match.

M&E’s founder, Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge was known as “The Dog Fancier of the Century.” Every five years, since its revival in 2000, the elegance, glamour, style and high level of judging  quality last seen at Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge’s original dog shows of the 1920’s through 1950’s held on her polo fields in Madison, NJ are brought back to life for a new generation.   The next Morris & Essex Kennel Club point show will be held in October 1, 2015 at  Colonial Park, Somerset, NJ and plans are underway for the biggest and most elaborate event in the Club’s history.

The Morris & Essex Kennel Club was honored as  “Show of the Year” with M&E President Wayne Ferguson also named that year’s “Man of the Year” at Purina Pro Plan’s Show Dogs of the Year awards held in New York City February 2012. The well-known entrepreneur and philanthropist of animal causes, Wayne Ferguson, founded Cherrybrook in the early 1980’s and, along with several other prominent members of the dog show world, revived the Morris & Essex Kennel Club show to its original glory with planning begun in 1997.

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For information on the Morris & Essex Kennel visit www.morrisandessexkc.com  Become a “Fan” of the Morris & Essex Kennel Club Dog Show on Facebook www.facebook.com/morrisandessexkennelclub