Dead Fred
by Hazel
Girolamo
Ladies and
Gentlemen, before presenting this years
Championship trophy to the worthy winner, I would
like you all to pause for a moment to lament the
passing of an esteemed colleague – Fred
Entwhistle. so well known to you all here as a
dog judge extraordinaire, also fondly remembered
for contributing those immortal tomes - Making
Friends with Intestinal Worms and, who could
forget that great epic – How to Get Rid of a
Lousy Dog but the book Fred had devoted the last
few years of his life to – The Turd and Fly
may, sadly, never be finished.
Yes, what Fred
didn’t know about reading bird droppings in
the open field, wasn’t worth knowing.
Mention must be made of Fred’s faithful
companion of many years, always by his side and
responsible for a lot of Fred’s success, his
great old bitch - 'Hoot’n’toot-I’msoperfect-doesn’tit-makeyou-wanttospit”
In all
fairness I have to admit that in recent years
Fred may have made one or two unpopular decisions
in the show ring but we always had a soft spot
for the Dear Old Gent as he was fondly known
– and not as one unkind soul put it -
demented old git.
My own "Diandra
HiFaluting Fitzhenry Moonglow'' had once or twice
come under Fred’s critical gaze but let us
hope that when Fred enters that great show ring
in the sky, he be judged less harshly, for sound
temperament.
Always handy
with helpful advice and although could be very
critical about under sizing, it must be said he
was always available for help with a difficult
mating regardless of any breeding.
His only other
interest was ballroom dancing, dodging turds in
open fields kept him very light on his feet for a
man of his age, but his main love was reserved
for the Spitz breeds, the German, the Japanese
and his personal favorite, the Finnish. Yes, the
Finnish Spitz or the barking bird dog as it is
more commonly called, owes it’s continued
popularity to Fred’s single handed mating
program. When we next see a fine Finnish Spitz
with a quick, swift spurt, we will remember Fred.
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