THE GOLDEN COLLAR

In America they say, “How time passes when you’re having fun!”.  It’s hard to realize that we have been through 10 of these Collare  d’Oro” and have lived to tell the tale.  So much nostalgia for other years….

            When prices were such that Nestlé/Friskies could afford to invite us all to a lovely lunch with white tablecloths and all; the evening clothes hanging next to the dog’s crate, just in case; the talk and gossip and disagreement and frustration and joy at ringside all morning---not to mention the evening.  When Roberto Vincenzi was in the finals as breeder or handler ALL TEN TIMES, beating out Tasselli’s Kerry Blues by just one year.  When the judges pretended not to see the poodle go through the hotel  in his curlers and the handler pretended not to see the judges.  When the Scandinavians partied until plane time (and the Scandinavian judges went through a bottle of Scotch in the dressing room—after judging, of course).  When nobody in the Italian dog world approved of the event, but everybody wanted to be invited!

            And speaking of those evening clothes, let’s remember that it was sometimes worthwhile.  Without the archives at hand I can remember several “morning” dogs who went on the to finals, and one, of course, who came out Big Winner.  Anything and everything was possible, and will be again they tell us, only more so.

            It really has always been an exciting two days other years; it was less so this time.  The organization had nothing to do with the way things turned out; our sponsors wanted the show, an agreeable date for us and the television was hard to find, and the one they came up with was so close to the day that there was no hope of putting together the usual day-long event.  But there is no denying that the “fizz” of other years was missing, at least on Thursday; we can still hope that RAI 2’s version will be exciting.

            Television.  Do we really need it?  The answer, for better or worse, is “yes”.  If we in Italy like---and I think most of us do---the idea of having the only International Tournament of Champions (in that 10 of the top dogs in the world are invited from wherever they happen to be), then we have to have a sponsor.  If we are to have a sponsor, one who pays the trips and the hospitality for all the VIDs, the use of the Forum, etc., etc., then we have to expect that the sponsor wants something in return.  What he gets is television publicity, and nothing less will do.  The dog food we all buy, even if we were all to buy it only from them, wouldn’t quite reach, I fear.

            I’m one of those who thinks it’s worth it.  It isn’t “technical”, perhaps it isn’t always “fair” (oh, the pain of those KOs), but it does help us to send a message about dogs---all dogs---their care and handling, the responsibility they require, the joy they give.  And it allows a chosen few of us to have some moments of pretty glorious glory. Yes, it’s worth it.

            Starting next year, I’m told, there will be a point system which will cover the first  SIX HUNDRED dogs, a number that will be reduced by an elimination process to our usual 120.  More people involved, more anxiety, more fun.

Pamela Renai della Rena