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ORIGIN OF THE USBC Part One - The Early Years |
ooo |  Big House's Stella Rae, CJ and Big House's Luna Isabella (Dogues 4 mos old) OWNER(s): CJ Mingolelli and Marco Herrera BREEDER: Bonnie Gordon KENNEL: Fire Island Bordeaux GO TO GALLERY |
By Bonnie Gordon |
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| Did you know that the first Dogue De Bordeaux was bought by Dr. Phillip Todd of Detroit, Michigan in 1969? It would be about 20 years later that the Bordeaux would make its real presence known. In the 1980's, several clubs were loosely formed. The true establishment of the now existing USBC would be firmly structured in its first National Specialty Show on October 14, 1989, in Chicago, Illinois. The success of this show was made possible by one of its members, Collette Secher. She was able to get an AKC judge for this very special event. For many of us, it was our first time seeing and meeting other Bordeaux fanciers. Entries consisted of participants from New Jersey to California, from South Carolina to Wisconsin, and all in between. After the show, all participants met; we elected our officers and planned our future shows. This began the sometimes bumpy development of the now USBCorp. With our first successful National Specialty Show behind us, our second specialty was again held in Chicago, Illinois, on March 31 & April 1 of 1990. We had 3 AKC judges over the two-day period. We also were given a seminar on artificial insemination, which was very informative to the novice. A newsletter was started during this year to communicate information to our members. Although provided only once a year, the newsletter contained all pertinent information related to the Nationals, health issues, treasury reports, etc. The turning point of the USBC occurred on October 13, 1990 when Professor Raymond Triquet was invited to America to judge our National Specialty Show in Chicago. This show set precedence for all future Nationals; for each successive National, the USBC had only French or qualified FCI judges who were trained specifically for the Dogue De Bordeaux. As you will see, we have been very honored to have had & still have very qualified & renowned judges over the years. These judges critique each dogue in the ring. Each fancier receives a written critique, which allows all participants the opportunity to learn & educate themselves about this breed. This is a tradition the USBC has maintained throughout its history. Our fifth annual National was held October 12, 1991 in our then centralized meeting point of Chicago. An invitation was extended to both Raymond Triquet and Philippe Seroulle. Unfortunately, Mr. Triquet was unable to make the trip. Mr. Seroulle brought his charming wife, Anna. Accompanying Mr. & Mrs. Seroulle was Mr. & Mrs. Jean Menu, who brought their famous French National Champion male, Cassanova. Mr. Seroulle judged our adult dogues & Madame Maria Menu was very gracious to judge our puppy class. By 1992, the light that directed the USBC burned brightly. Many of the same fanciers and breeders came each year to support the National. Of course, there were always new faces, and with all of this in mind, it became a tradition to rekindle friendships and make new ones. This October 10, 1992 show boasted a very large open male class, which is always a real crowd pleaser. Our judge for this Specialty was French Judge Andrew LaBlond. Mr. LaBlond, who has a very deep booming voice, critiqued the dogues in French. For this show, a translator was required. October 10, 1993 was the last time our National Specialty was held in Chicago. An invitation was extended to Professor Raymond Triquet and the T.A.N specialists Serg & Christian Porres. T.A.N stands for Test d'Aptitudes Naturelles (Test of Natural Aptitudes). It's a test given to all dogues in all major European shows, and only done by the Porres Brothers. By having both temperament testing and conformation, this proved to be one of our most exciting shows. The USBC had certainly made its permanent mark in the Dogue De Bordeaux world. Professor Raymond Triquet was made an honorary member, and our French counterpart had recognized our club and its goals. By this time, we were producing newsletters, had elected officers, a comprehensive registry, and sought French or qualified judges to critique our dogues. Although a small nucleus of fanciers guided the direction of the club, all of us involved were and still are working towards the benefit of this breed. |
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