All change at the Kennel Club
Kennel Club committee members very seldom resign mid-office, yet the resignation of two key office holders is announced this week in the weekly dog papers.
If Ronnie Irving (the KC Chairman) were to be playing a game of chess, he's just lost a Queen and a Bishop. And the KC AGM is just around the corner - eek!
Chairman of Crufts and General Committee member Eric Smethurst and fellow General Committee member Bill King have both departed mid-term. Very unusual.
While Eric refused to comment on his decision to quit, Bill is quoted as saying he wants to spend more time on his Theology studies. (My bishop analogy seems very apt!)
Who knows what goes on behind the closed doors at Clarges Street, but as I have a very long memory, when I heard that both these men had resigned I instantly noticed another thing the two men have in common.
Most of the Kennel Club General committee members (a group a bit like the cabinet in our real Government) have risen up through the ranks and are judges, breeders, vets etc. Love them or loathe them, but they're part of the dog world from a practical perspective.
So what about Eric and Bill?
Both of them used to have exactly the same job.
They both worked for Pedigree Petfoods - before they became KC committee members.
They ran the Pedigree breeder service.
A service disbanded relatively recently.
Am I the only one with a long memory?
Just wondering, does anyone ever check KC members interests like they do with politcians?
If Ronnie Irving (the KC Chairman) were to be playing a game of chess, he's just lost a Queen and a Bishop. And the KC AGM is just around the corner - eek!
Chairman of Crufts and General Committee member Eric Smethurst and fellow General Committee member Bill King have both departed mid-term. Very unusual.
While Eric refused to comment on his decision to quit, Bill is quoted as saying he wants to spend more time on his Theology studies. (My bishop analogy seems very apt!)
Who knows what goes on behind the closed doors at Clarges Street, but as I have a very long memory, when I heard that both these men had resigned I instantly noticed another thing the two men have in common.
Most of the Kennel Club General committee members (a group a bit like the cabinet in our real Government) have risen up through the ranks and are judges, breeders, vets etc. Love them or loathe them, but they're part of the dog world from a practical perspective.
So what about Eric and Bill?
Both of them used to have exactly the same job.
They both worked for Pedigree Petfoods - before they became KC committee members.
They ran the Pedigree breeder service.
A service disbanded relatively recently.
Am I the only one with a long memory?
Just wondering, does anyone ever check KC members interests like they do with politcians?
Comments
They were both thanked for their sterling work.
Interestingly, no mention of Eric Smethurst's resignation anywhere that I could see.
It looks as if there are some power struggles taking place. I do hope the reformers win.
Margaret Carter
CavLad