Meet the Breeds
By Sheree Paskert - Monday November 16, 2009.

The Labrador Retriever Club joined the American Kennel Club and the Cat Fanciers’ Association for a “Meet the Breeds TM” weekend at New York City’s Jacob Javits Center on October 17-18, 2009.  Presented By Pet Partners, Inc., this was the largest showcase of its kind in the world. It featured representatives from 160 dog breeds and 41 cat breeds.  Each breed club decorated a booth to reflect the heritage of its breed and the characteristics and unique attributes that make it a desirable pet.

 

  The LRC called upon Micki Beerman of New York to design, build, and staff the Labrador Retriever booth. 

 

Micki chose the theme, "America's #1 Family Pet."  Her design featured a full bedroom decorated in Labrador motif.  Labradors in all three colors reclined on the bed while over 20,000 visitors came to meet them.  Dr. Ann Huntington was on hand to answer every kind of question about health and medical issues. Micki, donned in Labrador Pajamas and slippers, gave interviews and made appearances on Fox and Friends Weather, Vet Web TV, Dog Fancy and Dog Fancy Online, The Today Show, and numerous local cable networks.  Micki and the booth will be featured in a Purina video.

The attending public voted for their favorite booth and the Labrador Retriever entry received the most votes in the Sporting Group category, but lost the Best In Show award for canines by a couple of hundred votes.

 

A special “thank you” to Micki and to all of the volunteers who worked so hard to showcase the Labrador Retriever and represent purebred breeders and owners:  Dr. Ann Huntington; Sarita Gellman; Amy, Todd, Charlotte, Mary & Patrick Fairchild; Debby, Melanie & Carrie DeLucia; Stephen & Maryann Bove; Michael & Mary Weist; Sandy Pollack; Linda Pensbene; Qi Ying Chen; Paul Kalish; Nancy, Duffy & Chuck Schaeffer.  Photos for this feature are courtesy of Carol Stevens and MaryAnn Bove.