HISTORY
WR I T T EN BY SANDRA PISCEDDA
CHAMPIONSHIP SHOW celebrating the 75th Anniversary
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RHODESIAN RIDGEBACK EU MAGAZINE
It was a most heart-felt decision to decide to publish in the RR European Magazine the photos of a unique event that occurred in the Rhodesian Ridgeback (RR) world in 1997. My feeling is that it may be useful to those people, breeders and owners sincerely interested in the breed, and an opportunity to get to know what happened about 24 years ago in the homeland of our breed. Besides, I am convinced that looking at RRs bred in Zimbabwe and compare them with todays’ RRs is good food for thoughts. On Sunday 17th August 1997 the Rhodesian Ridgeback Club of Zimbabwe, The Parent Club, organized the Championship Show for celebrating the 75th Anniversary of its foundation dating back to Barnes’ times in 1922. The Show provided a unique and unforgettable opportunity to see the assembly of many Rhodesian Ridgeback from Zimbabwe and some from abroad and admire quite a number of them. This remembrance of that Anniversary Show is a tribute to the breed, to The Parent Club and to the people who embarked upon the task to develop the breed since 1922, when Francis Richard Barnes formed the Rhodesian Ridgeback Lion Dog Club and drew up the Original Standard of the breed in Bulawayo. Beyond the People of the past, whose names belong to the history of the breed, in recent times, a fundamental contribution is certainly due to Margaret and Sam Wallace well known breeders from Harare under the Mushana kennel name. Afar of being breeders of outstanding dogs and bitches, the Wallaces have been the guardian of
the tradition and “culture” of the breed through their action within The Parent Club. Margaret was the Club Secretary, and Sam the Club President, he was also an international judge of the breed. In recalling the extraordinary event that took place in the homeland of the Rhodesian Ridgeback, lies my attempt to bring its remembrance into life for those who have a true interest in the past of our breed.
LET’S THE JOURNEY START! In the ‘90s I was on the RR-Folk list, the “social” of the time so useful to learn from other RR breeders and keep in touch with RR enthusiasts. One day, on Thursday, 2 January 1997 I received an email from Linda Costa, at the time Vice-President of The The Parent Club and well know breeder under affix Sarula. In the email Linda announced that “the Rhodesian Ridgeback Club (The Parent Club - founded 1922) will be celebrating its 75th Anniversary this year, and it is our wish to share with as many Ridgeback enthusiasts as possible” It went on saying that the Club was organizing the “Championship Show, to be judged by Jack Selby (“Eilack Kennels” U.K.) on 17th August, 1997 and other events for this period”. The events were: • Champagne Breakfast on the morning of the Show with special guests • Parade of Veterans at the Show • Production of a souvenir catalogue for the Show
