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Barbara’s successful
association with
Papillons stretches back
many years and in many
venues, continuing to
this day.
She has co-owned two PCA
Golden Butterfly Award
winners and a Specialty
winning bitch. She
has also earned CH/OTCH
titles on her Papillons.
She has also
successfully competed in
the agility ring.
One of Barbara's
proudest accomplishments
was handling her very
first Papillon bitch,
Kineahora Social
Butterfly, ( Butter
),
to her OTCH. This
made Butter the very
first Breed and
Obedience Champion bitch
in the history of
Papillons. Some
years
later Barbara and her
beloved Meggie, ROM'S
Meganne, repeated this
feat.
Additionally, Meggie was
also a UDX, UCDX
and Canadian CD
bitch.
Barbara has always given
generously of her time
and resources to
important projects and
causes. She is the
founder of a
group known as Alpha
Affiliates, which
fosters the relationship
between dogs and people.
She helped design a
living will
specifically for pet
owners. She is
also active in the St.
Huberts Giralda and
American Humane Society.
At this time she
is Vice-President of the
former organization.
She has been an ardent
promoter and long time
member of the Papillon
Club
of America.
Barby remodeled her
stable into her
"dog house".
It is a wonderful
training facility used
by many groups.
Additionally,
AKC has used it to film
various breed videos
when outside venues were
unavailable due to
inclement weather.
She also
has obedience and
agility rings set up on
her property which many
of her friends and
competitors use for
training.
Additionally, when the
Morris County, ( New
Jersey ), Sheriff's dogs
needed a kennel built
Barbara was the first
one to step
up to the plate.
As a matter of fact, the
Sheriff's Department
named the building after
her !
All of these
accomplishments led the
American Kennel Club to
award Barbara the
prestigious Langdon
Skarda Award in 2005.
The award is given to
"any man, woman,
child or dog who gives
of themselves, and is so
doing, makes the Dog
World a
better place for the
giving". No person could better
fit this
description.
She is known as a true
lady in the sport of
dogs for good reason.
During the time she has
been a member of PCA she
has
continuously supported
the club in many ways,
with protection and
careful promotion of our
beloved Papillons as her
goal.
Barbara has earned the
respect of all to whom
she comes in contact,
and is always available
to support her friends
and share
her knowledge with
newcomers. She is
well-known for her
graciousness and kind,
gentle manner, and has
served as a worthy
role model to many
successful Papillon
breeders and exhibitors
through the years.
We in the fancy, and
especially in Papillons,
would do well to emulate
Barbara. She gives
so much, and expects
only one
thing-that we love our
dogs and each other;
that we treat both with
equal respect and that
we realize the
importance of both.
The PCA is proud to
count Barbara as one of
its outstanding members,
and was pleased to
dedicate the 2000
specialty to
her
as a way to express
their thanks for her
contributions, and to
demonstrate our respect
for the guidance she
provides,
and
to let her know how much
we appreciate her
friendship.
Max Gurin and your
namesake, Barbie *
*
Barbie, ( a
Papillon ), was born on
Barby's 80th birthday.
Barby was giving herself
a huge party-she'd taken
over her whole
country club. I'd
bred Barbie's mum and
purposely skipped the
day where she'd be
whelping on the date of
the party.
Well, you know how that
goes...Anyway, I had to
call Barby and say I
might be a bit late.
Barby immediately asked
what was
wrong. I said,
"Well, Primavera's
Birthday Barbie"
has just been born.
( as told by Max –
needless to say Barbara
Ridder-Irwin
has been crazy over her
top winning namesake
ever since she first
laid eyes on her )
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