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The new UD dog
medallists Gaines Bronze
Medal for Good
Sportsmanship was
presented to Virginia
Newton – the first PCA
member to receive this
award.
Regional reporters were
instituted in Pap Talk.
He researched,
typed, and printed the
articles for The Pap
Talk Scrapbook
and Supplement.
The Hall of Fame
was established in 1977.
Dick was a
perfectionist and never
was it more apparent
than
when he painstakingly
researched the Stud Dog
registries in order to
type and publish the
Pedigree Volumes,
Canadian
Champion and English
Champion pedigrees.
Board and Annual
Meetings were handled
with professionalism –
though he joked that he
ran them by "Richards
Rules of
Order" !
Board meetings
contained many "lively
discussions" regarding
various topics.
A stickler for
detail, Dick
expected
the same of his
Trustees.
Dick authored many
articles for Pap Talk on
subjects such as teeth,
hydrocephalus,
agreements between buyer
and seller,
and hernias.
Dick bred Poodles for
years under the kennel
name of Lurich and
showed them in both
breed and obedience. (
He later
became an obedience
judge ) Clarice
Babbidge (Jaclair
Papillons) was always
impressed because his
Poodles were
impeccably groomed for
the obedience ring.
His first
Papillon, Ch.
Jaclair’s Solo, was
bred by Clarice; and
they shared
a marvelous friendship
until her death in 1977.
The first litter of
Lurich Paps was whelped
on March 17, 1973 and
Dick joked
about the possibility of
them being born green
and white, and if so
would that be considered
a disqualification ?
Ch. Lurich Betsy, was an
Am. Can. and Bermudan
Champion, winning groups
in all three countries.
In 1976 she was
among
Kennel Review’s top
ten Papillons.
In 1980 Dick
handled his Lurich Gusto
was Winners Dog and Best
of Winners at the
National Specialty.
Those who were
acquainted with Dick on
a personal level knew
him as funny, warm, and
caring. His smile was genuine and
his eyes twinkled when
he laughed.
He was a kind man
who loved his family and
his dogs.
As many can
attest to, Dick was
an extremely generous
person. He gave of his time, his knowledge, his skills and his love
to his family, friends
and the Club.
The Papillon Club of
America has lost a
valuable member, the
breed a devoted fancier
and those of us who knew
him well,
a very thoughtful and
loving friend.
The following were
tributes to Dick given
by two of his
constituents
that
summarize the man Dick
was.
"We have tonight, a
special award to be
presented to a very
unique and deserving
individual. It is an award specifically
designed to honor those
members - - - who often
are "behind the
scenes" workers,
whose contributions are
so important to
the success of any dog
club.
The person we are
honoring this evening
has contributed many
hours, weeks and
yes,
years into making this
club a success. He has done it with efficiency and diplomacy.
He has certainly
been both patient
and enthusiastic in his
tireless work for you
the members, for the
breed and most
importantly the future
of both the club
and the Papillon breed.
It is more than
time that this club
showed its appreciation
for his efforts.
Under his leadership we
have a unified club, an
excellent and monthly
newsletter, a hall of
fame has been
instituted
and
kept up to date (this
has been through endless
hours of research,
checking and double
checking,
cross-referencing
and
even contacting foreign
kennel clubs to verify
facts and proper
spelling). Anyone who
has taken the
opportunity to look
through the volumes that
make up the Hall of Fame
can appreciate the total
dedication and countless
hours of work that
have
gone into it, - - - the
dedicated breeders of
this fancy have access
to the first 1000
champion pedigrees ( and
yes,
the
pedigrees of the latest
champions are presently
being recorded ).
We have a
Scrapbook - - - a wealth
of knowledge
and interesting facts
about the breed.
We have yearly
obedience awards, breed
awards and for the
juniors who have
worked
so hard on their path to
Westminster, a lovely
remembrance from P.C.A.
It is true that
committees compile the
statistics,
but one man records them
for posterity - - - the
future of this Club.
We are engaged in what
we like to call "the
sport’ of dogs".
It follows then,
that the people involved
are sportsmen in the
greatest sense of the
word.
They uphold the
standards of the sport
or try to develop newer
and better standards.
Sportsmen work
hard to perfect their
goals, they inspire
others to do the same.
They are good
people to have around
...
and this man is one of
the best.
Ladies and Gentlemen, on
behalf of the Papillon
Club of America, Inc.,
and the members of the
Board of Trustees – I
want to
take this opportunity to
thank the man
responsible for the
present well being of
our Club.
It is my great
pleasure this
evening
to award the Gaines
Medal for Good
Sportsmanship to none
other than our
President, Dick
Richards."
Speech delivered by Mary
Jo Loye at the Annual
Awards Banquet, Saturday
May 17, 1980, Westbury,
NY.
On assuming the duties
as your new President of
the Papillon Club of
America, I would like to
take this opportunity to
express
the appreciation and
gratitude of each and
every member of the Club
to the former President,
Dick Richards for the
many
years
of service rendered to
the Club as its
President and Trustee. Dick, as you know, during the years of his
administration
as President of the
Club, saw a tremendous
increase in the
membership of the Club,
as well as a substantial
increase in the
services rendered by the
Club to its members.
Dick was untiring in his
efforts to advance the
club and the breed.
He
attempted to do so
without currying the
favor of any of the
various factions that
are always involved in
breed clubs.
Dick
was an able
administrator who
systematized the
operations of the Board
of Trustees and the
various committees so
that
the Club could operate
efficiently and render
services to its members.
Our club
definitely owes Dick a
debt of gratitude
for a job well done.
Written
by Paul A. Weick on
becoming President of
Papillon Club of
America, March, 1982
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