GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - That’s the only way to describe the 90^th Anniversary Samoyed Club of America National Specialty last week. And Judy Davis was the inspiration and Chairwoman behind the success of this momentous event. 

Just think, it’s been 26 years since there was a Samoyed National Dog Show in Northern California, and to be honest, I didn’t know if it was going to happen. The original location was the Roseville Fairgrounds and then, just days before the show was to begin, Judy had to move the show because Cal Fire needed to use the grounds for equipment staging because of the Mosquito Fire.

Judy had about two days to find a new venue, and the Butte County Fairgrounds in Gridley, California was the only place not booked. Can you imagine what it took to move a whole show with dog owners bringing their dogs from all over the country and world in just a few days? But she did it. I still marvel how she kept it all going.

The National show had people and dogs from the lower 48 and Hawaii and Alaska as well as Canada, even China to name just a few…some 450 entries in all. One of the judges was from Australia, and Judy had an excellent New York photographer to capture the precious moments.  But Judy pulled it off, and it was a major success to boot.

Judy also gave kudos to the Gridley community who stepped up to the plate to help in any way they could. By the way, Judy is very near the 80-year-old mark, but I don’t think a 30-year-old could have kept up with her.

This was on Judy’s bucket list to chair this National Show for twenty years. She put in her bid in 2019 and won. And here’s one for the record books, this is a volunteer position. She wanted to make some changes too. Most of the other locations were done inside, but Judy wanted to prove we can do wonderful outside shows in California, and that’s just what she did.

Next year the show goes to Virginia Beach and then Texas in 2024, and they should take lessons from Judy to make it all happen. Maybe she can write a guidebook on how to make it a great National show, no matter what obstacles get in your way.

Judy had her first Samoyed in 1965 called Yukon, and that’s the name that stuck when she became an owner/breeder of her Yukon Samoyeds.  

This is Judy’s passion to make sure her legacy lives on with her beautiful Smiling Sammies. I know how deep her passion is. We have two of her Sammies, Ice and Trekker.  Trekker was a rescue from neglect. Judy drove to Utah to bring him home, and now Trekker is a Grand Champion. Her passion lives on through her love for these beautiful loving dogs. What a coup indeed and the kudos all go to Judy and her passion and persistence.

Congratulations on a job well done! It was a WOOFING GOOD TIME!!!