Looking Around With Lee – Immigrant Handlers’ Stories

By Lee Canalizo

My article this month is in response to the news we hear daily with regard to new people coming to our shores.

I can only write about what I know and the following is a bit about those I know who immigrated to the USA and found their place in our dog show world!

Going way back, the most prominent U.S. import would have to be Peter Green who is judging Best in Show at Westminster in 2019. He came, he saw and he certainly conquered!

Others who came to the USA and joined our ranks decades ago include Andrew Peel, Ernesto Lara, Kaz Hozaka, Christian Manelopoulos and Gabriel Rangel.

There are more worthwhile folks you see in the ring today than I can mention in this limited space. They all have made a successful life for themselves. Today I present the stories of the ones I know best and have had the opportunity to get to know more closely. I’m proud to say we welcomed them and watched them succeed here in the United States of America.

I say welcome to them and those who follow!

Anna Stromberg

I was herding my British employers’ children across Windsor Castle in June of 1993 when I had the epiphany that I was about to change my life drastically.

The following week I was yet again at Windsor Castle in the company of 4000 dogs, Lotte Jorgensen (one of my “godmothers”) along with the Rechlers–Roger and Evelyn–and that ever-so-captivating Michael Canalizo. Lotte’s famous words we, “Don’t screw this up!” has lived with me ever since. I called my mother back in Sweden and told her: “I am going to Grandeur!” Her reply was: “That’s lovely dear!”
Fast forward to August 23, 1993. It was murderously hot and I was met by Michael at New York’s JFK Airport. Within 36 hours I had been formally introduced to the 45 (mostly black) Afghan hounds in the kennel, a staff of five, and my new apartment. I was then promptly packed onto a flight to Cleveland and installed in a hotel room with none other than Tryst of Grandeur… a 2-and-a-half-year-old beauty that was “up and coming”. She started on the other bed and the next morning she was curled up under my arm… for the next ten years she never left.

The next day I watched ‘Tryst’ battle with ‘Taco’ at the Mid- west specialty in 100-plus degree heat at Riddle field. I met Max Riddle himself and the whole Green team and just about anyone else in dogdom that was present on that field that day. Tryst won the group the next day under Bob Stein and I witnessed the beginning of something great.

My first night in New York, Roger took me to eat lobster… a 3.5 pound beauty with bibs and tongs and everything… I was, after that dinner, formally declared a “Naw Yawhker”, a “Lawng Islander” and from the “Nawrth Shawre”.

Click below to continue reading about Anna, Vanessa Skou, Esteban Farias, and Diego Garcia in our Digital Edition.

Short URL: https://dev.caninechronicle.com/?p=146991

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