If what these fake know-it-alls say is true, how does it happen that so many poor superintendent souls have gone BANKRUPT trying to reach that lofty goal of being a Millionaire? Even though they spent monies owed to the clubs they were working for when they ended their climb for that pie in the sky.

Here are the real facts, no embellishments just the real facts as they have occurred: Beginning in 1963, my first year as a superintendent, I gave up my all-Breed Handler’s license and purchased 20% of the stock of the Bow Dog Show Organization. In 1967 I resigned from the Bow Organization and redeemed my stock to go it on my own. In 1968 I purchased 100% of Moss Dog Shows. Edgar and his daughter, Barbara Moss, agreed to work with me as I became acquainted with the 22 Clubs they superintended in the deep South including a few shows in Texas, the Southwest and California. Edgar had little or no equipment. He worked out of his basement. All printing was done outside by a long- time friend. The story of Edgar Moss is a story unto itself that needs telling at another time. Sufficient to say we got along marvelously and I learned many things about Dog Shows from Edgar A. Moss, as he called himself.

During the years of 1965 thru 1967 Ferguson Dog Shows was taken over by the Bow Organization and A.D. Mansfield’s license was revoked. During the years of 1968 thru 1969 Moss Dog Shows moved into a rented building and managed to acquire most of the Mansfield shows in addition to several newly formed clubs. Bow Dog Shows in 1970 began showing signs of financial troubles and approached Moss Dog Shows suggesting a merger to save the Bow Organization. This occurred with Moss taking over the majority of the stock and an agreement for Moss to later assume full ownership of Bow under the name of Moss-Bow Dog Shows. By 1971 the combination of Moss-Bow Dog Shows had reached over 250 shows. About this time another millionaire Superintendent, McIver Dog Shows, facing financial problems was sold by its owner Audrey McIver to Jack Onofrio and moved to Oklahoma City and so goes the tale of the Superintending Millionaires.

During 1973 the attorney for the Foley Dog Show Organization, Melvin Banks, contacted me and asked if I would be interested in buying Foley Dog Shows. My answer was a flat out NO THANK YOU. I was again approached later by Mr. Banks asking if I would agree to a meeting with George Foley’s son, Robert Foley, who was the sole heir to the Foley Organization. I reluctantly agreed and we met for a social dinner with our wives. We discussed the Foley problems and I asked for permission to review their books. What I found was a mess with more than $315,000 in unpaid bills to vendors, Clubs and a coming payroll with less than $800 in the bank AND a $300,000 building mortgage owed to the American Kennel Club. In addition each of their superintendents was furnished with a Ford Pinto for his own private use. That situation was enough for me. To top it off Robert and his wife both hated the Dog Business and wanted out. Could I help him in anyway? After much discussion, I agreed, because of the history and tradition involved with this organization, that I would personally help him but I could in no way involve Moss-Bow Dog Shows.

I met with Mr. Banks and had him create a corporation in Wilmington, DE named the Foley Dog Show Management Corp. which in turn hired me as the Manager of Foley Dog Shows, Inc at a salary of $1.00 per year and no expenses. The first day I walked in as Manager, the electric company was at the door to turn off the electricity. My contract was for one year after which time I would agree to take over in the name of Foley Dog Show Management Corp. all of the assets and expenses of Foley Dog Shows Organization. We agreed I would take over Foley or return it to Robert Foley in better condition on the agreed date one year later. In less than a year, I sold the building for $300,000 and paid off the mortgage. I sold their magazine, Popular Dogs, and paid off their bills. I rounded up the Pintos and returned them to the dealer with much argument. The final coup was to reduce the work force by half. Within 7 months’ time I had turned the company around and, according to our agreement, I exercised my option to purchase the business under the name of Foley Dog Show Management Corporation. It took many months, however, before we were able to get our feet back on solid ground and earn any profit.

This is still not the end of the Millionaires. In 1984 the organization under the name of Webb Dog Shows came to us for assistance. We thought we might be able to help in some way and we visited their company with our attorney and our financial director. After several hours of discussion and examination of their books and noting the excessive use of club funds as their own we decided we could not take the responsibility of getting them out of the hole they had dug for themselves. We notified them of our decision and in a short time they filed for bankruptcy. Several clubs including the International Kennel Club were losers of their income from their shows. And another Millionaire bites the dust.

Most recently another Millionaire spender, who did not make any approaches for assistance and one with whom we had no previous personal relationship or connection, went bankrupt spending clubs’ monies running back and forth to California and finally running out of excuses for not paying the clubs or AKC their money. Not paying the AKC for recording fees under one name, forming a new company under another name with some of the same personnel was one of the tricks as Visser and Visser became Newport Dog Shows (Mr. Antypas, the new owner). He got in so deep he just seems to have walked away and kept whatever club monies he had or had already spent.

Brown Dog Shows was another problem where we tried to rescue the owners. We did our best but the AKC said, "No," and gave us one year to straighten out the Brown’s problems or have us take over their shows.

The above are not all of the would-be Millionaires, some are forgotten, many are still out there and some are new. Generally, AKC applicants get approved whenever they apply for the honor with no other qualification except being in good standing with the AKC. Is it not about time that the Clubs and the AKC start demanding some type of insurance that will guarantee payment from all of these Millionaires? A good example would be a bank credit agreement or Bond to be furnished as part of the super’s contract agreement. Good Superintendents pay the clubs and their bills first and then themselves - if anything remains. Millionaire Superintendents pay themselves first and the clubs get whatever is left or scrounged from other clubs’ entry fees when they are collected.

There are many more of these Superintending Millionaires I have not made the effort to point out but they are out there pointing to their cheap prices and hoping to use club monies to pay their Millionaire’s way of life. Make sure you get what you pay for and shop before you buy.