THE
HISTORY OF
MILE
HIGH GREAT PYRENEES CLUB
In the spring of 1973 at
the Colorado Kennel Club show, a questionnaire was circulated ringside to
determine interest in an area Great Pyrenees Club; the response was enthusiastic.Twenty-nine fanciers met for the first time
in Colorado Springs on June 1, 1973.
The
club held a tattoo clinic along with a fun match in September of 1973. A foundation was established under the auspices
of the parent club, the Great Pyrenees Club of America, during the next six
months. The constitution, by-laws
and code of ethics approved at that time have served the club during subsequent
meetings. American Kennel Club approved
the club’s proposed name at the April 1974 club meeting. Members of Mile High Great Pyrenees Club announced
a second fun match in the first issue of “As it A’Pyrs”, the club newsletter.
AKC club of record status as a sanctioned club was applied for in September
1974.
Monthly
pot luck suppers, show movies, conformation classes, stewarding for fellow
clubs, booths at purebred exhibits, rummage sales and an awards banquet were
shared by fanciers during the time B-OB matches were hosted. The club supported an entry judged by the breed’s first lady, Mary
Crane. After becoming an AKC accredited
club, five AKC sanctioned B-OB matches were held between September 1976 and
October 1979, with an average entry of 15 pyrs. The club’s exhibitors pledged time for regional
specialties. The club, mostly in conjunction
with an all breed show, hosted 18 supported entries or specialties.
All but three were licensed through the parent club in conjunction
with an all breed show. All but three were licensed through the parent
club as Great Pyrenees Club of America, Rocky Mountain Regional Specialties-the
majority in late March in Greeley. These
shows were the focal point of the club’s activities, to the detriment of AKC
sanctioned events. Interest waned and AKC sanction was lost.
The
success of the annual regional specialty show did, however, substantiate support
for the area show. The club again
hosted fun matches towards the goal of earning
re-accreditation and sanction with the America Kennel Club.
Re-accreditation
as a club of record with AKC was applied for in March of 1985 and history
was repeated. There were frequent activities and great regional
specialties. A second Great Pyrenees
Club of America national specialty was hosted in 1986. The club found the time and enthusiasm for
AKC sanctioned B-OB matches. Use of
the parent club’s licensed status for area specialty shows gratified the club
for seventeen years. Early in 1990
the Board of Directors recommended hosting another national specialty in favor
of seeking licensed status for the club.
The two required qualifying AKC sanctioned A-OA matches were held in
October of 1990 and in May of 1991 with an average entry of 23 pys. In June of 1991 the AKC informed the club that
records reflected the club’s qualification to submit a presentation requesting
licensed status. The club was approved
to hold licensed championship point shows on November 14, 1991 and the club’s
first licensed show was February 19, 1993 with 36 pyrs entered-a total of
53 entries. Since then MHGPC specialty
shows are held annually.
In
2000 activities will include the regional specialty, rescue and placement
of pyrs in need, a B-OB match, awards banquet, a St. Patrick’s day parade,
holiday parties and living up to the club’s logo: “Dedicated to Breed Excellence”. Join
the fun! Education is the goal of
this small but enthusiastic club. Meetings
are held the last Saturday of each month and all dedicated fanciers are welcome.