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SAMOYEDS STRUT STUFF IN
OWENSBORO -- (Senate - September 22, 2005)
[Page: S10370] GPO's PDF
Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, it was
President Harry Truman who observed, half a century ago, that ``if you want a
friend in Washington, get a dog.'' That is perhaps a little harsh.
Nevertheless, I note that many of my colleagues in the Congress are dog
fanciers, and the Senate is a strikingly dog-friendly workplace. So it is
fitting that we pay tribute to a renowned people-friendly breed of dog: the
Samoyed. Legendary for their beauty, friendly spirit and heroic and historic
treks to the North and South Poles, Samoyeds pulled the adventurers of
yesteryear to new frontiers.
Several hundred Samoyeds and their humans
will be pulling into Owensboro, KY, in October for the Samoyed Club of
America's ``Simply Southern'' National Specialty. While I am pleased that
these noble dogs and their guardians will be visiting the Commonwealth, it is,
sadly, because of Hurricane Katrina's devastation in Biloxi, MS, where the
event was originally scheduled to be held. So the SCA Specialty this year is a
hurricane evacuee, but in addition to contributing over $10,000 from show
proceeds to animal rescue in the devastated region, the organizers look
forward to going back to a rebuilt and newly vibrant gulf coast in the future.
Samoyed dogs were named for the semi
nomadic tribe which developed the breed. Living along the shores of the Arctic
Ocean, north of Russia and Siberia, they were one of the earliest tribes of
Central Asia. They depended upon their dogs to herd reindeer, protect against
wolves, hunt bears, and even keep the children warm as they slept. Their
endurance and intelligence made the Samoyed dogs prized members of early
European expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic. Borchgrevink, Amundsen, and
Shackleton in the Antarctic, and Nansen and Abruzzi in the Arctic, counted on
Samoyeds to explore the extreme and then uncharted ends of the Earth. The
American explorers Fiala and Baldwin also used Samoyed sled teams. Most of the
Samoyeds in England and the United States today are related to sled dogs from
those expeditions.
Among them was Rex of White Way, who was
renown as the lead dog on the U.S. Mail sled team that used to run the 64-mile
mail delivery route from Ashton, ID, to West Yellowstone, over the 7000-foot
Targhee Pass. Rex was a superb canine athlete and hero. He even learned to
parachute on rescue missions that retrieved survivors of airplane crashes and
a snowbound train in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Although Samoyeds are a
medium-sized dog ranging in weight from 35-65 pounds, they are very strong.
Rex of White Way broke the world weight-pull record in 1953 by pulling 1,870
pounds.
Samoyeds have been described as ``by
nature ..... not a quarrelsome dog though he will stand his ground for what he
feels are his rights. Each Samoyed is an individual, even from one litter. One
will be very attentive and obedient while another may be more headstrong and
less demanding of affection as long as he knows the house is his castle when
he wants it and he owns you.''
One may detect in that description some
symmetry with Senators.
The description goes on: He has a keen
sense of knowing when you are happy, sad, who really loves him, just tolerates
him, dislikes him and he will return his love accordingly. He is a `talky' dog
and with encouragement will voice his pleasures and his dislikes. Some enjoy
jokes and ham it up when laughed at while others resent it. He will speak with
his paw or nose.
Samoyeds today are still pulling sleds.
They are also skijoring, pulling scooters, herding, excelling in agility and
obedience trials and otherwise exemplify the ``Working'' class of dogs. As
therapy dogs, they bring joy and comfort to people in nursing homes and
hospitals. Indeed, at least one Samoyed therapy dog that I know of, Gidget (Salish's
Potomac Fervour), recently visited Hurricane Katrina evacuees from Gulfport,
MS, who are currently residing at the Armed Forces Retirement Home here in
Washington. She teams up with another Samoyed, Samantha, in regular visits
with children at Inova Fairfax Hospital in northern Virginia. So these are not
just beautiful dogs, they are hard-working dogs, doing great work for many
people around the country.
On October 24, hundreds of Samoyeds, with
their humans in tow, literally as they are prone to pull, will arrive in
Owensboro. For some it will have been a harrowing journey since Hurricane
Katrina roared ashore. Sheila and Walter Herrmann, co-chairs of the event and
residents of Covington, LA, described their hurricane experience: Walter and I
were hunkered down for the storm watching tree after tree fall and a tornado
touch down and make a disaster of our kennels (the dogs, our own as well as
the boarders were safely crated in the safest portion of our house) talking
about the national is what helped us get through it.
Others involved in beating the odds and
making this event happen include: Pam Barbe, Karen Brooks, Diane Dotson, Peggy
Green, and Laurie Stone. I would also like to thank Jim and Celinda Cheskawich
for all their good work.
Mr. President, Kentucky and I extend a
warm welcome to the Samoyed Club of America's 2005 ``Simply Southern''
National Specialty.
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