Pam Baird

Nominated by Mary Jo Trimble

It is my pleasure to nominate Pam Baird to the Brittany Field Trial Hall of Fame. I have known and worked with Pam ever since she moved back to Illinois from Florida around the year 2000.  She loved her dogs and her adult life was devoted to the Brittany.  Pam was not one to promote herself or her own dogs. I often made comments when dogs she bred won major stakes or national championships as she was not one to publicize that she had bred those dogs.  I say this to bring attention to her now as she deserves to be honored for her contribution to the breed.

Pam knew more about pedigrees than most Brittany people in the American Brittany Club.  She collected and studied pedigrees to develop those traits in the dogs she produced as a breeder.  For many years she worked closely with ABC Statistician Rheta Cartmel and also served on the ABC Statistics Committee which provided information for the ABC Yearbook and National Field Trial Qualifications.  Pam not only knew pedigrees but she knew breeders across the USA and served as the ABC Referral Contact for people looking for a Brittany.  In the early days of her tenure, the AKC did not have a breeder list online so the majority of requests for names came directly to Pam as the ABC's Contact.

Pam's devotion to the Brittany was certainly all inclusive.  She was both a field trial and show handler, a breeder, a scout, and a field trial judge.  One of the categories for HOF nomination is service as a scout.  During the days when her life's companion Al Gorrow was a professional Brittany Handler, Pam was his constant scout in not only regional trials but Championships and Classics.

Pam was a major influence with the start of the premier trials to be run at the Harm's Ranch in Nebraska, one of which was the Pheasant Classic.  At this same time period, she also served as field trial secretary for the Quail Classic at Grove Springs, MO.  Both Classics were hosted by the Greater St. Louis Brittany Club.  I know Greater St. Louis always bragged about her ability as Secretary to get the job done most efficiently both in records and financials as she managed to make the club money each large event.

While Pam herself was a private person, she saw the need for more communication among the Brittany owners.  She wanted more discussion (discourse) than was allowed on one of the early internet chat lists.  She created the Dual Brittany Chat list. She controlled the list but recruited "Bernie" Crain as a co-owner and moderator.  Facebook came after Dual Brittany had set the stage for Brittany Discussions. There were some spirited discussions for sure.

Because Pam valued what her dogs did for her, she kept her dogs for their lifetime.  She started in Brittany competition in the mid-1990s. An early competitor started this career of big time.  Her name was Mischief Apricot's Wild Thing ("KC"}   "KC" went on to be a Dual Champion, Amateur Field Champion and Junior Hunter.. She was also Best of Opposite Sex at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Show.

Pam went on to breed 3 National Field Champions, 1 Runner-Up National Champion

and 1 4^th Place National Champion.  

Those dogs were:

2x NFC FC AFC Uncle Kracker

NFC DC AFC Ru-Jems A Touch of Bourbon

NAGDC FC AFC Celebrations Two of Hearts

NGDCH-RU GFC DC Hoochie Coochie Man

NAFC-4™H FC AFC Roan Survivor

Other dogs Pam either bred or owned were:

FC Freestate Chance 

FC/AFC Trucker’s Wild Ride

FC/AFC Mischief Dust in the Wind 

FC Ramblin Man 

FC Mokan Bimbo 

Derby CH Red Ragtop

FC Material Girl

FC Shot of Whizki

FC Koko Mo Josey Joe

The dogs mentioned in the last two paragraphs have gone on to produce many progenies to carry on the line of dogs Pam developed.

Pam Baird has met all the qualifications to be inducted into the Brittany Field Trial Hall of Fame, outstanding breeder of national caliber dogs, a handler and scout throughout her career, contributor to securing National Caliber field trial grounds and serving ABC and regional clubs as secretary and cook supreme, as well as promoting communications between club members and recruiting new members to the Brittany breed.

Pam’s contribution to the breed was due in part to her life’s work in developing those traits.  She learned financial and statistical skills as a stockbroker and financial advisor.  She learned how to be a team player as an outstanding high school basketball and softball player.  She also mastered Tae Kwan Do and competed in London.  As a scuba diver, she developed her photography skills to magazine quality.  Her multiple talents carried over to her contributions to our Brittany Breed.