Tribute to Pearl George
By Roseann Fucillo
This article first appeared in December 2008 AKC GAZETTE

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On August 20th, the Papillon world lost one of its most distinguished devotees. Pearl George was a cornerstone of the Papillon breed and a staunch advocate fro the Phalene. A native of the United Kingdom, her dogs were well known worldwide. For more than 40 years her Kavar-and later Kvar-Papillons were a strong influence in shaping the Papillon breed in the U.S., where her line became the foundation of several successful American kennels.

In the world of Papillons, Pearl did it all. She accumulated many titles, awards, firsts in the breed, and top honors, including that of Honorary Life Member of the Papillon Club of America. She held many positions in PCA, was Pap Talk editor, and a member of the Papillon Primer committee.

Pearl started her breeding program in 1967, when she and her late husband, Monte, imported a bitch from Joan Brown of the U.K. (Quinetta). This was Ch. Quinetta Athena, DOM.

Athena's first breeding was to Ch. Jaclair's Marcus, bred by Mrs. Clarice Babbidge of Canada (Jaclair). A singleton bitch resulted, Ch. Kavar Athena's Mark, CD, who became the first Kavar champion, the first Kavar to earn an obedience title, and the first Kavar to gain noteworthy recognition at a national specialty, where she went Reserve Winners Bitch.

The breeding of Athena to Ch. Jaclair's Damion, CDX, produced her lovely Ch. Kavar Baby Bronco, all-breed BIS winner, BB at the PCA national supported show, Best in Sweeps at both 1974 PCA specialties, and a PCA Sire of Distinction.

Pearl also produced a Westminster BOS winner, Ch. Kavar Keepsake, when she bred Athena to Ch. Handsel of Mariposa, CDX. Bred to Kavar Marksman, Keepsake produced Ch. Kavar the Huntsman, winner of an all-breed BIS; BB and Best in Sweepstakes at a PCA national (the only Papillon to win both honors at the same specialty); and Top Papillon of the Year, receiving the PCA Gold Butterfly in 1976.

Another top dog was a breeding collaboration with Mary Jo Loye (Josandre), Ch. Kvar Classic Josandre, who won the first Award of Merit in 1989 at a national specialty, BB at Westminster, and several BIS. In 1989 and 1990, Pearl and Mary Jo were co-winners of the coveted Toy Dog Breeder of the Year titlw awarded at the Kennel Review/Iams Tournament of the Champions. Their friendship and partnership in dogs spanned nearly 40 years, with Mary Jo expertly handling many of the dogs they bred and owned together.

In more recent years, Pearl's focus shifted to the drop-eared variety, particularly when she imported a lovely Phalene bitch from Kitty Sjong (Inkies), Ch. (and Danish champion) Inkies Keepsake. Katie was BW at the 1998 PCA national specialty, which stirred an interest in and revived the breeding of Phalenes worldwide.

Having just seen Pearl this past April at our national specialty and attended her and Kitty's wonderful seminar on the Phalene, it is hard to believe she is gone. Pearl's legacy will live on in our pedigrees, and she will always be remembered as one of the great mentors of our breed.

Pearl's fondest desire was that one day a marker would be found to eliminate PRA in the breed. It is only fitting that any donations in her memory be made to the PCA Genetics Fund.

Published with permission from the AKC GAZETTE.  This article is not to be copied whole or in part without written permission from the author.

Roseann Fucillo