MORE THAN 850 DOGS IN CAPE GIRARDEAU SHOW

Patricia V. Craige is no stranger to Cape Girardeau and the Southeast Missouri Kennel Club.

"I was here last year," said Craige, of Carmel, Calif. "They put on a good dog show here."

Craige and her female Norwegian Elkhound -- Ch Vin-Melca's Marketta -- was just one of more than 850 entries in the 70th SEMO Kennel Dog Show held Saturday at Arena Park in Cape Girardeau.

Craige, whose entry is one of the top Norwegian Elkhounds in the United States, said she was in the Midwest to participate in a number of shows, including one of the nation's biggest at Chicago.

"I really enjoy the Cape Girardeau show," she said. "I showed Ch Vin-Melca's Marketta's father here last year, and he was a champion." Marketta is owned by Jeffrey Bennett, Nan Bennett and Craige.

Another western area dog captured top honors in the show Saturday. "Champion Jordean All Kiddin' Aside," a Brittanys that belongs to Andrea S. Jordan, Dennis P. Jordan and G.K. Nash, of Arvadia, Colo., captured Best of Show.

All Kiddin' Aside came into the show ranked as the number one Brittanys in the U.S.

A total of 862 entries were registered for Saturday's show,

"Entries came from 32 states and two foreign countries," said William E. Busch, president of the SEMO Kennel Club, which sponsors the event twice a year -- in June and November. "We had a total of 107 different breeds Saturday."

Busch, show chairman, and his wife, Cecille, have been affiliated with the show here since 1963.

"We've had great growth in our show," said Busch. "Right now, we're at capacity with our facility here. We conduct six rings in the Arena Building, and are capable of handling between 850 and 900 entries. That's about what we have here twice a year."

More than a third of the entries -- 300 -- are from Missouri, noted Busch. Illinois is second on the list this show with 160 entries. Third on the list is Tennessee, with 115.

"But, we have entries from throughout the U.S.," said Busch. "That includes New York, Alaska, Washington, Louisiana and Florida."

The Busch's own and operate a kennel here.

"We've raised beagle puppies for more than 30 years at Busch's Kennels," he said. "We've had some great beagles in past years -- more than 100 champions, including four best in shows."

The Busch's now train and show dogs for others.

"We participate in about 70 shows a year," said Busch. "We'll be at the Memphis, Tenn., Show Sunday.

"It keeps us busy," he said. "We are at dog shows about 35 weekends a year. And, now that I have retired, we'll probably add a few more weekends."

After working 36 years for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Busch retired earlier this year as resident engineer of the Corps of Engineer's Lower Mississippi River Valley Resident Office, located in the Cape Girardeau Federal Building.

That's in addition to planning the two shows each year in Cape Girardeau.

"We'll start planning on the November 1994 show next week," said Busch. "Plans are already set for the June 1994 show."

Busch is president of the SEMO Kennel show board. Other officers include Terry Borgfield, vice president, who is also trophy committee chairman; Albert Baker, treasurer; and Cecile Busch, secretary and chief ring steward. Rounding out the board of directors are Paula Klingeman, Teresa Vogelsang and Mary Lou McNair, who also serves as education coordinator.