The Brittany world has lost another good friend. Longtime Hall of Fame Brittany enthusiast Ella Conable passed away February 16. Ella had been in declining health in recent months and her passing was not unexpected.
Ella and her husband, Lloyd, got their first Brittany in 1957 and soon after began participating in Brittany events. Their dog, Elcon’s Shotgun Smoke, won the Brittany National Specialty Show in 1967 and was the first liver-colored dog to do so. Chip Britt Jill, handled by Jim Holman, won the National Open Brittany Championship in 1975 and Ella handled Ranbo’s Royal Rebecca to win the Brittany Pheasant Classic at the Green River Area near Ohio, Ill., and the Illinois Brittany Championship at Rend Lake in the 1980s. Ella won the American Brittany Club’s “woman handler award” twice.
She served as ABC treasurer for sixteen years and also served as ABC magazine editor and Futurity secretary, as well as reporter for ABC Classics and National Championships. The Conables were members of Niagara Frontier and Pennsylvania Brittany Clubs as well as the Illinois Brittany Championship Association.
Ella was truly a special lady. Before Lloyd retired, she was known to drive by herself from their home in Orchard Park, N. Y., horse trailer in tow, to Burwell, Neb., to participate in the ABC Chicken Classic and then later to the Pony Express grounds to ride and report the ABC Quail Classic in almost impossible weather of rain and snow. She commented that she could travel from coast to coast and always be within range of a Brittany person she knew.
Ella was a fixture at the ABC nationals for many, many years and was usually first in line to introduce herself to a first time attendee and make them feel welcome.
In recognition of her accomplishments and contributions, Ella was elected a life member of the ABC, a member of the ABC Hall of Fame and a member of the Brittany Field Trial Hall of Fame at Grand Junction, Tenn. She will be missed by all.
Memorial contributions may be made to The Bird Dog Foundation, Inc. (for Brittany wing) P. O. Box 774, Grand Junction, Tenn. 38039.