Monday 14 December 2015
Bow Wow-Erica Mena Update: Rapper Slams Fiancée For Revealing Miscarriage News On Social Media
Bow Wow, real name Shad Moss, seemingly is upset his fiancée Erica Mena revealed their miscarriage news on social media. The 28-year-old rapper and "CSI: Cyber" star reportedly took to Instagram on Saturday to slam Mena for telling fans, via an Instagram post, that she had lost the baby.
Vibe reported Bow Wow eventually deleted the videos from his Instagram account. "First and foremost, I feel like telling your personal business on social media, I feel like that’s one of the lamest things you possibly do," Bow Wow said. "I feel like it’s attention seeking, especially when it’s news that happened five months ago. It’s not recent, it’s five months ago.”
He continued, “You don’t wait till now, do it when it happens. Five months ago, this ain’t nothing new.” Mena has not responded to the rapper's video.
Earlier this week, Mena shared she suffered a miscarriage while four months pregnant with the couple's first baby. Both Mena and Bow Wow have children from previous relationships. In a poem, she's since deleted, Mena wrote: "Though you lived in me only 4 months, you were loved so very much. I wish that I could hold you, I long to feel your touch. On that day, my world was ripped from under my feet. I pray that in another life, we get the chance to meet again.”
Bow Wow and Mena were plagued with breakup rumors last month after the actor ranted on Facebook about losing someone. “The worst feeling is when someone makes you feel special, then suddenly leaves you hanging and you have to act like you don’t care at all," Bow Wow wrote.
However, it seemed the couple squashed rumors of a split when Bow Wow shared an Instagram video last week of him reading a script for "CSI: Cyber" with the former "Love & Hip Hop: New York" star sitting on the couch next to him.
Bow Wow
Popular music at the turn of the millennium featured a plethora of teenage stars, and Lil’ Bow Wow was hip-hop’s unusally successful entrant in the teen pop competition. Lil’ Bow Wow packed shopping malls with young female fans after the 2000 release of his first album, Beware of Dog —even
though he was only four-foot seven inches tall and weighed a mere 85
pounds. His success has been attributed to both his personal charisma—he reminded some observers of the young Michael Jackson—and to his purely musical talents. Lil Wow, observed Jason Birchmeier of the All Guide, “miraculously raps better than most MCs industry despite his youth.”
Lil’ Bow Wow was born Shad Gregory Moss on March 9, 1987, in Columbus, Ohio, and was raised in nearby Reynoldsburg. He was a middle child, a brother between two sisters. It didn’t take long for his musical talents to surface. “He’d pick up my kitchen utensils and combs and brushes and start rapping,” his mother, Teresa Caldwell, told Jet. By the time he was three it was clear that Shad (the name still used by his friends) was something special, and his mother began to enter him in talent shows around the Columbus area. He began performing under the name of Kid Gangsta.
Lil’ Bow Wow went on tour with Snoop Doggy Dogg as an opening act, and at that point the youngster went from being a novelty act to having a chance for major success as a child star.
That success didn’t come right away, however, even though Lil’ Bow Wow made a guest appearance on Snoop’s wildly successful Doggystyle album. Lil’ Bow Wow, with backing from Snoop Doggy Dogg, signed a deal with Death Row Records, but the heavily gangster-oriented label was unsure of how to promote its pint-sized musical acquisition, and several recording sessions at Death Row came to nothing. But with his mother as his manager, Lil’ Bow Wow managed to maintain the semblance of a normal, well-grounded
Career: Appeared on stage with Snoop Doggy Dogg, who gave him name Lil’ Bow Wow, 1993; toured with Snoop Doggy Dogg; signed by producer Jermaine Dupri to So So Der imprint of Sony label, 1997; released debut album, Beware of Dog, 2000; Doggy Bag, 2001; changed stage name to Bow Wow; starred in film Like Mike, 2002.
Addresses: Record Label —Sony Music, 550 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10022. Website
childhood. He remained a strong student in school, having won a junior-high-level award from the Ohio Interscholastic Writing League.
Lil’ Bow Wow’s contribution to the Doggystyle album was expletive-laced, but Atlanta producer Jermaine Dupri envisioned a different path for the youngster and signed him to his So So Def label (an imprint of Sony) in 1997. Dupri explained to the Daily Telegraph (London), “These days in rap, kids don’t have any role models. I knew it was time for him to come out, because little girls from 11 to 16 don’t have anyone they can claim as their own.” Dupri began writing material for Lil’ Bow Wow that included no profanity at all.
By the summer of 2001, Lil’ Bow Wow was a teen sensation. When he undertook his Scream tour, accurately named in view of the reactions his appearances elicited from teenage girls, tickets for major venues sold out in less than an hour. The Evergreen Plaza shopping mall in Chicago had to be shut down for the day after girls fainted from excitement during a promotional Lil’ Bow Wow appearance. The rapper generally lapped up the attention, but occasionally seemed a bit overwhelmed. “I really thought it was crazy,” he told Jet.
Lil’ Bow Wow, who has a pet box turtle named Snoop, moved in the usual rap-star fashion to diversify his activities in 2002. He prepared to launch a clothing line, Lil’ Bow Wear, and in the summer of that year made his first starring appearance on film in the family-oriented comedy Like Mike. The rapper played an orphan who finds a magic pair of athletic shoes that might once have belonged to basketball superstar Michael Jordan. The shoes turn him into an NBA superstar, and the five-foot-tall Bow Wow (he dropped the “Lil”’ in 2002) announced plans to play in the NBA himself.
That proclaimed ambition exemplified one of the keys to Bow Wow’s ongoing popularity—he has the gift of gab. “I just always know what to think and what to say next, “he told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. On tour in the summer of 2002, when he was asked by that paper where he planned to be in five years, he responded, “I don’t know; I feel like I’ve done everything. The only thing I’m missing is a Grammy. I’ve got the keys to five cities I’ve never heard of. I have a street named after me. I’ve accomplished more in the last five years than a lot of people.” Despite that sentiment, it was obvious that rap’s child star displayed a quickness and ease that should allow him to continue to master new challenges.
Doggy Bag, Columbia, 2001.
Like Mike, 2002.
Daily Telegraph (London), July 23, 2001, p. 13.
Entertainment Weekly, July 12, 2002, p. 55.
Jet, November 13, 2000, p. 14; June 4, 2001, p. 58; February 11, 2002, p. 56.
People, January 28, 2002, p. 37; July 22, 2002, p. 60.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, July 5, 2002, p. 24.
San Diego Union-Tribune, April 19, 2001, p. Night & Day-22.
Sports Illustrated, July 1, 2002, p. 28.
Toronto Sun, January 12, 2001, p. Pop Life-46.
Washington Post, June 30, 2002, p. G1; July 8, 2002, p. C14.
Lil’ Bow Wow was born Shad Gregory Moss on March 9, 1987, in Columbus, Ohio, and was raised in nearby Reynoldsburg. He was a middle child, a brother between two sisters. It didn’t take long for his musical talents to surface. “He’d pick up my kitchen utensils and combs and brushes and start rapping,” his mother, Teresa Caldwell, told Jet. By the time he was three it was clear that Shad (the name still used by his friends) was something special, and his mother began to enter him in talent shows around the Columbus area. He began performing under the name of Kid Gangsta.
Met Snoop Doggy Dogg
In 1993, at the tender age of six, Kid Gangsta became Lil’ Bow Wow after he met rapper Snoop Doggy Dogg (later Snoop Dogg) at a Columbus concert during the latter’s The Chronic tour, and was invited on stage to perform. “He reminded me of myself as a kid—his energy, his look, “the older rapper told Jet. “He was a little me. Instead of naming him Lil’ Dogg, I named him Lil’ Bow Wow.”Lil’ Bow Wow went on tour with Snoop Doggy Dogg as an opening act, and at that point the youngster went from being a novelty act to having a chance for major success as a child star.
That success didn’t come right away, however, even though Lil’ Bow Wow made a guest appearance on Snoop’s wildly successful Doggystyle album. Lil’ Bow Wow, with backing from Snoop Doggy Dogg, signed a deal with Death Row Records, but the heavily gangster-oriented label was unsure of how to promote its pint-sized musical acquisition, and several recording sessions at Death Row came to nothing. But with his mother as his manager, Lil’ Bow Wow managed to maintain the semblance of a normal, well-grounded
At a Glance…
Born Shad Gregory Moss on March 9, 1987, in Columbus, OH; son of Teresa Caldwell.Career: Appeared on stage with Snoop Doggy Dogg, who gave him name Lil’ Bow Wow, 1993; toured with Snoop Doggy Dogg; signed by producer Jermaine Dupri to So So Der imprint of Sony label, 1997; released debut album, Beware of Dog, 2000; Doggy Bag, 2001; changed stage name to Bow Wow; starred in film Like Mike, 2002.
Addresses: Record Label —Sony Music, 550 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10022. Website
childhood. He remained a strong student in school, having won a junior-high-level award from the Ohio Interscholastic Writing League.
Lil’ Bow Wow’s contribution to the Doggystyle album was expletive-laced, but Atlanta producer Jermaine Dupri envisioned a different path for the youngster and signed him to his So So Def label (an imprint of Sony) in 1997. Dupri explained to the Daily Telegraph (London), “These days in rap, kids don’t have any role models. I knew it was time for him to come out, because little girls from 11 to 16 don’t have anyone they can claim as their own.” Dupri began writing material for Lil’ Bow Wow that included no profanity at all.
Released Beware of Dog
With the hip-hop sections of CD stores featuring a sea of parental warning stickers, the move was a brilliant one. Lil’ Bow Wow immediately stood out from the crowd when Beware of Dog was released in September of 2000. Pictured on the cover with a boxer dog that looked genial rather than threatening, Lil’ Bow Wow was, in the words of an Entertainment Weekly critic, “sunny and scrubbed—a cherub in street braids. “According to Birchmeier, the album delivers “sure-fire pop rap: ‘Bounce with Me’ is the sort of feel-good song destined to be a summer anthem.”By the summer of 2001, Lil’ Bow Wow was a teen sensation. When he undertook his Scream tour, accurately named in view of the reactions his appearances elicited from teenage girls, tickets for major venues sold out in less than an hour. The Evergreen Plaza shopping mall in Chicago had to be shut down for the day after girls fainted from excitement during a promotional Lil’ Bow Wow appearance. The rapper generally lapped up the attention, but occasionally seemed a bit overwhelmed. “I really thought it was crazy,” he told Jet.
Image Distributed on Book Cover
“Bounce with Me” gained added exposure from its inclusion on Dupri’s soundtrack for the Martin Lawrence film Big Momma’s House, and Lil’ Bow Wow’s image appeared on a free promotional book cover given out to millions of students by the makers of the soft drink Dr. Pepper. The song landed the youngster in the Guinness Book of World Records as the youngest rapper to have a number one hit. He also performed with superstar Madonna at the beginning of the 2001 Grammy awards. With publicity like that, Lil’ Bow Wow was well placed to match the multimillion-copy sales of Beware of Dog with his next release, Doggy Bag. That album, released a week before Christmas in 2001, reportedly sold over a million copies by early February of 2002, and seemed well on its way to equaling or eclipsing the sales of its predecessor.Lil’ Bow Wow, who has a pet box turtle named Snoop, moved in the usual rap-star fashion to diversify his activities in 2002. He prepared to launch a clothing line, Lil’ Bow Wear, and in the summer of that year made his first starring appearance on film in the family-oriented comedy Like Mike. The rapper played an orphan who finds a magic pair of athletic shoes that might once have belonged to basketball superstar Michael Jordan. The shoes turn him into an NBA superstar, and the five-foot-tall Bow Wow (he dropped the “Lil”’ in 2002) announced plans to play in the NBA himself.
That proclaimed ambition exemplified one of the keys to Bow Wow’s ongoing popularity—he has the gift of gab. “I just always know what to think and what to say next, “he told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. On tour in the summer of 2002, when he was asked by that paper where he planned to be in five years, he responded, “I don’t know; I feel like I’ve done everything. The only thing I’m missing is a Grammy. I’ve got the keys to five cities I’ve never heard of. I have a street named after me. I’ve accomplished more in the last five years than a lot of people.” Despite that sentiment, it was obvious that rap’s child star displayed a quickness and ease that should allow him to continue to master new challenges.
Selected discography
Beware of Dog, Sony, 2000.Doggy Bag, Columbia, 2001.
Selected filmography
All About the Benjamins, 2002.Like Mike, 2002.
Sources
Periodicals
Baltimore Sun, July 4, 2002, p. E1.Daily Telegraph (London), July 23, 2001, p. 13.
Entertainment Weekly, July 12, 2002, p. 55.
Jet, November 13, 2000, p. 14; June 4, 2001, p. 58; February 11, 2002, p. 56.
People, January 28, 2002, p. 37; July 22, 2002, p. 60.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, July 5, 2002, p. 24.
San Diego Union-Tribune, April 19, 2001, p. Night & Day-22.
Sports Illustrated, July 1, 2002, p. 28.
Toronto Sun, January 12, 2001, p. Pop Life-46.
Washington Post, June 30, 2002, p. G1; July 8, 2002, p. C14.
Thursday 17 September 2015
Erica Mena, Bow Wow Wedding Details: Everything You Need To Know About The Big Day
Rapper/actor Shad 'Bow Wow' Moss & former 'LHHNY’ star Erica Mena have been vague on the exact date of their wedding, but there's still info to break down.
The buzz surrounding Mena and Moss' walk down the aisle has turned up to 11 since the announcement that famed events planner Preston Bailey would be coordinating the big wedding day. Let's be clear: Snagging the in-demand Preston, who has overseen shindigs by the superstar likes of Oprah Winfrey, Uma Thurman, Ivanka Trump and Catherine Zeta Jones, is a coup, according to public events professional Nicole Newsum, who has worked with actress Nia Long, model Bria Murphy and has represented such high profiled brands as L'Oréal and SoftSheen-Carson. "Preston Bailey is the go-to visionary to make any space elegant," she tells EnStars. "I've seen his work in person and it’s just immaculate. He's really known for his decor, his centerpieces, and floral work."
Reports were rolling from the Twitterverse to mainstream entertainment sites and tabloid outlets that Mena and Moss would be holding their much talked about pending nuptials in Australia, of all places. But as EnStars posted on May 29th, reports of an Iggy Azalea destination wedding were pure fabrication, according to the Artist Formerly Known As Bow Wow. "Nah, I'm not getting married in Australia," Moss set the record straight to Hip Hollywood. "I'm going to Australia to get a bag, turn up, promote the record (his latest “Where You At”) promote CSI: Cyber; do what I do. And bring my [tail] back to America and continue doing what I do." So it seems like rumors of a Caribbean wedding may be true after all.
There appears to be no love lost between Mena and former Love & Hip Hop New York co-star Yandy Smith. In an apparent jab at her reality-show-sister-in-spirit--who married soon-to-be incarcerated beau Mendeecees in a live wedding ceremony on VH1 this past Memorial Day--the future Mrs. Moss made it clear on social media that she would never go that route, posting the below tweet.
Events Planner Preston Bailey Is Pretty Much A Big Deal
The buzz surrounding Mena and Moss' walk down the aisle has turned up to 11 since the announcement that famed events planner Preston Bailey would be coordinating the big wedding day. Let's be clear: Snagging the in-demand Preston, who has overseen shindigs by the superstar likes of Oprah Winfrey, Uma Thurman, Ivanka Trump and Catherine Zeta Jones, is a coup, according to public events professional Nicole Newsum, who has worked with actress Nia Long, model Bria Murphy and has represented such high profiled brands as L'Oréal and SoftSheen-Carson. "Preston Bailey is the go-to visionary to make any space elegant," she tells EnStars. "I've seen his work in person and it’s just immaculate. He's really known for his decor, his centerpieces, and floral work."
Newsum added that the Mena/Moss wedding watchers will be in for a treat. "If you want your wedding to be simple and traditional, Bailey can do that," she says. "If you want an over-the-top rock and roll feel, Bailey can do that as well. I remember going to his 50th birthday party. The energy and look of the event had a very island feel to it with dancing...very thematic and theatrical...a piece of art."
The Wedding Will NOT Take Place Down Under
Reports were rolling from the Twitterverse to mainstream entertainment sites and tabloid outlets that Mena and Moss would be holding their much talked about pending nuptials in Australia, of all places. But as EnStars posted on May 29th, reports of an Iggy Azalea destination wedding were pure fabrication, according to the Artist Formerly Known As Bow Wow. "Nah, I'm not getting married in Australia," Moss set the record straight to Hip Hollywood. "I'm going to Australia to get a bag, turn up, promote the record (his latest “Where You At”) promote CSI: Cyber; do what I do. And bring my [tail] back to America and continue doing what I do." So it seems like rumors of a Caribbean wedding may be true after all.
LHHNY's Yandy Won't Be Getting A Wedding Invite
There appears to be no love lost between Mena and former Love & Hip Hop New York co-star Yandy Smith. In an apparent jab at her reality-show-sister-in-spirit--who married soon-to-be incarcerated beau Mendeecees in a live wedding ceremony on VH1 this past Memorial Day--the future Mrs. Moss made it clear on social media that she would never go that route, posting the below tweet.
Bow Wow Film Festival coming to Beartooth
Dogblog note: Here's something you don't see often -- a film festival for dog lovers! The Beartooth Theaterpub is hosting the Bow Wow Film Festival at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12. Check out the press release:
Bow Wow Film Festival Coming to Anchorage
At the Bearstooth Theaterpub
When: Saturday, September 12th at 10.30 am.
The Bow Wow Film Festival, under the direction of Susan Kelley, and in conjunction with WebEye Group Productions, producer of the highly successful Fly Fishing Film Tour, is excited to announce the 2015 Bow Wow Film Tour, featuring the irresistible personalities of lovable canines.
The Bow Wow Film Festival is a fun family time with a feature-length film composed of a series of short films highlighting dogs, dog antics and celebrating dog-human relationships.
The festival collaborates with animal rescues, humane societies, and not-for-profit organizations around Wyoming, Colorado, Texas, Minnesota, California, Texas, and more to raise funds and awareness for adoptable animals. The Anchorage show will benefit Alaska Dog & Puppy Rescue.
The 2015 Bow Wow Film Festival kicked off last month to a sold-out, standing room only group of dog lovers in Boulder, Colorado, and has delighted audiences at every stop.
Tickets are $4 general admission and $5.50 reserved seating, on the day of show
Bow Wow And Erica Mena: Rapper Talks Making Sure He Never Got 'Caught Up' With Other Women Before Fiance [VIDEO]
James Harden's now epic situation has brought to light Bow Wow's old ways and he explained how he made sure he didn't get caught.
In the meantime, he’s turned in his player cards and is set to marry Mena later this month.
NBA star James Harden’s now epic slip up has lead to Bow Wow letting fans know how he used to treat women before getting engaged to reality star Erica Mena.
Erica Mena Still Livid With ‘Love & Hip Hop New York’ Producers
A woman took a snapshot of the Houston Rockets player sleeping in bed with her and put it online; only for it to go viral (and create a trending hashtag #WhenJamesHardenWakesUp). So Bow Wow took to his own Facebook to reveal why this would have never happened to him back in his playboy days.
“Yo i see y'all boys still young rich and DUMB. Now james is my boy but let me say this now. This is how i USE to do it its called ‘leaving no evidence’ if you was chilling w me my security takes phones and you signing papers. The rule is when she leaves she gets her phone back.”
Bow Wow Shows Off New BMW Erica Mena Bought Him, Tells Other Women To ‘Boss Up’
He said if there was a wrench thrown into the plan and the woman’s phone wasn’t taken, he would wait until she fell asleep to throw it under the bed.
“…so i KNOW im good and could sleep peacefully.”
He went on to diss guys for being “too comfy w/ [broads] yall dont know!” and commended “the ladies because most of us are just that rich and STUPID so y'all know how to get us.”
He said that he’s made the mistake and gotten “caught up too” back in his “rookie” days but learned from his errors.
“Ladies when y'all do stuff this, it ruins it for you because we NEVER calling you again.”
Check out his full rant below.
In the meantime, he’s turned in his player cards and is set to marry Mena later this month.
VCA to Acquire Camp Bow Wow Chain
Camp Bow Wow founder and Chief Executive Heidi Ganahl shelved plans for a day-care business for dogs after her husband died in a plane crash 20 years ago.
Now, after leaving a career in pharmaceutical sales, creating two startups that sputtered and spending most of a million-dollar insurance settlement, Ms. Ganahl has reminted herself a millionaire. She has agreed to sell Camp Bow Wow to VCA Inc. and join the Los Angeles pet health-care company to plot Camp Bow Wow's expansion.
VCA, which has a stock market value of $3.3 billion, operates more than 600 animal hospitals and provides diagnostic services to others. Terms of the transaction weren't disclosed. Franchisers such as Camp Bow Wow often are bought for single-digit multiples of the yearly fees they receive from franchisees. Camp Bow Wow collected about $4 million in such fees last year.
As part of the deal, Ms. Ganahl plans to hire a president to run Camp Bow Wow's day-to-day operations, while she, as chief executive, focuses on strategy. Camp Bow Wow's core business offers day care for dogs at franchise-owned facilities, starting at about $25 a day, as well as overnight boarding for between $40 and $60 a night.
ENLARGE
Since settling on a franchise model in 2003, the company has sold 152 franchises in the U.S. and Canada. Of those, 122 camps and seven house-call franchises are running, two are corporate-owned, with the rest in development. Some of the franchises also offer dog training.
Advertisement
The company said that together, the businesses employ about 3,500 people and last year generated systemwide sales of $71 million.
In the 1990s, Ms. Ganahl and her husband had planned to start a dog-care business after an unsatisfying search for boarding for their two mutts. But before they got started, her husband died while riding in a biplane that crashed.
With the insurance money, Ms. Ganahl started a catalog business that sold baby bedding. But she found the mail-order business mundane and her choosy customer base difficult to deal with so she shut it down. Next, she started consulting for people who, like herself, found themselves suddenly wealthy. She said she pulled the plug on that business because few clients followed her advice and the frequent retelling of her own story was draining.
With her settlement nearly spent, her brother urged her to reconsider dog day care. Against the advice of friends, family and veterinarians, the pair in 2000 converted a Veterans of Foreign Wars hall in Denver into Camp Bow Wow. A second location in Broomfield, Colo., followed and a decision to franchise was made in 2003.
Ms. Ganahl, 47 years old, recently spoke about her experiences in franchising and why she is selling now.
Edited excerpts:
WSJ: Why did you become a franchiser?
Ms. Ganahl: I started Camp Bow Wow with $80,000 I had left from the million-dollar settlement. I maxed out every credit card, took every bit of home equity I could. I used that for the first two camps and I didn't have any other capital. The cool thing about franchising is you're using other people's money to build your brand instead of going the corporate store route and having to have a lot of cash to build out each location.
WSJ: Did adding franchises resolve the cash problem?
Ms. Ganahl: Franchising is a tough model. Not a lot of franchisers can get loans or raise money from investors or private-equity guys. You usually have to give up control or a big percent of the company to get money in. I have tried everything I can to not do that along the way.
WSJ: What was your biggest mistake with Camp Bow Wow?
Ms. Ganahl: I underestimated the importance of cash. Whenever I had extra money, I put it into technology, whether it was the intranet for franchisees, point-of-sales systems, search-engine optimization. I was so focused on growing the business aggressively that there were many times I was pushing tight on payroll and I'd have to use a credit card.
WSJ: What do you think about competition from new, home-based dog-sitter sites like DogVacay.com and Rover.com?
Ms. Ganahl: The Uber-ization of the pet-care space is important and we want to be part of that wave. But we also don't want to spend $40 million to build a program to do it. We're talking to one of the leaders in this space about a partnership. They'll make staying at Camp Bow Wow one of the choices and we're going to help them train and certify pet sitters.
WSJ: Why sell now?
Ms. Ganahl: My vision for Camp Bow Wow was to have 1,000 units, to really be the player in pet care. I don't have the capital to do that and I didn't want to go out and sell the business to any old private equity. I'd rather play with a great name in the pet industry that I trust.
WSJ: What challenges arose from employing family?
Ms. Ganahl: My family members were awesome employees. My dad did franchise sales for me, my uncle was my head of operations, my aunt did my training. It worked really well for a while. The bigger we got, the harder it was to keep them in these lofty general positions. I started to make decisions about what would make them happy, rather than what was good for the business. That was the point I knew I had to move some of them out or give them soft landings and hire people who are more objective and have the right skills to take us to the next level.
WSJ: How did you tailor Camp Bow Wow to appeal to the widest customer base?
Ms. Ganahl: We gave it a mountain-lodge look. We wanted it kind of rugged. The frou-frou spas fit for some places, like Manhattan, but in your typical suburb, it's, "Oh, come on, my dog doesn't need a manicure, but I do want him to behave and not rip up the couch when I'm gone."
WSJ: The American Pet Products Association expects nearly $5 billion will be spent on services like boarding and grooming this year. What are your customers like?
Ms. Ganahl: Some of our top clients spend upward of $20,000 a year at camp. A typical client probably spends $1,500 a year. They bring their dog once or twice a week and then they'll board every time they go on vacation.
Biography: Red Pollard
John Pollard was born in 1909 and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, in the western reaches of the Canadian wilderness. The second of seven children born to a bankrupt Irish brick manufacturer, Johnny — as he was known to his family — grew up in a boisterous home. He was passionate about athletics — particularly boxing — and so fond of literature and poetry that he was known to challenge his sister Edie over who was better at memorizing literary passages. But his greatest pleasure by far came from his horse, Forest Dawn. To help his family make ends meet, Johnny took to delivering groceries with his toboggan hitched to the little horse. By the time he was in his early teens, he had decided that he wanted to be a jockey.
Wandering
When he was fifteen, Pollard left home in the care of a guardian and went off to pursue his dream. Within a year, the guardian had abandoned him at a makeshift racecourse in Butte, Montana, and the boy was on his own. He spent the next couple of years wandering around the country’s lowliest racetracks, trying to talk his way into a saddle. He was tall for a jockey — about five feet seven inches in his stocking feet — and though he managed to ride often enough, he never won a single race. Eventually, he began moonlighting as a boxer, using the ring name “Cougar.” But most people knew him as “Red,” a nickname he earned for his shock of flame-colored hair.
When he was fifteen, Pollard left home in the care of a guardian and went off to pursue his dream. Within a year, the guardian had abandoned him at a makeshift racecourse in Butte, Montana, and the boy was on his own. He spent the next couple of years wandering around the country’s lowliest racetracks, trying to talk his way into a saddle. He was tall for a jockey — about five feet seven inches in his stocking feet — and though he managed to ride often enough, he never won a single race. Eventually, he began moonlighting as a boxer, using the ring name “Cougar.” But most people knew him as “Red,” a nickname he earned for his shock of flame-colored hair.
Books as Companions
Horse racing is a seasonal sport, and Pollard was always on the move, traveling to Canada in the summer, California in the fall and spring, and then to Tijuana in the winter. His only constant companions were his books — well-worn leather pocket volumes of Shakespeare, Robert Service’s Songs of the Sourdough, and a Ralph Waldo Emerson collection. He barely earned money enough to eat, and spent most nights sleeping in horse stalls, but according to his sister Edie, Pollard was “happy as heck.”
Horse racing is a seasonal sport, and Pollard was always on the move, traveling to Canada in the summer, California in the fall and spring, and then to Tijuana in the winter. His only constant companions were his books — well-worn leather pocket volumes of Shakespeare, Robert Service’s Songs of the Sourdough, and a Ralph Waldo Emerson collection. He barely earned money enough to eat, and spent most nights sleeping in horse stalls, but according to his sister Edie, Pollard was “happy as heck.”
Troubled Horses
In 1927, Pollard was sold — young jockeys were considered property — to a horseman named Freddie Johnson, who handed him over to his trainer, Russ McGirr. Although Red was still losing far more often than he won, McGirr discovered a rare talent in the boy that would help carry him into racing history. After years of riding the worst mounts on the worst tracks in the racing circuit, Pollard had come to understand troubled horses. He was kind to them, avoiding the whip, and his mounts often responded to his gentleness by running hard.
In 1927, Pollard was sold — young jockeys were considered property — to a horseman named Freddie Johnson, who handed him over to his trainer, Russ McGirr. Although Red was still losing far more often than he won, McGirr discovered a rare talent in the boy that would help carry him into racing history. After years of riding the worst mounts on the worst tracks in the racing circuit, Pollard had come to understand troubled horses. He was kind to them, avoiding the whip, and his mounts often responded to his gentleness by running hard.
Partially Blind
Despite that gift, however, Red continued to have only a middling career. Some of his failures were doubtless the result of an accident he had had sometime early in his career. While exercising a horse around a crowded track one morning, he had been hit in the head by something kicked up by another horse’s hooves. The blow damaged the part of his brain that controlled vision, permanently blinding him in the right eye. “Without bifocal vision,” explains author Laura Hillenbrand, “you don’t have depth perception. So he couldn’t tell how far ahead of him horses were. He couldn’t tell how close he was cutting it. But he knew no fear. He rode right into the pack with one eye.” For the rest of his life, Pollard kept his blindness a secret, knowing that if track officials found out, they would never let him ride.
Despite that gift, however, Red continued to have only a middling career. Some of his failures were doubtless the result of an accident he had had sometime early in his career. While exercising a horse around a crowded track one morning, he had been hit in the head by something kicked up by another horse’s hooves. The blow damaged the part of his brain that controlled vision, permanently blinding him in the right eye. “Without bifocal vision,” explains author Laura Hillenbrand, “you don’t have depth perception. So he couldn’t tell how far ahead of him horses were. He couldn’t tell how close he was cutting it. But he knew no fear. He rode right into the pack with one eye.” For the rest of his life, Pollard kept his blindness a secret, knowing that if track officials found out, they would never let him ride.
Lucky Day
By the summer of 1936, twelve years of bad luck and failure had begun to take their toll. Like many Depression-era unfortunates, Pollard was broke and homeless. That August, he was heading north with his agent — a squat, hare-lipped man named Yummy — when a freak car accident left them stranded outside of Detroit, with nothing but twenty cents and a half-pint of a cheap Whisky they called “bow-wow wine.” The two men hitchhiked to the Detroit Fair Grounds, where Pollard bumped into Tom Smith, Seabiscuit’s trainer. As it happened, Smith was looking for a jockey. When introduced to the temperamental, often unruly horse, Pollard offered a sugar cube. Seabiscuit touched the jockey’s shoulder in a rare gesture of affection. As Smith saw it, Seabiscuit had chosen his jockey. It might have been the luckiest day of Pollard’s life.
By the summer of 1936, twelve years of bad luck and failure had begun to take their toll. Like many Depression-era unfortunates, Pollard was broke and homeless. That August, he was heading north with his agent — a squat, hare-lipped man named Yummy — when a freak car accident left them stranded outside of Detroit, with nothing but twenty cents and a half-pint of a cheap Whisky they called “bow-wow wine.” The two men hitchhiked to the Detroit Fair Grounds, where Pollard bumped into Tom Smith, Seabiscuit’s trainer. As it happened, Smith was looking for a jockey. When introduced to the temperamental, often unruly horse, Pollard offered a sugar cube. Seabiscuit touched the jockey’s shoulder in a rare gesture of affection. As Smith saw it, Seabiscuit had chosen his jockey. It might have been the luckiest day of Pollard’s life.
Plagued by Injuries
For a time, Pollard and Seabiscuit lit up the racing circuit, capturing win after win in races across the country. But the injuries that plagued Red throughout his career unseated him from the celebrated thoroughbred more than once. In February 1938, he was almost crushed to death in a horse pile-up at the San Carlos Handicap. It took months to recover. No sooner was he back in the saddle than an inexperienced horse spooked during a workout and crashed into a barn, nearly shearing off Pollard’s leg below the knee. The broken leg wouldn’t heal properly and would keep him from riding Seabiscuit in the famous one-on-one match-up against War Admiral on November 1, 1938.
For a time, Pollard and Seabiscuit lit up the racing circuit, capturing win after win in races across the country. But the injuries that plagued Red throughout his career unseated him from the celebrated thoroughbred more than once. In February 1938, he was almost crushed to death in a horse pile-up at the San Carlos Handicap. It took months to recover. No sooner was he back in the saddle than an inexperienced horse spooked during a workout and crashed into a barn, nearly shearing off Pollard’s leg below the knee. The broken leg wouldn’t heal properly and would keep him from riding Seabiscuit in the famous one-on-one match-up against War Admiral on November 1, 1938.
Hopelessly in Love
While Pollard recuperated at Boston’s Winthrop Hospital, wondering if he would ever race again, he fell in love with his private nurse, a refined Boston native named Agnes Conlon. The restless jockey and the prim, well-heeled nurse were an undeniably odd match, but they were also hopelessly in love. When Pollard asked Agnes to marry him, she defied her family’s wishes and said “yes.” They would have two children and live together for over forty years.
While Pollard recuperated at Boston’s Winthrop Hospital, wondering if he would ever race again, he fell in love with his private nurse, a refined Boston native named Agnes Conlon. The restless jockey and the prim, well-heeled nurse were an undeniably odd match, but they were also hopelessly in love. When Pollard asked Agnes to marry him, she defied her family’s wishes and said “yes.” They would have two children and live together for over forty years.
The Greatest Ride
The highlight of Pollard’s racing career came in 1940, when he rode Seabiscuit to victory in the race that had twice eluded the horse, the Santa Anita Handicap. “I got a great ride,” Pollard said afterwards. “The greatest ride I ever got from the greatest horse that ever lived.” Seabiscuit was retired almost immediately after the race, and Pollard soon did the same. But he couldn’t stay away from the jockey’s life for long. He soon returned to the racing circuit, and was twice hospitalized after terrible accidents — he broke a hip in one spill and his back in another. After Seabiscuit, the jockey never had much success, falling back to the bush leagues of racing from which he had emerged.
The highlight of Pollard’s racing career came in 1940, when he rode Seabiscuit to victory in the race that had twice eluded the horse, the Santa Anita Handicap. “I got a great ride,” Pollard said afterwards. “The greatest ride I ever got from the greatest horse that ever lived.” Seabiscuit was retired almost immediately after the race, and Pollard soon did the same. But he couldn’t stay away from the jockey’s life for long. He soon returned to the racing circuit, and was twice hospitalized after terrible accidents — he broke a hip in one spill and his back in another. After Seabiscuit, the jockey never had much success, falling back to the bush leagues of racing from which he had emerged.
Retirement
Finally, in 1955, at the age of 46, Pollard hung up his silks and retired for good. For a time, he worked sorting mail at the track post office, and then as a valet, cleaning boots for another generation of riders. He died in 1981, but what exactly killed him was unclear. According to his daughter Norah, “he had just worn out his body.” Agnes, sick with cancer, died two weeks later.
Finally, in 1955, at the age of 46, Pollard hung up his silks and retired for good. For a time, he worked sorting mail at the track post office, and then as a valet, cleaning boots for another generation of riders. He died in 1981, but what exactly killed him was unclear. According to his daughter Norah, “he had just worn out his body.” Agnes, sick with cancer, died two weeks later.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)