Farewell to András

Story and photos by Yossi Guy

András Korózs, president of the Hungarian Kennel Club, or Magyar Ebtenyésztok Országos Egyesületeinek Szövetsége (MEOESZ), passed away unexpectedly on November 10 at age 59.

Born in Eger, Hungary, András Korózs grew up in a family that loved all types of animals, and from his earliest years he was attracted to the world of dogs. His favorite breed was the Fox Terrier, which he owned since 1972, when he got his first dog, handled him at shows with success and subsequently began to breed, using several imported dogs. His Agria kennel is known around the world.

After joining the Hungarian Kennel Club, András became president of its local division in his area. In the early 1990s, he was approached by Terrier breeders who asked him to help establish a national club. He was president of that Terrier club for 16 years before becoming president of the Hungarian Kennel Club in 2006. Since then, he served as president for five terms until his death.

Another of his achievements was planning and organizing the biannual international show in Szilvásvárad, one of the most significant open-air shows in Europe, together with his younger brother, Gábor Korózs.

For this story, Dog News talked to Ildiko Muzslai, with Csaba L. Peterfi translating— both were András’ Hungarian friends. Ildiko is on the committee of the Hungarian British Sheepdog Club, and Csaba is a public-relations specialist who assisted with the press at the European Dog Show that took place in Budapest last December.

Ildiko remembers meeting András for the first time in the 1980s, when the former was an exhibitor and the latter was perhaps the Hungarian Kennel Club’s youngest judge ever.

“He often and with great sense judged British sheepdogs, even though he bred Fox Terriers,” Ildiko remembers. “He was a very popular judge — a huge number of exhibitors entered under him. He traveled almost all over the world, judging at many World and European shows, but also at Crufts and Westminster. The exhibitors looked up to him! He didn't just grade, he also explained, taught, gave advice in the ring, and was an extremely empathetic judge. His colleagues also widely recognized his expertise.”

According to Ildiko, András loved Fox Terriers since he was a child, and his father supported his dog passion in every way, taking András to almost every dog show. When he couldn’t, András would take the train. Several Fox Terrier breeders of that time saw the talent in him and took him under their wing.

“András learned with the greatest humility from the older generation,” Ildiko continues. “He knew everything about Fox Terriers, knew all dogs and pedigrees, and professionally trimmed them.”

In due course, András became a world-renowned Fox Terrier breeder, producing many World and European champions under his kennel name, Agria, which was the Latin name for Eger, the city in northern Hungary where he was born. A highlight was winning Best of Breed at Crufts with a dog of his own breeding. For a long time, he bred Fox Terriers of both coat types, but starting a few years ago he only dealt with Smooths.

András' love of dogs also deeply influenced his immediate family. His younger brother Gábor is now a famous Wirehaired Dachshund and Komondor breeder. His son Bálint won the World Championship in Brno, Czech Republic, as a Junior handler, and now helps with exhibiting the family's dogs as a professional handler. (András also had two daughters: Dorina, who is a doctor, and Betti, who lives in England.) With his wife of 18 years, Judit Korózs-Papp, András bred Australian and Miniature American Shepherds, producing World and European winners from their kennel.

“András's life was family and dog training, and the two were inseparable,” Ildiko says. “He created a real canine dynasty.”

Andras' son Balint.

Ildiko’s opinion — shared by many — is that András was the best leader the Hungarian Kennel Club ever had. Taking over the club in 2006, when it was in very bad shape and on the brink of dissolution, András stabilized it both legally and financially, paving the way for the MEOESZ’s success over the past decade.

“During András' presidency, we organized two European Dog Shows and one World Dog Show, but Hungary was also the scene of other world-class cynological events,” Ildinko stresses. “We have lost a great cynologist, president, judge and friend. It leaves an irreplaceable void!”

 “As president, he steered his kennel club out of very difficult times and brought it to a stable and well-respected level,” concurs Sean Delmar, president of the Irish Kennel Club. “As a breeder/exhibitor, his Fox Terrier kennel Agria was significant and world famous, and he was also hugely respected as a judge. Finally, in life we all try to achieve a balance between our career and our family, and those of us who had the pleasure to see the interaction between Andras, his wife Judit and his son Balint could feel the love and closeness between them.”

Andras' wife Judit Korózs-Papp.

For her part, András' widow penned a loving and intimate farewell to her husband, who died unexpectedly 10 days after being rushed to the hospital for an emergency surgery.

“You lived like no one else,” wrote Judit in her Facebook post. “You sped a thousand times, even though I told you to slow down. You couldn't slow down. You were happy like this, you needed this. It's as much in these almost 60 years as 10 other people have in a lifetime.”

She noted with gratitude “the countless messages arriving from all corners of the world almost non-stop” that shared memories of her husband, gone too late, and celebrated his sense of humor, dedication and immense dog knowledge.

“You are so loved by all,” she concluded in her touching goodbye letter to him. “This is a great relief for me.”