THE DOG SHOW JOURNAL AN ALL ABOUT SHOW DOGS PUBLICATION 36 37 AN ALL ABOUT SHOW DOGS PUBLICATION THE DOG SHOW JOURNAL Ever since I was ten years 2014, I did what I kept telling in the moment. It was as I sat old, I had wanted to compete myself I might never be able to outside of the ring waiting MY CRUFTS in the “World’s Biggest Dog do. I won Best Junior Handler to get pictures, my friend Show”, Crufts in Birmingham, at the AKC’s Eukanuba Elizabeth Edgerton, who was DREAM COME TRUE England. Mainly, I wanted to National Dog Show, handling sitting next to me, said, “So compete in the International the Irish Setter that I had you do realize that you get to Junior Handling Competition since he was a puppy, “Kent”, go to Crufts now, don’t you?” By Lauren Marie Hull (IJHC) where That was when CRUFTS IS THE WORLD’S LARGEST DOG SHOW! 5 - 8 MARCH 2015 Junior Handlers it hit me. I would from all over the actually be able to world get a chance achieve the goal I to represent their had set for myself countries, and so many years ago, handle dogs they and compete at did not know. I Crufts. The next day never knew if this I received my paper particular dream of work for Crufts, and mine would come also a beautiful pin true, because, in for Best Junior. order to qualify for So, now I was this competition, I qualified for would have to first Crufts, the only win against all the problem would top handlers at the American RedRidge’s Kent Irish Fire! In be raising the money to get Kennel Club/Eukanuba all the excitement at the time, I there. Mari-Beth O’Neill told National Dog Show, and had totally forgotten that with me to contact a woman In earn the title of Best Junior this amazing win, I qualified California, who had set up Handler. This was a large and to be the United States of an account to raise money seemingly impossible feat. America’s Representative for the U.S. Representatives For the past five years (2009- for the International Junior going to Crufts for the Junior 2013), I had competed at the Handling Competition at Handling Competition. For Eukanuba Dog Show, never Crufts! five years, Maggie Peat had making it as a finalist in the top Right as I was receiving my run an account out of the twelve. I never really expected Best Junior Handler ribbon, goodness of her heart, in to make it to the top twelve, Mari Beth O’Neil came up order for juniors to compete because there are so many to me and said, “Stop by the at Crufts. With her help, and amazing handlers that I had to Kennel Club booth tomorrow with the help of a GoFundMe compete against just to make morning to pick up your site I had set up, we raised it to the finals. So in my mind, I paper work for Crufts.” Even $3200 to send my mother never thought I would be able as she said those words, the and I to Crufts. The AKC also to reach my goal and compete pieces didn’t click in my mind. paid for three nights at the at Crufts. I was just too excited to think hotel, helping to assure that Then, on December 13, about anything except living the total cost of necessities, THE DOG SHOW JOURNAL AN ALL ABOUT SHOW DOGS PUBLICATION 38 39 AN ALL ABOUT SHOW DOGS PUBLICATION THE DOG SHOW JOURNAL approximately $ 3700, was Bracco Italiano ring, where Pyrenees Club of America, covered. Plus, several breed we met a very nice lady, Jan and has judged at our National clubs, including the Irish Hayward, and one of her Specialty, as well as having Setter Club of America, Great dogs, Esther, who was 10 one of the top Great Pyrs in Pyrenees Club of America, years old. After talking with Europe. Their home is just Garden State Great Pyrenees Jan, asking questions about what you would picture in Club, Pyrenean Fanciers of the the breed and how they are the English countryside, and North East, and the Buffalo shown, she offered to let me they were so welcoming. I Kennel Club donated funds to show her dog in the breed even met Pernilla Sandstrom, assure that we met all of the class. I was not sure, because who had represented Sweden other expenses not covered I had not come dressed to as a junior handler at Crufts by the main funds. From that show, but they often show in 2002, and her Great Pyr point on, we prepared for our very casually dressed there, “Eros”, who eventually won trip. My mom and I both got so I, of course, accepted. Jan Best of Breed and a pastoral passports and new luggage said she was happy I would group 2 (their herding group) sets (thank goodness for sales do it because she didn’t want the next day. at Penney’s and Macy’s), and I to run with the dog since her On Friday, my mom and studied how dogs are shown in knees were bad. What I did Esther and I had gotten the issues. Our flights were We took an early shuttle I went back to the show, Europe. I was a little confused not know, was that Esther red ribbon and card!!!! (ribbon rebooked to Chicago, and trip to the show on Thursday because I had promised because there is a lot of hand had won best of opposite sex colors there are red, blue, and then London, England. So we morning and met up with Mr. someone in the states that switching while showing dogs, at Crufts many years earlier. yellow….each with a “card”…. ended up going west to then James Skinner, the director I would help show a Great similar to when performing an Plus, this was the first year plus, 4th and 5th in the class travel east. After the flights of the juniors’ competition. Pyrenees dog they sent over “L” in a Junior Handling Class, that the Braccos could win get “cards”…the Best of Breed were situated, everything was From him, we received to England to be shown. Violet yet the switches are done Challenge Certificates at ribbon is green) Esther’s smooth sailing. We landed out wristbands and all the and I didn’t win anything in more often. I practiced with Crufts. Challenge Certificates owner was very pleased with in London, and purchased information we needed for the our class, but it was a lot of my dogs at home to try and get are what the dogs have how she had shown for me, bus tickets to take us to competition on Saturday and fun to show a breed that I a feel of how to switch hands to win in Europe to gain a and I was happy I was able Birmingham. The bus trip the banquet Friday evening. am very familiar with. Plus, it often. championship. So, it was a big to show. Unfortunately, we was 3 hours long, but it was Once we were inside the show, was so interesting to see the year for the breed. did not get the challenge The wait seemed to go very enjoyable to see all we found the rings. What grooming habits there….very certificate, but what a thrill to on forever. I was so excited the scenery as we passed. amazed me was the fact that I was so nervous. I told few grooming tables at the be able to show her. After the for the trip, that I kept a By the time we arrived in there were no gates around my mom that I did not want Great Pyrenees (Pyrenean Breed for the Braccos, we said calendar and crossed off Birmingham, it was early the rings, just chairs. Every to be first in-line in the class, Mountain Dog) ring, no blow goodbye to Esther and her each day as it went. When evening on Wednesday, March once in a while, someone because I was not sure about dryers, and little grooming owner. the day finally came for my 4, so we didn’t really have time would randomly walk across the ring practices. But, after products. I have heard in mom and I to leave, I was so to see any tourist attractions. the ring, even when dogs practicing moving with Esther, Thursday evening we had other parts of Europe, they excited and nervous. I had We ended up going to bed were being judged. When the our class was called into the the opportunity to meet with actually bring the dogs in never been overseas before, early, so we could get up early stewards called a breed class, ring, and I went right to the Great Pyrenees owners from from the mountains with no or on a plane for eight hours, and go see the Gundogs for people would come in from all head of the line. Not sure several different countries grooming or baths!!!! but that turned out to be the the first day of Crufts. I really directions, and in no particular why, but I was ready!!!! After as we were invited to have After the Great Pyrs easy part. Our original flight wanted to see the Bracco order. It was very easy going. examining and moving all dinner at the home of Keith showed, we walked around the from Rochester, New York, the dogs, the Judge placed Savage, in the country side Italianos, because that is the After a few minutes of show.