Youth is served at Westminister show
Dog handlers as young as 11 not awed by adults
NEW YORK — Fenric Towell isn’t nervous about his first time competing at the nation’s top dog show. After all, he’s at the Westminster Kennel Club ring this week with 100plus shows under his belt, a record of wins and a champion Lakeland terrier.
So what if he’s only 11?
“I’m going to try to think of it as a normal show,” the Oklahoma City boy says. “I just try to focus on the highest place that I can get.”
Westminster is best known for the dog that will be crowned best in show Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. As judging began Monday night, a borzoi named Lucy won the hound group, a pug dubbed Biggie won the toy group and a bichon frise called Flynn took the nonsporting group. Slick, a border collie, won the herding group.
But the event is also a showcase for youngsters who can handle both dogs and grown-up competition.
While there’s a special contest for junior handlers, many also exhibit their dogs in the breed judging that goes toward best in show.
They go up against adults in an atmosphere that prizes poise and formality.
“It’s hard because they’re top people, and we’re just kids,” says Faith Rogers, 14, of Bordentown, New Jersey, now at her fourth Westminster. But when she started showing dogs at age 9, she decided: “This is what I love, and I didn’t really care if there were older people or not.”
Or, as twin sister Emma puts it, “Let’s just show ’em what we got.”
Dogs ranging from wee Chihuahuas to rangy Irish wolfhounds showed what they’ve got in Monday night’s group judging, helped by adult handlers.
Lucy “knows when there’s a big stage,” said handler Valerie Nunes-atkinson. Handlers, meanwhile, need to “go Zen” so their dogs won’t pick up jitters, Bill Mcfadden said after leading Flynn.
Slick has won best of breed previously at Westminster, but Monday’s herding group win “means a lot to us,” handler Jamie Clute said.
Biggie’s handler, Esteban Farias, called the dog “a dream come true” after a tragedy: A previous pug pal suddenly died during a routine walk.
About 5,000 junior handlers nationwide are registered with the American Kennel Club, a governing body for Westminster and many other dog shows.
Young handlers also can compete through 4-H and other kennel clubs.