Westminster Kennel Club Show

Canfield plays host to dog show

WARREN - Canine enthusiasts from across the nation trotted to Canfield for a series of dog shows held from Thursday to Sunday. The shows, named the Steel Valley Cluster, attracted some of the top-rated dogs and handlers in the business.

Best in Show winners were named on each day. A dog handled by Michelle Scott, a two-time Westminster Kennel Club winner, took home Best in Show honors on Friday and Saturday, while a German wire-haired pointer entered by Michigan resident Phil Booth snagged the award Sunday.

Booth said it was the fourth Best in Show award for the dog, which lives in Brazil.

Show chairwoman Judy Laird was pleased with the turnout and quality of the event. She said more than 3,000 contestants entered.

"It went amazing," she said. "We had a beautiful lineup of dogs. These were all amazing shows."

Connie Feld, a Tampa, Fla., resident who travels to events every weekend, explained the dog show culture as an impossible attempt at perfection.

"Today, we as breeders and enthusiasts, we strive for an excellence that can never be attained," she said, while running a comb through a Chinese crested's fur. "We're trying to bring out the best in the breeds that we love and live with."

Paula Thomas has been involved with the show for the past 20 years. Her son Tim Thomas ran the show shortly after its inception. Tim Thomas is now an American Kennel Association official in North Carolina, having previously been a professional handler.

"It's a good family sport and each family falls in love and becomes very proud of their dogs," she said. "Originally, this was done to promote breeding stock. Now, it's more sport and comparison of breed characteristics of dogs and which dogs best represent the breed standard."

Cheryl Paterson, who made the trek from London, Ontario, Canada, entered a Saluki named Maple. She, like many others at the show, travel to different locations every week.

"I love the competition of it," she said. "I love the sport; love the dogs. It's certainly not for making money, because that does not happen."

For many, the concluding Sunday event marks the beginning of preparation for the next show, perhaps somewhere far across the country. For others, the end of the end of the 2011 Steel Valley Cluster heralds the beginning of preparation for 2012.

"We just love this cluster," Paula Thomas said. "We take a family vacation every year to come here and work. As soon as this show ends, we'll start tomorrow on next year's show. We do it all for love and a 75-cent ribbon.

Canfield plays host to dog show | Rosettes

Canfield plays host to dog show

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WARREN – Canine enthusiasts from across the nation trotted to Canfield for a series of dog shows held from Thursday to Sunday. The shows, named the Steel Valley Cluster, attracted some of the top-rated dogs and handlers in the business.

Best in Show winners were named on each day. A dog handled by Michelle Scott, a two-time Westminster Kennel Club winner, took home Best in Show honors on Friday and Saturday, while a German wire-haired pointer entered by Michigan resident Phil Booth snagged the award Sunday.

Booth said it was the fourth Best in Show award for the dog, which lives in Brazil.

Show chairwoman Judy Laird was pleased with the turnout and quality of the event. She said more than 3,000 contestants entered.

“It went amazing,” she said. “We had a beautiful lineup of dogs. These were all amazing shows.”

Connie Feld, a Tampa, Fla., resident who travels to events every weekend, explained the dog show culture as an impossible attempt at perfection.

“Today, we as breeders and enthusiasts, we strive for an excellence that can never be attained,” she said, while running a comb through a Chinese crested’s fur. “We’re trying to bring out the best in the breeds that we love and live with.”

Paula Thomas has been involved with the show for the past 20 years. Her son Tim Thomas ran the show shortly after its inception. Tim Thomas is now an American Kennel Association official in North Carolina, having previously been a professional handler.

“It’s a good family sport and each family falls in love and becomes very proud of their dogs,” she said. “Originally, this was done to promote breeding stock. Now, it’s more sport and comparison of breed characteristics of dogs and which dogs best represent the breed standard.”

Cheryl Paterson, who made the trek from London, Ontario, Canada, entered a Saluki named Maple. She, like many others at the show, travel to different locations every week.

“I love the competition of it,” she said. “I love the sport; love the dogs. It’s certainly not for making money, because that does not happen.”

For many, the concluding Sunday event marks the beginning of preparation for the next show, perhaps somewhere far across the country. For others, the end of the end of the 2011 Steel Valley Cluster heralds the beginning of preparation for 2012.

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