Highlights
from the Junior Handling
Years
Megan
began her Junior Handling
career in 1993 at the
DC & SSA at 7 years
old. She had the great
fortune to begin with
a wonderful dog - Am/Can.
Ch. Dayspring Romyldale
Rowan - who showed her
the ropes of this conformation
showing and did everything
except call over his
shoulder, "Just follow
me, little girl! I know
how it is done!" It
was no surprise to me
and Kathy Belville (Rowan's
generous owner) that
we were watching two
naturals in the ring
that day. A warm thank
you to Toni Lett who
rewarded Rowan and Megan
with a 1st place in
a large Junior Novice
class. The fun was just
beginning ...
The
next year (1994) at
the same show, the DC
& SSA, Megan showed
our champion puppy,
Ch. Kincardine Crescent
Moon, and learned that
showing a young and
inexperienced dog can
be a challenge indeed.
Megan was learning.
In
1995, Megan successfully
showed Ch. Kincardine
Cast of Thousands
in Juniors. "Caitlin"
thought "this kid"
was kind of cool
and Megan warmed
to her sweet nature
- the team clicked!
Megan also showed
Ch. Kincardine Keep
Your Eye on Me,
another puppy, and
earned a 1st place
in her class. Looking
for another challenge,
Megan began expanding
her horizons later
in 1995 and showed
a Whippet. "Hawkeye",
owned by our friend,
Anya Rapaport, was
too heavy for Megan
to lift on the table
for individual examination
so we taught "Haweye"
how to jump on the
table! Her first
time showing "Hawkeye",
Megan won her class.
In
1996, Megan continued
to show Whippets and
Shelties, and added
a new breed - Bichons!
Megan picked up another
first place showing
Shirley Baxter's beautiful
Bichon, "Oliver", at
London.
But
1996 had yet to unfold
the biggest thrill of
all ... In October,
Shelley McHugh generously
allowed Megan to show
her Sheltie Special,
"Tommy". Megan won her
class and went on to
be awarded Best Overall
Handler! Again the two
clicked and became quite
a duo. This successful
trip in the ring was
a warmup for their next
appearance ... the Central
Ontario Finals! Megan
had easily qualified
in Junior Novice for
this elite competition,
and we were thrilled
when she won her class.
She went back in for
Best Overall - the winner
of which would represent
her division at the
National level. Megan
and "Tommy" worked as
a true team, and together
they moved in perfect
co-ordination around
the ring. One of Megan's
dreams was realized
that day as she won
Best Overall Junior
Handler at the Central
Ontario Finals at only
11 years old! Thisprestigious
win is certainly a sparkling
highlight in Megan's
Juniors career.
In
1997 Megan continued
showing our Shelties
winning 1st place in
her debut as a Senior
with yet another unruly
puppy, "Sasha"! Megan
showed 'her stuff' in
the United States that
year with our multi
BISS Am/Can. Ch. Kincardine
Clearly a Song ROMC
and won Best Overall
Junior under Randy Sheets
at the Detroit Specialty.
This win was the first
of many with "Chantal"
and their very special
ring relationship began
at this show. Later
this year, Megan showed
a new breed, a Saluki
named "P.T" and Megan
had another 1st place
under her belt.
In
1998, Megan showed a
handsome Pug - another
breed to learn about
- and again was Best
Overall Handler! A month
later Megan won her
class at the Central
Ontario Finals with
the son of her first
show dog - Rowan. This
new boy, Am/Can. Ch.
Romyldale Rory MacRorie,
was also the son of
Ch. Kincardine Cast
of Thousands "Caitlin".
Kathy Belville - Rory's
breeder and owner -
offered Megan a co-ownership
on Rory so Megan could
show Rory as a Junior
in the United States
too. A most generous
offer that Megan gratefully
accepted. Ironically
however, Megan was most
successful with Rory
not in Juniors ring,
but in the Breed ring.
Their one big win in
Juniors was capturing
their very competitive
class at the CSSA. Anywhere
she showed this spirited
Sheltie, the sparks
flew as "Rory" and Megan
seemed to feed off each
others' energy - what
a duo!
In
1999 Megan and I travelled
to the ASSA, and there
Megan showed multi BISS
Am/Can. Ch. Kincardine
Clearly a Song ROMC
in Juniors. "Chantal",
always at her fiesty
best in the early morning,
was 'chomping at the
bit' at 8:00 a.m. while
Megan was warming up
a bit more slowly! They
easily won their class
and went on to give
a stellar performance
for Best Overall. The
Senior Open team won
that day, but I'll never
forget how "on" both
Megan and "Chantal"
were that very special
day! Megan also showed
"Chantal" in Juniors
at the Kennel Club of
Buffalo winning a huge
class. Unfortunately,
Megan could not get
into Best Overall as
I was showing "Chantal"
in the Group ring. The
rules in the United
States are very strict
for Juniors and Juniors
can only show dogs they
own or are owned by
immediate family members
- "Chantal" was the
only dog we had with
us that weekend, and
"Chantal" was otherwise
occupied making the
cut in the Group ring!
1999 continued to be
a huge year as Megan
showed "Annie" - another
Sheltie puppy! - to
Best Overall Junior
at Trillium.
The
year 2000 was a new
beginning as Megan fell
in love with yet another
breed - poodles. Through
the generosity of Joan
and Judy Ticknor, Megan
showed "Piper" in both
Juniors and the Breed
Ring. This beautiful
mini black bitch was
thrilling to show and
the two won numerous
classes and were Best
Overall on at least
two occasions. Megan
was faced with a new
challenge - she had
to learn to groom this
breed - and learn she
did. Also in 2000, Megan
showed another champion
Sheltie puppy for us,
Ch. Kincardine Coalminer's
Daughter's "Vikki" and
the two picked up another
Best Overall handler.
In July of 2000 Megan
showed in Juniors at
the Golden Retriever
Specialty and won her
class with a beautiful
Golden bitch.
In
2001, Megan had to make
a choice: continue showing
in Juniors, or devote
her energy and time
to working for Professional
Handlers who could help
extend her learning,
and enhance her ability
to groom and present.
Megan made the decision
to put Juniors on the
back burner and worked
for professional handler,
Will Alexander.
We
will always be thankful
to the wonderful people
who supported Megan
in her Juniors career:
Kathy Belville, Anya
Rapaport, Shelley McHugh,
Shirley Baxter, and
Joan and Judy Ticknor.
Megan thanks too the
following Professional
Handlers who taught
her so much: Will Alexander,
Jennifer McAuley and
Colin Brownlee. We thank
as well her fellow Juniors
for their sportsmanship
and friendship. And
an exciting and rewarding
chapter in Megan's "doggy"
life comes to a satisfying
end.
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