Page 175 - ShowSight - June 2020

At specialty shows, I get to see many quality dogs in my breed from all over the country that I would not typically see in one state, and I get to learn more about my breed.
Does the future look bright for owner-handlers? The NOHS attracts really great people from all breeds who are proud of their dogs and enjoy showing them. The more you do it, the more people you meet. I have made some great friends in NOHS. In the O-H Working Group I am a part of a squad that consists of owners of a Newfoundland, a Bernese Mountain dog, a Mastiff and me, the Cane Corso owner. Even though we compete against each other we think of ourselves as family. We cheer for each other when we compete in Breed, and we are happy for each other when we win in Group. We support one another. It’s a wonderful feeling to be part of such a community.
I was very fortunate to have good people who helped and guided me when I took my first steps in the ring. Those people made it a special experience for me. I want to encourage judges, professional handlers, and experienced owner-handlers to help and guide new owner-handlers to engage in this fantastic sport, and to make their experience a wonderful one.
ALLISON SOHN
I live in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia. My breed is Old English Sheepdogs. I’ve been showing for almost five years, though I’ve had OES as pets for the last 14 years and, before that, they were my childhood pets as well.
Do I have any hobbies or interests apart from breeding and showing dogs? I’m a visual artist; I draw and paint. I also love to garden and travel. Showing my dogs doesn’t allow much time for the first two, but it does scratch my travel bug.
How long have I been competing as an owner-handler? Just shy of five years. I didn’t know what owner-handler was when I started showing. I didn’t know what anything was, beyond that I had a dog that came with a contract saying I would show him to his championship. At my second dog show, my mentor was helping me fill in my entry form, and she said, “Make sure you check owner- handled.” I did and the rest is history.
Have I taken handling classes or attended seminars on handling? Yes. When I started, I took weekly handling classes for months leading up to our first show, and then continued taking them on and off for the first year we showed. I literally knew nothing; at one point I was taking two classes a week. One was showing me how to stack and gait and to do different down and back patterns. The other covered that information as well, but also the structure of the sport. Like when to go into a ring, when to come out and go back, and how to calculate points. In addition to that, I attended a two-day seminar here in Atlanta from a professional who has been involved in the sport for a very long time. That was invaluable.
Do I compete in the AKC National Owner-Handled Series? I do, and I like to think I have done so fairly successfully. Both of my owner-handled dogs have multiple O-H BIS as well as regular Group placements and wins.
What are my thoughts about competing with professional han- dlers? I know a lot of owner-handlers feel that professionals have an unfair advantage, that they simply win by benefit of being who they are. While I do feel like they have an advantage, I counter that it comes from showing as much as they do. If “practice makes perfect,” then that explains why some professional handers suc- ceed where some of us owner-handlers do not. If I showed every weekend, all year, year in and year out, I’d like to think that I’d be that good at handling too (if not, then I need to rethink this whole thing). A good handler instinctively knows how to best present a dog; how to compensate for the dog’s weaker qualities and how to highlight its strongest. Good professional handlers do this and they make it look effortless.
When I first started, I watched the professional handlers and our breed’s breeder/owner-handlers constantly. Showing an Old Eng- lish Sheepdog in Atlanta I was often the only dog there, so would have lots of opportunities to go to Group. I’d pick a handler I’d seen doing well in competition, and I’d try and understand what they were doing and when. I learned to watch the professionals for handling tips, and I’m always grateful when I’m in or out of the ring and they offer suggestions on how I could improve our performance or my presentation of my dog.
Who are my role models when it comes to showing dogs? People in my breed who I have seen play fair, support their fellow com- petitors, and promote the standard as well as good sportsmanship. I admire my breeder/owner-handlers (and in Dale’s case, also an AKC Judge) Dora and Dale Meyer immensely, and hope to one day contribute to our breed as they have.
I was given a grooming space next to David Fitzpatrick at my very first dog show. He was kind, helpful, and pleasant company the entire time, tolerating what I’m sure where stupid questions from me. I hope one day to be a fraction of the showman and good sportsman he is.
I love to watch dogs shown by handlers who do the job well and look good doing it. I wouldn’t necessarily call them role models, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t watch them and try and emulate some of the qualities they exhibit while grooming and showing; like Michelle Scott, Derek Beatty, Colton and Heather Johnson, Arvind Debraganca and Jere Marder.
Do I prefer to compete at specialties or at all-breed shows? A large percentage of our breed is shown by their owners and/or breeders, and these are people who have been doing it a very long time. I always feel at a disadvantage at specialty events for this rea- son, but I also know meeting up with these longtime veterans of our breed at specialty events is where I am going to learn the most. So both kinds of events have challenges; show against the pros or against my breed’s best and brightest in terms of breeding, handling and showing. Do I have a preference? Probably not. I love the excuse to connect with OES people from all over the country at specialties, but I miss seeing the regular “show friends” I see at all-breed events.
And as far as the competition itself, I remind myself that I have nice dog and, if I do my job well, the judge will find them regardless of the setting.
Does the future look bright for owner-handlers? I think the future is as bright as we want to make it. I like to think that my own future is very bright (if we can see beyond the fog that the pandemic has cast over everything). I have great dogs, a wonderful support system, and I love showing.
The funniest thing I’ve ever experienced as an owner-handler? It was only my second or third dog show, and it was here in Atlanta. My dog was the only one showing, and I want to say he was in 6-9 Puppy at the time. The Judge made a very thorough examination, and came up exclaiming, “Ma’am, your dog only has one testicle!” Now I’m brand new at this, and I’m already nervous and now I’m a little panicky. Without even thinking, I blurt out, “That’s impos- sible! I de-matted both of them this morning!” He was joking with me of course, and burst out laughing.
I’d also like to share that I’m so grateful to everyone and anyone who has contributed positively to our journey. I had no idea how much I would love showing when I started. Showing my dog to his championship was an obligation I needed to complete because I’d signed a contract saying that I would do so but, almost from the very first day, I loved it. I had no idea what I was doing, but I was so ready to learn. I could not believe that this amazing com- munity existed and I never knew it; people working with their dogs, to bring about healthy, well-bred companions and competitors. I’ve found “my people,” and I can’t wait to get back to showing!
OWNER-HANLDER Q&A
SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, JUNE 2020 | 173