At the beginning of this year I was approached by a well known Labrador Breeder and Exhibitor if I would like to spend the summer in America with a professional handler and of course I said yes. This was going to be a summer full of firsts for me as I had never been away from home, never been on an aeroplane and also I had never been abroad. So two months in America was going to be a big step for me. As the date for me to leave came closer and closer I had my doubts about going because as I said it was going to be a very big step for me. But on the 3^rd of July I got on a flight in Heathrow and there was no going back!!

 Once I got to America, I was so glad I had gone the weather was amazingly hot but I soon got used to it. I had been there 2 days when I went to my first dog show in Massachusetts. The experience was amazing but also weird to see how different their shows are compared to ours. The first thing I noticed was that they were all bathing their dogs outside an hour before the show and that also anything goes even down to hairspray in the ring, which one handler was using on a Bichon Frise to ‘raise’ the coat!  One thing you could not help miss is how different their dogs are to ours. The most obvious is that dogs like the Doberman and the Great Dane have cropped ears this to help them look a little fiercer.

 I visited a lot of places during my stay in America including Canada. Whilst I was in Canada they were holding their Junior Handling Finals which is the Canadian equivalent of our JHA Finals and so qualifies the winner to compete in the Finals at Crufts. I got very friendly with Ashleen who handles an English Setter who became the overall winner and I am hoping to meet up with her again in Crufts 2007.

 Whilst I was out in America I helped make up a Havanese called Ray and also had my chance to handle in a Labrador specialty show in Canada I got an Award of Merit. I also took part in the juniors whilst out there and found it very different to ours as they do not shadow or ask for patterns. I obviously found this very weird after ten years of junior handling in the UK. I learnt a lot whilst in America and feel that this helped me to win my semi-finals at Richmond this year and hopefully I will be able to put my experience to good use in the finals in January.

 I would like to thank Kathy Mines who I stayed with whilst in America for all the help she gave me and I can’t wait to return next year. It was also my last year in Junior Handling this year as I turned 17 in September so America was an opportunity of a life time and I would recommend everyone who has the chance to visit any professional handler out there to take it as soon as it is offered as you will learn so much from the people out there who are so welcoming to newcomers to their country.

 If anyone wants to know a little more about my time in America don’t be afraid to come and ask me as I love talking about my stay and I miss it so much because I really would have liked to have stayed but had to come back to attend College.

ROLL ON NEXT JULY!

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