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GIRARD —
Brownie, a redbone coonhound, has been a champion dog thanks to his owner, Hepler’s Austin Smith, 11, Lucky Riders. This year, Brownie was the grand champion in the novice obedience division.
“He’s a very good puppy. He’s 4, but he’s still a puppy to me. In my eyes, he’ll always be a puppy,” Smith said.
Brownie wasn’t the only good puppy on Sunday, as dozens of dogs and 4-H owners competed in an arid 4-H Dog Show at Bill Peak Arena.
The competitors, who were as young as 7 years old, competed in three different categories: Showmanship, Obedience and Agility.
“Anyone can do showmanship,” said judge Jennifer Barber, a veterinarian from Miami, Okla. “Obedience takes training and agility is just fun.”
But it’s fun for more than just the competitors. It’s also fun for people like announcer Martha Price, who has been a part of this competition in one way or another for many years. In fact, she’s helped out in training for many of the 4-Hers.
“I’ve been doing this for 30+ years,” Price said. “There’s always a point in the training where it all comes together. About the fifth or sixth time, it’s like a light bulb in the dog’s heads, ‘Oh, that’s what you want me to do.’ That just gets my heart thumping. It’s a thrill for me.
“I just enjoy it so much. They’re going to have to scrape me up and put me in a casket to get away from dog training.”
Bethany Schifferdecker, Girard, also helped a number of kids with dog training. This year, she served more of a support role after competing in the event for many years. In fact, she helped provide some of the equipment for the agility course and was involved in setting the course up. But her real treat was seeing those she trained succeed.
“It’s really rewarding to see,” Schifferdecker said. “When you’re doing it yourself, you know the improvement you’re making, but you don’t really see it as much. But when you see the kids, it’s really great to see the improvement in just a few weeks.... I had an older 4-H member come out and teach me when I was really little, so that’s why I teach these kids.”
Some dogs took to the agility course well, and others needed a little more coaxing from their owners. However, the show was a lot of fun despite the midsummer heat for all involved.
“The thing I like about showing my dogs is I can show how much experience they have,” Smith said. “I can tell them how many years I’ve shown them, and show the time I’ve put into it.”
Andrew Nash can be reached at andrew.nash@morningsun.net or by calling 231-2600 ext. 140.
Brownie, a redbone coonhound, has been a champion dog thanks to his owner, Hepler’s Austin Smith, 11, Lucky Riders. This year, Brownie was the grand champion in the novice obedience division.
“He’s a very good puppy. He’s 4, but he’s still a puppy to me. In my eyes, he’ll always be a puppy,” Smith said.
Brownie wasn’t the only good puppy on Sunday, as dozens of dogs and 4-H owners competed in an arid 4-H Dog Show at Bill Peak Arena.
The competitors, who were as young as 7 years old, competed in three different categories: Showmanship, Obedience and Agility.
“Anyone can do showmanship,” said judge Jennifer Barber, a veterinarian from Miami, Okla. “Obedience takes training and agility is just fun.”
But it’s fun for more than just the competitors. It’s also fun for people like announcer Martha Price, who has been a part of this competition in one way or another for many years. In fact, she’s helped out in training for many of the 4-Hers.
“I’ve been doing this for 30+ years,” Price said. “There’s always a point in the training where it all comes together. About the fifth or sixth time, it’s like a light bulb in the dog’s heads, ‘Oh, that’s what you want me to do.’ That just gets my heart thumping. It’s a thrill for me.
“I just enjoy it so much. They’re going to have to scrape me up and put me in a casket to get away from dog training.”
Bethany Schifferdecker, Girard, also helped a number of kids with dog training. This year, she served more of a support role after competing in the event for many years. In fact, she helped provide some of the equipment for the agility course and was involved in setting the course up. But her real treat was seeing those she trained succeed.
“It’s really rewarding to see,” Schifferdecker said. “When you’re doing it yourself, you know the improvement you’re making, but you don’t really see it as much. But when you see the kids, it’s really great to see the improvement in just a few weeks.... I had an older 4-H member come out and teach me when I was really little, so that’s why I teach these kids.”
Some dogs took to the agility course well, and others needed a little more coaxing from their owners. However, the show was a lot of fun despite the midsummer heat for all involved.
“The thing I like about showing my dogs is I can show how much experience they have,” Smith said. “I can tell them how many years I’ve shown them, and show the time I’ve put into it.”
Andrew Nash can be reached at andrew.nash@morningsun.net or by calling 231-2600 ext. 140.
