First, let me congratulate Frankie and Teddy! It isn't easy to go in
there with the big kids and win! Robin, you most be most proud.
I want to add a bit to what Myra is saying here. My children both did a
bit of junior handling and showing when they were younger. For various
reasons, both stopped doing it for a while. Recently, our oldest son
has begun to take handling class again and wishes to return to the ring.
He has a few reasons; enjoys the sport, loves the dogs and also
because he is otherwise not interested at all in team sports. In
examining his "resume" in terms of college applications, he decided that
he needed a "sport" to add to this list. To our surprise, he wanted to
go back into the show ring. He is even taking an interest in learning
pedigrees and reproduction. However, he is not thinking of junior
handling.
I found it interesting that in their early years, both of our kids
liked showing against adults far more than showing in juniors. The
juniors is highly competitive, and even at the lower levels they felt
uncomfortable. Oddly.......neither felt uncomfortable showing against
adults and they did some winning. I think that the junior handling has
much to offer in terms of learning and camaraderie, but not all children
wish to compete in the same way. My children preferred to compete in
the forum in which their dogs were judged more than their handling.
So, I agree with Myra that this sport is a terrific one for kids. But
just as the equitation arena has become enormously competitive in the
horse world requiring not only talent, ambition and commitment but also
a lot of money, so has junior handling become a very intense commitment
for kids. Good luck to those who can make it because if "they can make
it there they'll make it anywhere!" <G>
Best,
Suze (who doesn't have the skill of some of the great junior handlers!)
Myra Savant wrote:
> Get her excited in advance with some nice books on handling that the two of
> you can look through, and buy her a beautiful scrap book with an
> appropriate
> cover and let her know that she can keep her ribbons and pictures and
> programs in it once she starts. For Christmas this year, give her a great
> little show lead, and an outfit for showing. One of the girls that handles
> for us in the summers has all that stuff from when she was only about 5-6,
> filled with cute pictures of her handling dobermans when she was only about
> as tall as they were. It's a great activity for kids, and in today's
> world,
> we need all the good healthy activities we can get for our children. That
> little girl who used to handle as a little kid is in college now, and can
> accomplish more with a dog in an hour than anyone I've ever known. Myra
>
>
>>
--
Suze at Llawen Cavaliers
"...I have seen that in any great undertaking it is not enough for a man
to depend simply upon himself." -Isna Ia-wica
"Thought comes before speech" Luther Standing Bear
(c) Susan A. Schlenger 2002 All Rights Reserved
Do not forward without permission of the author.
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