SHS student "handles" her own
Written by Macey Wolfer, Former Student on Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Snohomish High School is full of animal lovers of many kinds, but one senior combined that love and determination to accomplish something incredible.
Pearson has been working with dogs since she was a little girl.
"I started showing dogs long before I started 4-H. I was born into it, and the first time I went in the ring was when I was two," she said.
She is in the Snohomish County 4-H club "Pawsabilities", and has been in the 4-H program for a long time.
"I think I started 4-H when I was 8 or 9, but I've only been active in 4-H for the last couple of years," Pearson said.
Pearson has been working extremely hard to be the best handler she can be. The dog she works with is a 5-year-old Australian Shepherd, a blue merle, named Promise.
The AKC has sporting, hound, Working, terrier, toy, non-sporting, and herding groups. The Australian Shepherd is part of the herding group, and has a set list of standards for what judges look for in the breed. The preferred size for females is 18-21 inches tall, with short, smooth hair on the head, ears, and front of the forelegs, according to the AKC website.
Meeting all of the standards required is a daunting task, and a handler must work for a very long time to ensure they reach those standards. Pearson has had plenty of experience in her years, which allows her to focus on what she needs to do as a handler.
"To prepare, I'm just going to continue to practice, train, and groom," said Pearson with confidence.
Since Pearson has been working with dogs for such a large portion of her life, she has a firm grasp on how to train and work with different types. She has had to face many obstacles and find ways to work through them. As any dog owner would know, dogs can be difficult to work with and can be completely unpredictable at times. Pearson has faced issues with the dogs she has worked with in the past, but has found ways to turn them into positive experiences.
“There are easy dogs, and hard dogs,” she said. "Some people get handed trained dogs, or at least have a dog that's not too difficult. I always get the ‘butt-dogs,' the wild, crazy maniacs. With that said, I've always worked through it and because of that, it's made me a better handler.”
A better handler indeed, considering her exciting qualification. Pearson recently qualified for American Kennel Club's 2013 Eukanuba National Championship. It will be held in Orlando, Florida, in December.
Not just anyone can go to Eukanuba. The handler would need to achieve a certain number of class wins in order to qualify for the juniors show. Pearson did just that.
“I'm not planning on winning, no realistic person does, but I do hope to win Best Junior Handler at 'Euk,'” said Pearson.
Winning Best Junior Handler would be an outstanding feat for any handler, and Pearson has great skill and hard work on her side.
Clearly all the time and work put into showing dogs is very tiring and at times, very frustrating. Dogs, no matter how smart and well trained, do not always do what their owner wants them to. Sometimes there are huge distractions that can upset or over excite a dog in the ring. Other times, the handler might face a wardrobe malfunction or an unfair judge. At times like these, the support of others is always needed. Pearson has been fortunate to have so many people on her side, helping and encouraging her.
“My biggest supporter is my mom. She got me started in the dogs, has taught me most of what I know, pays for the shows, and stays calm even when I'm not,” she stated.
According to Pearson, image is also a huge part of the show.
“I also appreciate my older sister, Laura. She also shows, so we're really competitive against each other. She's also mean, in a good way. Like, ‘your hair looks stupid, I'm going to fix it.'"
With so many years of facing challenges and supportive people behind her, Pearson has a great advantage. However, she remains modest and does not expect to win. She plans to continue with her showing no matter what, and feels that she will always be showing Australian Shepherds.
“There is another big show on the east coast, Westminster in New York, and I've almost qualified for it,” she said.
As for the upcoming show, she will prepare as much as she can, especially mentally.
“I haven't gotten nervous before going in the ring in years. With that said, I probably will at Eukanuba, so a breath mint goes a long way,” said Pearson.
“My biggest challenge is to have good luck. Everyone who goes to this show is going to be good, so I need the judge to like my handling style, I need to have Promise working with me, and we need to not trip. This goes for everyone who will be showing, no matter how good you are or how prepared, you need really good luck on the day of the show.”
