669 – How to Climb the Mountain to Owner Handled Success
How to Climb the Mountain to Owner Handled Success
Antoinelle Vulpis joins host Laura Reeves to discuss how she climbed to the pinnacle of owner handled success, winning Best in Show at Montgomery Kennel Club with her Skye Terrier.
Vulpis discussed the beginning of this journey in an episode with Laura five years ago. Today’s conversation brings the story full circle.
“After our big win at Kennel Club of Philadelphia, I was thinking, we got some awesome momentum,” Vulpis said. “We got two more best in show after I spoke with you. I was like, this is incredible. And then the pandemic hit, so all that momentum and excitement just went away for me. For everyone, you know, it was just kind of a weird time. And then when we were lucky enough to have shows again, trying to pick that back up and make people believe again is kind of tough. So it was a little of a unique experience in that.
“Then (I) realiz(ed) that I have these goals in mind, just these little things that I want to check off my checklist. I want to show him at my national. As a veteran. That was a goal of mine and that’s what our whole plan was to do. And then I went to Canada too. I was like, let me get his Canadian Championship. Go to Canada with my girlfriends, have a girls weekend and try to get a title. So yeah, I literally only showed him in June (2024) to finish his Canadian title and then Montgomery.
…if the judge can’t see it, it doesn’t matter…
“(In Best in Show) we’re showing to Lydia Coleman Hutchinson, the legend. I’ve shown to her several times throughout my dog’s career, maybe half a dozen times. But just to be in the ring and like to put my dog on the table as you know, a 7 1/2 year old dog, like just knowing that she’s seen him as a puppy, it was very emotional for me and I just kept on being like ‘Don’t cry. Don’t cry.’
“It’s just such a full circle moment. And I felt so fortunate to just be in her ring again at this stage because this is going to be my last time showing him at the National.
“(On his down and back) I took a knee, man. I mean, it was my Hail Mary. It was the last move, the last card that I had in my deck. So I just got down and just tried to manipulate the lead a little bit and to get him to react to me. And just to see like, ohh, mom is eye level, that kind of thing. And so if you get that, you can get the ears to react a little bit and just let him show off that beautiful top line and his long neck. So you just want him to just for a brief second show off these qualities that we know he has. But you know the answer right? I know my dog has it, but if the judge can’t see it, it doesn’t matter.”
To hear all of Vulpis’ tips and tricks, listen in to the podcast today…
347 — Tracy Szaras: “Pretty Good, but it’s Not Perfect Yet”
Tracy Szaras: “It Looks Pretty Good, but it’s Not Perfect Yet”
Professional handler Tracy Szaras, whose Hungarian heritage leads her mother to describe her as a “real Gypsy,” says the pursuit of perfect is her secret to success.
Szaras showed her first dogs in grade school, because her mom showed dogs. Her mom was a great trainer, Szaras said, who helped her process questions. Mom taught her proper conditioning and basic animal husbandry.
Szaras’ first breed is Lakeland Terriers, so her mom took her to Montgomery County Kennel Club for the first time almost 30 years ago.
Montgomery County started it all
“I saw all these dogs looking awesome, everybody dressed to the nines. I really got into it that weekend. That next year I went to work for Greg Strong. I thought I knew how to pull hair until I went there. He showed me how to do flatwork, to do it correctly. I became driven. Greg taught me more, about trimming, skittish dogs, etc. I learned a lot in a short time.
“Then I went to Bergit Coady and learned about low-legged terriers. On my days off I went to Gabriel Rangel‘s kennel to learn more.
“I was a sponge. I didn’t even date. All I wanted to do was learn and know everything about terriers.
“I learned detail work from Gabriel. Learned by watching. I learned to trim, especially heads, from Gabriel.
“I thought I was going out on my own. Next came Maripi Wooldridge. When she was considering quitting, she wanted me to take over her clients.
“I was amazed. I thought I’d learned all I could. There’s always something to learn. Now, I’m always looking. It looks pretty good, but it’s not perfect yet. I want to be the best. I don’t want to shortcut anything, thanks to Maripi.