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Varied Interests, Varied Roles My interest in the sport of purebred dogs has varied greatly. At the age of seven, my initial interest was in training our family’s dogs in basic obedience. I began training the dogs for agility competition at the age of nine. For five years, that was my sole passion. My family acquired our first Polish Lowland Sheepdog in 1997. By 1998, we had two Polish Lowland Sheepdogs and my competitive focus had shifted from agility to conformation. Once I sampled the conformation ring, I became interested and involved in Juniors for the next four years. During those four years, I also tested the waters of the breed ring with my Polish Lowland Sheepdog. Since aging out of juniors, I have continued to maintain my presence in the breed ring. There I have finished two Polish Lowland Sheepdogs and have recently acquired and begun showing a Pug. The conformation competition has also aroused my interest in breeding. Currently, my father and I selectively breed Polish Lowland Sheepdogs. Aside from the show ring, I am also involved in the sport of purebred dogs behind the scenes. In 2001, I was the trophy chairperson for the Polish Lowland Sheepdog National Specialty. I am currently the membership committee chairperson for the American Polish Lowland Sheepdog Club. At the age of eighteen, I became a member of Piedmont Kennel Club, a Charlotte, NC, all-breed club. In September 2004, I served as assistant show chairperson for a nearly twelve hundred-entry all-breed show. At the beginning of 2004, I took over as the Concessions Manager at Piedmont Kennel Club. After the September 2004 dog show, I was approached by the club president to serve as the chairperson for the club’s first back-to-back all-breed shows in April 2005, a challenge I readily accepted. Aside from maintaining leadership roles in dog shows, I have also worked at dog shows in nearly every capacity, from helping with parking and RVs to ensuring that judges arrive at the show on time and helping with hospitality. In the future, I would like to serve on the board of one or more of the clubs I belong to and eventually become an officer. I plan to maintain the various leadership roles in all the clubs of which I am a member. Ultimately, I hope to become involved in more forms of competition such as obedience, herding, and tracking. I also wish to become involved in Rottweilers, a breed I have held a profound interest in for the past eight years, after I complete my college education. This summer I hope to explore my options of future employment with the American Kennel Club through the Summer Intern program. The future is a blank slate, one I am sure will become filled with various roles in the sport of purebred dogs. I am open and actively seeking new experiences and opportunities to enhance my knowledge of purebred dogs. *Bri participated in the AKC Summer Intern Program and is now
a full-time employee in the Performance Events department. |
