- AKC National Championship
- cavalier king charles spaniel
- junior handler
- AKC Obedience & Rally Junior Showcase
Just a year ago, 11-year-old Julia Simone Williams from Winnamere, Florida was watching dog shows on TV. Now, she will be making her AKC Rally competition debut with her 8-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, “Goji,” at the 13th AKC Obedience & Rally Junior Showcase as part of the AKC National Championship week, presented by Royal Canin, on Dec. 14 and 15.
Making Dreams Happen
Growing up, Williams always dreamed of getting involved in dog shows but wasn’t sure where to start. She says her mom was also really into dogs and the two of them would watch the National Dog Show on TV every Thanksgiving. After they watched the show in 2023, Williams’ mom started to do research and got connected with some local dog owners. They saw a post looking for Juniors to show Italian Greyhounds at the AKC National Championship. Not realizing what a big show it was, William’s mom signed her up to handle a dog.

“I didn’t meet the dog I was showing until the day before, so I had to learn from watching videos of previous shows and reading books and practicing with my dog stuffie at home,” Williams recalls. She has come a long way from practicing conformation with her stuffed animals, and this year in addition to debuting in AKC Rally, Williams will be returning to the conformation ring with the same Italian Greyhound she showed last year.
Mentorship Makes All the Difference
Mentorship has been key for helping Williams to go from watching dog shows to participating. “I just look for anyone who is willing to help me, and then I store away all the information,” she explains. Thinking back to her first show a year ago, Williams recalls, “when I walked in, I barely knew what a stack was, so I just stood there with this dog on a string and just sort of stared at the judge. It was so cringy, but it was also a lot of fun.”
Seeing her tenacity and excitement for the sport, the local Florida dog community rallied around Williams. She’s especially grateful to Dr. Mary-Lynn Jensen who has been her mentor in all things dog sports. Williams and her mom say that without Jensen’s support, Williams would still be sitting on the sidelines trying to figure out how to get involved.
Discovering AKC Rally
This year Williams began taking Obedience classes at the Orlando Dog Training Club with her dog Goji. After class, Williams was asked if she could steward for an AKC Rally trial that the club was hosting. “I watched it and it was so cool, I just thought it was amazing,” Williams says.

After stewarding that trial, Williams started training in AKC Rally with Goji. She had been taking classes with adults, but Williams knew she couldn’t be the only kid in her area interested in dog training. With the help of her mom, AKC Rally instructor Paige Johnson, and the Orlando Dog Training Club, they founded a local 4H club. The club, which was founded in September 2024, already has nine kids participating. Since Williams is homeschooled, she says that getting to do dog sports with other junior handlers has been a great way to make new friends with kids who share her interests.
Williams’ favorite part of AKC Rally is getting to work with her dog and meet new people. While having other kids to train with is fun for Williams, she’s thrilled about the community of mentors and friends of all ages that the dog world has brought into her life. “I’m always looking for people who can teach me,” Williams explains. She’s especially grateful to the “ladies of Orlando Dog Training Club who are really nice.” These competitors have been a great source of community for Williams. She says that these adult friends and mentors will often sit with her on the sidelines during AKC Rally practices and share tips and tricks with her to implement when training with Goji.
Getting Ready for the AKC Obedience & Rally Junior Showcase
Williams took basic obedience classes with Goji, but they didn’t start training in AKC Rally until this fall. “Goji didn’t know heel, so I had to teach him everything from the beginning, and it was hard, but he’s pretty smart, so he figured it out,” Williams says. Training has gone well, in part because Goji will “do anything for a turkey stick.”
As part of her preparations, Williams has been reading every dog book she can find and studying different dog training and handling techniques. To get ready for the AKC Obedience & Rally Junior Showcase, Williams and Goji practice a little bit every day. “I build on what I showed him yesterday and if he’s forgotten something then I work on that,” she explains. Williams’ goal is always to make training fun for Goji, but she says that if treats are involved, Goji’s excited to try anything.
Williams is looking forward to Goji’s first AKC Rally competition being at the AKC Obedience & Rally Junior Showcase, and she is training a little bit every day to get ready. Goji can get easily distracted, so she’s working hard to keep his attention on her to get him ring ready. Williams’ big goal going into the competition is for a smooth and focused performance with Goji, but regardless of what happens, her relationship with her dog is the top priority. “I will be happy as long as my dog is happy,” Williams explains. Being able to compete at the AKC Obedience & Rally Junior Showcase is a dream come true for Williams. After the show, her top goals are to continue training and compete in more conformation and AKC Rally events with Goji.
The AKC National Championship, presented by Royal Canin, is the dog world’s biggest event of the year! Learn more about conformation and follow your favorite breeds at dog shows throughout the year. They might be competing for the coveted Best in Show title in December!