ALEXANDRIA MITCHELL-LYNCH THE BREEDER/OWNER HANDLER
1. When were you first introduced to the sport of purebred dogs? To your breed? Twenty years ago, I was looking through the AKC website and saw a picture of an Ibizan Hound. At that point, I needed to learn more. I saw my first Ibizan in-person a year later at a dog show. 2. How many years in dogs? How many as an owner handler? As a breeder? I’ve had 25 years in purebred dogs, and I got my first show-bred dog (Ibizan Hound) 19 years ago. I co-bred by first litter with my mentor 17 years ago, and have been showing (owner handler) ever since. 3. Do you attend show handling classes? Have you attended any handling seminars? I have been to a few handling classes. But most of my training has been at home in my backyard. I have never been to a seminar, but would love to in the future. 4. Have you found virtual learning tools to be helpful? Classes? Videos? Websites? Social Media? In the beginning, I used videos of professionals showing dogs (off YouTube) to help me learn to show my own dogs. 5. Do you compete in the National Owner-Handled Series? Are rankings important to you? I do complete and have done well in NOHS. Rankings are fun, but they’re not my motivation at all. I like showing people that Owner- Handled Teams can be rewarding to both the person and the dog. 6. How important is the Bred-By Class to you? How important are specialties? Bred-By is VERY important to me. I always finish what I keep from a breeding in this class. I’m showing judges and other exhibitors what my breeding program looks like. I’m always proud to finish a dog/bitch from this class. Specialties, to me, are much more important than normal all-breed shows. At a specialty, a lot of times you’re up against some of the best in the country, and there’s a mix of different lines you may not get to see together. If you pull a good judge, and/or breeder judge, that makes it even more worthwhile. 7. Is it a challenge to compete with your breed(s) as a breeder/owner handler? In my breed, Ibizan Hound, I don’t think so. As a breed, we seem to still be very breeder/owner handler friendly, which I hope we always stay. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t try to show your dog as professionally as you can when you learn the skills to do so. 8. Are you intimidated by the professional handlers? By the judges? I used to be. But I’ve learned that if I look the part and put in the time, I can do (and have done) well among the pros. Honestly, I show my dogs because I enjoy the time we spend together. And at the end of the day, I always leave with the best... win or lose.
I got my first AKC Ibizan Hound 19 years ago as a pet, but decided to try showing him a few times. A few years later, I was invited by my breed mentor to co-breed an Ibizan litter with her and was offered pick bitch. “Enya” would go on to be my first show dog and future foundation bitch. Over the years, I have produced Best in Specialty-winning, and multiple Group-winning and Group-placing, Ibizan Hounds. I’ve bred Multiple Dual Champions with Multi Best in Field wins under their belt. I’ve shown, won, and have had multiple placements at the National Specialty, Regional Spe- cialty, and at Westminster (Breed) level. I co-bred one of the top-winning OFC Ibizans (#1 four years in a row). But what I’m also proud of is being able to produce well-bred companions for families that have dreamed of owning an Ibizan Hound one day.
172 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2021
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