HAS THE PURSUIT OF BEING ELITE LED TO ELITISM IN THE SPORT OF DOGS?
single dog handler or a limited dog han- dler who is hired by one to seven owners. Nancy works with a knowledgeable profes- sional to hone her craft—her art—while you are at the soccer pitch. All these statistics may seem bleak for the owner handler; however, all is not lost. Be reassured! Let’s go back to the origi- nal conversation, the derisive comments, which were not from—I repeat—were not from a professional handler! There are people who believe that the owner handler cannot prevail. I’m here to tell you that the owner handler can prevail when they are appropriately motivated and have the right training. There are countless owner handlers who have been outrageously successful and are, rightfully, a part of the Dog Show Elite. With that said, I must declare that owner handlers deserve respect whether they are part of the elite or not—they serve as an integral part of the dog show community. There are also those who think that owner handlers have less knowledge than professional handlers. I would argue that there are owner handlers who have a deep knowledge, gleaned from years and years of raising puppies and watching them grow up. Many owner handlers have spent decades running the roads and going to the “milestone”—150 shows a year. They continue to develop their knowledge base and hone the art of breeding, owning, and handling dogs. Do you see how these nuances imply a hierarchy? None of these personal differ- ences places anyone in an inferior or supe- rior position in relation to their competi- tion. Elitism by definition is the belief that one person or group is superior to another. This way of thinking, in turn, causes a hierarchy. The word hierarchy means “occupying different levels,” which sub- sequently affects behavior. This, I would argue, was exhibited at the ringside sce- nario; a perfect example of the treacherous nature of elitism. Would you agree that we should be aware of the negative and restrictive mean- ing of the term elitism? We should be aware of the arrogant, condescending, and quite frankly, pompous and pretentious connotations of elitism. Now if we refine and polish our vision for dog show competitions, and add a posi- tive spin, we can enquire: How can we, as participants, as handlers, rise to the top? The challenge is how to join that club of a select few, the elite, the winner’s circle— and how to do so with respect for the sport, for our fellow competitors, and for our- selves—sans elitism.
There are those who are somotivated that they elevate themselves into the elite quad- rant regardless of the sport they compete in. In the world of dog shows, we can see the elite—the select—who occupy the top (the winner’s circle) whether they have gone the professional path or the owner handler path. WHAT IS YOUR PATH? Because the dog show is a system, there is room for different levels of commitment. For example, some owner handlers go to 150 shows a year. They are highly dedi- cated and have found a way to integrate their lifestyle with their beloved sport. Others go to twenty shows a year. They are equally committed at the level they are competing in. Perhaps they want to com- pete at the specialty level. What about the club member? Some club members volun- teer to chair for several club’s shows. Other club members show up once a year to their single all-breed club. Others don’t show up at all yet pay membership dues, which helps the club’s treasury. There are still others who work hard for a short period of time, proving to them- selves that they can be competitive, and then move on to other endeavors. They may stop showing dogs altogether or start hiring professionals to reach their goals for them. Now, this is not a bad thing. Those of you who have followed me know that I believe that hiring a professional handler often- times creates more advantages than not. The sport of dogs is not for everyone. The sport of dogs requires a grittiness that many competitors find difficult to maintain. Here’s where being an owner handler comes in. As an owner handler, you start with one dog and then have a second dog, and then maybe you have a third and fourth dog at the same time because you had a lit- ter. You may have started when you were in your twenties, perhaps took a break to have a baby—or not—or another baby. Maybe you maintained your presence at ringside and brought your baby to the shows. Or you extended your break to switch from the show ring to the soccer pitch. Now let’s look at “Nancy.” You both started around the same time, both in your twenties. Nancy is on track to becoming a professional handler. She is immersed in the world of dog shows and is exponen- tially engaged in learning the profession of handling. As an assistant, she starts by showing and preparing two to ten dogs. After an undetermined amount of time as an assistant, she will build her clientele base and workload to as many as forty dogs every weekend. In time, she decides to spe- cialize by concentrating on working with a few select, elite owners. She becomes a
LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE WORDS ELITISM AND ELITE: ELITISM: SNOBBERY, SUPERIORITY, EXCLUSIVITY, SELECTIVENESS, RESTRICTEDNESS ELITE: SELECT, CHOICE, LEADING, TOP, EXCLUSIVE, SELECTED, BEST, PRIVILEGED, INFLUENTIAL, SELECTED, ELECT
BIOGRAPHY Ms. Lee Whittier has been involved in the sport of purebred dogs for over three decades. Her involvement began as owner, exhibitor, and subsequently, a breeder of Rottweilers. She has also owned and exhibited numerous breeds in three Groups, currently Tibetan Terriers. Lee began judging in 2000, and then took a hiatus for several years to work for The American Kennel Club as an Executive Field Representative. She returned to judging in 2011, and currently judges the Working, Terrier, Toy, and Non-Sporting Groups, eleven Hounds breeds, six Sporting breeds, Bouvier des Flandres, and Best In Show. She has judged throughout the US as well as internationally. Lee is a standing member of Dog Fanciers of Oregon, the American Rottweiler Club, and the Tibetan Terrier Club of America. She is Show Chair for Vancouver Kennel Club and the Terrier Association of Oregon’s January show with Rose City Classic. In addition to judging, Lee Whittier has developed the Dog Show Mentor program, exclusively for owner handlers. This is an online program where owner handlers of all stages and levels learn to develop an individual, strategic approach to showing dogs. She also travels to speak to owner handlers all over the world.
134 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 2022
Powered by FlippingBook