A M E S S A G E F R OM T H E P U B L I S H E R CELEBRATING YOU!
D id you know that for the past three years, a little over 83 percent of all show dogs have been han- dled by their Owners? Without Owner-Handlers, the dog fancy wouldn’t be what it is today. Now is a good time for us to celebrate and thank each of our Owner- Handlers. The success of our shows is the result of your dedica- tion and hard work. Did you also know that there are approximately 22,000 AKC events held each year? Ladies and Gentlemen, our sport is growing—and it’s not slowing down. One of the big reasons for this growth is the introduction of the National Owner-Han- dled Series. Since its introduction, a little more than five years ago, this competition has helped the fancy grow—year after year. So, let’s be sure to thank the clubs that have offered this Series as well as those that are looking to introduce it as part of their show weekend. The more clubs that offer the Series, the better it will be for our sport. Show Chairs, please remember that what’s good for the fancy is good for your club as well. I remember when the Owner-Handled Series was intro- duced. Almost everyone thought that it wasn’t going to be spe- cial. Some even thought that it was a second-tier competition. But with a positive attitude, a willingness to accept change and, most importantly, a lot of hard work, the Series has become a success, and the number of Owner-Handlers overall has sky- rocketed. The National Owner-Handled Series is a reminder that there are many reasons to exhibit your “perfect” dog, not just for the ratings systems and “winning at all costs.” We do have to thank the American Kennel Club for insti- tuting the Series and for listening to YOU. They’ve been work- ing hard and making improvements for the better. Yes, there is long way to go, but everything takes time, and refinements are sure to be made toward perfecting the point system, making the Series more prestigious, and getting more clubs involved. As they say, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” If our attitude remains positive, we can ignore the troublemakers and bring smiles back to every dog show. If we have the will to work hard to make things better, we can achieve anything. In March of 2021, Aramedia Group Inc., publisher of SHOWSIGHT, launched the first-ever Owner-Handler Pub- lication, “Ring-Ready,” which in just 10 short months has already reached over three million views on www.showsight- magazine.com and on our social media pages. It is with a clear intention that we keep targeting dog-lovers nationwide who aren’t yet part of our dog show community—but soon will be. Through Ring-Ready alone, we have brought many new Owner-Handlers into our community. Through their purchase of a purebred dog from one of our Preservation Breeders, it is hoped that at least 1 in 10 will enter their new dog at an AKC dog show. Look for the number of Owner-Handlers to continue to rise at even higher rates, month by month, as the majority of newcomers are only interested in showing their dogs them- selves, and many of the breeders and exhibitors who weren’t actively showing over the past two years are coming back to the show ring. I would like to note that we are sharing editorials with all newcomers on the differences between having their dog shown by a Professional Handler and showing their dog themselves, as it is crucial that every newcomer is given the choice to choose if they will show themselves or hire a professional. Today, it seems that we have more Professional Handlers than ever. Now it has come to my attention, over and over, that standards have been lowered and not much is needed any longer to call your- self a “professional.”
This is a topic for another day, but to get it kick-started, we do need to create a standard that every person who is (and is looking to become) a Professional Handler should go by to be fully recognized as a Professional Handler. I understand that this is controversial, but without a genuine standard, quality will dwindle down, which we simply can’t allow if our community is to continue its growth. I can’t stop this message without mentioning the troublemakers. It seems like every other community has troublemakers and those who simply don’t think that any of the rules apply to them. So, they just speak their mind on social media or in their little cir- cles, plotting some type of takeover that they will never achieve. Although there is only small number of these people like this in our community, it is still too many. Over 98 percent of the people in our sport are amazing, positive people who want the sport to thrive. But then you have that two percent who just don’t share the same goals as the positive people who want to be happy, enjoy the dogs, and make dog shows a perfect weekend getaway—a vacation! Well, let me rephrase this: They want the community to thrive only if they are Number One. This isn’t right nor is it productive for the dog show community. Let me share one example: A few months ago, I called a President of one of Parent Clubs to let them know that we will be featuring their breed and to ask if the club would provide educational articles and a one-page advertisement to promote anything the club would like—all published at no charge. In short, the club president said, “We don’t need to promote our breed. We are doing well.” This came from a person who has won 12 of the last 20 National Special- ties. I will let you decide for yourself if this person is doing what’s best for that breed or not. As a publisher, I have many examples like this. Do you know how I reply to this kind of reception? I thank that person for their team, and then my team and I spend hours and days researching all reputable breeders in that breed. When we find them, we reach out and give them an opportunity to promote their breed. One of the main reasons why we sometimes feel the that Sport of Dogs is hurting is because that two percent is loud, and the 98 percent is often too quiet. The reality is that every community has positive and negative people, mean people and nice people, liars and honest people. This is true for our sport too, but most of us can agree to work together by being positive, motivational, and lov- ing. Together, we can continue to celebrate the sport. Let’s take this opportunity to focus on building our community, continuing to support one another, and welcoming new dog owners into our sport. I would like to apologize for getting sidetracked a bit, because this was supposed to be a 300-500-word message, just about Owner-Handlers. However, while sitting at my office desk, typ- ing this message, my emotions led me elsewhere. We all deserve to be thanked—from the AKC to the Professional Handler, Breeder, Judge, Photographer, Groomer, Supportive Husband and Wife and, of course, the Owner-Handler. Let’s celebrate one another by saying, “Thank you.”
Live, Laugh, Love… Breed and Exhibit all those Perfect Dogs!
AJ ARAPOVIC, OWNER & PUBLISHER
Est 1992
40 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 2022
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