An English shepherd called Sweetie might have been captured off guard Tuesday when she scored additional treats, however owner Alley Kvols was not shocked that her dog won the total grand champ ribbon in this year’s dog program at the Routt County Fair.
“It’s fun to train a dog and to learn what a dog can actually do,” Kvols said. “It’s pretty surprising what dogs can actually do, and what you can learn from showmanship, and obedience and training.”
Kvols has actually won grand champ ribbons in the past, however Tuesday marked the very first time the Steamboat Springs High School junior has actually gotten the total grand champ award. She edged out Rowan Hanaughan, who made the total reserve champ ribbon.
“It’s a pretty big deal for me,” Kvols said. “It made me really happy and really proud.”
On Tuesday, 8 rivals and their four-legged pals made their method around the program arena established at the Routt County Fairgrounds wanting to take home ribbons.
Grand champ honors went to Lucy Wattles in the junior total showmanship class, Amelia Girand in the intermediate total showmanship class, Kvols in the senior total showmanship class, Josey Meader in the total obedience class and Kvols in the total rally class.
Reserve champs consisted of Hanaughan in the junior total showmanship class, Erick Yeiser in senior total showmanship class, Girand in the total obedience class and Yeiser in the total rally.
“I got to have a better relationship with her,” first-year rival Josey Mead said throughout the competitors. “I learned a lot of tricks with her, and at the end we practiced showmanship and how to use these leads and stuff.”
Those lessons were taught by dog reveal superintendents Cathy Shryock and Lisa Guire, who led the programs in Steamboat Springs and Hayden. This year the 2 programs drew 15 individuals with 8 contending in Tuesday’s dog program.
“We do six classes of just book learning, so these members get to learn so much about diseases, vaccination, structure and everything,” Shryock said. “It’s just fun for the kids to get to learn stuff before they bring their dogs and start to play with their dogs.”
Guire said the reasonable is the emphasize of the year for the 4-H members who complete, however the program is where the individuals learn the long-lasting abilities they require to be terrific dog owners and how to handle obstacles when things don’t go as prepared.
“The work that they put in throughout the year is definitely the biggest part,” Guire said. “The show is kind of the highlight, but these dogs are living, breathing beings — they’re not robots. What happens today is not really going to showcase necessarily what they’ve put in all year.”
She said the 4-H members likewise should learn to provide themselves and their operate in an expert method by finishing workbooks and participating in interviews where they require to have a depth of understanding in addition to interaction abilities.
“I love seeing how much they grow throughout the year,” Guire said. “We don’t get to practice year-round, so it’s great to see them go from where they started in the springtime to where they get to at this point at the fair. To see so much growth in all those areas, it is great.”
John F. Russell is the business press reporter at the Steamboat Pilot & Today. To reach him, call 970-871-4209, email [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @Framp1966.
