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Annual Dog Show Attracts International Owners

Tribune photo by FRED BELLET

Pam Lewis of Dade City sits with her puppy Ferggie, a 9-month-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, while watching the terrier class show of the Inverness Florida Kennel Club All-breed Dog Show.

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By TONY HOLT

Hernando Today

Published: January 10, 2009

BROOKSVILLE - For a few days every winter, Hernando County gets a third city.

Thousands of people and their dogs travel nationwide - and in some cases, worldwide - and converge on Florida Classic Park to compete in the annual dog show organized by the Inverness Florida Kennel Club.

"It's a big undertaking," said John Madieros, one of the organizers. "It's like a tent city ... We get about 3,000 dogs and about 5,000 people per day."

Connie Robbins owns a 4-year-old Keeshond that has won Best in Show in Russia, Belarus, Latvia and Lithuania. She traveled to Florida soon after her dog, Ivan, finished best in his breed at a show in Cleveland.

"This is my hobby," joked Robbins, an Arkansas native who is a missionary in Russia.

The tents were packed with handlers and their dogs as they waited for their chance to trot before the judges. Others were in the nearby grooming tents where they brushed and dried their pedigreed dogs.

The whirring sounds of blow dryers and the high-pitched yelps from some of the crated dogs filled the air Saturday morning.

Among those prepping their dogs were Chris and Laura Topping, of Clearwater. They were sporting T-shirts, jeans and tennis shoes - unlike some of the handlers who were decked out in suits.

They were among the rare owners Saturday who did everything themselves. Some of the avid dog show regulars pay handlers up to $100 per dog. Some of them walk away making more than $1,000 per day, Laura Topping said.

"These are our kids," she said of her golden retrievers. "We have five of them. They live in our house ... They are pets first."

Her husband said once his 20-month-old dog, Duke, is finished with his dog show "career," he plans to use him as a field dog - fetching ducks.

"He's going to be a great couch potato," Chris Topping said jokingly as he brushed Duke. "He's going to sit with me and watch football."

While he talked about the size of the dog show at Florida Classic Park and how it attracts people all over the world, his wife interjected with a saying about golden retrievers.

"Their fur needs to be the color of a good brand of Scotch that's held up to the light," she said.

On average, there are more than 150 breeds that compete at the show. The best dog from each breed competes against other winners to represent the group. The seven group winners then compete for Best in Show. There is a victor selected each day.

"Many people here take their breed to Westminster. There's no doubt about it," said Madieros, who took a rare break Saturday and sipped a cup of coffee in the hospitality tent.

The crowd this year was noticeably smaller than in years past because of the economy, Madieros admitted.

It was still considered a monetary success both for the kennel club and for the area's hotels and restaurants, he said.

Madieros spoke at length about the process of becoming a judge and the wealth of many of the handlers and owners. He and his wife used to compete in dog shows with their Dalmatians and raised several champions.

"The top 5 percent here really are heavy money people," he said as he leaned in and spoke almost to a whisper. "They want a really big-time prestigious (show) dog."

Reporter Tony Holt can be reached at 352-544-5283 or wholt@hernandotoday.com.

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