SALISBURY — The 4-H Junior Dog Show is held every year at the Rowan County Fair. This dog show is a fun and educational experience that focuses on the youth and their ability to relate to their dogs. This year’s show brought out 12 exhibitors.
The show consists of 13 classes: hound, sporting, non-sporting, working, terrier, toy, herding, miscellaneous, puppy, cloverbud, senior citizen dog, trick and talent. In the hound class, Sara Moujahed with her borzoi named Puck, placed first, followed by Erik Thomas with his dachshund Sugar in second, Charlee Williamson with his beagle Roscoe in third, Haylee Sigmon with her dachshund Hank in fourth, and Holly Wallace with her basset hound/beagle cross named Duke in fifth. Logan Davis and his Labradoodle Ben took first place in the sporting class.
Tiffin Jacobs and George, a French bulldog, placed first in the non-sporting class. Abigail Raffaldt and her boxer Stanley earned first place in the working class. In the terrier class, Sam Oster and Pretty Girl, a rat terrier, placed first.
Placing first in the herding group was Mackenzie Catanese and Kya, a Belgian Malinois, followed by Maggy Moore and Cookie, a corgi mix, in second; Lexy Smith and Lily, a shorthair border collie, in third; and Abigail Raffaldt and Riley, a collie, in fourth. Mackenzie Catanese and Grizzley won first place in the miscellaneous group.
The puppy class is for dogs ages 4 months to 1 year old. Showing in this class were Holly Wallace and Duke and Tiffin Jacobs with her bulldog, G. Holly placed first, and Tiffin placed second. The cloverbud class is for youth ages 5 to 8 years old. Earning first place was Haylee Sigmon with Hank, and placing second was Charlee Williamson with Roscoe.
All of the first-place winners then returned to the ring for the Best of Show award. Tiffin Jacobs and George earned this award. The show was judged by Lynn Meeks, Salisbury Kennel Club member.
The final two classes were trick and talent. The trick class consists of commands (such as sit, stay, roll over, bark and beg). The talent class is something special the dog can do (such as jump through a hula hoop). Both classes are judged by audience applause. Entering the trick class were Mackenzie Catanese, Lexy Smith and Erik Thomas. Mackenzie Catanese won the trick class, followed by Lexy Smith, then Erik Thomas. Mackenzie Catanese and Erik Thomas entered the talent class. They tied for first place.
The show concluded with the dog dress-up. Participating were Logan Davis and Ben. Ben was dressed up as the Hot Shots 4-H Shooting Sports Club mascot. Sam Oster and Pretty Girl also participated. Pretty Girl was dressed up as a lady bug.
Sara Drake is Extension agent, 4-H Youth Development, NC Cooperative Extension, Rowan County Center, 704-216-8970
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