Mainers make mark at dog show Cardigan Welsh corgi wins Best of Opposite Sex

NEW YORK – Tuesday, Feb. 12, the final day of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden, was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for one Mainer and the beginning of a dream for another.

Champion (Ch.) Woodrose Wilhelmina (“Meena”), a 3-year-old female Cardigan Welsh corgi co-owed by Pixie Lauer, 48, of Alna and Karen Lyons of East Pittston, was awarded Best of Opposite Sex in a large class composed solely of champions. This was Lauer’s and Meena’s first trip to the Garden, and an upset victory for them.

Cardigan Welsh corgis, nicknamed “Cardies,” are herding dogs, originally from Wales, as the name implies. They have long bodies, short but powerful legs, and upright ears. They are known as “the corgi with a tail,” as their Pembroke cousins are nearly tailless. Cardies are alert, outgoing dogs. They are effective herders, as well as being great family pets.

At most dog shows, less experienced dogs compete against each other for points toward a championship title. Only after those points are awarded do the best male and female dogs compete against established champions for the Best of Breed title. All dog breeds are divided into seven groups, based on the purpose for which they were developed. The best of each breed competes against the others in its group for Best of Group. The seven group winners then go head-to-head for Best in Show. Cardigan Welsh corgis compete in the Herding Group against collies, German shepherd dogs, Shetland sheepdogs, and similar breeds.

At the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, there are no preliminary classes. Entry is restricted to just over 2,500 dogs, and all must have their championship titles. In each breed, males and females compete against each other for Best of Breed and the Best of Opposite Sex to the Best of Breed. In Meena’s class, there were 13 dogs entered. Only the Best of Breed went on to compete in the Herding Group competition, but Meena’s Best of Opposite Sex award carries a great deal of prestige because it was won at Westminster.

Lauer has six Labrador retrievers in addition to her three corgis. She had bred Labs for many years when her friend Karen Lyons persuaded her to look at a 4-month old Cardie pup. “She came barreling around the house at me, and I knew that she was mine,” Lauer recalled with a smile. That pup became Ch. Twinroc’s Exclamation – Meena’s mother. Lauer named Meena for her Welsh grandmother, and co-owns her with Lyons, who received an excited call from Lauer after the win.

Lauer teaches at Evergreen Sudbury School in Hallowell and takes her dogs with her to school. They also travel to her weekend home health care assignments. The dogs have inspired two of her students, Ryan Johnson, 12, of Farmingdale and Jessie Schooley, 11, of Winthrop, who now attend shows with Lauer and even compete in the junior showmanship ring. Schooley accompanied Lauer to Westminster and is about to get her own Cardie, an 8-week-old pup she’ll name Obie.

Getting to New York and then paying for hotels and restaurants is expensive. Some of the competing dogs came on their own tour buses with large contingents of groomers and handlers. “Everyone thinks you have to be a millionaire to compete at Westminster,” Lauer laughed. “I’m proof that it is possible to make it here on a budget.”

She gives credit to her support network of friends and relatives who helped her get to New York and cared for her other dogs, horses, ducks and goats while she was away. She also credits Marianne Claflin, who handles Meena in the ring for her. “I get too scared, and would rather let a professional do the job,” she admitted. “I love to watch my dogs in the ring, without the stress!”

Lauer also spoke of the support she received from the New Yorkers she met. Many stopped her on the street to say hello and ask if she and her dog were “here for The Show.”

When asked if she planned to visit ground zero in lower Manhattan, Lauer paused. “No, I’m a dog person. My tribute was to cry and stamp in support of the search and rescue dogs” who appeared Monday night at the show, representing the canine and human rescue workers in New York and Washington. A friend also made a red, white and blue spangled cover for the top of Meena’s crate, which was displayed proudly.

When asked what’s next for her and Meena, Lauer said, “We’ll keep on showing, then maybe she’ll have a litter. I’d like one or two of her puppies to raise.” Perhaps one of those puppies will be back at the Garden, carrying on a winning tradition that began with an instant connection to a 4-month-old pup.

Emily Horton’s life with dogs is just beginning – though at 17, she already has years of experience behind her. Emily is the daughter of Barbara and George Dougherty of Brunswick and has been showing dogs for six years. Her parents breed golden retrievers under their “Rosewood” kennel name. Barbara Dougherty is the director of the Flying Changes Center for Therapeutic Riding in Topsham, where Horton volunteers and serves as assistant barn manager.

Horton competed in the Junior Showmanship class at Westminster, where she was judged not on the quality of her dog, but her ability to show it to its best advantage.

To enter Westminster, a junior handler must have at least eight wins in the senior, or open, level of Junior Showmanship. Horton had 12 firsts in 2001. She is home-schooled so that she can attend shows, and competes in 60 to 70 each year.

“That’s not a lot,” said Horton. “Most juniors who want to compete go to 100-130 shows each year.”

At the Garden, Horton handled a 4-year-old longhaired dachshund, Ch. Dachshire Black Gold (“Dharma”), owned by Cheryl Snedaker-Sims of Madison, N.H. She displayed “nerves of steel,” in her mother’s words, as she showed the dog with great poise. There were 33 juniors entered in Horton’s class Tuesday. While she made the final cut, she was not one of the two chosen to compete in the finals that night. Still, she did well in the very competitive class and her performance generated loud cheers from ringside.

Horton is considering showing dogs professionally, but also plans to attend art school, perhaps in California. She loves working with animals, and knows that breeding goldens will be part of her future. When asked what she likes about showing, she quickly replied, “working with animals.” She also spoke of the large and diverse group of friends she has made on the show circuit. Horton shows horses competitively, but said, “dogs come first.”

Westminster concluded Tuesday evening. William Ellis, 17, of Reddick, Fla., won the Junior Showmanship competition. A 3-year-old miniature poodle, Ch. Surrey Spice Girl, owned by Ron and Barbara Scott of Mechanicsburg, Pa., won Best in Show.

Joan Harrigan lives in Phippsburg. She is a former Lucerne resident who works as a sales manager for Anthem Inc. She owns two standard poodles, Robin and Piper, and has been training dogs since she was a 4-H’er in junior high school.