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Vienna resident will compete at Westminster
By Denise Dick
YOUNGSTOWN
Vienna resident Sue Davis hopes her trip to New York City later this month turns into more than a Flash in the pan.
Davis and Grand Champion Brio’s Grand Master Flash at Darkside, or Flash for short, will compete Feb. 15 and 16 in the 140th Westminster Kennel Club All Breed Dog Show.
Flash, a 2-year-old, 75-pound black curly-coated retriever, will be among 3,000 dogs competing at the show.
“I won’t get nervous until I get in the ring,” said Davis, who is director of admissions at Youngstown State University. “When I get in the ring, my hands shake.”
Davis was invited to the show because Flash placed among the top five of his breed last year. He also finished second among his breed in the 2015 AKC Owner-Handler Series.
The pair also earned a Judges’ Award of Merit last year at the AKC National Championship in Orlando, Fla.
She and Flash even experienced their own Miss Universe moment. Flash won Best of Opposite Sex in December’s AKC Owner-Handler Invitational.
Initially, the judge mistakenly handed her the Best of Breed ribbon. In December, comedian Steve Harvey announced that Miss Colombia won the 2015 Miss Universe pageant when Miss Philippines actually won the title.
Davis began showing dogs in 2007. Initially, she paid a professional handler to take her dogs into the show ring. A few years later, she began to show the dogs herself.
“I enjoy doing it,” Davis said. “I never thought I would. I’m sort of hooked.”
She and Flash are traveling to the Big Apple with Shelley Kacenski of Austintown and Kacenski’s dog, Chloe, a 2-year-old Siberian Husky who also is competing.
In the ring, judges will evaluate Flash and all of the other curly-coated retrievers based on breed standards. Male curly coats are 25 to 27 inches tall and the tighter the curl of his fur, the better, Davis explained.
They evaluate a dog’s gait and appearance, ensuring that they meet the standards of the breed.
His eyes are almond, dark-colored eyes, and that’s part of the standard, too.
Curly coats, which are more common in England, Sweden, Finland, Australia and New Zealand, originally were bred for bird and waterfowl hunting and retrieving.
The dogs should have a scissor bite or slight overbite for retrieving a hunter’s kill. They also have webbed feet and their trademark curly coat repels water.
Flash is a pretty mellow guy. He stretched out on a couch in the YSU admissions office Wednesday morning, leaning against his mom and greeting visitors who showed an interest.
“He’d be a lap dog if he could,” Davis said.
If Davis stopped petting him, Flash would paw at her wanting more.
The breed, the oldest of the retrievers, is popular with hunters and Davis enjoys pheasant hunting with her dog.
Through participating in dog shows and breeding curly coats, Davis has made a lot of friends.
“Through Facebook, I’ve talked to people all over the world,” she said.