Local canines in 'America's Dog Show'

Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Dr. Karen Davies and Dr. John Helmers of Greencastle Veterinary Clinic. with their 5-year-old champion Labrador, Tabatha's Caillou, are headed to compete in the 132nd Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Davies will show Caillou on the floor of Madison Square Gardens in New York City on Feb. 12.

The roster for The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show has listed prestigious dog owners from the Queen of England and the Czar of Russia to General George Armstrong Custer. This year, the names of three Greencastle residents will be included on that historic list when their champion dogs compete in the 132nd annual event dubbed "America's Dog Show."

Dr. Karen Davies and Dr. John Helmers of Greencastle Veterinary Clinic will show their 5-year-old champion Labrador, Tabatha's Caillou. Jamie Hubbard, a receptionist at Greencastle Veterinary Clinic and owner of Clussexx Kennel will also compete in the prestigious event, showing his 2 and a half-year-old champion Clumber spaniel, Carlton.

Beginning in 1877, The Westminster Kennel Club Annual Dog Show is the second longest continuously held sporting event in the county, bested only the Kentucky Derby which began in 1876.

Jamie Hubbard and his champion Clumber spaniel Carlton will compete for a coveted Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show title on Feb. 12. This will be Hubbard's 11th year competing at Westminster.

The two-day event features 2,500 champion dogs of 169 different breeds and varieties, and will be beamed from the floor of Madison Square Garden in New York City, into the homes of millions of American television viewers on Feb. 11-12.

Davies, who has shown Caillou in many prestigious dog shows around the world, says that despite her experience, Westminster is intimidating.

"Even people who don't watch dog shows watch Westminster," Davies said. "It's outside of my comfort zone. I'm really nervous."

Though few recognize his owners, dog lovers all over the world know the name Caillou -- according to Davies, he is something of a celebrity. The veterinarian says that even in England and New Zealand, she has run into Caillou fans.

"In the Labrador world, everybody knows him," she said. "It's a small world, but it's fun."

Caillou, with thick black fur and a massive square head, is more than just a pretty face, say owners Davies and Helmers. The 5-year-old Labrador is also helping to father the next generation of champions and service dogs for the blind.

Davies may be nervous about her first trip to Westminster, but Hubbard considers Madison Square Garden familiar territory. Hubbard has shown a Clumber spaniel from Clussexx Kennel at Westminster every year for more than a decade.

"It's pretty neat," Hubbard said. "This will be the eleventh year in a row that a dog from this kennel has gone to Westminster to win Best of Breed."

Though Carlton is considered to be early in his professional career, he has already been entered in 50 dog shows, and comes from a long line of champions.

Hubbard says that Carlton's older brother has won Best of Breed at Westminster for the last two years, and his father won Best of Breed at the world famous Crofts Dog Show in England in 2004.

Though 2,500 dogs qualified for Westminster this year, part of the show's prestige is derived from the requirement that only champion dogs are eligible to compete.

Davies, Helmer and Hubbard joke about the likelihood that two dogs from the same clinic in Greencastle would qualify in the same year, and hope that local Westminster fans will tune in.

Both local dogs will compete for Best of Breed on Feb. 12. If they are victorious among their own kind, the Greencastle K-9s could go head to head in Westminster's Best In Show competition that night.

The 132nd Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog show will be televised live on Monday from 8-9 p.m. on the USA Network and from 9-11 p.m. on CNBC. The broadcast resumes live on USA from 8-11 p.m. on Feb. 12 and will conclude with the Best In Show competition.

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  • Too cool! Good luck from my animals faveorite vets.

    -- Posted by mad-mom on Wed, Feb 6, 2008, at 11:36 AM
  • Caillou is a moose !! Reminds me of my Buster and Sable from years ago.... Definitely more than 105 lbs ? Good Luck !!!! I'll try to watch.

    -- Posted by Scripted Spontaneity on Wed, Feb 6, 2008, at 11:56 PM
  • Good luck to my favorite vets in the world!!

    -- Posted by hoosierdaddy on Thu, Feb 7, 2008, at 8:24 AM
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