What is your favorite part of competing ?
I love being able to compete with my dog that is my best friend , and the connection we have together . Alani , age 12
I enjoy spending time with my dogs and friends . Because it ’ s a competition , our wins show how hard I ’ ve worked with my dog and what a great relationship we have . Sacha Eckert , age 13
My favorite part of competing is getting to spend that time in the ring with good friends and great dogs ! Win or lose , you will get the opportunity to show off all the hard work you have done , whether that be conditioning your dog , or the time you ’ ve spent training . And to make it even better , you get to do it alongside your friends . Kylie West , age 18
Throughout my time in juniors , the competition portion of showmanship has taught me lessons that changed the way I perceive the world . These concepts are my biggest takeaways from junior showmanship and some of my favorite bits of knowledge I ’ ve learned during my short lifetime . My dog , a difficult yet talented teammate , has taught me winning is simply the byproduct of integrity , honest effort , and genuine teamwork . Once I began experiencing the love of the win , my mentors were sure to remove the value of competing from the win itself and instead put it onto the experience . I cannot thank them enough for doing this . The truth is that anyone can win if they show enough times , but the win is only deserved if I win with integrity and character . My life is forever changed thanks to my wonderful dogs , mentors , and of course , junior showmanship . It seems a ‘ thank you ’ will never be enough . I ’ ve lost more than I have ever won , and during this process I realized the joy was always in the journey . It ’ s not the end of the road for me , instead , my journey has just begun ! Ava Hata , age 18
2024 JUNIOR SHOWMANSHIP JUDGES
MISS REBECCA CROSS of Gettysburg , Pennsylvania . Miss Rebecca Cross , breeder and Professional Handler , has been involved in the sport of purebred dogs for over 30 years . She grew up breeding Scottish Terriers with her mother Dorene , and together they have bred over 50 AKC champions , along with finishing many championships on their dogs all over the world . Under the teachings of Professional Handler and groomer , Hiroshi Tsuyuki while living in Japan as a military service member , she traveled to dog shows and learned more about the craft of professional handling , and from there perfected her grooming skills from 2003 to 2008 .
MR . DIEGO GARCIA of Lillington , North Carolina . Four weeks after moving to the US in 2000 , Rio , the Doberman Mr . Diego Garcia was handling won the Group at Westminster under judge Dorothy Collier . In 2017 , his Boxer , Devlin , won her Group .
Born and raised in Argentina , Diego ’ s family was passionate about Boxers . Their goal was to breed the best dogs in mind , body , and health . Today , Diego and his wife Evelyn have a handling business in North Carolina .
As a judge for Junior Showmanship , Diego aims to encourage , inspire and mentor our youth as they are the future of the sport .
MRS . STACY THRELFALL of Apex , North Carolina . Mrs . Stacey Threlfall came from a non-show dog family , however , her family always had a Airedale purchased from a local AKC breeder . She got her start in Obedience and Agility with a Shetland Sheepdog , then gravitated towards Junior Showmanship and conformation .
Quickly realizing that there was more to learn , Stacy worked for many professional handlers growing up . During this time , she placed fourth in Juniors at The Westminster Kennel Club the first time she attended .
Since her first dog show , Stacy has been immersed in the world of dogs . As a Professional Handler for the past 25 years , she has had the honor to have been at the other end of the lead of multiple Best in Show , national winners , and top dogs of all seven groups . She has also bred and owned multiple top dogs , but her passion remains in English Cocker Spaniels and Labrador Retrievers . This is her first judging assignment at Westminster .
38 THE WESTMINSTER KENNEL CLUB 2024