During my years in the show ring I have had the opportunity to handle many wonderful breeds and have met some unforgettable dogs and people along the way. I have had the privilege of handling several top show dogs, some of which have held #1 National rankings in their respective breeds. I have had the honor of showing many dogs to Group placements, multiple Supported Entry and Specialty Show majors, and have competed at some of the largest dog shows in the country including The Westminster Kennel Club dog show in New York City, the Royal Canin AKC National Championships, the National Dog Show in Philadelphia, and the historic Morris & Essex Kennel Club dog show.

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I first became involved in the sport of purebred dogs when I acquired my first show dog – a Chesapeake Bay Retriever named Jeb. As a puppy he did exceptionally well in the show ring and was fun to show – something that made my learning experience much easier. He quickly earned his Championship. Soon followed his first Sporting Group placement and Grand Championship. We continued to show and learn together, becoming more involved in the breed and the dog show world as a whole. I soon began showing Chesapeakes for a few long time breeders and as I continued to show more dogs, a small group of owners developed that asked me to regularly handle their dogs. Over time I began showing additional breeds, starting with several of the retriever counterparts and eventually branching into breeds within other groups. Today, I regularly show dogs from several of the seven AKC groups, with Sporting breeds continuing to be my main focus.

In addition to my love and devotion to Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, I have bred and shown Irish Setters extensively in the past. I have had the honor of co-breeding some very nice examples of the breed and have helped handle them to their show championships. Sporting breeds will always be the foundation of my handling and where I feel most at home but the success and experiences that I have had in several of the other breed and group rings has lead to the creation of life-long friendships and further developed my handling skills. I feel truly lucky to have achieved many of the goals that I first set out to achieve in the dog world. Much of my success is due to having such a wonderful support system of friends, mentors, and family. 

I am proud to have been the owner of a highly accomplished Chesapeake Bay Retriever who finished numerous years ranked in the Top 10 nationally in his breed and who was awarded multiple Group placements. He proved to be a valuable stud, winning 1st Place in the Stud Dog Class at the 2021 ACC National Specialty and siring many highly accomplished offspring, including the 2017 American Chesapeake Club National Specialty Winner’s Bitch & Best of Winner’s award winner and several Group placing get. I could not have asked for a better first show dog and I continue to be highly active in the breed. I have also had the memorable experience of co-breeding a Best in Show Irish Setter who was the 2023 Westminster Kennel Club Best of Breed Winner, the 2019 Irish Setter Club of America National Specialty Winner’s Dog, and the 2021 ISCA Select Dog winner.

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I enjoy devoting a good deal of my time and passion to educating others about purebred dogs and teaching those that are new to the sport all about the various intricacies of dogs shows whenever I can. I also work with newer exhibitors to help them improve their handling skills and confidence, and enjoy passing on the things I have learned over the years from those who have helped me and the things that I continue to learn each day. Dogs are a true passion of mine and I enjoy sharing that passion with others whenever I have the opportunity to do so.