YKC First Place, Whangarei Kennel Club, January, 2008

Erika started showing her family’s Saint Bernard at Ribbon Parades at the age of 5. Although the dog was just about as tall as her, she managed to learn the basics in relation to the position his head and feet should be in.

A family friend had a new litter of Saint puppies of which she was running on two dogs. Erika built a bond with one of them and so was offered him to show. Erika and Thunda made a great pair and the rapport that she developed with him was quite special to watch.

By the time Thunda was a year old he was almost as tall as she was. To stack his back legs she had to reach out under his stomach with her foot and touch his toes. This was sufficient for him to move into the correct position.

At age 8 she was a regular exhibitor in the show ring with the dogs, and was often seen at Group Level dragging these large dogs around.

In 2004 Erika took a step further  with her showing by being offered a Tibetan Terrier to show. This was a smaller dog than she had ever shown before and also the first that required the new skills of tabling a dog for judging. Again the quality of the dog she was given to show was of a high standard and she was reasonably successful with Flash, and also other dogs belonging to the same breeder.

Erika and Taz winning Best Puppy in Show at The Poodle Club Specialty

Her reputation for building a  rapport with the dogs she handled went ahead of her,  and she was again asked to campaign a Poodle Puppy on behalf of his owner who was a stranger to showing, but had a little dog with the ability to win. This was another type of dog with different showing requirements, but Erika even at her young age, was able to take in the advice offered to her and put it to advantage, ensuring that the puppy won Best Puppy in Show at a Poodle Specialty Show. She went on to make up this dog to a New Zealand Champion.

Then came her introduction to Whippets. Merle  Powley (Shenkhan Whippets) had a litter of puppies that were being shown at a Ribbon Parade for the first time. Erika, who just happened to be hanging around the at ring side, took a fancy to Melody (the future Ch. Shenkhan Strike a Tune) so Merle offered her to Erika to Show. Again another first time for her with this breed. Merle was impressed enough with her handling that she offered Melody to Erika to show at an up coming All Breeds Show, This was the start of the relationship between Shenkan Whippets and Erika from which she has learnt a lot about the breed, and also honed her handling abilities around the dogs, recognizing the different traits that each dog has, and any particular area that needs to be addressed.

As a team she and Melody had a very successful year in 2005 winning every heat of the newly established New Zealand Kennel Club - Young Kennel Club (YKC) that they teamed up in, and taking 3^rd place at the National’s that year for her age group.

In 2006 having reached the age of 13, she was now in an older age group, competing against others between the ages of 13 – 18. She again qualified for the Nationals at this young age although not placed.

She has also Stewarded at a few Specialty Shows as well as at an All Breeds Show.

Her aim is to represent New Zealand at the Crufts Dog Show in England in the Junior Handling competition.

In November 2008, Erika made the first step in realizing her dream of winning the Handler Competition at Crufts, by winning a qualifying heat at the Wairarapa Kennel Assn. Show. Her first choice dog was her trusty Sinnaman, who she has bonded with and is expecting to help him to a great future.  She was then required to show a Gordon Setter, a breed that she has never shown before.  She was pleasantly surprised to find she scored equally as well with her second dog as she did with her first, under visiting Australian Judge, Mrs. Jackson.

Recently Stephen & Gay Meredith (Rojeme Staffordshire Bull Terriers) were in a situation where they had entered their dogs in a Show, however Gay their regular handler was not able to show them, so they entrusted the handling to Erika.

Erika has built a report with these dogs and was not to let Steve and Gay down, showing off all the dogs to their best advantage, and was rewarded with group and age group in-show wins.

Erika and Frosty (Best Junior in Show) and Erika and Jimmy (Best Puppy of Group). 

Erika’s skills in the Hound ring have also been noted by Jocelyn Hansen, Bolderbrae Ridgebacks, and again she was asked if she would like to handle Jocelyn’s young up and coming star.

Erika and Fleck were a winning team from their first outing together winning an Open show.  Since then Erika has steered him to a Reserve in Show at the Rotorua Kennel Assn All Breeds Champ Show and Best on Show at the South Island Hound Club Champ Show during the 2008 National Dog Show week, where some of the Countries top hounds were being exhibited.  A very pleasing result from an entry in excess of 230 dogs.

The photo above is Erika and Fleck at Rotorua, Reserve Best in Show and also Best Junior In Show.