It was late afternoon when Brooks and Cathy Holland and I arrived with Classy at the Puyallup Fairgrounds in January, 1996. It was also the first time that Classy was to be shown with me listed as her co-owner. Brooks and Cathy had Dalmatians which didn’t require any pre-show grooming. Classy, on the other hand, had to be show groomed.

When we entered the grooming room it was apparent that grooming space was at a premium. We looked high and low and in every corner and couldn’t find enough space anywhere to set up a single grooming table for one little Miniature Schnauzer. I must have looked pretty forlorn because a gentleman asked me if he could help and I told him that I was not having any luck finding a place to set up my grooming table. I didn’t know it then but the gentleman that I was talking to was a well respected and very successful professional handler. He escorted us over to his area and made enough room for me to set up my grooming table for Classy.

The next day Brooks, Cathy and I showed up at the show site and proceeded to get Classy ring ready. Show grooming a Miniature Schnauzer normally takes about an hour if you “know” what you are doing. Classy had the great fortune of being my first show dog. Getting her groomed was a combination of effort with me doing the front end and Cathy doing the back end. Brooks supervised and identified areas that required refinement. Between the three of us we would get her done but it usually took well in excess of an hour. Classy, being the trooper that she was, stood it all with grace.

We went through this routine for two days and Brooks would take the culmination of our efforts, Classy, into the ring. Classy would place and leave the ring with a ribbon but not THE ribbon that counted the blue one. On the final day after all the primping, Brooks and Classy once again entered the ring when it was their turn. I was standing outside the ring holding my breath with my heart pounding. There just seemed to be something different about this day. Was the judge looking at her? He was! He moved her to the head of the line. He moved everyone around the ring again and then he pointed…one, two, three, and four. Classy won!!!

Now that she had won her class, we had to compete for the points. When Classy came to live with me she only needed one more major win to finish and get her championship title. Winning the points now would finish her. When Brooks and Classy entered the ring, I was almost sick at my stomach and had to sit down to watch. I found a chair right outside the entrance to the ring and watched between my fingers with my hands over my eyes. Once again I could see that the judge’s eyes were following Classy around the ring. He stopped all of the girls and had each one move one at a time and then moved them all around the ring again. He kept looking at Classy and then the hoped for happened. He pointed at Classy. She was Winners Bitch and got the major she needed to finish and earn her championship title.

After the excitement faded, it dawned on me that I needed to call her co-owner and let her know Classy’s good news. Wyoma wasn’t home and I wasn’t able to get hold of her until later. By the time I had, she had already been contacted by another professional handler who had to tell her about how cute she thought it was that it took 3 people to groom one little schnauzer.