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5 Questions with Chris Martin
Massachusetts' native ends 2008 as #1 GSD Junior Handler, #1 Herding Group Junior Handler, and #10 Overall, out of 3,000+ juniors in the country. Meet Chris Martin: The Junior who set his sights, and then surpassed them.
GSDbyDesign: How old were you when you
began showing dogs? What breed did you begin with? Explain in
detail how you got involved and why (what sparked your
interest?).
I didn't have a dog when I was little. Both my parents worked and we didn't have time. When I was 9, I started asking for a dog. I borrowed a pet-quality Shepherd and started 4-H. When I was 11, I went to my first AKC show, at the Boston circuit. I won two out of three days with a pet puppy and loved showing. I met Philip (Moore) and Nina (Despres) at shows - my mom knew them from when she used to show. Mary Cummings (Stonemeadow Kennels) had given me a dog to show, but he didn't like it. I showed him here and there for a while, but never really won.
When I was at a show on the Cape (Cape Cod, Mass.), I wandered over to Philip and Nina and asked to help load the van. I just kind of followed Philip everywhere after that. He was nice to me and started teaching me about handling and training, and taking care of dogs. I showed Boxers and Swedish Vallhunds in Breed and Juniors for awhile in the spring/summer of 2007, but never did any winning.
I really wanted a German Shepherd. At one of the shows, my mom asked Nina if she knew anyone who would let me sign on to a GSD for juniors. Nina offered me her bitch, Sunny, CH Von Ragus Ray of Light. Philip worked me with her and our first weekend out, I placed second in a large Open Intermediate Class. It was the first time in over a year I had done anything in juniors. I showed Sunny that fall and did very well with her. No wins, but lots of placings. The Open Intermediate Class is one of the hardest in juniors. I couldn't believe how good the kids were.
Sunny came into season in November 2007, a month early. At that point, Philip talked to Donna Restuccia, who allowed me to sign on to one of her dogs. CH Laxfields Tony Soprano, aka Krunch. Krunch wasn't the ideal Juniors Dog. He was big and rambunctious and, according to some people, would NOT do well in juniors because he was another GSD.
Well, my first weekend out, I won a big Open Intermediate Class. Krunch and I just clicked as a team. Philip would help me work him at the shows before Juniors. When I got my first win, I decided I could qualify for Westminster 2009 (if I worked hard enough). So that was my goal.
The very first weekend of 2008, I showed Sunny again and won my first All-Breed Best Junior Award. I won again the same weekend, and was on my way. I started to travel to all the shows I could with Philip. I qualified in May (2008), when I got my 10th win. Philip and my mom and I kept changing my goals.
In May, when I got my 10th win, I was also # 6 Herding and # 1 GSD. Well, my goal then became to be Top 5 Herding and earn 15 wins. Every time I came close to my goal, they changed it to a higher one.
By July, I was #2 Herding and #27 in the country; I had 20 wins and changed my goal again. I wanted to be #1 Herding, Top 20 in the country, and get 30 wins. I kept on doing this and ended the year at #10 overall, #1 GSD and Herding, and I had 43 wins.
The thing is, if your goal is to only ever get 10 wins, you may get 10 wins, but you won't get 15. You have to change your goals to keep yourself challenged.
Chris: I go to as many shows as possible LOL. I just love working with the dogs. Not just showing, but grooming, ex-ing, training, conditioning, etc. Handling the dogs gives me a chance to do something with my dog that is fun for both of us. Dog shows are great because I get to see my friends from different parts of the country. I also learn so much about the whole world of dogs. I like talking to the AKC Reps and the Judges, and different handlers.
GSDbyDesign:
What grade are you in now? It's tough
for adults to balance dog shows with full-time jobs. Is it
hard(er) to balance school with shows? How do you and your
family work it out?
I get up at
6, put out the dogs, clean the kennels, play with all the dogs
then, after breakfast, I do schoolwork. In the afternoon, if the
weather is good, my mom and I take the dogs to either the beach
or the cranberry bogs for a long run. We also roadwork
Krunch and my sister's dog two miles, three days a week, to keep
them in condition. My mom is a stay-home mom, so this works out
for us.
Chris: I listen to Philip, my mom, or just anyone who has advice on how to handle and what I need to work on when I show. A lot of kids think they know everything so they don't take advice and never improve. I do all the training and taking care of Krunch, so he and I have a great bond, which is very important in Juniors. I like to hang out with my non-dog friends, and when I have a weekend off, I go to the mall, the movies, etc. The kids that do well are the ones who love everything about showing. Winning is nice, and I am already qualified for Westminster 2010, but I like everything about showing. There are kids who just show because its what their parents want them to do. They may place or even win sometimes, but you can tell they don't want to do everything it takes to be at the top. I try not to take myself to seriously, and just be relaxed, show the best I can, and even if I do lose, play with Krunch after the class, and then go hang out with the other Juniors.
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