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State
Championship Show |
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2008 Florida State
Fair
See video slide
show click here
Past events
2008 State Fair 4-H Dog Show
By Sally Alford Manning
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The Florida State Fair 4-H Dog Show was held February 9 &
10, 2008 at the State Fairgrounds in Tampa. This year we received more than 180
pre entries for classes in the four divisions of Showmanship, Obedience, Rally
and Agility. 4-H members and their dogs competed, representing 15 different
Florida Counties.
In recent years the 4-H Dog Show has become the
largest animal show at the Florida State Fair. The show has grown by leaps and
bounds since it began almost thirty years ago. The State Fair 4-H Dog Show was
started by Phyllis White of Valrico, Florida. Phyllis was a lifelong dog
enthusiast who devoted a great deal of her time to volunteer work. She
coordinated the State Fair Purebred Dog Exhibit, and started the 4-H Dog Show
to serve as the State Championship Show for Florida 4-H'ers. In honor, and in
memory of Phyllis White there is an award offered at the Florida State Fair 4-H
Dog Show for the overall winner of the Showmanship division.
For years
the 4-H Dog Show was held in the State Fair's Purebred Dog Exhibit tent. In the
early 90's the show averaged about 60 exhibitors. By the year 2000 the show
really started growing, and in just a couple of years- it doubled in size. The
Purebred Dog tent was soon outgrown when in 2005 the show attracted more than
150 exhibitors. For the last few years the 4-H Dog Show has been held in the
Charlie Lykes and Covered Horse Arenas on the State Fairgrounds in order to
accommodate all the exhibitors and their dogs.
In recent years we added
the division of Rally to the list of classes offered in the State Fair Dog
Show. And in 2007, the first 4-H Dog Quiz Bowl competition was held at the
Fair. 4-H Dog Quiz Bowl gives 4-H'ers the opportunity to compete by answering
questions in a game show type format on topics such as dog anatomy, nutrition,
show rules and dog care.
It takes countless volunteer hours of planning
by the 4-H Dog Show Committee to organize the Fair show for over 180 entries.
It actually starts about a year in advance reviewing the rules, and
brainstorming about improving show procedures. The Show Committee arranges the
class schedule, ring layouts and determines the logistics of how to get the
classes judged in the time frame we are given to work with. Our 2008 Show
Secretary Cynthia Purvis did an outstanding job of organizing and processing
all the show entries.
Without volunteers this show would not be
possible. We need to thank ALL members of the Show Committee, Judges, Leaders,
Parents and other volunteers that helped run this show. Special thanks to SMSgt
Don Scott who recruited military personnel from Mac Dill Air Force Base to work
at our show. These are the same military people we all owe our gratitude to-
for protecting our country, and they gave up their personal time to come help
our kids. Volunteer Coordinator June Lyness made sure all jobs were covered
(thank you June), and helped recruit Judges! Teresa Gimbut coordinated the
Showmanship division and found great AKC Judges! Jerry Manning also recruited
Judges and supervised the ring set up crews.
Amanda Adkins, Sue Spencer
and Mary Rothering (with a little help from their volunteer friends)- did an
awesome job with the Champions Program and Skillathon. They were in and out of
the testing area in record time with the huge amount of kids that participated
in the program! Next year Sue Spencer will take charge of the Champions
program- and she will be counting on a lot of volunteers for help!
In
2008 many Florida 4-H Clubs and Counties donated baskets for the 'Florida 4-H
Dog Project Basket Raffle' at the State Fair. Due to the generosity of those
who donated and those who bought tickets, we raised enough money to pay for our
Florida 4-H Dog Project website expenses (for 2007), and the for Hospitality
food expenses for the Fair volunteer workers and Judges.
The Florida
4-H Dog Project website: www.FL4-H-Dog.com is a great source of information for
all 4-H Dog Project activities. Gordon Ruble our wonderful Florida 4-H Dog
Project webmaster- was taking show photos for us on Sunday at the State Fair
Dog Show (thanks Gordon). On Saturday we were lucky enough to get professional
photographer Tim Golden to cover the Showmanship division of the show.
Information on Tim's photos along with info on how to order prints- at a
special discounted price to 4-H members is on the 4-H website. Keep checking
the website for complete show results- which will be posted soon! |
| Congratulations 2008 State Fair
Winners! |
While we would like to congratulate and acknowledge all winners in
all classes- but space only allows for listing the top awards- in this
article.
This year's winner of the Phyllis White Top Showman Award was
KT Spencer of Polk County, 2nd place was Brittany Coy of Alachua County, 3rd
place was Brie Edmister of Hillsborough County 4th place was Anastasia Gamble
of Volusia County. Congratulations to all the winners of the Showmanship
classes who comprised the balance of the Top Ten Awards: Kaydee West, Kaylie
Starling, Kassidee Starling and Katie Hendrix.
Congratulations to the
2008 Champion Youth Winners for the 4-H Dog Show: Champion Senior Youth was
Brittany Coy of Ocala, 2nd place Senior Youth was Molly Miller of Venice, 3rd
place Senior Youth was Kaylie Starling of Bartow, 4th place Senior Youth was
Kaydee West of Riverview, Intermediate Champion Youth was KT Spencer of
Lakeland, Junior Champion Youth was Kassidee Starling of Bartow.
High
Point Award winners for 2008: High Point Senior- Brittany Coy, High Point
Intermediate- KT Spencer, High Point Junior- Kassidee Starling. High Point
Large County- Polk County, High Point Small County- Sarasota County.
The
Florida 4-H Dog Project does more than just train kids to show their dogs, it
prepares them for life. The child exhibitors of today will be the owners,
breeders trainers, handlers and show ring competitors of tomorrow. There is no
better gift than education- it is truly the gift that keeps on giving.
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2008 Florida State Fair
Phyllis White
Award winners for Showmanship |
1st KT Spencer - 2nd Brittany Coy -
3rd Brie Edmister - 4th Anastasia Gamble.
Top Ten Awards:
Kaydee
West - Kaylie Starling - Kassidee Starling - Katie Hendrix. |
| Champion in the Phyllis White Top Showman Award class.
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KT Spencer |
Reserve Champion Phyllis White Award class and the Senior
Champion
Champion of Champions Dog Awards. 
Brittany Coy |
2008 Champion Youth Winners
4-H Dog Show
Youth |
Champion Senior
1st
Brittany Coy, 2nd place Molly Miller, 3rd place Kaylie Starling,
4th Kaydee West
Intermediate Champion
KT Spencer
Junior Champion
Kassidee Starling |
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