HELENA — Everyone at the Fall Roundup Cluster dog show in Helena deeply loves dogs, taking pride in their own or the work that goes into putting on dog shows.
Timothy Catterson has been a dog show judge for over 40 years and loves it - despite the fact that he’s allergic to dogs.
“It's something to enjoy if you're into dogs,” said Catterson. "Judging is like the pinnacle, you start as an exhibitor, and then once you become a judge, you either become a judge of your breed and stop there, or you do like myself, who will go in and get multiple groups and judge all over the country.”
Evan Charney reports - watch the video here:
He attends a different show every weekend. he specializes in the show aspect, where dogs compete against their own breed before advancing to seven distinct groups, and finally, best in show.
Dogs in shows can earn points and become nationally ranked. Many of the dogs and handlers also participate in the more well-known events, such as the Westminster Dog Show.
While many people hire handlers to showcase their furry friends, Sandy Schumacher enjoys going through the process herself.
“Well, the training is fun, and training is year-round, depending on what sport or event you're doing,” said Schumacher. “You know how much time you have to put into it, but that's the fun of it, working with your dog.”
The Gallatin Dog Club and the Helena Montana Kennel Club host the show over four days, each club covering two days with over 1,700 dogs total and over a hundred different breeds represented.
“These are our pets as well as our show dogs, so it's a fun hobby,” said show chairman Curtis Freeling. “You're out with the public. You get to meet with other people that have dogs, and you get to talk about your dogs, and it's just, there's nothing better than a dog, right?”
The event will run all weekend at the Lewis and Clark County Fairgrounds with free admission and parking, so be sure to head on down and check it out.
