5 days Ago By Maria Sosso
Jo Ann Evans of Richland unwinds from her high-stress job as a nurse practitioner with an unconventional hobby — she is part of the competitive dog show circuit. Evans said she spent two years researching before she got her first puppy from “a wonderful breeder and mentor.” “This was a show-quality puppy that I co-owned with the breeder, with showing to his championship as a requirement,” she said.
“He won a lot, so I was hooked!” Having had no pets in her childhood because of her mother’s allergies, Evans got her first dog as soon as she got a place of her own. Initially, she had a black Labrador and a golden retriever. Seeking more of a challenge, Evans turned to malamutes.
“My first malamute was a breed compromise between my husband and myself. I wanted a Lab and he wanted a husky. I did some research and presented him with the Alaskan malamute as a husky with a bit of a calmer demeanor.
We both fell in love with the breed’s personality and history and never looked back,” Evans said. Evans currently has a 4-year-old Alaskan malamute named Brio. She and Brio are familiar faces on the dog show circuit, even having the distinction of being Westminster Dog Show veterans.
As of April 8, Brio is ranked No. 2 in American Kennel Club Grand Championship’s national ranking. He has an AKC Grand Championship silver medal and titles in obedience rally and farm dog competition.
They were invited back for their third year in a row but had to miss out on the competition earlier this year because of inclement weather. Evans says she hopes to return next year. Even without Westminster, Evans and Brio have been keeping busy.
The pair traveled to Wisconsin and Massachusetts in February for competitions. In March, Brio competed in a regional specialty in Kentucky and another in New Jersey. The events that her dogs compete in run the gamut.
Evans, who has been showing dogs since 1994, said it really depends on the dog and their aptitudes and what they enjoy. Asked how many dogs she has shown over the years, Evans said she has lost count. “More than 20, but less than 50,” she said, adding she also has helped friends show their breeds.
“I have done conformation, obedience, weight pull, backpacking, rally, agility, scent work, fast cat and farm dog events. I learn what my dog enjoys and focus my attention there. If they do not have fun, it is not worth it.
” Breeds are judged individually and then broken into classes. Male and female nonchampions (class entries) are judged independently in classes based on age groups. The judge evaluates each entry as compared to the written breed standard.
The judge inspects each dog visually and by hand. They also watch the animal’s gait coming, going and from the side. This is done to determine which most closely matches the breed standard.
The entrants are not compared to each other but as a measure of how well they have been bred to the standard of the breed. Evans said that besides competitions bringing her and her dog closer, she has found wonderful friendships through the competition circuit. “I work full time in a high-stress career.
The grooming, preparing and competing with my dogs is a partnership that allows me to destress in a productive and fun way,” Evans said. “The malamute community, as a whole, is small, tight-knit and supportive of one another. Yes, we are competitive in the ring.
Outside of the ring, we are supportive of each other. “We come together with the knowledge that we are all in this for the betterment and preservation of this breed that has embedded itself into our DNA. I drive a stupid amount of miles to convene for our club specialties — I have found my tribe in the show ring.
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