Speakers
FRANK SABELLA
Frank Sabella’s involvement with dogs spans over five decades, He has been successfully involved in practically every aspect of pure-bred dogs: breeding, exhibiting, professional handling and judging. During Mr. Sabella’s career as a professional handler, he won over 600 Bests in Show awards, showing Poodles, Salukis, Afghan Hounds, Pekingese and Pembroke Welsh Corgis. He has had the top dog of the year all breeds four times.
He has won the Non-Sporting Group at the Westminster Kennel Club show three times, as well as the Toy and Herding Groups. In 1974, he won Best in Show with the white Standard Poodle Ch. Acadia’s Command Performance.
Some of the many famous top-winning dogs Mr. Sabella has shown include the Saluki American/Canadian Ch. Jen Araby Mumtaz Mahal (top Saluki bitch in 1969 and 1971), the Miniature Poodle English/American Ch. Frederick of Rencroft (who finished his championship with 5 all-breed Bests in Show), and the Standard Poodle DeRussy Lollypop (1969 top-winning dog of all breeds).
Today, Mr. Sabella is an internationally respected judge. He has judged in England, Italy, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Australia and many times in Japan, which is his favorite place to judge. He has judged at every large show in the United States, including Westminster and the AKC/Eukanuba National Championships, where he has judged several groups as well as Best in Show.
Mr. Sabella has also presented many educational seminars for the AKC Judges Institute. He is the author of two books, Your Poodle and Frank Sabella’s Art of Handling Show Dogs (co-authored with Shirlee Kalstone), the latter winning the Dog Writers Association of America award for the Best Book of the Year. An updated edition of The Art of Handling Show Dogs will be published in 2010. He received two Fido Awards, one for "Dog Man of the Year" and the other for "Dog Writer" of the Year.
PETER GREEN
Born in Neath, Wales, Peter Green started showing Welsh and Wire Fox Terriers at the famous Felstead kennel of his uncle, Emlyn Snow. At a very early age, he decided that dogs and dog shows would become his life’s work. He believes this was a great choice because he has met some wonderful people and been to more countries than he ever imagined possible.
After having a good handling career in the UK, he came to the United States to work privately at Pool Forge Kennels in 1963. Here his career really took off and, in 1967, he set up his business in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He admits to being lucky over the years to have clients who allowed him to purchase dogs and help with their breeding programs.
During his career he won four Bests in Show four times at Westminster, eight Bests in Show at Mongtomery County Kennel Club (the biggest terrier show in the world), and “Dog of the Year” 6 times. He has handled dogs to Best in Show titles at most of the US major shows. Peter also was honored to be one of only two people to win Best in Show at both Westminster and Crufts.
Since 1976, Peter has judged dog shows throughout the world and is now an AKC approved Group judge. Since that time, he has judged many times at British Championship shows at the highest level. He is approved to award Challenge Certificates in 28 breeds. Peter has judged many times in Australia, Ireland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Holland, Italy, Germany, Estonia, China, Mexico and South Africa and in March of 2009, judged Best in Show at the famous Crufts Dog Show in England.
His many awards include four Kennel Review “Male Handler of the Year,” two Gaines “Handler of the Year,” and Bow Tie Dogs in Review Lifetime Achievement Award.
MARGERY GOOD
Margery Good’s passion for dogs also started at an early age. As a child, she went around her neighborhood asking dog owners if she would walk or brush their dogs. While she was till young, Margery started working for Edna Dobbins who had show Airedales and Miniature Schnauzers. Miss Dobbins had assisted Tom Gately, one of the Terrier "greats" of the world, so she was able to teach correct grooming practices. It was at Miss Dobbins kennel that Marge fell in love with Sealyham Terriers.
Marjorie bought her Goodspice Kennels in 1980 and started professional handling full scale showing all breeds. To name all the top winning dogs associated with Marge would take until our lunch break, but a few include Ch. Goodspice Tarragon, Ch. Hobbit Hills Up’n Adam (the #1 terrier in 1981). Ch. Kifel Point of Vue (Lakeland), and Ch. Torset Touch of Class (#1 terrier in 1991 and used as the standard in the AKC breed video)
More recently, Marge has risen to the pinnacle of her career with Ch. Efbe’s Hidalgo at Goodspice, better known as “Charmin,” bred by her dear friend from Canada, France Bergeron. He began his show career at six months of age winning two 5-point majors. Charmin is the top-winning Sealyham of all time and has won more top awards than any dog in the world, for example 95 Bests in Show including Crufts, the World Dog Show, AKC/Eukanuba Invitational, and Montgomery County Kennel Club, plus Group 1 and 2 at Westminster, the #1 Terrier for two years; the #4 and 5 All-Breeds in 2007 and 2008.
Now, Margery is campaigning Charmin’s brother, Ch. Efbe’s Merci Pour le Poivre, who was the #1 dog All-Breed in Canada in 2007. She continues to handle a full string of mostly terriers at about 150 shows during the year, and she strives to do her best to help people around her.
SASHA RIESS
Sasha Riess is one of the most accomplished and well-known dog show handlers and groomers in Europe. He began his grooming career in 1990, after graduating from the Grooming Academy of Budapest, Hungary, and shortly after his graduation, he became an instructor for that Academy, as they were so impressed with his talent and his work.
In 1994, he added show dog handling to his resume, and has handled over 700 F.C.I. (Fédération Cynologique International) certified championships in over 30 different breeds worldwide … Europe, Argentina, Brazil, Israel, Finland and the United States. He is the founder of the Alexander Riess Grooming and Styling Studio and the Alexander Riess Show Dog Care Company, as well as the first important school in Serbia for dog grooming and handling, The Alexander Riess Grooming and Handling Academy, in affiliation with the Open University of Novi Sad.
A Poodle specialist, he has also been instrumental in developing of grooming styles for two FCI-recognized breeds: the Lagotto Romanoglo and the Barbett.
Since 2005, Sasha has been a judge of grooming competitions throughout Europe and that same year he founded the magazine “Show Dog Review.” In 2007, Sasha was named “Groomer of the Year” in Hungary. In 2008, he was accepted as a judge for the International Judges Association for Dog Grooming Competition and judged his first competition in Lexington, Kentucky. Sasha has further internationalized grooming by bringing the world-renowned Nash Academy System of Education to Eastern Europe. He is currently in the process of translating online courses into Serbian, so they may be offered in his native country and language.
ANITA BAX
Anita Bax of Chertsey, England, has had a lifelong involvement with dogs: breeding, showing, judging and grooming. She has been involved with Poodles for over 40 years, showing all three varieties. Although breeding and showing other colors, Anita says she has struggled to improve the type and quality of apricot toys and standards which will always be her passion.
Anita is an international conformation judge – qualified to give tickets in all three sizes of Poodles and judge them both at home and abroad. She also judges the Utility and Toy groups and Best in Show at open show level. Anita also is a British Kennel Club Accredited Breeder (she has a successful kennel of standard and toy Poodles under the “Taladayga” prefix) and a grooming demonstrator at Poodle club seminars. Anita’s apricot toy dog was the first apricot to win Best of Breed at Crufts this year for about 30 years. Her white toy dog, Am. Ch. Taladayga Albert was specialed (as a puppy) at PCA by Martin Gregory and took the first Award of Merit.
Anita also is a world-famous grooming competition judge and competitor. Her achievements in the grooming world include two British “Groomer of the Year” titles, two Intergroom International Groomer of the Year titles, World Poodle Groomer Best in Show title, two Cardinal Crystal Achievement awards for “International Groomer of the Year,” as well as many, many medals for grooming in all breeds. She has made three Poodle grooming videos and written many articles on grooming. She runs her own Salon, PAWS, and also has worked in agricultural colleges lecturing on small animal care. Many of Anita’s dogs are also trained by her to act in films and TV.
LORETTA MARCHESE
Loretta Marchese of Cedar Grove, New Jersey, has been involved with dogs for 26 years. She has won the title of Intergroom International Groomer of the Year in 1985 and 1995. In 1995 she was the first runner-up in the Oster International Invitational Tournament of Champions and, in 2002, won that competition. Loretta has won gold and silver medals with Bichons Frises and Poodles in many grooming competitions. She was the winner of the 1996 Cardinal Crystal Achievement award for the “American Groomer of the Year.”
Loretta’s show career began in 1990 when she purchased her first Bichon Frise from Paul Flores. Since that time, she has bred, handled and finished 25 champion Bichons. Loretta has also bred and handled her own Poodles, as well as Poodles belonging to others, to their championships and she has led both Bichons Frises and Poodles to Group and multiple Best in Specialty wins. Loretta has taken care of Poodles in show coat for Paul Edwards, Joseph Vergnetti and Wendell Sammett. She is well-known for having assisted Wendell Sammett by groomed the top-winning standard Poodle, Ch. Alekai Mikimoto on Fifth. Loretta has also written articles or the AKC Breeder Newsletter.
MARIO DIFANTE
Owner/creator of Four Paws Salon in Providence, RI, voted Top salon in the USA for the millennium by national trade publication. As a former grooming contest competitor Mario’s past awards include Best Groomed Dog in Show, Best All Around Groomer and World Scissoring Champion titles. Over the past 22 years, he has judged at US, Canadian, Japanese and European competitions. He has mentored new and upcoming grooming contest judges and is a two-time nominee for the Cardinal Crystal Grooming Achievement “Judge of the Year” award.
Mario has also presented seminars and instructional breed classes for advanced grooming/scissoring techniques to thousands of groomers across the USA, Canada and Europe and is the author of various articles on grooming guidelines and techniques as related to specific breeds. Mario is the creator, designer and innovator of various cutting techniques and methods to accomplish specific looks for various coat types and he has also develop innovative grooming products and tools for the grooming industry.
Mario is a past member of the grooming board of directors for the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America where he assisted in writing grooming guide for the Porty according to AKC breed profile standards. He has bred, groomed and handled or owned many AKC champions over the past 30 years, including Westminster Best of Breed winning Portuguese Water Dogs (ranked top 5 in the US), as well as specialty-winning Bichons.
Mario’s current endeavor is as founder and Executive Director of Pet Fashion Week, in New York City, a high-end pet lifestyle trade show and design platform, held each August. In an effort to foster design and innovation, Pet Fashion Week, NY is not only a tradeshow but a designer platform, whose objective is to nurture the development of new ideas and innovation in the pet industry.
SARAH HAWKS
World-renowned grooming expert, Sarah (“Sally”) Hawks, is the owner and operator of Dog Works in Newark, Delaware. Sarah, a terrier specialist, is a multiple contest winner, earning many gold, silver and bronze medals at Intergroom, and was the “Intergroom International Groomer of the Year” in 2007. She qualified for GroomTeam USA in 1995 and 1996, and was among the top 10 in 1997 and 2007. In 1995, she won Best Groomed Dog in Show in the Netherlands with her hand-stripped Sealyham Terrier, Trigger.
Because of her many achievements in the grooming contest ring, Sally has been frequently invited to compete in the Oster International Tournament of Champions where, over the years, she won two bronze medals, two silver medals and, in 2004, the title of “Oster World Grand Champion.” Her many wins at IJA competitions qualified her to be part of the “Winner’s Circle Tournament” in Hershey several times. In September 2007, she was named Grand Champion of the first Model Dog Competition held in the United States at SuperGroom in Las Vegas. A few of Sally’s other accomplishments include: video producer (7 videos in the “Sarah Presents” series), presenter of terrier grooming seminars (both in the USA and abroad) and mentor to up-and-coming groomers.
Sally’s show career began with the purchase of a Sealyham Terrier in 1994, that became her foundation bitch. She admits to not being very comfortable in the ring, so she grooms her show dogs while Margery Good shows them. Sarah has bred 40 terrier champions. She credits France Bergeron of Canada for teaching her a great deal about balance and a correctly put-together dog.
SUE ZECCO
Sue Zecco, of Paxton, Massachusetts, is a groomer with over 30 years experience. She began entering grooming competitions in 1985, and since then, has won gold, silver and bronze medals at Intergroom, multiple Best in Show, Best All-Around Groomer, Best Scissored Dog, Best Groomed Poodle and her biggest grooming accomplishments Intergroom’s International Groomer of the Year in 1998 and Oster International Invitational Tournament Grand Champion in 1999.
She is also the very proud recipient of the 1998 and 2000 Cardinal Crystal Achievement award for Groomer of the Year, and the 2002 Cardinal Award for the Grooming Contest Judge of the Year. Sue has been a member of GroomTeam USA since 1997, participating in several of the World Team Championships of grooming. Sue is a national and international grooming competition judge, having judged and presented seminars in Italy, Ireland, Spain, Germany, England, Scotland, Argentina and Canada. in Sue is a representative for Wahl Clipper Corporation. She is a co-ordinator of Celebration of Style in Chicago. Sue and Jay Scruggs have developed a series of very successful one-day seminars called Super Styling Sessions. In 2007 they released a series of instructional grooming DVDs.
Sue has been involved in standard Poodles since the early 1980s. She started breeding under the “Dreamcatcher” prefix in 1997. Her first show bitch “Bella,” Ch. Majessa Forever in Love, produced many American and Canadian champions including Ch. Dreamcatcher’s My Bella Jeael, Ch. Dreamcatchers Over the Rainbow and Ch. Dreamcatchers Gaston, as well as obedience and agility title holders. Sue says that much of what she has learned in the grooming, handling and coat care of dogs was from Kaz Hosaka.
DENISE COLLINS
Denise and her husband, Marc bought their first Westie in 1991 from long time Breeder, Linda McCutcheon. Their intent was to buy a pet but when they looked at the litter, Linda said,"Pick the one you like best. Well it happened to be a show quality puppy. Linda encouraged Denise to show the dog and from there she became Denise's long time friend and mentor. Linda generously shared her knowledge in areas of breeding, whelping, show grooming and exhibiting dogs.
Following that Denise had her own Westies to show but still needed to perfect her show grooming abilities and decided it would be best to practice on as many Westies as possible. In order to find candidates she visited a nearby pet supply and posted a show picture of her first show dog on their bulletin board. It read, " Does your Westie Look Like this? Call me for Westie grooming." In the first year Denise took in 40 clients and eventually began grooming other terriers as well calling her in home” grooming shop "RUFFCUTS” which featured her handmade Custom Kangaroo Leather Show Leads, "DENISE'S LEASHES". Den-Marc Westies became the kennel name and since those humble beginnings have produced 20 champions.
As an owner, breeder, handler Denise is most proud of her dog "CJ", BIS BISS CH Den-Marc's Chain Reaction. After attaining his points to championship with mom by his side, CJ was professionally campaigned and became the nations number 0ne Westie and number 8 all terrier in 2007. CJ's accomplishments include Montgomery County Best of Breed winner 2007, Westminster Kennel Club Best of Breed Winner 2008, 121 Best of breed wins, 32 group wins, and 7 best in Specialty Show wins and 3 Best in shows in 2007.
SHIRLEE AND LARRY KALSTONE
Shirlee and Larry Kalstone’s involvement with dogs spans over four decades. Through the years, they have bred and shown Poodles, Whippets and English Setters. Past President and Show Chairman of The Greater Pittsburgh Poodle, Shirlee has always been interested in grooming. Author of 15 books and countless articles on grooming and health care of dogs and cats … one book, Poodle Clipping and Grooming: The International Reference is the best selling grooming reference in the world.
Recipient of 7 Cardinal Crystal Achievement awards, Shirlee is a popular speaker and well-respected grooming competition judge, both in the United States and abroad, having presented seminars and judged in Canada, England, France, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, Argentina, Brazil and Japan.
Larry is well-known as a specialist in canine movement. One of his articles, Soundness in the Dog …And How to Recognize It, originally published in The AKC Gazette, won a Dog Writers of America Award for the Best Article by a Non-Professional writer and, over the years, has been translated into many different languages, being published in many different breed club and general dog magazines throughout the world.