Groveland – Blaine Crowder, a 14-year-old dog enthusiast from Groveland, is gearing up for the opportunity of a lifetime as he and his French Bulldog, Johnny, prepare to compete in the prestigious 148th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City.
Crowder expressed his excitement about the upcoming event. “I absolutely love dogs! I’ve been around dogs all my life, but I’ve only been showing for two years,” Crowder said. “I decided to start doing dog shows when my grandmother decided she was ready to retire after 40+ years of showing Old English Mastiffs. I really wanted to follow in her footsteps.”
Despite his young age, Blaine has already made a name for himself in the competitive world of dog showing. While he primarily focuses on French Bulldogs, he has demonstrated his versatility by showing a variety of breeds, including Dobermans, Great Danes, Bull Mastiffs, Mastiffs, Rottweilers, Shiba Inu, and many others.
Blaine’s exceptional skills as a handler has earned him numerous accolades. Johnny is shown exclusively by Blaine. Blaine earned Top 1 in French Bulldog Juniors Breed 2023, 2023 Juniors Top 20 Overall and #2 in 2023 Juniors Group. Out of over 2000 juniors, only 126 qualified. It takes 7 Best Junior Handler wins in a year to qualify and Blaine won 10.
Not content with merely participating in the Junior Showmanship category, Blaine has also been invited to showcase Johnny in the highly competitive Best of Breed event. This honor is reserved for the finest of each breed. Only 36 French Bulldogs received invitations out of hundreds.
According to the Westminster Kennel Club, “Junior Showmanship is a competition assessing the handling skills of children 9-18 years of age independent of the traits of the dog. The completion promotes proper training and care to prepare future generations for responsible dog ownership, sportsmanship, and future success in the sport.”
The Westminster Dog Show will be broadcast on May 13th at 7 pm on FS1, or viewers can catch the action live on the Westminster website.
As Blaine and Johnny prepare to represent Central Florida at this prestigious event, their journey will inspire dog lovers and aspiring handlers everywhere.
Best Wishes and Good Luck Blaine and Johnny
