Interview with Junior Handler Athina Chairopoulou • Interviewed by J. Danilovic
Published in Best in Show Annual 2018
BIS: Thank you for taking your time to answer our interview. Please introduce yourself a little bit.
A.C.: Thank you for inviting me, my name’s Athina Chairopoulou and I’m 17 years old. I consider myself lucky because I divide my time between two countries, namely Cyprus and Greece. At home we have six dogs, two Irish Setters, two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, a Golden Retriever and a mini Pincher. So as you can see I’m never lonely or bored, there’s always a dog to play with and more importantly to take care of. However, my life is not only dogs, I have another passion, the ballet, I’ve been dancing since I was in Nursery School, that means I must have been about five years old. I go to ballet school three times a week and the truth be told, if we are preparing for a performance we go almost every evening. Besides these activities I love horse riding, playing the piano and singing along. My everyday routine is quite stressful at the moment because I’m presently in the 11th grade at school, so I have to devote quite a bit of my time to studying.
BIS: When did you get into the dog world? How did you get encouraged to get into junior handling?
A.C.: Well it all started in 2014 when my dad bought an Irish Setter that had all the qualifications to compete in a dog show. I tagged along to keep him company and ended up getting hooked, I found the whole idea captivating. It was then that I asked my dad if I could show our dog. Obviously I needed someone to teach me how to handle a dog. I was introduced to Yiannis Vlachos who took me under his wing and I believe that I am who I am today in the dog world because of his devotion, patience, love and care. Besides Yiannis’ help I have to acknowledge the help my parent’s gave me. What I mean is they made it possible for me to travel to so many counties to participate in dog shows. This is something that I will always be grateful for.
BIS: When was your first time competing in junior handling? What do you remember of that day?
A.C.: That would have been in the summer of 2014 when I participated in my first junior handling competition. For me this was a great achievement because I was so nervous and stressed out. Although I was feeling really stressed, at the same time I felt great joy, because I realized I was at the right place at the right time. So just like that I took the dog and entered the ring. What an amazing experience!
BIS: You had some very impressive results. What do you consider your greatest JH win and why?
A.C.: Difficult question, I think the show that made the difference for me was the International Dog Show in Marathon 2015 when for three consecutive days I won first place, under honourable judges. This was the beginning of my career as a junior handler, and this triumph gave me so much pleasure. Another unforgettable moment was a year later when the honourbale judge Catarina Molinari, awarded me the first place and her comments were so touching! Of course I have to mention my experience at the Crufts Dog Show in 2017 as a representative of Cyprus where I handled two particularly difficult dogs. Lastly, at the World Dog Show 2017 once again as the Cypriot representative, where I participated with Allison Foley’s incredible ‘Twink’. I feel so proud and blessed that Allison trusted me with her ‘Twink’.
BIS: Who do you admire in the dog world?
A.C.: Quite a few people come to mind but I think I have to say Mr. Peter J Green. He achieved so much in his career as a dog handler. Some of his achievements are four Westminster BIS, six dog of the year awards and BIS at Crufts.
BIS: Who has been your mentor? What has been the greatest advise they have given you so far?
A.C.: My mentor is Yiannis Vlachos who is a very respected and charismatic person who undertook my training and who has been at my side throughout my career. Yiannis is a man who has marked my path, has taught me to believe in myself and not to panic in a difficult situation. His advice is that I should always choose to show different breeds no matter how difficult they may be. So every time I am awarded a place my happiness for my achievement is huge. This of course has helped me become more self-confident. Another thing he advised was that I should always work on having a good sportsmanship attitude. Last but not least that I should never stop trying to better myself.
BIS: How do you see yourself in the future? Would you like to show dogs professionally?
A.C.: You never really know what will happen in the future, however because of my love for animals I’d like to become a vet, probably specializing in dog dentistry or physiotherapy. I’d like to believe that I will always continue to handle dogs because its something that gives me so much pleasure but besides this I also hope to breed dogs. I guess what I’m saying is that my life will revolve around dogs!
BIS: How do you think junior handlers are treated in your country? Do you think something should be improved?
A.C.: On the whole I would say we are treated very well, everyone in the game both encourages us and comforts us when necessary. Generally speaking breeders treat junior handlers with a lot of love and give us as much help as possible to present their dogs in the ring. Like everything else in society there is always room for improvement.
BIS: What do you dream of achieving in junior handling?
A.C.: I would like to be trained and improve the way I handle dogs as far as possible, always trying out different breeds of dogs particularly dogs with special needs. Another goal would be to win a place in the World Dog Show in Amsterdam in 2018, that would be a dream come true!
BIS: Do you have a favorite breed you love showing and why?
A.C.: I’m going to have to say Irish Setters first and Pyrenees Mountain Dogs second. Both are breeds which give me pleasure and for some odd reason boost my self-confidence.
BIS: Are there some breeds more popular than others in Junior Handling?
A.C.: Yes, I would say that junior handlers do prefer certain breeds, usually opting for breeds that considered to be easy going and fancy. The most popular breed is the English Pointer probably because it has such a good character and that makes it easier to handle. Another breed which is popular is the Poodle, such a fancy obedient dog. Popular as well is the Australian Shepherd since it is an extremely intelligent dog that is amazingly easy to train and handle. Another breed which I have noticed the junior handlers choose is the Whippet.
BIS: What part of the whole dog game do you love the most, and is there anything that you don`t like so much?
A.C.: Something that I consider very important is that I’ve met and made so many friends in this community from all over the world, that’s really awesome! Not to mention learning about new cultures in the different countries we visit. When participating in the shows around the globe we meet up again and its so good to see familiar faces. This gives us the chance to take part in the dog shows together but also to spend quality time having fun. Another aspect that I like is that I get to discover new breeds which aren’t common. My love for dogs make me feel wonderful when I’m at dog shows among beloved friends from around the world. I ‘taste’ a variety of emotions such as anxiety, fear, happiness depending on the situation at the time. The downside is that some people lose sight of the situation and in their quest to win forget that this is something we should be enjoying, this leads to them creating competitive relationships with their fellow contestants which can cause a good deal of friction.
BIS: What about the future? Do you plan on pursuing a career as a full-time professional handler?
A.C.: Nobody can answer this question, but I do believe that my love for dogs won’t allow me to stay away from them. I believe that wherever I am or whatever I’m doing I’ll never stop dog handling.
BIS: How would you encourage younger people to get started in junior handling?
A.C.: As I believe in the institution, I think that young people who have a good relationship with dogs should be encouraged to participle in dog handling. As far as I’m concerned I do my best to help young people who wish to embark on this activity by giving them advice and showing them how to show a dog. By making this seem easy for them I feel that some of them will take up this sport. I’ve tried to encourage my friends to come and see me when I’m taking part in a show in the hope that one of them will decide to start themselves.
BIS: How do you try to improve your own skills?
A.C.: Apart from all the training I think that by practicing with dogs that are not allowed to participate in dog shows, such as mixed breed dogs is both difficult and excellent training. By watching videos of junior handlers in important shows, observing how they handle the dogs noting both the positive and the negative points. Besides this I think it is really important to participate in as many dog shows as possible choosing different breeds from different categories and different degrees of difficulty. Lastly, listening to my mentor’s advice and suggestions, and doing my best to put them into practice.
