Clifford Harpole

4-H Success

School Demonstration

Carting

Agility Practice

For as long as I can remember, I have always watched the Westminster Dog Show on TV. I never imagined that I would be running around the show ring myself. No, I haven't been to Westminster myself, but I'm dreaming of going with my own dog. My parents have already promised me if I get the 8 wins it takes to be entered in the show at the "Garden."

My interest in the sport of the purebred dogs all started with a pet quality Dalmatian, Dixie Belle, and numerous county fairs. My older brother and I each paid for one half of her, and got out of it a stubborn, hardheaded yet smart family pet and a good starting show dog. I was first only interested in Obedience, until Cindy Bellis-Jones, my 4-H leader, later introduced me to conformation and junior showmanship. I was hooked for life.

Dixie Belle and I did very well at the Kentucky State Fair: I won my class in Beginner's Showmanship (a class of more than 30) and came in second in the Non-Sporting group. Cindy and the Junior Showmanship judge told me that to continue in the sport, I needed a bigger, better dog.

I ran to the information highway, the Internet, and began the search for the perfect show dog for me. I knew I wanted a dry mouthed, short haired, minimal shedding, big dog. There I met the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog. I asked a good family friend, who is also a Purina Dog Food Sales Representative, Eddie Wiley, to help me find the perfect dog.

"I'm working on it," he would always answer. Finally, he told me the truth. He was talking to Kristin. The rest is an amazement and a blur.

We got in touch with Kristin, who is now my teacher, leader, friend and hero. She invited the family down to the farm for our first interview on her farm in our hometown, about 15 miles from our house. We drove there early one spring day after school, and I saw Lola Bunny for the first time and I was in love. Kristin allowed us to take her home with us. Later on, we worked out a co-ownership agreement.

Lola bunny also has her own story. Debbie and Jerry Kennedy were looking after her before I came into the Swissy world. They had lost their own Swissy, Hoss, to cancer, and Lola was there to make it easier for them. I never had the pleasure to meet this gentle giant, but I put the championship on one of his sons, under the legendary judge Anne Clark. It was an assembly line of badgering to get me this wonderful dog. Sometimes it seems things are just meant to be. I was working on Eddie to get me a dog, Eddie was working on Kristin, and Kristin was working on the Kennedy's to give up Lola. The Kennedy's made the hardest (and now they say the best) decision of their lives to give Lola to me, a kid they have never met. I now thank them for that.

Lola Bunny and I worked very hard getting in shape for the AKC show ring. We had our debut at the Hodgenville, KY show where we surprisingly received a 3 point major our first time together in the ring. This was evidently a god omen, because I recently put Lola's championship on her, on December 4th, 1999 under judge Hank Williams. Also, she received her Canine Good Citizen, National Championship, Therapy Dog, and Temperament Testing titles on her over the summer. She is still my 4-H dog and we took 3rd overall in Sub-Novice B Obedience and 1st in the Working Group at the Kentucky State Fair for 1999. I have moved up into the Open Junior Class where I recently achieved my first pink (1st prize) ribbon in Open Juniors. It has been quite a journey with this dog.

My success is all due to the great people I have met in the 'Dog World' I owe it all to Kristin, Debbie, Jerry and Eddie, among the few I can mention. They trusted me with this beautiful, loving, show quality dog. I have made a lot of friends that I never would have become aquatinted with if it weren't for Lola Bunny. Thank you all so much.