10 Questions ...

Profession: AKC registered professional handler

Dog-sport involvement: Same

Hometown: Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Astrological sign: Libra

1. Do you have any dog-show superstitions?

Once a dog does well on a certain lead, that is THEIRS and CANNOT change! I didn’t realize how much that “superstition” mattered to me until one weekend where one of my specials’ leads didn’t make it into the motorhome … that was a rough few days!

2. TV-show guilty pleasure?

Any and all seasons/iterations of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” but I’m not guilty about it.

3. If you were president of AKC for one day, what would you do? 

The first thing would be to allow professionals and assistants to show in 4-6 … These classes are all about creating a positive experience for young dogs, and while there are many, many capable owners who can do this, there are some instances where a more relaxed, confident handler would help a baby puppy through the experience a bit easier. Past that, and this article would turn into a Ted Talk about animal husbandry!

4. Most valued material possession?

If my house pet Corgi or fish don’t count, I love my “library” of books. 

5. What is something no one would guess about you?

People who don’t know me well would probably not guess I have my BFA in acting/musical theater performance … but I’m also a huge fantasy nerd.

6. Who would you compare yourself to? 

There are so many amazing people in this sport I do my best to emulate every day, but I’m not sure “compare” would be the right word for that. I work hard to stay true to me.

7. What are you “famous” for?  

Kind of in the same vein as the last question, someone else would have to maybe tell ME if I’m “famous” for anything … I prefer staying in my tiny circle and just doing my own thing. 

8. What website do you visit most often?

YouTube is a big one, because I usually have some kind of video or podcast going in the background of whatever I’m doing.

9. What was more memorable, your most satisfying win or disappointing defeat? And what was it?

I’ve been very lucky to have many memorable wins and big ribbons, but honestly there was a class Golden Retriever dog who was beautiful, deserved his championship, but we just kept running into majors breaking, reserve streaks, etc. And he was NOT easy to show. If you knew baby Wyatt, you know. To me, finishing that dog on the Sunday Kennel Club of Philadelphia show was so much more about how far that particular special boy had come and how hard the two of us had worked, and for it to be on a day he truly EARNED that last major in such large and beautiful company … the picture-perfect ending!

10. What do you wish someone would ask you? 

“Hey, Vesta, would you like me to pay all your expenses for the rest of your life so you don’t need to worry about such a thing?”