A Junior’s Journal: Darlene Lopez

Interview with Darlene Lopez,  A Junior’s Journal

1. Where do you live? Where do you go to school?

Darlene Lopez: I live in Cleveland, Texas, and I’m home-schooled.

2. Do you have any hobbies or interests apart from purebred dogs? Do you have a job?

Darlene Lopez: My hobbies are painting, jiu-jitsu, and judo. I do not have a job.

3. Have you grown up in a doggy family? What is your breed?

Darlene Lopez: Yes, I have grown up in a dog family. My breeds are Poodles and Rat Terriers.

4. How were you introduced to Junior Showmanship? When did you start competing?

Darlene Lopez: My sister and mother both did Juniors and they introduced me to Juniors. I have been actively showing since I was three years old. I have been competing in Junior Showmanship since I was nine.

5. What do you remember about the first time you showed as a Junior?

Darlene Lopez: I remember showing with my first Mini Poodle, “Dolly,” and we won Reserve Best Junior.

6. How do you prepare your dog and yourself for the ring? Any rituals? Any good luck charms?

Darlene Lopez: I talk to my dog and kiss his nose. My good luck charms are my rings and a tiny green bear named Lucky.

7. What’s it like in the ring when the pressure is on? Do you have a secret for handling the nerves?

Darlene Lopez: I do jiu-jitsu, which helps a lot when under pressure, and I believe in my dog.

8. Do you have a mentor in the sport? Have you assisted any professional handlers?

Darlene Lopez: I have three mentors: Gabriel, Angel, and Melony Lopez. I have assisted Sharon Svoboda, Daniel Chavez, and Melony Lopez. I would like to include a special thanks to Daniel, Melony, Gabriel, Angel, and Sharon for helping me get where I am today.

9. Are there any wins for which you are particularly proud? Any memorable losses?

Darlene Lopez: I’m very proud of my first year at PCA, my Poodle National, where I got Reserve Best Junior. My most memorable loss was when a girl new in my breed got Best Junior in the Specialty, and I was very happy for her.

10. How do you accentuate your dog’s breed type in the ring? How do you try to stand out?

Darlene Lopez: I show my Poodle to the Standard.

11. Are there any breeds that you haven’t yet shown but would like to some day?

Darlene Lopez: I would like to show Golden Retrievers.

12. What can be done to encourage more young people to participate in Junior Showmanship?

Darlene Lopez: Being nice, showing them that it’s okay to lose and it’s okay to win—even if someone gets mad about it. I think if we can be nice and not mean, more people will love Junior Showmanship if we show that it’s not all about some ribbon, that it’s about fun and loving and caring for your dog.

13. Have you bred or co-bred a litter? If so, can you share what you’ve learned from the experience?

Darlene Lopez: I bred my first litter when I was 12 years old. I loved it, from the whelping box to raising my puppy and making sure his siblings got really great homes. Watching what they have done for their families makes it so enjoyable. I learned that you can’t keep them all and that there is someone out there who needs a dog and needs a best friend.

14. Is breeding something that you’d like to pursue? Is breed preservation important to you?

Darlene Lopez: I would love to keep breeding. It’s so much fun to pick a puppy and move up with it, and see the babies go to their new families. Yes, breed preservation is very important to me.

15. What are your goals for the future? Do you see yourself continuing in the sport once you’ve aged-out?

Darlene Lopez: My goal is to be one of the top Poodle breeders in the country and to be a Junior Showmanship judge, and handle for a bit. Then, I wanna get my judge’s licenses.

16. Can you share a word or two about your relationship with your current dog? What does s/he mean to you?

Darlene Lopez: My dog is my heart. All of my dogs are. They are my soul and my heart, and they mean the world to me.

17. Is there a funny story that you can share about your experiences as a Junior Handler?

Darlene Lopez: When I was about six years old, I was asked to take a Miniature Poodle in the ring. The puppy wasn’t lead-trained and they didn’t tell me that, so on the down and back she pulled back. The lead wasn’t on all the way and she slipped out and ran around the ring, laughing at us trying to catch her.