Meet the Junior Handler: Addison Lancaster

Meet the Junior Handler: Addison Lancaster

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

Addison Lancaster: I live in South Carolina and I am homeschooled.

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

Addison Lancaster: I devote most of my time to dogs and work for professional handlers.

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

Addison Lancaster: Yes, I have grown up in a family with dogs. My grandmother breeds and shows dogs and my mother hunts with her dogs. The breed I’ve been involved in the longest is the Affenpinscher, and I recently acquired a Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen.

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

Addison Lancaster: I have shown dogs since I was five years old. I started showing in Juniors two months after I turned nine.

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

Addison Lancaster: The first time I showed in Juniors I showed a Greyhound named Peter. It was in North Carolina at a four-day cluster. On Saturday of the cluster my Affenpinscher Humphrey turned six months old, and I showed him for almost four years in Juniors after that.

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

Addison Lancaster: I groom my dog and prepare him to the best of my ability. I try to wait until the last minute to go to the ring, since he is a puppy and I do not want him to get bored.

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

Addison Lancaster: I am usually not nervous. I try to keep my dog happy and focus on him.

8. Do you have a mentor in the sport? Have you assisted any Professional Handlers?

Addison Lancaster: I have been lucky to have worked for multiple Professional Handlers! Lexy Jessee is the first Professional Handler I ever worked for. I have worked for her for a few years, and had shown one of her Chihuahuas in Juniors for roughly a year. I appreciate everything she has taken the time to teach me. She has really taught me the basics and how to care for and present multiple different Herding and Toy breeds.

I have been assisting Jody Paquette, who is probably the only person I have ever looked up to, and I now co-own my GBGV North with her. She has truly devoted a lot of time to teaching me the importance of dog care and how each dog out of a variety of Breeds and Groups is presented. I’m very appreciative that she has been so supportive of me and taken the time to teach me! I truly feel like she is one of the best people to learn from, and I’m beyond grateful for every opportunity she has given me!

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

Addison Lancaster: A memorable win was earlier this year when I won my first all-breed Best Junior on my GBGV North. The two reasons this was a special win for me is because I am the first Junior to win an all-breed BJH on a GBGV. The second reason was because Jody Paquette, who co-owns North with me, was there. Also, winning the 2025 Grand Basset Griffon Vendeen Club of America National Specialty with North is a very special win to me because it was my first National win with a dog that I truly love!

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

Addison Lancaster: With a hand-stacked breed, you can often be overlooked in Juniors, so I have tried to find ways to stand out by the way I present him.

11. Is your breed generally well-suited for a Junior Showmanship career?

Addison Lancaster: Personally, I don’t think so because some Juniors judges are not familiar with the breed and no one has seen the breed shown in Juniors before. It is a wonderful breed and I hope more Juniors get involved with them.

12. Are there any breeds that you would like to show but haven’t shown yet?

Addison Lancaster: No, there are very few breeds I have not shown.

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

Addison Lancaster: It would be great if there where seminars held for kids to come and see what it was like to show a dog without having to own one of their own.

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

Addison Lancaster: Yes, I have co-bred Affenpinscher litters. I have learned how important breed preservation is.

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

Addison Lancaster: Yes, breed preservation is important because it ensures that purebred dogs maintain their unique characteristics, including to preserve structure and purpose. Many breeds were developed for specific functions, herding, hunting, guarding, or companionship, and preserving them maintains their working abilities, health, and historical significance.

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

Addison Lancaster: I plan to go to college and major in animal science. I feel like I will always be involved in dogs.

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

Addison Lancaster: North is a wonderful dog to live with and show. He is very happy. North is everything I wanted him to be. He has been a challenge, but what’s not good about a challenge?

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

Addison Lancaster: When I was showing my Affenpinscher Humphrey, if he did not want to participate or was looked at the wrong way, he would fall over!