Meet the Junior Handler Arionna Walker

Meet the Junior Handler Arionna Walker

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

Arionna Walker: I live in Freeland, Michigan, where I do online school through Michigan Connections Academy.

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

Arionna Walker: Most of my hobbies are related to purebred dogs. If I’m not at a show, I am watching grooming videos or looking at pedigrees. I am an assistant for Lindsey Cook, where I learn all about the different breeds, specializing in setters.

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

Arionna Walker: I was born into the sport with my American Staffordshire Terriers, where we do Conformation and Rally.

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

Arionna Walker: I was introduced to Junior Showmanship when I was very young, and from then I always aspired to become a handler. I started showing in Juniors when I was nine with my Amstaff puppy, “Cash.”

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

Arionna Walker: The first time I showed in Juniors I was so nervous, and Cash couldn’t have done better helping me manage it all.

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

Arionna Walker: I am very calm when preparing to go into the ring. My current Juniors dog, “Mystery,” could not be named more perfectly because he is a Mystery Machine. My ritual is that I always use the same lead on the same dog.

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

Arionna Walker: I go in with the same focus every time, so one show isn’t more important than another.

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

Arionna Walker: I have been mentored through Amstaffs by my Mom, Benny and Marcella Cheek, and Penny Gillette. I am so grateful for the opportunities I have been given by very influential people in my breed and I wish to always strive to make the breed better. I have assisted Lindsey Cook for almost three years. In those three years I have learned so much, and to look back now at all the accomplishments, big and small, is surreal. I couldn’t think of a better person to have worked for in these past few years. I am always wanting to learn more, and hope to learn from more handlers before starting my own handling business.

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

Arionna Walker: I am honored to have won Best Junior at five different Nationals in the same year (Irish Setters, Gordon Setters, English Setters, German Wirehaired Pointers, and American Staffordshire Terriers). My most memorable win would have to be making the Finals at Westminster. Some of my biggest wins in the Breed ring would be my first Best in Specialty Show with “Charlotte” (English Setter), and my first Group Ones with “Santana” (Gordon Setter).

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

Arionna Walker: Setters are very hands-on, and I like when a judge is looking for breed-specific handling. I love when they tell us to go around and present your dog in a breed-appropriate manner. I like to pull his ear up to show off his beautiful neck into shoulders, and I also like to run my hand down his back to show off his topline.

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

Arionna Walker: Both of the breeds I commonly show in Juniors are not as common in the Juniors ring. The Amstaffs are very trainable and loving, but I do also like the hands-on and grooming challenges of setters. Both breeds would make great dogs for Juniors.

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

Arionna Walker: I have been fortunate to have shown many different breeds. I look forward to learning more about Giant Schnauzers, Siberian Huskies, Bearded Collies, Affenpinschers, and Afghan Hounds, to name a few.

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

Arionna Walker: I think that if breeders would be more willing to share dogs, and teach kids not only how to show dogs but also good animal husbandry, it would encourage more participation.

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

Arionna Walker: My Mom and I have bred multiple litters. It is a very long and difficult process from newborn to the day they go home with continuous support. Finding the right homes is critical.

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

Arionna Walker: I love breeding and I am going to continue to do so for the love of my breed. One on my favorite things is to talk pedigrees and dogs with people I look up to.

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

Arionna Walker: I want to continue to work for handlers until I feel like I am able to go out on my own, even though you never stop learning. I look forward to continuing my breeding program through my assisting and handling career.

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

Arionna Walker: We have a very special relationship. We both know what to expect out of each other and we rely on each other. He is a very high-energy dog, but it makes showing that much better. We like to call him a stallion, because he has so much presence.

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

Arionna Walker: My funniest story that I can think of is when we made it to the Finals at Westminster and he ran away from me! It was an immediately humbling moment as he ran around in the ring, next to us celebrating.