Today's Breeder - Issue 107 - 5

bird dogs into field trial competitors. " My grandmother was
the consummate Vizsla owner, " Ania says. " She won Best of
Breed at Westminster in 1988 as the breeder-owner-handler
of a Vizsla female (CH Willo Runn's Bearly A Whisper) from
the second generation she bred. She delved into field trials
and even became a field trial judge while also doing obedience
and agility with her dogs. "
Ania's mother, Rachel, of Dunkirk, Maryland, a successful
breeder-owner-handler and Juniors judge, gave her
daughter a solid foundation in the sport. " My mom was
a very good teacher. She was a big believer in giving me
challenging dogs to show, " Ania says.
When Ania began in junior handling as a 9-year-old, it
was her grandmother's Vizsla named " Daisy " (CH Anderson's
Smartie Pants JH RN HR) who initiated her. " Daisy was
not an easy dog to show, yet she became my constant
shadow, " she says.
A couple of years later, Ania wanted a competitive dog to
show in Juniors. She spent a year looking for a suitable
smaller-sized, longer-coated dog. " Wizard " (CAN CH/GCH
Winfree's Do You Believe In Magic), an orange-and-white
male English Cocker Spaniel, was bred by Lisa Ross, the
mother of her junior handler friend, Taylor Ross. " I got
Wizard at 6 months old, " says Ania. " He is my 'heart dog,'
and the reason I love English Cockers. "
The pair finished 2008 with Wizard ranked as the No. 1
English Cocker Spaniel in Junior standings. In 2012, Ania
took Best Junior Handler at the Garden
with Wizard, affirming that hard work pays
off. " I had been to Westminster every year
since 2008 as a Junior handler, " she says.
Highly motivated to learn, she says, " I set
out to study the techniques used by pros
to show individual breeds. My father was
in the Navy and we moved around a lot,
which helped me get apprenticeships with
some of the best handlers from across the
country. "
When her family lived in the Pacific
Northwest, Ania trained two years with
Andy Linton. A move East allowed her to
spend five years working with Michael and
Michelle Scott, followed by a year with Greg
Strong while attending college in Maryland.
Ania spent three years training with Brian
Livingston in Texas, during which she
transferred to the University of Texas in
Denton. An interest in terriers led to six months working
with Tracy Szaras in South Carolina and six months
with Jenny Wornall in California.
" These apprenticeships have helped me show dogs to
Ania is pictured with " Wizard, " now 16 years old, the English Cocker
Spaniel with whom she won Best Junior Handler at Westminster
in 2012.
With a full-time assistant, Ally Barwis, her best friend
since second grade, Ania travels the circuit with around
10 dogs. One of her current Specials is " Vispa " (MBIS/MBISS
GCHG Peabar P.S. I Love You), the No. 1 all-systems Scottish
Terrier and No. 5 Terrier, who won
Best of Breed at the 2022 Scottish
Terrier Club of American National
Rotating Specialty.
In 2019 and 2020, Ania handled
" Vispa, " the No. 1 all-systems Scottish
Terrier, is among the Specials that Ania
currently campaigns.
the No. 1 Vizsla all-systems and
a Top 10 Sporting dog, " Boomer "
(MBIS/MBISS GCHP Tradewinds
Ida BOMB JH CA CTC TKI). Bred
by Britt Jung, Ida Kavafian and Lori
Salb, Boomer took Best of Breed in
2019 at the Vizsla Club of America
National Specialty and in 2020 at
the Regional Specialty held in conjunction
with the National Specialty.
In 2020, Boomer placed Sporting
Group Fourth at Westminster -
32 years after Ania's grandmother,
Dot, won Best of Breed with her
homebred Vizsla, " Willow " - and
Sporting Group Second at the AKC National Championship.
Reflecting on her work, Ania says, " I love being a dog
their potential, " she says. " Their happiness and well-being
are my priorities. "
handler. It is so rewarding. I am thankful for the opportunities
I've had to learn and to grow. Importantly, I am
thankful to my grandmother and mom for helping me
achieve my dreams. " n
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Today's Breeder - Issue 107

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