Qld Junior Handler Champion 2022 – Samantha Page

from Dog World Magazine September 2022

Breed Feature – Irish Wolfhound

Samantha Page Qld Junior Handler Champion 2022

– David Margan

Our dog world is often perceived by outsiders as a strange one where it’s dedication, even obsessiveness and the passion of competition can be seen as well, odd.

The surprise registered by strangers when they first come to a show with its caravans of pens, fancy transport rigs and sheer numbers of people, is plain, wow!

Most outsiders just don’t realise how big this subculture is!

Such is the life of the Page family, while Dad’s passion is golf, for Mum, Amy and Samantha and sometimes, brother Ryan its dogs, dogs and the competitive thrust of shows.

“Its just what we do.”, said Amy

They are the second and three generations of family Dog’s Queensland devotees.

Amy’s Mum and Dad still do shows and trials.

That passion was rewarded at last month State Junior Handlers’ finals when 12-year-old Samantha won her age group and then took on all comers to win the State final with Australian Shepherd, Twix.

“ It was pretty good, pretty exciting and a bit of a shock after six years of trying.” Said Samantha.

Every year since she was seven Samantha has won her age group in four out of five state finals, but this time she went on to win the title of the best in state and will travel to Adelaide for the National Championships in October.

“ I’ve never really been to Adelaide before, perhaps as a baby, it will be really exciting to see another state and see what other people show and how good they are.”

I asked her if she thought she could win,

“ I don’t know but I will certainly be trying to do my best.”

Mum says he daughter has had some very special help;

“Samantha has also had the guidance and support of Belinda West who we met when she was a junior handler judge. She told Samantha that if she ever needed a dog to show she could have one of her Australian Shepherds and so a bond both human and canine was formed, and it was with Twix that she won

It’s a view shared by Samantha

“ Apart from my mum of course, Belinda has been the most help to me, showing me the way around the ring, advice on grooming and she has lent me her dogs to show. She really has helped me a lot ever since I started when I was seven.”

Amy added; “ She just really enjoys it and likes to do well, I suppose we are a very competitive family. Samantha also plays touch football, and she likes to win at that too, she goes hard.”

That determination is reflected in the effort Samantha puts into the discipline, shows virtually every weekend and the show training, the run, standing and swapping sides, again and again till handler and canine are smoothly, perfectly in synch.

“ It’s fun to train and show a dog, you really connect with them, and you make a lot of friends.”

Brother Ryan shares the interest but not necessarily the hard work, he entered the finals wanting to, and believing, he could beat his sister. In the end he came second to her in their age group. On her brother, Samantha said;

“He doesn’t really do enough training, he has other interests .”

“ I love playing basketball and footy, but I thought I’d try and beat my sister, but I lost, that was tough luck! But I was really happy with second though.”

The family will drive all the way to Adelaide for the National Finals, which is not unusual given their love of what they do. Amy and her brood would regularly leave Brisbane on a Friday night and drive to Sydney for a show, return on Sunday night then off to work on Monday morning.

“ Some people just shake their heads, they think we’re nuts, but they just don’t get it, they haven’t got the bug.”

She can’t define in words what that bug is, but I guess all of you out there will know exactly what she is referring to, “We just love going to the events, catching up with friends, enjoying the atmosphere, the camaraderie and the competition, it’s terrific.”

So, what’s next for Samantha?

Simple really, more training, more shows and one day her own, perfect dog. • Transcervical insemination with fresh, chilled and frozen semen. • Semen collection and freezing. • In-house progesterone testing - results in 20 minutes. • Dog and bitch fertility assessment and much more.