Dogs compete to take home prize for best in show
JACKSON, Tenn. — It takes a lot to be the top dog. Just ask Larry Cornelius, who has traveled across the country to show off his sky terrier, Charlie. “Charlie came to me when he was 5-months old. I had shown his uncle and I literally thought right away when I saw this one, he was going to be a good one,” Cornelius said. Hosted by the Jackson Dog Fancier’s Association and the Paducah Kennel Club, dogs in seven categories were chosen for Sunday’s final rounds of the weekend-long dog show. Wagging his way to being the best, the judges had eyes on Charlie from the beginning. “This dog, first of all, he has the whole correct look for his breed, sky terrier. He’s a very serious dog, and at the same time, he’s a fun-loving dog,” Judge Pat Trotter explained. It’s dogs like Charlie who are the reason why Cornelius said at a young age, he fell in love with the sport. Since then, he’d only pawed at the idea of being a contender at the Westminster Dog Show, but this year, Charlie brought home a prize from Madison Square Garden. “This year he came back and won the group there, and was reserved best in show to the beagle,” Cornelius said. Although the dogs are great sports, when they’re not showing off for the judges, they truly are man’s best friend. “Not every pet that we all own is a show dog, but I’ll tell you this – every show dog is a pet and this dog is definitely a pet as well as a show dog,” Trotter said. The dogs return to Jackson Fairgrounds next March.
