Shifflett shows at Westminster

As the Cardinals and Steelers were winding down from their big game; Lindsey Shifflett was gearing up for the Superbowl of dog shows.
The local resident exhibited Ch. Breckenridge Polar Ice, or “Icy”, in the juniors' competition at the 133rd Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. The young handler walked the ring at Madison Square Garden with the four-year-old smooth-coated Fox Terrier.
Although Icy did not take any honors at WKC, she showed well in the ring. Just getting to Westminster is a distinct honor in itself. A dog must accumulate enough wins to qualify and they are up against the best of the best, since only champions may participate in the show.
Shifflett already holds distinctive honors in junior showmanship competition. She is ranked as the number three Smooth Fox Terrier handler in juniors, the number two handler in Virginia in juniors, and number eight terrier handler in juniors.
She has shown Icy at numerous competitions in the past year including at the Augusta and Valdosta Kennel Clubs in April, the Mattaponi Kennel Club in May where she took second place in the Open Intermediate Junior Showmanship Competition, and the Tidewater Kennel Club of Virginia, where she won Best Junior in the same category in December. She also qualified to participate in the Eukanuba American Kennel Club Tournament of Champions in Long Beach, California last December.
Shifflett has been showing dogs in AKC conformation for five years.
I started with a Vizsla," she said. "Then I moved on to show American Cocker Spaniels and Smooth Fox Terriers."
Shifflett has also shown a six-month-old Welsh Springer Spaniel, DMS taking the world by storm at the American Spaniel Club in January 2008 in both the puppy and sweepstakes categories.
The Vizsla is a Hungarian pointer originally used as a hunting dog that stands about 21 to 24 inches at the withers. An American Cocker Spaniel stands about 14 to 15 inches and should not exceed 25 pounds. A Welsh Springer Spaniel stands between 17 and 19 inches at the shoulder. The smooth-coated Fox Terrier can stand no taller than 15 and one half inches at the withers and the back should be no longer than 12 inches from withers to the root of the tail. This lively small dog should also be no heavier than 18 pounds to be shown in the ring.
With her experience with these breeds of various sizes and temperaments Shifflett has proven herself capable of handling a wide range of dogs. And now that she has exhibited at Westminster, she has joined a special fraternity of dog fanciers.

Photo caption: With smooth coated Fox Terrier Ch. Breckenridge Polar Ice, perfectly stacked in front of her, Lindsey Shifflett waited for the judge in the juniors' ring at Madison Square Garden.