Best In School: Education Is Not The Enemy Of Experience

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298 – February, 2026

By Ashlyn Navis

In the dog fancy, junior showmanship is often described as a pipeline. Junior handlers are born into the sport, grow up in the sport, hone their skills in the ring, deepen their husbandry knowledge as assistants, and eventually transition into roles as breeders, judges, or professional handlers. Within this narrative, there is an unspoken assumption that the most committed juniors are those who never step away–the ones seen working diligently each weekend, remaining continuously visible, continuously competing, and continuously immersed.

To its credit, the fancy has begun to recognize the value of education in tangible ways. Royal Canin’s minimum GPA requirement for the Limited Junior Showmanship Competition, along with scholarship opportunities available to junior exhibitors regardless of schooling format, reward academic effort as part of overall development. These initiatives have directly supported my own journey and demonstrate how education and junior showmanship can go hand in hand.

When a junior leaves for secondary or postsecondary education, however, the story often changes. Absence is often read as disinterest to the broader community. Education is framed as a pause, a diversion, or even an unnecessary risk–particularly for juniors who aspire to become professional handlers. The longer a junior is away, the more likely their commitment is quietly questioned, and the more they are “lost”.

This framing is limiting not only for juniors, but for the future of the sport itself.

Click here to read the complete article
298 – February, 2026

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Posted by AnthonyA on Feb 13 2026. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.