A Close Call Doesn't Derail a Champion During Intense Competition in Charles
By Matt Zapotosky
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, June 29, 2008
It's a sunny Friday afternoon at the Southern Maryland Kennel Club dog show, and officials are calling the Italian greyhounds for judging. Yet top-ranked Lily-Belle's handler is nowhere to be seen.
"Number 31!" an official bellows.
Still no handler. Three more dogs until Lily-Belle's name will be called, according to the catalogue.
Lily-Belle's owner, Denise Milko of Ocean City, is starting to get worried. She knew when she hired the handler who trained Bill Clinton's dog Buddy, she would have to share him with other dog owners. But Lily-Belle is the No. 1 Italian greyhound in the country, having amassed the most points in American Kennel Club standings. And at this show, the second in the five days of canine competition called the Blue Crab Cluster at the Charles County Fairgrounds, Italian greyhounds are featured as the specialty competition. So, where is that . . .
Wearing a neatly pressed gray suit, Greg Strong strides through the door and picks up Lily-Belle, erasing the tension that has hung in the air. Several minutes later, he's parading around the room with the best Italian greyhound in the country. She is later named the best Italian greyhound at the Southern Maryland Kennel Club's show.
"That's one dream come true," Milko says, kissing her husband on the cheek.
Actually, it's the 76th. That is the number of times Lily-Belle, whose fluid stride and attentive demeanor are hard to top, has won best of breed at dog shows across the country.
"She has an exquisite head and expression," Strong said. "She's standing there taking the world on with her ears alert."
Later Friday, Lily-Belle would compete to be named the best dog in her group. Winning that would make her eligible to be selected best in show.
The competition is intense. Friday's show drew about 1,100 dogs, some of them former winners of the Westminster Kennel Club's show and others who rank first in their breed.
"These are the best dogs in the country," said Harry Miller, president of the Southern Maryland Kennel Club and chairman of the show.
The show is a sort of collection of dog-world celebrities, all gathered in Southern Maryland. Not least among them is Strong. In addition to training Buddy, he has shown Bill Cosby's dogs.
"In our little world here, there's a lot of people who are famous," he said. "There's a lot of money and a lot of fame in the dog world."
But the Easton, Md., resident is not one to take the Charles show lightly. When he gets a call that one of his dogs needs to be shown, he races across the fairgrounds, sweat beading off his face and wrinkles starting to show in his slacks.
"This is the life of a handler," he said.
Milko's husband, Jerry, operates with a little less stress. Sure, he's proud to own the No. 1 Italian greyhound in America, but he just wants her to have fun.
"I'm just happy if she has a good time and enjoys what she's doing," he said. "She goes out there with no fear, so to speak, like she kind of owns the ring."
Added Denise: "She is without a doubt the dog of a lifetime. . . . She has a presence in the ring. She can't put a foot down wrong."
View all comments that have been posted about this article.