Rosie, a golden-doodle, leaps off a platform during the dog diving competition Thursday at the Steel Valley Cluster dog show at the Canfield Fairgrounds as her owners, Sue, right, and Brad Hall, of Beaver Falls, Pa., watch her flight. The dog diving competition is one of the many competitions at the four-day dog show that saw over 1,500 dogs and their owners and handlers come to Canfield for the event.....Staff photo / N. Hawthorne

CANFIELD — More than 1,500 dogs and their owners and handlers have made their way from across the country to the 35th Annual Steel Valley Cluster show at the Canfield Fairgrounds that began Thursday.

The four-day dog show is hosted by the cluster, a cooperative group comprised of the Fort Steuben Kennel Association, Columbiana County Kennel Club, Beaver County Kennel Club and Mahoning Shenango Kennel Club.

Each club takes turns hosting each day’s events. Thursday’s event was hosted by the Fort Steuben Kennel Association, and club president Bob Damron said the show in Canfield is usually big.

“Usually an average show is 1,000 dogs per day. Last year, with COVID-19, we were one of the only shows able to put something on and there were over 3,500 dogs per day here last year,” he said.

When it came to planning the event, Damron said the group has taken precautions to ensure safety among competitors.

“We did and do have concerns. There’s no indoor grooming to help keep distance,” Damron said.

Show chairperson for the Fort Steuben club, Liz Stocker, said having the event this year is exciting.

“Last year we weren’t allowed to have spectators; we distanced and had masks, so this year is nice,” Stocker said. “We’re still distancing, showing and going, but to have everyone back and have our entries up from 2019 is exciting.”

BEST IN SHOW

The ultimate goal for any dog entered in competition is to be awarded best in show. Damron explained the reason for the award is for breeding purposes.

“You work for points, and try to make your dog No. 1,” he said. “If you have a good bloodline behind your dog, then you want to exhibit him and show how good the dog is so you can get ranked in the top 10 and breeding purposes go from there.”

Seven groups are in the show: working, sporting, non-sporting, hounds, herding, toys and terriers.

The show itself works in various stages, starting with breed against breed. Damron said from there, the dog that wins the individual breed will then go against the group for the type of dog, such as a Yorkshire Terrier going against a Russell Terrier, and from there, the winner of that group will go against the winner from the other six remaining groups.

For example, a terrier that wins against its respective breed will go up against all other terrier breeds. If that dog wins against all other terriers, it will compete against the winners of all the other groups.

Damron said the competition is stiff and there are a number of top dogs in the country at the event.

Stocker added the variables that go into the show make it great.

“There are some big-name dogs coming in and that’s the fun part. It could be different every day,” Stocker said.

The event runs for four days and Stocker said there will be four dogs named best in show.

EVENTFUL

The show itself is home to numerous events such as rallies, dog diving and the 4- to 6-month puppy competition.

Elaine Griffin, one of the dog owners in the competition from Uniontown, was in the puppy competition with her Pomeranian named Casanova. Griffin said she’s done shows in the past, but Thursday’s event was the first for her since May and the first for Casanova.

Griffin said she was nervous.

“I worry about taking him in the ring and worry if he’s good enough, is his fur good enough, is he cut correctly, are his eyes correct, everything about him,” she said. “You always want that perfect dog when you get in an American Kennel Club ring.”

Despite the nerves, Griffin and Casanova won first place in the 4- to 6-month puppy toy group.

The dog-diving competition, however, saw a seasoned veteran take to the platform. Golden-doodle Rosie and her owners, Brad and Sue Hall from Beaver Falls, Pa., made a splash at the competition.

Brad Hall said Rosie is one of the top dogs in the nation, ranked seventh nationally, for dog diving. He said Rosie took seventh in the nation in 2019 and the four-day event is just a way for her to play.

“She already made the regionals by qualifying in March and she got second place,” Brad Hall said. “This is just for her to have fun.”

Brad Hall added Rosie has been competing for three years and it all started after some friends did the same with their dog.

“It was just something to do,” Brad Hall said. “We decided to try it and she loves the water. When she gets near water, she just goes crazy.”

Competitions continue today and will conclude on Sunday.

nhawthorne@tribtoday.com