A Post Overdue: My Weekend Fling at PetQuest 2012!

Wait, what's this? There was a show last month, I was there, and I DIDN'T do a little write-up for it? Really? Hey, gimmie a break, these last few months have been nutty!  ;)

I was toying with the idea of checking out Ohio's own PetQuest show over the last weekend of June, and I'm very glad I did. It's got an environment of its own--not electric like the larger shows, but rather laid back and comparatively mellow. About 50 vendors showcased their grooming goodies and competitors went head to head on stage. As with most shows, an ever-energetic Frankie Brown was there to greet us all!

Here come the Westies!

The weekend featured some fascinating breed demos, which included Koko Tamaka and Janice Fehn grooming two Westies side by side--a show trim and a pet trim at the same time! I hope that the speakers will continue to do this with other breeds; not only does this style seminar outline the similarities, but also clear-cuts (so to speak!) the differences between the two trims! It's not just "Here's the show style, now let's do the pet trim on the same dog." Watching the two in this fashion is extremely helpful for those of us that are highly reliant on visuals to really let the information soak in.

Panda Power!

Other seminars of note included an in-depth look at shampoo ingredients and an informative session on handling and caring for senior dogs.

Although a smaller show, PetQuest offered a fierce creative grooming competition. Amazing concepts came together from groomers ranging from novice to seasoned. In the end, Angela Kumpe took the win with her "Gone Fishin'" Poodle. Pictures did this design no justice; there were six shades of blue incorporated into the dyeing to create a gorgeous watery feel behind the vibrant fish. As for my personal favorite, I've got a soft spot for Poodle pandas, and Lori Craig rocked it out!

PetQuest, although not as crazy as the other shows I've attended so far, was the perfect little pick-me-up--a great opportunity to learn, watch, and meet some new friends and catch up with old ones. But it's time to strap in, next up is Hershey, baby! On top of "MY show" approaching fast, I'm also happy to announce that I will be competing in the Rescue Roundup, a new event there!

You bet I just can't wait!  XD
Peace out for now...