Staci Spears, a 16-year-old from Lake Orion, won the K9 Recognition Award for ‘champion,? the highest royalty to win.
Spears is a member of the Oakland County 4-H Club, where she is the co-president of the Oakland County Tailwaggers, with whom she shows dogs.
Her love of animals runs in the family. Her mother, Dana, trains dogs. ‘I’ve always had dogs my whole life,? said the younger Spears.
Spears first got involved in the 4-H Club when she was 9-years-old. She has been showing dogs for the past seven years.
She currently shows her dogs Pepsi, a sheltie who is 9, and Ember, a border collie who is almost 3.
Spears works with her dogs every day, training them to be showed. Some of her practices will go for half an hour, while others only last five to 10 minutes.
‘Sometimes the shorter times are really helpful. It makes it more fun for the dogs,? said Spears. She explained that by working with them for short periods each day the dogs don’t get exhausted with repetitive tasks.
Spears will be showing her dogs in three events at the Oakland County Fair, which runs from July 10-15. She will be competing in obedience, showmanship and agility.
Recently, Spears was named the top National Junior Freestyle Champion and she will be heading to Denver next week to participate in the international competition. She will take part in the ‘Dancing with Dogs? competition, which is when a dog performs a series of tricks set to music.
When Spears is not working with her dogs she stays involved as member of the 4-H Club’s vet-science club, volunteers in the community and is involved with the youth group at her church.
She will be a junior at Lake Orion High School this fall and has interest in attending Michigan State University for the veterinary program.
Spears sees herself working with animals for many years to come. ‘I would like to be an aquatic vet and work in a water park.?
When she heard her name announced as the winner, Spears said, ‘it was kind of like a dream come true.?