Mary is a talented tenth grader from Kirtland High School, and has impressed everyone with her skills as a top-ranked dog handler, and she’s even trained NewsHound!
Mary, who has been showing dogs since she was 2 years old, is among the nation's top junior handlers of Salukis and the 9th-ranked junior handler of Hounds.
She competes in around 100 dog shows annually, specializing in junior showmanship and competing with various hound breeds.
Mary explained that dog shows focus on how well the dog and handler connect, and dogs are judged against a breed standard, not directly against each other.
Her favorite breed is the Saluki, because they are graceful and super fast runners.
Through dog shows, Mary has learned important life skills like responsibility, patience, and how to handle both wins and losses gracefully.
She has eight dogs at home!
Mary’s dedication and success earned her this week’s A+ Award!
Submit your ideas for our NewsDepth A+ segment to newsdepth@ideastream.org for consideration.