Moses Lake dog earns national award
B'Arturo Chacla's Camp, also known as Oscar, received a first place award of excellence at the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship in Orlando, Fla. He is shown with his handler, Mary Lee, 12, of Mississippi. His owners are Barb Harris and Charles Moeller, both of Moses Lake.
MOSES LAKE - A last minute upset before a big show didn't affect the performance of a hairless Peruvian Inca Orchid dog from Moses Lake.
The dog's trainer was injured before the event in Orlando, Fla.
Mary Lee, 12, of Mississippi, stepped in to serve as the dog's handler for the American Kennel Club/Eukanuba National Championship, said one of the dog's owners, Barb Harris, of Moses Lake, on Tuesday.
The dog, B'Arturo Chaclas Camp, or Oscar, 4, secured the first place excellence award in the miscellaneous category earlier this month.
Lee competed against professional adult handlers in the show, Harris said.
"She was the only junior in the ring," Harris said. "I'm hoping if my next dog places, she'll be there next year."
Oscar loves the show ring, Harris said.
"It took him a while to develop a show personality," she commented. "His head's up, his tail's up. He just really performs well for the judges and at home he wants to be a cuddly baby."
Harris works with her dog at home, but he runs faster than she can and required a handler for the show.
She explained monetary awards were not given in the miscellaneous class, as the competition was for world championship.
She hadn't entered her dog in the show before because it is the first year the breed was qualified.
"As far as the miscellaneous breeds, that's as high an honor as we can get, until we can get full recognition with the (American Kennel Club)," she said.
At the show, she said she loved meeting the show world people.
"They are fascinating," she commented. "I love watching my dogs progress from being house pets to show dogs."
They flew to the invitation only show, leaving snow in Moses Lake and landing in 70 degree weather in Florida.
Purebred dogs from throughout the world competed.
The show appears on the ABC Television Network on Feb. 4. Air times will be found in local TV listings in the Columbia Basin Herald.
Oscar was invited to the event because he received the required two best of miscellaneous awards from other shows.
Her husband, Charles Moeller, got her interested in the breed in 2004. At the time, he owned two of the dogs.
"No one was breeding them," she said. "The stock in America had gotten quite old and they weren't importing new dogs."
The breed comes in small, medium and large sizes and can live to be 12 to 15 years old. Oscar is a large-sized representation.
Oscar was imported from Peru. His original name is B'Arturo Chaclas Camp. He was named B'Arturo in the kennel and Chaclas Camp was the name of the breeding kennel.
"When he got here, he had to learn English," Harris recalled.
For more information, visit www.akc.org/aenc.