My husband Brian and I live in Dublin California, 35 minutes east of San Francisco.  We were recently married a couple of months ago and have purchased a new home.  It really is a perfect place to live – except for the limit on the number of dogs we can have.  It’s a blessing that our neighbors are very tolerant and that they also show dogs. We drive to shows together and take turns pet-sitting when we go on vacations.  My husband and I are both children of the dot com era and work for start-up companies in Silicon Valley.  I am a software engineer, and Brian is a hardware engineer.  We knew we were meant to be together when we found out I had 4 Poms with names that started with “J” and he had a black Lab whose name also started with a “J”. 

I can remember going to my first dog show at the age of 7.  My mom and I happened upon the dog show quite accidentally, as she saw from the road large crowds of people and wanted to see what all the fuss was about.  I fell in love with all the exotic dogs I saw there and knew that I wanted to show dogs someday.

I bought my first Pom in college about 6 years ago because I was living alone in an apartment and wanted company.  I attended obedience classes with Justin, and it was there that I met a lady who told me I should also go to conformation classes.  The search for a show Pom began, and I bought Jackie (CH. Star Haven’s Rush Hour) at 6 months of age.  I started showing him right away but had not learned the basics of grooming show Poms, so we had a pretty rough beginning.  We took a long break from showing, and then I brought him out again at 3 years of age.  My friend Margaret, a professional groomer, convinced me to start showing again and also taught me how to groom him properly.    In less than a year, Jackie finished with 4 majors, and as a special, won a Group 1 and Group 4, all owner-handled.  His outgoing personality, and superb movement allowed him to stand out in the group ring.  Jackie’s first champion offspring CH. Anastasia’s Far Away finished with back-to-back majors at the Northern California Pom specialty with the help of handler Joanne Reed. 

I chose the kennel name Lionstark because every time I went to a show, people would walk by our poms and say, “Oh they look like little lions.”  It took a long time for me to find dogs with the lines I wanted to work with.  Since Jackie’s lines had gone back to mainly Oakridge and Millamor, I decided to continue in that direction.   I really admired the Canadian lines like Chriscendo and Foxworth, so I contacted both kennels and waited patiently.  Finally, my patience and accomplishments with Jackie paid off, and I was very fortunate to import an excellent Canadian male from Pamela Dodsworth and Larry Fox of Foxworth Poms.  Carter (BIS Can CH. Foxworth Fall Classic) has won a Best In Show and Best Puppy in Show in Canada, and we are currently working on his AKC championship.  Carter is the type of Pom I have always dreamed of:  huge/harsh coat, good bone, great movement, and a face that melts my heart.

I loved the heads and coats in the Millamor lines and started searching for my all-important foundation bitch.  I contacted Sharon and Benson of Golden Aires/BenRay Poms and was invited to visit them in South Carolina.  I took the first red-eye flight from California that I could and came home with Golden Aires Forever Regal.  She was everything I was looking for in a foundation bitch -- very sound with the same lines as my males, huge coat, great tail set, and best of all, a very friendly personality.  She has just started her show career, and we’re looking forward to a lot of success.  I really want to thank Sharon and Benson for showing us a great time in South Carolina and also for letting me share my story for the Pom Reader.

I feel extremely fortunate that all of these breeders took a chance on a young newcomer, and I want to thank them for giving me the opportunity to own one of their special Poms.  I would also like to mention all of the nice Pom people in the Northern California area who have helped me and given me advice at ringside.  Last but not least, I also would like to thank my husband for supporting my sometimes “obsessive” hobby of showing dogs.