10 Questions ...
Profession: Professional dog handler
Dog-sport involvement: Conformation events
Hometown: Mt. Healthy, Ohio
Astrological sign: Cancer
1. Do you have any dog-show superstitions?
Yes. I associate a heads-up penny with good luck, and if I find one before a show, I put it in my shoe! I always wish for something positive, and although it may be a coincidence, my wish always comes true.
2. TV-show guilty pleasure?
My latest guilty pleasure is binge-watching “Midsomer Murders” when I have some free time.
3. If you were president of AKC for one day, what would you do?
I would require DNA testing on all AKC-registered dogs to ensure our respective breeds' bloodlines are pure. A side benefit of this would be a revenue increase to the AKC that would offset possibly smaller registration numbers.
4. Most valued material possession?
My home is my castle and where my heart is.
5. What is something no one would guess about you?
Despite my anglicized last name, I am half Italian and half Serbian. My mother immigrated from Benevento, Italy, and both of my father's parents immigrated from the former Yugoslavia, now Serbia.
6. Who would you compare yourself to?
I don't really compare myself to anyone. I try my hardest each day to become the best version of myself.
7. What are you “famous” for?
I don't view myself as famous; however, most people know me best as a Rottweiler and French Bulldog breeder and handler.
8. What website do you visit most often?
I spend a lot of time on Arabian Horse websites, but I have a beautiful koi pond on my property and I love visiting nextdaykoi.com. It's a very cool site that offers all kinds of unusual fish, food and supplies.
9. What was more memorable, your most satisfying win or disappointing defeat? And what was it?
Definitely my most satisfying win: Best of Breed and going on to Non-Sporting Group 1 at Westminster in 2012 with a brindle French Bulldog, Brew.
10. What do you wish someone would ask you?
I love travel and vacations, and even better when combined with an international judging assignment. I love being asked to judge at international events.