| The first annual Great American Mutt Show was held on Pier 92 in NYC on April 21, 2001. The event was organized by TAILS IN NEED, INC. (TIN) whose purpose is to donate funds to organizations that support animals in distress. The categories were: Mostly Hound, Mostly Spaniel, Mostly Shepherd, Mostly Collie, Best Kisser, Most Musical, Best Lap Dog Over 50 lbs., Highest Jumper, Longest Tail, Pets who Look most like their Owners -- and of course, the Best in Show. Sadie and Mike were entered in the "Looks Most Like Owner" category. | |
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Click here to see the other contestants. Click here to see Sadie and Mike at the show. |
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Mike dressed in all black with a white t-shirt underneath to look like Sadie's white
chest spot. His beard thingy was trimmed and colored white since Sadie is gray (the
color job didn't work too well, but still looked good).
As soon as we got there I was concerned about how our performance would go since the check-in people asked us what category - shouldn't that have been obvious? Then when we got to our ring I realized most of the other contestants were in costume. Yipes! That didn't seem fair! The press was all over the costumed people, snapping pictures, taping and interviewing them. But when the contest started things changed. The crowd around me talked about Mike and Sadie, not knowing I was with them. "he should take off his glasses, they'd win for sure", "they didn't need a costume", "he probably hasn't eaten in weeks to get ready for this", were some of the comments I heard.  The judges interviewed each contestant and then dog and owner took a walk around
the ring. We could not hear the interviews so things were quiet until Mike and Sadie
began their walk. The crowd cheered! It was obvious who their choice was! Unfortunately,
the judge decided on someone else. He said he was very impressed with how that couple
found their dog in a junkyard and sacrificed so much for their mutt. I think it's
an unfair judgement, and so did many others who came up to us all day long to say
they were cheering for us. Sadie even signed one autograph. Perhaps if Chuck Scarborough
had showed up to judge (he was the scheduled judge) we would have won.
On Monday after the event, Good Morning America had a segment about the Mutt Show, with Lara Spencer. There must have been a camera on Sadie and Mike at some point, cause they made it on the show! A brief clip, but a good one! Sadie says all the attention hasn't gone to her head, but lately she's been acting and dressing a little weird! |
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