Backer's Celebration of Style Draws 2,300 Groomers
More than 2,300 groomers from across the country attended
the fifth annual Celebration of Style grooming competition,
held Oct. 10-12 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center
in Rosemont, Ill., and 44 groomers entered 77 dogs to try
to win nearly $17,000 in cash, trophies and gifts during the
three-day event sanctioned by GroomTeam USA (Claremont, Calif.).
The competition was held in conjunction with H.H. Backer’s
38th Annual Pet Industry Christmas Trade Show and Educational
Conference.
Lisa Leady of Academy of Dog Grooming Arts (Arlington Heights,
Ill.) was Best All-Around Groomer in Division A, winning $2,000
and a trophy from Safari by Coastal Pet Products Inc. (Alliance,
Ohio).
Liz Paul of Pampered Paws (Satellite Beach, Fla.) had Best
Groomed Dog in Division A, winning $2,000 and a trophy from
Tomlyn Pet Products (Buena, N.J.).
Lori Gulling of Cedar Creek Pet Resort (Jackson, Wis.) was
Best All-Around Groomer in Division B, winning $1,000 and
a trophy from Gimborn Pet Specialties (Norcross, Ga.). Gulling
also had Best Groomed Dog, winning $1,000 and a trophy from
ConairPet (Stamford, Conn.).
Stephanie Beck of All Breed Dog Grooming (New Richmond, Wis.)
won the Oster Career Start contest, receiving $200 and a trophy
from Oster Professional Products (Boca Raton, Fla.).
Individual classes were sponsored by Andis Co. (Racine, Wis.);
John Paul Pet L.L.C. (Transfer, Pa.); Lambert Kay/Church &
Dwight Co. Inc. (Princeton, N.J.); and Metro Air Force (Suffern,
N.Y.).
H.H. Backer Associates also offered two free grooming demonstrations
in conjunction with the competition: Judy Kurpiel, an award-winning
groomer and past president of the Illinois State Professional
Dog Groomers Association, showed how to groom different types
of terriers with various coat and body types as well as several
breeds rarely seen in grooming shops.
The sixth Celebration of Style will be held in conjunction
with Backer’s 39th Annual Pet Industry Christmas Trade
Show, Oct. 7-9, 2005, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention
Center, Rosemont (Chicago), Ill.
For more information, contact H.H. Backer Associates at (312)
663-4040, or visit www.hhbacker.com.
[December 2004 PET AGE]
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