Young Bay of Plenty girl Pascale Sperling, a 13-year-old from Tauranga is going to represent New Zealand at the worlds biggest (and most famous) dog show, Crufts, which is being held in the UK next week. She will be the youngest NZ'er ever to represent the country at the event.
Pascale Sperling, 13, is heading to Britain to compete in the world's top dog show: Crufts.
The Year 9 student at Tauranga Girls' College has been showing dogs since she was 6, inspired by her dog-handler mother, Nathalie Sperling, a regular competitor in dog shows for years.
"It kind ofgrew on me and I've been practising at home. In general, I just love dogs," Pascale said.
Last year - as a 12-year-old in her final year at intermediate school - Pascale won the NZ Kennel Club's Junior Dog Handler of the Year competition, sponsored by dog food brand Eukanuba.
As the winner, she automatically won the chance to represent New Zealand in the International Junior Dog Handler of the Year section at Crufts.
The show has been going for more than 100 years in the UK and is the biggest canine event of its kind in the world.
Pascale's category includes youngsters from more than 40 countries, and at 13 she is the youngest dog handler to have ever represented New Zealand at the competition.
"It's quite an achievement, I guess, a lot of responsibility. It's also quite an honour."
