NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. — A Nassau County high schooler made history at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. She became the first trainer of color in her category to make it to the top ranks of the event.
Meet seven-year-old Hero. The American Bully’s trainer and owner, Christine Roldan, 18, of Nassau County. She made history at the 150th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York City as the first junior handler of color to ever qualify and place in the top three ranks.
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“You know it’s a little upsetting,” Roldan said. “ I don’t try to say I have any disadvantages because of that, I feel like that’s excuses” she went on. “And it shouldn’t have anything to do with how the person looks. It’s supposed to be about how the dogs looks and your connection with the dog and your love for the sport” she later continued.
Roldan fell in love with the sport when her dad, a long time shower, took her to a dog show and encouraged her to become a handler with another dog.
“And the dog that I was showing, she had a puppy; she only had one puppy. It was her first litter, and their first time breeding a Frenchie, and it was Hero,” Roldan said.
The dog does several tricks from handstanding to praying. The Roldan family’s prayers were answered in 2020 when they got Hero back. He and another one of their dogs were stolen by gang members from a suburban Atlanta gas station. Hero was returned when the family paid the gang’s $3500 ransom. The other dog was rescued from a drug bust.
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“And that’s why I meant even more when I was at Westminster to have done it with him and no other dog,” Roldan said.
Roldan says that Hero is retiring from the American Kennel Club for now, but she hopes to continue to do shows with him for fun in the future. As for Christine, she hopes to become a vet or a trainer in the future.
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