HAMILTON, Mich. — Crissy the Pembroke Welsh Corgi from West Michigan is ranked number four in the nation, now competing in the national dog ring at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.
Crissy’s registered name is (Grand Champion Bronze) Coventry Music of the Night, paying homage to Christine from Phantom of the Opera and her family’s bloodline from Coventry Corgi in California.
“I have three champion corgis. They’re my kids, they’re our pets and they sleep in bed with us,” Jodi Geerlings said, a loving Corgi handler and owner.
Crissy is a tri-colored Corgi, meaning she has three colors. While her siblings, Lil Will and Adele, are red-and-white corgis, all are champion Pembroke Welsh Corgis. Combined, the three have so many medals and pampering needs, they have their own room in Geerlings house dedicated to the art and lifestyle of dog shows.
However, Crissy’s story is the one taking the national spotlight, one of five corgis in the nation invited to compete at the Westminster show in New York City.
“So corgis are part of the herding group, and if she wins Best of Breed, Crissy gets to compete against all the other herding dogs that also won best of breed,” Geerlings said.
If Crissy wins best of breed, then she will move on to several rounds leading up to Best in Show, which is nationally televised from Madison Square Garden.
“I’m nervous and excited,” Gerrlings said. "My goal is to enjoy the experience and to make sure Crissy enjoys the experience."
Crissy has won Best of Breed at numerous dog shows. She has won the herding group seven times. She’s currently the number one owner-handler corgi in the nation and ranks fourth overall among corgis nationwide.
Showing animals is nothing new for Geerlings. She showcased horses in the Quarter Horse Circuit before switching to dogs. Accolades began pouring in with her otterhound puppy, then she switched to corgis for their prestigious looks and fluffy fanfare.
“At a dog show, the whole purpose is to judge for breeding stock,” Geerlings said. “Like with a horse show or cattle show, you have a judge that hopefully knows your breed standard, the AKC breed standard. They’re judging the confirmation of the dog, movement; the side gait, the gait coming and going as well.”
A little known fact about her corgies is that she doesn’t train her dogs to sit, ensuring sure they don't sit while competing in the ring.
You can follow Crissy’s journey to the Big Apple by streaming the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show all weekend, before it airs on national television on Monday, Feb. 10, and Tuesday, Feb. 11.
