DOCS: Top Dog – Clash of the Poodles
NARRATOR
poodles are the second most intelligent breed
of dog. but whether they like it OR NOT, they
have found themselves at the centre of a multi
million dollar industry. extreme creative
dog grooming.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
These are the Picassos and the Monets of my
industry.
NARRATOR
all across america they’re being crimped,
pimped and dyed.
Ren Netherland
These dogs are works of art.
NARRATOR
every year groomers come TOGETHER to showcase
their talents at the world’s largest grooming
event in hershey PENNSYLVANIA.
Ren Netherland
The energy here, it is amazing.
Dawn Omboy
This is the Super Bowl of creative grooming.
NARRATOR
winning at hershey rewards a competitor with
the cover of groomer to groomer magazine,
the vogue of the grooming world. it is valuable
exposure which can deliver a massive boost
to a pet groomer’s business.
Angela Kumpe
Do you know how much money I made off this
man pink dye? Lots.
NARRATOR
IT’S a fiercely COMPETITIVE world, and until
now, it’s been entirely dominated by americans.
NARRATOR
but this year, one british woman is going
to take on the BEST.
Su Eld-Weaver
The Americans… I have to beat them.
NARRATOR
for the first time in history, could a British
poodle “DOBBY”, triumph at this prestigious
event? And be the first non american poodle
ever to grace the cover of groomer to groomer.
Su Eld-Weaver
If I am the first Brit to do it, good.
NARRATOR
3,500 miles from hershey, in a quiet NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
town, one British dog lover, su eld-weaver
dreams of a new life in america.
Su Eld-Weaver
I want to go somewhere where my artistic side
has a place. It’s an environment that I
can relax in and… spread my wings. Whereas
here I feel a bit clipped.
NARRATOR
su lives with her husband calvin, four sons,
14 poodles, four snakes and three spiders.
but amongst her 14 poodles, su believes she
has a stand out star, DOBBY.
Su Eld-Weaver
Dobby is a real good competition dog because
she loves the fuss and attention. If it’s
to do with grooming, she’s just the diva.
I’ve done Dobby as a dragon. And then the
fairy on earlier this year. When she was the
octopus, she was as blind as a bat, because
I’d grown all of her facial hair to be the
body of the octopus.
NARRATOR
su runs a small pet grooming salon next door
to her home.
Su Eld-Weaver
Hi.
Customer
Oh hello.
Su Eld-Weaver
Do you want the full giraffe again or…?
Customer
I do love the giraffe on him.
NARRATOR
Su and DOBBY effortlessly dominate the UK
creative scene, but there’s only one annual
COMPETITION and the industry is still in its
infancy.
Su Eld-Weaver
If you’re going to do creative grooming,
being the UK champion is… it’s really
sweet, it’s nice. It’s not really much
of a challenge.
Su Eld-Weaver
I want to be the best up with the best.
NARRATOR
if su is to realise her dream of a successful
GROOMING BUSINESS, she needs to break into
the american big LEAGUE. and the way to do
that is to triumph at hershey.
Su Eld-Weaver
I would love to move to America. That is the
ultimate goal.
Calvin
Yeah. New life in the new country. Same old
value put on creative grooming in the States.
Su Eld-Weaver
In my dream world I would have the acreage
for the dogs. I would have the grooming salon,
I would have the RV for travelling to the
shows…
Calvin
Three out buildings and an RV already.
Su Eld-Weaver
And a really nice house and a swimming pool.
So we’d be fine.
Su Eld-Weaver
Right guys come on.
NARRATOR
but su’s family have concerns about her
obsession with winning.
Su Eld-Weaver
My husband doesn’t get it.
Su’s son
My dad hates it because he doesn’t like
dogs generally. Me I’m not sure.
Calvin
I wouldn’t say I’m overjoyed. There’s
Su, there’s dogs, there’s me and the boys.
Su Eld-Weaver
That’s so not true. You’re such a liar.
Calvin
Feels like it sometimes.
Su Eld-Weaver
Making dreams happen is not as easy as you
think.
Su’s son
Frustrating for dad because he just… he
just finds it frustrating when mum leaves.
Su Eld-Weaver
We kind of have an understanding.
Calvin
What that you go and I stay?
Su Eld-Weaver
Yeah. (laugh).
NARRATOR
but the reservations of her family are merely
the first of the obstacles su must overcome.
NARRATOR
in conway south carolina, adriane pope typifies
thE self confidence of the top american groomers.
Adriane Pope
Hi my name is Adriane Pope, this is Darrell
Pope. Logan and Gucci.
NARRATOR
competitors like adriane all run lucrative
pet grooming businesses.
Adriane Pope
Everybody thinks this is my house. This is
not my house, the dogs live there. People
spend more money on their pets than they do
their children around here. When you walk
in it’s going to be loud.
Adriane Pope
Welcome to our dog rooms.
Adriane Pope
Some good babies back here.
NARRATOR
this is the kind of business that success
at hershey could bring su.
Adriane Pope
Our suites are $50 a night. We have flat screen
TVs, we have ceiling fans. We have furniture
for the dog, little couch by the window. They
sit up.
Interviewer
What do the dogs like to watch?
Adriane Pope
You would not believe. We have people come
in here request sports, their dog sits and
watches sports all day. Some people say they
want it on the Cartoon Network. I have customers
who will come in and change the channel.
Darrell Pope
I think they like the personal attention that
we give. Whatever it is they’re looking
for we try to offer it to them.
Adriane Pope
And this is where it all happens. Mr Logan!
Come on out. This is Logan. Logan. Table,
table. Good boy. For the next 24 to 48 hours
we… be spending a couple of hours at a time
dying him, getting him ready for the big day.
NARRATOR
logan could prove to be a big earner for adriane.
NARRATOR
when previous winner flash scooped the cover
of groomer to groomer as yoda, his owner saw
profits from her salons jump by nearly 50
percent.
Adriane Pope
This is my dream. I deserve to be on Groomer
to Groomer. It’s time for you to move on
girl. It’s time for me to shine.
NARRATOR
but logan is not just a potential money spinner
for adriane, he is also her artistic muse.
Adriane Pope
Creative grooming. I reckon you could compare
this to somebody that sculpts art work out
of concrete or wood. We’re just using dog
hair.
Adriane Pope
From the first time I saw it I fell in love
with it.
Adriane Pope
Marilyn Monroe, Poodles are a girl’s best
friend.
Adriane Pope
A tribute to Steve Irwin, the crocodile hunter.
Darrell Pope
Jungle love and… I guess that one was probably
my favourite one.
Adriane Pope
There was Picasso who used a… a white blank
piece of paper. I use a white… dog, and
this is my canvas.
NARRATOR
logan is just one of the elite american dogs
competing this year at hershey, and only one
poodle can win.
NARRATOR
from an amateur pASS TIME, EXTREME CREATIVE
POODLE GROOMING HAS GROWN INTO A HIGHLY COMMERCIALISED
ENTERPRISE. AND HERSHEY HAS BECOME THE LARGEST
PET GROOMING SHOW ON EARTH. BUT THE INDUSTRY
GREW FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS.
Dawn Omboy
At first it was just a little designing, carving
in of the coat. The products were not available
that we have now.
Kathy Rose – Judge
They didn’t even have shampoo for Pets back
then. And they used carpet shampoo. And then
all of a sudden we started seeing things just
take off.
NARRATOR
in the late 1990’s, one woman transformed
the face of creative grooming, dawn omboy.
universally known as the queen of color.
Kathy Rose – Judge
Dawn was amazing, she did some great great
colouring.
Dawn Omboy
Every time I’d come to a show, my dogs were
just so full of colour, such deep rich intense
colour. And you know back in those days it
was really hard to get that on a dog.
NARRATOR
dawn’s pioneering use of eye popping colour
soon caught on. sales of specialist poodle
dies have quadrupled in the last four years.
now a competitor typically spends $600 on
dyes alone, for each creative DESIGN.
NARRATOR
then in 2009, champion groomer lori craig
unveiled a truly revolutionary design.
Kathy Rose – Judge
This dog was a lion. He was a lion in every
sense, other than his sweet gentle personality,
and it just wowed everybody. And then animal
creation became very popular. A pony, or a
dragon.
Dawn Omboy
Creative has just evolved and it’s amazing
where it’s gone.
NARRATOR
now a competitor at hershey must not only
transform their poodle, they must also devise
a performance that captures the creative spirit
of their design.
NARRATOR
but the pressure of grooming and performing
is intense.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
Oh my gosh it’s like a can of gasoline and
a match.
NARRATOR
and the judges can be merciless.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
Nitpick and nitpick and find the crap and
find the shit that’s going on on the dog.
Kathy Rose – Judge
Every time I’ve judged her it’s like…
Oh please…
NARRATOR
this is where dreams are made. and broken.
NARRATOR
if DOBby is to become the first non american
poodle to win at hershey, owner su has a mountain
to climb.
Su Eld-Weaver
Dobby’s design this year, it’s called
Memoirs of a Geisha.
NARRATOR
a creative masterpiece takes months to craft.
so su must spend the next week colouring and
rough cutting her design on DOBBY.
Su Eld-Weaver
There’s quite a lot involved. Each bit has
it’s own complications.
Su Eld-Weaver
The faces on the girls. The stalk… so I’m
going for one stalk, and then the geisha is
going to fit here. And I’ve got to get fin
shapes, I’ve got to get body shapes. I’ve
got to get curves of eyes and extra fins,
and it’s all got to come off of a very limited
palette.
NARRATOR
but she has a balancing act to perform. the
judges insist on seeing a dramatic transformation
on a dog DURING the competition itself.
Su Eld-Weaver
The judges are looking for how much you actually
cut on the day, what shaping you do. They’re
looking for your scissoring finish. Techniques
you’ve used. If I pull the design off to
the skill level that I want… I’m in the
running. If I mess it up in any way… it’s
the same with anything. If you mess it up
then you go home.
NARRATOR
but the competitors are only given two hours
to do this. if su over does DOBBY’S pre
groom she will LOSE points and could even
be disqualified.
Su Eld-Weaver
It’s going to look quite funny to people
who don’t know what I’m doing.
NARRATOR
but it’s not just su who faces the challenge
of her life. this is the top dog that DOBBY
has to beat.
NARRATOR
paisley is reigning champion at hershey.
Cindy Oliver
She’s a clown. Very loveable and affectionate.
Like whenever we go out, I mean, she gets
a swarm. There’s a circle around her with
all the people petting her and loving on her.
NARRATOR
paisley enjoys all of the advantages in life
that su dreams of for DOBBY.
Cindy Oliver
What do I do with my trophies? I’ll show
you. The biggest one right there is from Hershey,
last year, 2012. So…
NARRATOR
paisley’s owner cindy OLIVER took extreme
measures to win by adding highly CONTROVERSIAL
embellishments to paisley’s PINOCCHIO design.
Cindy Oliver
And this is the phases of Pinocchio’s nose
growing after he lies. Right here’s where
it’s short, the tail was where his nose
started to grow.
Cindy Oliver
It was the show stopper with… Oh my gosh,
look at that.
Judge
He’s got a mouth back there I see too.
Cindy Oliver
Because his eyes I had them looking down,
like staring at his nose. And of course if
you raise the tail… her hole is the mouth
where it’s going like that, so…
Cindy Oliver
He does have on lipstick.
Cindy Oliver
Whenever I had to blow pen around the mouth…
yeah she didn’t like that too… well she’d
be jumping and moving and everything, but…
she… we got it done. We got it done.
Judge
First place… Cindy Oliver canine Carver.
Cindy Oliver
I was ecstatic. I just could not believe…
I mean it took weeks before the shock wore
off. I mean it was just like oh my goodness
I won the biggest creative competition.
NARRATOR
it’s two days before the COMPETITION. su
and DOBby are ABOUT to depart from heathrow
having laboured throughout the night on the
dye work for DOBBY’S design.
Su Eld-Weaver
So I was… getting a little anxious when
I was doing the colour work. And I was like,
no it’s just going to work, it’s going
to work. And it finally came together in the
last two sessions of colouring. Ok I’m good.
But there’s a lot of work to do.
Su Eld-Weaver
There are other grooming competitions in the
States but… Hershey is the best. If I can
win it, it would really mark a turning for
me. Because it’s… to make it over there…
is just proving that I do genuinely have the
ability. I can be good enough to be an American
citizen. And in this country I can say I’ve
gone up against some of the best in the world.
And I’ve proved myself against them.
NARRATOR
while su and DOBBY still have a gruelling
journey in front of them. elite american groomer,
adriane is putting the finishing touches to
her presentation.
NARRATOR
adriane has asked her FAMILY to help critique
her PERFORMANCE.
Adriane Pope
Gucci, here. Come on.
Adriane Pope
What I thought was, gosh everybody can relate
to Walt Disney.
Adriane Pope
Hey everybody.
Adriane Pope
Everybody knows Mickey Mouse.
Adriane Pope
This right here is the biggest show of the
year, and I just want to have the best presentation…
Darrell Pope
And you’re going to win.
Adriane Pope
I want to win. I’m going to win.
Adriane Pope
When you wish upon a paw, makes no difference
who you are. Hershey is the place to be, this
is where dreams do come true. (clapping).
Adriane Pope
Ok, now I have an announcement to make. As
everybody knows, my husband is going with
me to Hershey this year. And he is going to
be dressed, hopefully, in the Mickey Mouse
costume. (cheering). Please.
Adriane Pope
Please Darrell. I rented the costume and everything.
Nobody will know it’s you because it’s
the big head. (laugh).
Adriane’s daughter
Daddy, you have to twerk.
Darrell Pope
Be Mickey Twerking. I’ll make Miley Cyrus
look pitiful.
Adriane’s daughter
I’ll do it if dad does it.
Family friend
If you’ll do that, she’ll win.
Adriane Pope
He just twerked.
Adriane Pope
Thank you Darrell.
NARRATOR
su and DOBBY’S rivals are packed and heading
for hershey.
NARRATOR
after an exhausting journey su and DOBBY finally
touch down in hershey, just 24 hours before
the competition begins.
Su Eld-Weaver
I am a little bit excited. I even had butterflies
when we were taking off and I haven’t had
butterflies in my stomach on takeoff since
I was a kid.
Su Eld-Weaver
I was born and raised til I was 10 in Zimbabwe.
Su Eld-Weaver
Growing up in Africa gave me a very different
outlook on life. And I’ve been to the States
a few times, and since being a child, it was
the first time I could actually feel my shoulders
drop, and my guard dropped. And it was just…
this is where I belong.
Su Eld-Weaver
We made it. We’re here. It’s all good.
Radio commentator
Wink 104 your ten in a row station playing
Harrisburg’s best music and Hollywood thanks
for listening. Sharpen your shears, and shake
your cans, it’s time for the annual Groom
Expo at the Hershey Lodge and Convention centre.
And wait until you see what these groomers
do to these dogs. They’re among the best
of the best. Good luck to all those crazy
canines. We salute you. It’ll have you saying
hot diggerty dog.
Compare
Welcome. This is the 25th Anniversary of Groom
Expo, can we make some noise up in here? Groom
Expo. Good morning.
NARRATOR
hershey groom expo is the biggest pet grooming
show in the world with 5000 visitors expected.
there are over 170 booths selling everything
a pet care professional could possible need.
Stall seller
$1200, or the show price is $900.
Dog Owner
Take a look at this. A beautiful pawdi-cure.
Stall seller
Always run cleaner through your airbrush when
you’re done.
NARRATOR
competitions and MASTER CLASSES are held THROUGHOUT
the four day event. but the most popular attraction
by far is tomorrows extreme creative competition.
Ren Netherland
The energy here at this show to me is amazing.
I have no idea what’s going to happen. I
mean if there’s a poodle, I know what a
poodle looks like, but when a poodle here…
is at a show like this with creative, it ain’t
a poodle anymore. It can be anything. Lions.
Camels. I’ve seen buffalo. They’re running
out of animals. (laugh).
NARRATOR
su checks a jet lagged DOBBY in to the high
security poodle holding facility.
Randy – Security
President doesn’t have any tighter security
than what we have here. We have numerous security
officers all over the place, some that you
don’t even see. So, nobody is getting by us
to get to these dogs.
Cindy’s Team (singing)
Carving, scissoring, semi and permanent dyes
to see, blow pens, airbrush…
Carving, Scissoring
semi and permanent dyes to see
blow pens, airbrush
NARRATOR
while DOBBY is IMPOUNDED, top dog paisley
arrives at a luxury hotel suite…
NARRATOR
…serenaded by a singing troop of supporters.
Interviewer
How many dogs do you have in here?
Cindy Oliver
Over the number. Eight.
Interviewer
You guys been getting much sleep?
Cindy Oliver
Oh you… you can’t even tell they’re
here.
Cindy Oliver
You shake? Good girl. Good girl. High five.
Yeah, high five! Yeah, we’re going to try
do good this week. Ain’t we.
NARRATOR
all of the big league players have now arrived.
but with less than a day to go the only male
competitor has still not left home.
Kevin Knippenberg
Where are we going Dahni?
NARRATOR
unlike the other COMPETITORS, whose poodles
are thoroughbred pedigrees, kevin knippenberg’s
dogs have all been rescued from abusive homes.
Kevin Knippenberg
That’s where my passion lays, is in rescuing.
Don’t shop, adopt. That’s my saying. This
is Dahni. She’s three years old. And she
came from a rescue, and once I cleaned her
up then I realised that I was given a gift.
I say who rescued who sometimes.
Kevin Knippenberg
I have unconditional, loyalty, love, happiness,
and friend. And that’s basically everything
that a dog means to me. Of course there’s
probably a few other ones I didn’t put up.
Kevin Knippenberg
She’s a companion yeah. She’s not a dog.
I shouldn’t call her a dog. Because she
is a companion. Aren’t you? Hm? Yeah.
NARRATOR
kevin and dahni made their debut at hershey
last year with their ice ice baby design.
Kevin Knippenberg (archive)
It’s the first time I’ve ever entered
a creative grooming contest.
Audience (archive)
Well good for you. Hey!
Kevin Knippenberg
This brings a poodle, unicorn, poodle-corn.
NARRATOR
this year, kevin plans to riff on the theme
weird science.
Valerie Knippenberg
When he first said what he was going to do,
I just kind of shook my head, like what kind
of weird science is that?
Kevin Knippenberg
I wanted something different. I want to get
it way out there. I want to make people think.
Dahni is going into space for Hershey. So
my feet are going to be purple, and they’re
going to be moon boots. Someone’s sending
an experiment into space and when they got
up there they got into an asteroid field,
and they wrecked into an asteroid. And when
they did, well you never know what you’re
going to get back.
Kevin Knippenberg
I’m creative. I’m not afraid to step outside
the box. If you put a box and tell me not
to step out of it, I will step out of it.
NARRATOR
unlike the professional business women he’s
up against, kevin wants to use the attention
of hershey to raise awareness of animal abuse.
Valerie Knippenberg
He’d say we’ve got another animal. There’d
be another dog or a bird or a pig…
Kevin Knippenberg
A monkey.
Valerie Knippenberg
But rescuing I mean that’s…
Kevin Knippenberg
We had a monkey for a while.
NARRATOR
but kevin is the least of su’s worries.
back in hershey she runs into her BIGGEST
challenge yet.
Contestant
It’s a full contact sport, let’s see if
she can stay on the stage.
NARRATOR
as the lone British competitor at hershey,
su eld-weaver begins to assess the competition.
she makes an alarming discovery. two veteran
groomers, angela kumpe and lori craig have
decided to team up with a joint presentation,
it’s a tactic they’ve used before.
Angela Kumpe
Lori and I are going to go in with a presentation
together to try to get the cover. It’d be
neat to get one with the two of us since we’re
really close friends. So we’re going to
try that.
Lori Craig
Do I want to win? Yeah! I want to win. Personally
I want to be the one to carry home the big
trophy.
Angela Kumpe
If we get the cover, I’m not splitting the
money with her though.
Compare
Angela Kumpe.
NARRATOR
between them angela and lori have over 90
trophies, and six covers of groomer to groomer.
more than anyone else in history.
Angela Kumpe
People say they don’t care to be on the cover.
They either are not really into their industry,
or they’re lying. Yeah. (laugh). And I’ve
had four.
NARRATOR
su now faces a united front of the two most
SUCCESSFUL groomers in america.
Su Eld-Weaver
Hello.
Angela Kumpe
Here’s Su.
Su Eld-Weaver
How you doing?
Angela Kumpe
Just got here?
Su Eld-Weaver
Both of them are passionate about creative
industry.
Su Eld-Weaver
Angela, she just keeps on coming up with new
innovations and stuff, she is definitely still
at the top of her game.
Angela Kumpe
So the undercoat is what’s dyed, so when
you shave the top coat back off it’s like
magic, just like bam, it’s there again.
Su Eld-Weaver
Angela wants people to learn, but she wants
them to learn the Kumpe way. It’s all about
being Kumpe’s protégés.
Attendee
That’s fabulous. Congratulations. Yay. That’s
Angela Kumpe
Brand new book. it’s great
Su Eld-Weaver
Making sure she leaves her mark in the history
of creative.
Angela Kumpe
The first 25 sold tomorrow are going to be
hand numbered.
Attendee
I want number one. And how much are they?
NARRATOR
thousands of miles away from family and friends…
Su Eld-Weaver
Good girl.
NARRATOR
and with such determined opponents, su will
need all the self confidence she can muster.
Su Eld-Weaver
Believe it or not, I’m not a very confident
person.
Interviewer
I wouldn’t have guessed that.
Su Eld-Weaver
No. I have internal battles, all the time.
I didn’t have the strongest relationship
with my father, I was always trying to live
up a character who… would never be happy
with whatever I did. So… it’s… if you’re
told often enough that you’re not good enough,
you believe it. But there has always been
that side of me that will dare to do it, and
there’s another side of me that’s going…
but it won’t work. You’re not good enough.
NARRATOR
it’s the night before the COMPETITION, and
the groomers unwind with chocolate martinis
at the annual MASQUERADE ball.
NARRATOR
it’s the social event of the year and everyone
is having a good time.
NARRATOR
the party is over, but sleep is not an option
for jet lagged su and DOBBY.
Su Eld-Weaver
It, it’s coming. I think I’ve got what
I wanted done. I’m on target, I hope.
Angela Kumpe
Yeah, it’s midnight, we’re going to be
here a couple of hours and then we’re going
to have to get up early in the morning. Most
of us don’t have our costumes or our props
completely done.
NARRATOR
if su is to challenge the elite groomers,
she will need DOBBY’S coat looking flawless.
Angela Kumpe
This last wash is very important because if
the dog is not good and clean and fluffed
out really good, you don’t have a chance.
There’s going to be some really strong competitors
on stage. A good prep job is ultimately what
makes the hair cut. If you don’t have a good
prep job then… you’re not going to do
a very good job on the dog.
Su Eld-Weaver
I’m not looking to make it really really
dark, I just want to make sure it’s a bit
more vibrant than this particular piece was.
NARRATOR
but there’s one thing even more terrifying
they will have to face.
Lori Craig
We’re going up against a panel of judges.
Angela Kumpe
If your judges don’t know what you’re doing
or… don’t like what you’re doing then I
think it can affect you. And as soon as Su
leaves, I’m going to shave her dog.
NARRATOR
su is now realising how fierce the competition
is going to be.
NARRATOR
there are two prizes at stake at hershey.
firstly the people’s choice award, which
is decided by an audience clap off.
Kathy Rose – Judge
And applaus’o’meter only. Muppet Show.
(clapping)
NARRATOR
but the trophy that everyone wants, and the
one su has set her heart on, is the judges
award.
Kathy Rose – Judge
First place, Cindy Oliver, Canine carver.
NARRATOR
and to win that, three formidable women stand
in su and DOBBY’S path.
NARRATOR
teri dimarino is the caustic simon cowell
of hershey.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
We see these dogs, and we have opportunities
as judges to go over and nitpick and nitpick
and find the crap, and find the shit that’s
going on on the dog.
NARRATOR
kathy rose is an unbending stickler for the
rules of extreme creative.
Kathy Rose – Judge
They’ve got to come up and talk about their
colour, and their design, and I look right
at them and say I don’t give a crap.
NARRATOR
but the JUDGE the competitors most want to
impress is dawn omboy, the queen of color.
Dawn Omboy
But I look for faults. The competitors are
so good now, to pick a winner it comes down
to who has the most faults or the least faults.
I want to see a big change from when you walk
in the ring until the time you finish the
dog. The more hair on the floor the better.
And when you first look at the dog you have
to get it.
NARRATOR
the assessment OF THESE three JUDGES can make
or break a groomer’s career.
NARRATOR
and their relentless scrutiny begins the moment
a dog arrives at hershey.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
We have seen it time and time and time again.
Kathy Rose – Judge
She’s gone backwards. Her scissor work,
her finish work is not acceptable grooming.
Dawn Omboy
A lot of that is in the prep work, she’s
coming in with the dog’s coat not properly
set up.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
Her theory is think outside the poodle.
Kathy Rose – Judge
Every time I’ve judged her, it’s like…
ooh please. (laugh).
NARRATOR
it’s the morning of the competition.
NARRATOR
with just four hours to go competitors now
need to get mentally prepared for poodle WARFARE.
Ren Netherland
It all happens on this day.
Cindy Oliver
Once it starts, I mean you just… your game
is on. I mean you focus completely on your
dog.
Adriane Pope
Can I get these loosened just a little bit.
They’re a little tight. Definitely too tight.
These are my favourites. So these have to
be perfect.
Angela Kumpe
Oh I’m not ready to step aside and let anybody
take my spot yet.
NARRATOR
one hour to go and all the big players are
well into their pre groom.
NARRATOR
but kevin knippenberg, and rescue dog dahni
are only just arriving.
Kevin Knippenberg
Here’s Dahni now.
Adriane Pope
Hey Kevin.
Kevin Knippenberg
How you doing?
Adriane Pope
Good how are you?
Kevin Knippenberg
You all getting ready?
Adriane Pope
I’m getting ready it’s that time isn’t
it?
Kevin Knippenberg
Yes it is.
Adriane Pope
Alright, it’s crunch time.
Kevin Knippenberg
Time to get working.
Adriane Pope
Good luck.
Kevin Knippenberg
Yeah good luck to you too.
Adriane Pope
Oh Sorry.
Valerie Knippenberg
The last few days have been very very hectic,
not a lot of sleep. He worked through the
night, night before last, just trying to get
one of the colours from not running. Not sleeping,
and very very anxious and nervous.
Kevin Knippenberg
There’s definitely some stiff competition
here that’s for sure. A lot of competition.
Yep.
Su Eld-Weaver
She’s wound up about something. Probably
because I am. I feel sick. There is so much
pressure today.
Compare
I feel a countdown coming. Five. Four. Three.
Two. One. Good morning, come on now.
NARRATOR
competitors lead their dogs to the stage.
NARRATOR
kevin is about to discover whether some over
zealous SCISSOR WORK will lead to dahni’s
IMMEDIATE DISQUALIFICATION.
Kathy Rose – Judge
You are going to re-shave that entire shaved
area.
Kevin Knippenberg
Yeah. Plus I got a lot to clean up.
Dawn Omboy
Just got to ask you a question. What were
you thinking?
Kevin Knippenberg
I don’t know. Just out of time. It’s nerves,
I guess, you know.
Dawn Omboy
Oh wow. He’s got his work cut out for him.
NARRATOR
su is unhappy with the table position she
and DOBby have been assigned. all the big
players have been placed centre stage, she
is at the far end next to kevin knippenberg.
Dawn Omboy
Split you guys all up.
Su Eld-Weaver
They’re all together. You put the foreigner
on the ends.
Dawn Omboy
It’s because you’re special.
NARRATOR
the JUDGES insist on a DRAMATIC transformation.
NARRATOR
so they carefully scrutinise the poodle both
before and after the COMPETITION.
Kathy Rose – Judge
This is Logan.
Adriane Pope
Yes, yes ma’am it is.
Kathy Rose – Judge
You know they can set somewhat of a pattern.
The major part of the scissoring and clipping
has to take place in the ring.
NARRATOR
dawn omboy’s legendary eye for colour has
spotted some dye bleeding on DOBby’S fur
and is about to mark su down.
Su Eld-Weaver
I’ve got two tone here, it’s done on purpose.
And that is done on purpose.
Kathy Rose – Judge
Oh ok.
Su Eld-Weaver
And that is done on purpose.
Dawn Omboy
You know that’s the first place I looked.
Su Eld-Weaver
Yeah.
Dawn Omboy
Yeah.
Kathy Rose – Judge
So, you know, that’s good you explained
that. Now that we know what you’re doing.
Kathy Rose – Judge
The Poodle tournament can now begin.
Kathy Rose – Judge
Three, two, one. (cheering)
NARRATOR
this is the moment where su’s memoirs of
a geisha design has to come together. she
has just two hours to bring her CREATION to
life.
NARRATOR
every snip is crucial. even the smallest mistake
can change the course of a design.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
I still take a little bit more of a hard nose
attitude. It’s still a grooming contest.
There’s more to it than just putting colour
on a dog and a couple of decorations. I want
to see a well groomed dog. I want to see a
well prepared dog.
Kathy Rose – Judge
We’re not only looking at the wow factor,
but we’re also looking for the grooming.
We need to see the precision, the fine lines.
The colour application.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
Let me see good scissor work. If you’re
going to cut in a line, or pattern on the
dog, if better be spot on.
Dawn Omboy
I judge kind of differently than the other
judges do because I’ve been there, done
that. But I look for faults. Colour bleeding.
You know this colour has crossed over into
that space where it’s not supposed to be.
NARRATOR
it’s half way through. with only an hour
left, DOBby’S geisha design has yet to materialise.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
You catch the girl on the end. Watch her hands.
She is shaking. She’s a nervous wreck. I
just… take a cleansing breath and relax.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
She’s got a lot of work to do.
NARRATOR
meanwhile the combined juggernaut of veteran
champions angela kumpe and lori craig is steaming
ahead.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
They are prepared. Those dogs, they’re so
clean you can eat off of them.
Kathy Rose – Judge
Is it fair yet? It’s fair. Teri and I used
to compete together side by side, against
each other. We were sharing our equipment,
we shared dogs, we…
Participant
What about men?
Dawn Omboy
She took it right out of my head.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
I don’t like her choices, she doesn’t like
mine.
NARRATOR
top dog paisley, DOBby’S principal rival
is DISPLAYING on the table as faultlessly
as ever.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
Just watch her. Immediately, she went to carving
in her pattern. And she’s getting her under
pattern done very very nicely.
NARRATOR
the pressure is beginning to tell on the competitors.
but their designs are now taking shape.
Su Eld-Weaver
It’s coming. I’m relaxing.
Kathy Rose – Judge
Look at the hair on the floor on this one.
Dawn Omboy
Really has major scissoring that she’s done
on the stage.
Kathy Rose – Judge
Yeah, she’s… she’s done a huge huge
change on that.
Dawn Omboy
She’s got a nice… I walked around and
looked at the other side of that dog, and
the other side is done, it looks good. It’s
an exciting groom.
NARRATOR
five minutes to go and su still has INTRICATE
blow pen work to do.
Teri Di Marino – Judge
Not to be perceived as pressure but you have
one minute remaining groomers. One minute
remaining.
Teri Di Marino – Judge
Contestants. Scissors down. (cheering)
NARRATOR
the contestants have executed some of the
most cutting edge grooms hershey has ever
seen. su and DOBby have given it everything,
but WILL it be enough to make DOBby top dog.
NARRATOR
winning at hershey means everything to a groomer.
NARRATOR
before the final judging, the competitors
still have one last chance to score bonus
points by complimenting their design with
performances.
Kevin Knippenberg
Oh ah. No, no. Don’t scratch your googly goggle
off.
NARRATOR
adriane receives a last minute boost from
her husband darrell.
NARRATOR
the PRESENTATIONS commence with raining champion,
paisley and owner cindy oliver.
Cindy Oliver
(singing)
NARRATOR
angela kumpe and lori craig perform a joint
skit inspired by batman and robin.
Lori Craig
Oh, what’s this? Groom Expo? Superior scissor
skills, and extraordinary hair dye. Best you
can’t guess who wrote that part?
Angela Kumpe
Pow.
Lori Craig
Oh. Wrong way! (laugh)
Angela Kumpe
You’re never going to take the prize money
from me Joker. You’re not good enough.
Cat Opson
Homer is dad. He’s goofy and lazy. And he’s
inspector of safety at the Nuclear plant.
Crazy! Children stop crying, they’re faces
light up, so to those who think it’s ugly,
I say shut up. (clapping)
NARRATOR
the top american players have all gone for
crowd pleasing populist themes, but su has
gambled on a radical creative design based
on a work of literary fiction.
Su Eld-Weaver
The art in Japan, we have flowing water a
lot, so I’ve done the cliff and the waterfall.
This side has the night time geisha where
she’s ready to go out for her relations.
She also has a bonsai tree for a tail.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
And do you have another presentation, or…
does your art speak for itself?
Su Eld-Weaver
I like to let the art speak for itself.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
Congratulations Su. Good luck with your…
Nice round of applause (clapping) for Memoirs
of a Geisha.
NARRATOR
su has taken a risky decision, choosing not
to make a PRESENTATION. instead she’s put
everything into impressing the judges with
her artistic flare. all eyes turn to kevin
and dahni. will their weird science project
make more impact that last years ice ice baby.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
Kevin Knippenberg. What have we got going
on here? Weird science?
Kevin Knippenberg
Yes. Yes I do.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
Tell us a little bit about what inspired you
for this design?
Kevin Knippenberg
Well this is a rooster in the front, it got
sent into space with a poodle. And it came
back as a cocka-poo. (laugh).
Teri DiMarino – Judge
What was I thinking when I was watching you?
That is probably the last thing I expected
to hear from you.
Adriane Pope
Thanks for coming down. And to decide the
creative crown. And without further ado here’s
Mickey and Minnie, we’re going to twerk
for you.
Adriane Pope
Thank you very much.
NARRATOR
was husband darrell’s last minute APPEARANCE
the game changer that adriane was hoping for?
Before THE JUDGES decide on the number one
creative groomer, the audience choose their
favourite design.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
Listen up very carefully, applause only. Alright
we have Memoirs of a Geisha. (clapping)
Teri DiMarino – Judge
The Simpsons. (clapping) The Barber Shop.
(clapping) As a team entry, People’s Choice,
together Batman and The Joker (clapping).
When You Wish Upon A Paw (cheering). Who Are
You? (clapping)
Teri DiMarino – Judge
When You Wish Upon a Paw. When You Wish Upon
A Paw wins our People’s Choice Award.
Adriane Pope
Oh my god!
NARRATOR
thanks in part to husband darrell’s intervention,
adriane and logan scoop people’s choice.
Adriane Pope
Words cannot describe what happened. I’m
excited.
NARRATOR
now it’s time for the judges to decide who
they will crown winner of the coveted creative
styling award.
NARRATOR
will DOBBY’S challenging japanese theme
design prove a step too far for the all american
panel of teri dimarino, Kathy Rose and Dawn
Omboy.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
Oh my. Look at what she started with.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
I mean the dog has cleavage.
Kathy Rose – Judge
And her dimension is great, but she doesn’t
really have to groom the rest of the dog.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
So there she has not made a difference in
the coat.
Dawn Omboy
The coat is really really rough.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
Wow. Ok.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
That’s not grooming technical, but it’s
creative.
Kathy Rose – Judge
It’s creative technical. It looks almost
exactly the same.
Kathy Rose – Judge
Who’s for her?
NARRATOR
the judges have come to a decision.
Kathy Rose – Judge
That was a beautifully done creative.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
But look, look…
Kathy Rose – Judge
That’s my winner, in the last ten minutes
she pulls it off.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
Absolutely.
NARRATOR
RESULTS are announced in reverse order.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
Our third place winner here is… Jean Honsinger
with The Caterpillar Dog, Who Are You? (clapping).
Teri DiMarino – Judge
Second place winner goes to… Cat Opson with
Bark Simpson. (clapping)
Teri DiMarino – Judge
Last, but certainly not least, the first place
winner here at Groom Expo 2013 …
NARRATOR
all of the top poodles are still in contention.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
Judges, our winner is…
Teri DiMarino – Judge
She’s being guided by Judy. Su Eld-Weaver
(clapping) with Memoir of a Geisha.
NARRATOR
the champions of hershey groom expo are su
and DOBBY.
Su Eld-Weaver
I can’t believe it. I did a mistake and
when we all finished I looked down the line
and judged myself harder. I never never expected
to win. But… Thank you.
NARRATOR
Su’s dream of building a new life in america
as one of the world’s top groomer’s could
now finally become a reality.
Adriane Pope
I can’t believe it. I just can’t believe
it. I’m stunned. Can you believe it Logan?
It’s crazy. (laugh).
Ren Netherland
You’re going to need another plane to take
this home.
Su Eld-Weaver
Being able to accept yourself, and trust yourself
and believe in yourself… and that’s the…
bit I think I’m finally getting to do.
Su Eld-Weaver
People think I am just a dreamer, but I’ve
worked really hard to make these dreams happen.
Dawn Omboy
This for me, and for the other judges as well
was an extremely exciting groom to watch it
develop.
Teri DiMarino – Judge
Gave us something different, gave us something
thrilling, gave us something with dimension.
Dawn Omboy
When we walked away we had chills on our body.
Wonderful job.
Cindy Oliver
Good job girl. Whoo hoo.
Su Eld-Weaver
I’ve gone up against some of the best in
the world.
Lori Craig
So proud of you.
Su Eld-Weaver
And I’ve proved myself against them.
NARRATOR
and DOBBY has changed the course of creative
grooming HISTORY, as the first non american
poodle ever to be crowned top dog at hershey.
Su Eld-Weaver
And you did fabulous. You are the best dog
in the world.
