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Marco, a little dog with a big personality, is headed to the big lights of New York City in early February for the dog show of all dog shows, the Westminster Kennel Club.
Marco, a Tibetan spaniel, is owned by Diana Gerba of Menlo Park, and Gail Krall of Houston, Texas.
Although Marco has won a slew of awards and titles, this is his — and Gerba’s — first trip to the big show, which starts Feb. 7 and concludes with the Best in Show competition Feb. 11 at Madison Square Garden. A livestream of the judging will be available at http://westminsterkennelclub.org and on the FOX Sports app.
The Tibetan spaniel, called a Tibbie by dog fanciers, is an ancient breed that once served as sentinels on the walls of Tibetan monasteries, but Gerba, who has raised and shown 100-pound Bernese mountain dogs for more than 30 years, had never even heard of the breed before she met Marco.
It was his name that convinced her to consider him.
“My dogs have always had Italian names,” Gerba says. “Fidelio, which means faithful; Donato, which means gift; and Tesoro, which means treasure. And now Marco, my little traveler.”
Gerba says she took a leap of faith, flew to Houston to meet Marco and “fell in love in 10 minutes.”
Marco, whose official name is GCHB CH Brill Padme Dark Passion, has competed in a number of dog shows, earning the title of Grand Champion Bronze. He also has been named No. 3 in the country for an owner-handled Tibetan spaniel two years in a row. Owners who show their own dogs instead of hiring a handler in the ring are somewhat of a minority, and Gerba was feeling a bit out of her league when it came to preparing for the Westminster.
Fortunately, she’s had a lot of help from other handlers, who have offered tips on everything from hotel choice and transportation to and from the dog show venues, to what Gerba should wear (she opted for “something sparkly”). Several gave her their phone numbers and told her to call with whatever she needs.
“We all compete,” Gerba says, “but when it comes to it, we’re are all part of a family and support each other.”
Gerba and Marco are in for several long days. The Westminster is one of the last dog shows classified as “bench shows.” That means the dog must stay in its area during show days, so visitors can see the dogs and talk with the owner or handler. Gerba says on the first day, they’ll arrive at the venue around 6 a.m. and stay until late into the night.
Marco will compete against nine other Tibbies in the Tibetan spaniel non-sporting dog category. If he takes first place, he’ll then get to step on hallowed ground — the green carpet of Madison Square Garden — to compete against other non-sporting dog breed winners, including American Eskimos, Boston terriers, bulldogs, poodles and schipperkes. A win there would send him to the Best in Show competition where the winners from all the groups compete.
Marco, now 4½ and the sire of five champions, is a long shot to win it all, but he’s a fan favorite at home where he’s often mobbed on his daily walks on the Stanford campus.
“Everybody wants to pet him and they ask about what kind of dog he is,” Gerba says. “He loves it. He always has this smile on his face.”
Marco may be a superstar, but in many ways he’s just a normal pup. He’s never met a plush squeaky toy he didn’t like — he has a passion for little lambs — and he eats his dog food from a bowl just like any other dog. The two squirts of whipped cream he gets at breakfast and dinner might set him apart, however. And he’s taken a shine of late to Cheetos, much to Gerba’s chagrin.
Gerba’s New York plans include plenty of sightseeing and photo ops for her dog, who has rather a penchant for costumes. She’s already picked out a Mad Hatter hat for Marco and plans to photograph him at the Alice in Wonderland statue in Central Park.
Going to Westminster has been a dream for Gerba, but one she didn’t think would ever happen. She plucked up courage and applied for entry into the elite dog show, not really expecting to make the cut. Dogs must have a number of championships and awards to qualify, along with the pedigree, looks and personality that define their breed.
“It just seems all meant to be,” Gerba says. “I’ve always dreamed of it.”
