Christian Manelopoulos: “I’m Going to America” Professional handler Christian Manelopoulos joins host Laura Reeves for part one of a wide-ranging conversation about professional handling, working as an apprentice, the toughest dogs to trim and the challenges of moving to America to begin his career. [caption id="attachment_9957" align="alignleft" width="257"] Christian with his first show dog, Taraglen Nicholas[/caption] Manelopoulos started in purebred dogs as a teenager in Australia after a knee injury ruined his cricket game. He eventually worked his way up to earning expense money showing dogs for the president of the Victorian Kennel Association. But what he really wanted to do was move to the US and show dogs like the pictures he saw in Kennel Review of Frank Sabella’s poodles. So, when he had a chance to work for Joe and Pauline Waterman in Southern California in the early 1990s, he jumped at the chance. [caption id="attachment_9956" align="alignright" width="305"] Christ...