Intergroom 2011, 2010 Top 10 professional stylists include, from left, front row, Olga Zabelinskaya, Michell Evans, Irina Pinkusevich, Lindsey Dicken, back, Kendra Otto, Jeri Hoppe, Jennifer Lee, Michelle Breen, Kelly Knight and Amy Triezenberg.
On April 15, she traveled to Secaucus, N.J., to attend Intergroom, an international grooming competition.
At a ceremony held at the Meadowlands Conventions Center, on April 17, the placements for Groomteam USA were announced.
“I held my breath as they started calling out names, No. 8, No. 9 and, finally, ‘No. 10 — Kelly Knight!’ I walked on stage with tears pouring down my face. They presented me with an official Groomteam USA jacket and a crystal medallion,” She said.
Knight has traveled to attend many grooming competitions throughout the year, at which she enters against as many as 50 other groomers from all over the United States as well as from Canada and Brazil.
She said her most memorable win would be at Intergroom 2010 when she took home the Rising Star of the Year Award with her Bichon Frise.
When she places in these competitions, the placements earn points that are combined at the end of the year for the final rankings for the top 25 groomers in the USA.
The top 10 points carriers are the representatives for Groomteam USA, the first five carriers are the traveling team. Every two years an International Olympic Grooming Competition is hosted by another county, and this September the groomers will be traveling to Belgium to compete for the gold.
Knight plans to continue competing and striving to make the traveling team.
“This has been such an amazing journey for me, it’s hard to believe this is my job and I get so much enjoyment out of it,” she said.
Knight is at Goin’ to the Dogs Tuesday through Fridays. Stop by to ask about the Posh Pet Program.
Goin’ to the Dogs is located at 2290 Keith St., 559-9663.
She will also be at From Pooches to Pedigrees on Aug. 27.
