Local Groomer Places 3rd in Runway Show

Local pet groomer Sandy Blackburn owner of The Groom Room Pet Spa in Attica participated in Chicago's All American Grooming Show August 14-16 and placed third in the "Abstract Runway Design" category.
This contest was a runway fashion show with the dog being showcased as the fashion and the groomer dressed in complementary clothing. The groomer was to put a unique haircut on the dog with little to no color, but something that could be done in a day at your salon that you could even do for a client.
Blackburn put a spiral design on her dog with a hibiscus flower cut into the design on the dogs hip. There were seven contestants from all around the United States participating. There were designs from leopard spots dyed into the dogs fur, to diamond shapes cut into the fur, there was even a Persian cat in the contest with a unique design carved into its fur.
The contest was judged by Jorge Bendersky of New York, he was a contestant last year on Animal Planet's show "Groomer Has It". When Bendersky was asked about what he looks for in a creative runway design he said, " I see it as a sculpture, pay attention to technique, and how it looks from all angles and from all distances, I imagine that dog in a open space as a piece of Art, it was a great line up, very close".
Bendersky was also the judge of the regular creative grooming class the next day and Blackburn did something that no other groomer has ever done, she used the same dog in that contest only 18 hours later transforming her spiral design into a rattlesnake!
"Jasmine was a terrific sport for the entire weekend." stated Blackburn. "Abstract Runway Design was on Saturday night at 9 pm and we got to bed around midnight, then the next day we started in around 10 am and the contest began at 3pm." However, the real test to see who was the most creative was when Blackburn arrived at the hotel in Chicago and discovered she has left the box with all of her grooming supplies, color blo-pens and glitter at home. "I was shocked! I thought my family had packed it, they thought I had packed it and the truth is, I moved it out of the way the day before we left and didn't see it, so I assumed it was packed. We spent the entire day Friday hunting for supplies and borrowing things from other groomers to get by. One thing I am thankful for is that the groomers I compete with are the most generous, wonderful people in the world. They offered me their supplies, knowing I would be competing against them but wanting to help out a fellow groomer in need".
Blackburn didn't place in the regular creative class but was still proud of her accomplishment.
"I may not be the most creative groomer, but using the same dog in two contests less than a day apart and with no supplies certainly makes me the most resourceful groomer!"