This inspiring article comes to us from Delaware Online.

Abandoned animal jumps from the streets of Tampa, Fla., to the bright lights of the show ring
By MARY ALICE GARRETT, Special to The News Journal

Photo by The News Journal/WILLIAM BRETZGER

HOCKESSIN — It doesn’t take a purebred dog to win a dog show. Tampa, a mixed breed golden retriever and Rottweiler, proved that recently when he competed against more than 250 purebreds at the All Star Dog Trials in York, Pa. The former stray dog is owned by Arlene Hitchens of Hockessin.

Hitchens entered Tampa in his first dog show in March 2005 after both attended dog obedience and agility classes. Tampa captured first place in three events of a United Kennel Club show in Harrisburg. Next the dog and handler were named the highest scoring obedience team by the American Mixed Breed Obedience Registration at an event, also in Harrisburg.

In August, Tampa and Hitchens came in ninth in obedience competition at the All Star Dog Trials, one of the few shows that allows mixed-breed dogs to compete.

“One of the judges said, Tampa did very well, and his figure eights were fantastic,” said Hitchens.

Tampa is one of three dogs owned by Hitchens. The others are Casey, a shepherd and lab mix, and Mary Jane, a corgi.

“With the exception of Mary Jane, all my dogs have been strays,” said Hitchens. “I’ve had wonderful dogs and they’ve all been mixed breeds.”

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