Andy Cross’ daughter Sarah and her friends were only six and seven years old when they expressed a desire to have their dogs participate in a show. Cross explained that conventional dog shows typically only featured purebred dogs.
The children disagreed with this limitation. “We should be able to put our dogs in a show,” Cross recalls them saying. The answer became obvious: “Let’s organize our own dog show.”
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The children created a flyer featuring creative competition categories such as “Biggest Nose” and “Longest Tail.” Cross anticipated roughly 20 dogs from the local Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood would participate. He was amazed when 70 arrived instead—and the event continued to draw similar numbers year after year.
For over 20 years, Cross and his wife have maintained this tradition, even as their daughter grew older and relocated to Colorado. On June 16, they hosted the 23rd annual Skinker-DeBaliviere community dog show at Greg Freeman Park in St. Louis. The original poster designed by their daughter and her friends is still used each year.
Dogs compete annually in the original categories devised by the children, such as “Longest Tail,” with young audience members selected by Cross serving as judges. These child judges oversee the competition, announce the winners, and explain their decisions to the delight and applause of spectators.
“The owners are thrilled,” Cross explains regarding the awards. “I’ve visited homes and spotted ribbons on refrigerators from competitions six years prior when they won ‘Longest Tail’ or ‘Best Trick.’ They take great pride in these awards. Even though it’s lighthearted, it’s incredibly enjoyable. We truly need this kind of playful competition.”
Some dogs attended the show for the first time this year, including “Best in Show” winner Nigel, while others have participated for more than a decade.
Eileen G’Sell, a WashU teaching professor and longtime resident of Skinker-Debaliviere, has participated in the dog show since moving to the neighborhood in 2009.
“I thought, ‘This is wonderful,’ seeing this handmade flyer about a dog show, so I brought my dog, Holden, and every June we attended, and he earned many awards,” G’Sell recalls. “When he passed away in 2022, I was deeply saddened by the thought that ‘I won’t be able to attend the dog show anymore.'” Her worries proved unfounded: Her 2023 dog, Violet, has previously won “Sleekest Coat” and “Puppiest Dog” and this year received the “Shortest Ears” award.
G’Sell notes that although neighborhood residents have varied professional backgrounds and come from different parts of the country, dog ownership serves as a common bond. “I believe this is what makes our neighborhood truly special,” G’Sell tells SLM. “This community is diverse not just superficially, but genuinely. I’m grateful it continues happening. It brings me such joy.”
Some residents are working to strengthen these pet-related bonds. For seven years, residents have been planning a dog park for the area. Adam Bergeron, on the Skinker-DeBaliviere Dog Park Committee, hopes the park will foster additional community connections.
“There’s clearly a strong need for neighborhood connectivity, and this is just one annual event,” Bergeron notes. “We view the dog park as a space where anyone who arrives is welcome at that time. It’s another opportunity to strengthen community ties between the eastern and western sections of Skinker and DeBaliviere.”
With support from a grant from the Community Development Administration and private donations, the committee has collected $90,000 of the $130,000 required. The dog park is expected to launch this year, with additional details available on the Instagram page.
Throughout the event, dogs strained their leashes and barked at each other, unaware they were participating in a show. Within an hour, their brief moment in the spotlight concluded, and they returned home, each carrying a prize. The pavement displayed evidence of their fleeting fame: chalk drawings of dogs that Cross had sketched before the show.
