Alumni Spotlight - Carley Simpson
She won the Chesapeake Bay Retriever Nationals at age 10. Carley Simpson, a 4-Her from Snohomish County, quickly advanced and, at 14, went to her first Westminster Dog Show in New York City and also qualified for the invitation-only Pedigree Show in San Antonio. She went to Westminster each of the following years until she was 18 where she took third. Now, 27, Carley is a television producer in New York City and works on shows including Christmas in Rockefeller Center, the New York City Marathon, and the Super Bowl’s Greatest Commercials. Carley is also the annual host of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog show’s online coverage. She likes spending time with her two dogs, Cooper, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever and, Smooch, a Golden Retriever back in Washington State as often as possible.
What have you gained over your 4-H years by working with dogs?
Working with dogs gave me my first sense of how it felt to know a certain topic so well that it gave me the confidence and self esteem needed to succeed. When I was younger I never would have expected public presentations to help me later in life, but I am now, essentially, standing before millions of people to give them! I gained confidence that directly relates to how I interact not only in front of the camera but in society and among my peers.
What did you value most about your years in 4-H?
First, the sense of accomplishment. I tried to do everything to the best of my ability and worked tirelessly to accomplish that task. I won many different awards and the feeling I got each time I would “win” would be purely based on a sense of accomplishment. Even when you don’t win you learn what you can do better next time. If you can’t win, accept it and at least learn from it and move forward.
Second, the life-long relationships I made. I never imagined during my years in 4-H that I would keep in contact with so many people who influenced my experience. Each person I met has contributed to my success today.
How have 4-H volunteer leaders impacted your life?
I really couldn't have done so much without the leaders who contributed to my development. Looking back I see how important and influential they were on my growth. They taught me many life skills, to be “well-rounded”, and how to prepare myself for the future. The leaders helped me take certain skills like focus and concentration and apply them to my schoolwork, daily chores at home, and planning for the future, all while still having fun. Keeping my record books and journals taught me to set goals and, with my leaders support and motivation, I reached those goals, which in turn trained me to understand how important it was to set goals in life and to go after them.
How did 4-H influence your life as a teen?
4-H kept me on the “right track” and out of trouble. Instead of going off on the weekends with friends and doing the party scene, I was more interested in showing dogs on the weekends and qualifying for the Westminster Dog Show. This kept me focused on my goals without the other normal kid distractions.
What would you like to do in the future?
Ultimately, I’d like my own television show that takes what I did growing up in 4-H with dogs and combines what I’ve learned working in television. In addition, I’d like to start my own business working with many different aspects of dogs...training, boarding, grooming and a rescue program. I’d love also to incorporate 4-H kids into my program to give them a hands-on experience with how a real business works and opportunities to learn as much as they can.
To see Carley’s Westminster reports visit: http://westminsterkennelclub.org/
posted November 2008
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