News Release 
October 19, 2007
Contact: Bruce Smith, staff 303.271.0525 bsmith@alpinevalleyschool.com
15-year-old Becomes Two-Time Champion Dog Handler
WHEAT RIDGE – When a student goes to the dogs, sometimes it results in success far beyond his years.
On September 29 and 30, AVS student Arie Suter participated in a Jefferson County Fairgrounds show
sponsored by the Colorado Frontier Belgian Shepherd Dog Association. In a field that included approximately
200 dogs, Arie showed his dog Soji, a 3-year-old Havanese from Wildflower Havanese of Kittredge, CO.
Despite the fact that his many fellow handlers were of all ages and from around the country, Arie took first in
class at this show, and second place overall. He was also named Best Junior Handler, and finished Soji as a
champion in the UKC registry.
Arie started showing Soji (whose full name is Champion D’Va’s Mars Moon Runner) three years ago, and
finished him as an AKC champion in five months, a very short time for any handler, particularly one so young
and inexperienced.
For the past five years Arie has been a student at Alpine Valley School in Wheat Ridge. Alpine Valley follows
the Sudbury model, which allows students to decide for themselves what, when, and how they learn. Arie credits
his Sudbury schooling for helping him compete with dog handlers many times his age while maintaining his poise.
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