When Andy Cross’ daughter Sarah and her friends were in elementary school, they expressed an interest in entering their pets into a dog competition. Cross explained that most traditional dog shows only featured purebred animals.
The children disagreed with this limitation. “We should be able to put our dogs in a show,” Cross remembers them saying. The answer was straightforward: “Let’s create our own dog show.”
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The youngsters created a flyer featuring unique competition categories such as “Biggest Nose” and “Longest Tail.” Cross anticipated approximately 20 dogs from the surrounding Skinker-DeBaliviere neighborhood would participate. He was astonished when 70 arrived instead—and this number continued to grow year after year.
For over two decades, Cross and his wife have sustained this community tradition, even as their daughter grew older and relocated to Colorado. On June 16, Cross and his wife organized the 23rd annual Skinker-DeBaliviere community dog show at Greg Freeman Park in St. Louis. They continue to use the original poster their daughter and her friends created.
Every year, dogs compete in child-created categories including “Longest Tail,” with judging performed by young audience members selected by Cross. The children manage the competition, announce winners, and explain their decisions to the crowd’s laughter and applause.
“The owners are thrilled,” Cross explains about the awards. “I’ll visit people’s homes and notice a ribbon displayed on their refrigerator from years ago when they won ‘Longest Tail’ or ‘Best Trick.’ They take great pride in it. Despite being such a lighthearted competition, it’s wonderfully entertaining. We should embrace more of this type of fun.”
Some dogs, like “Best in Show” winner Nigel, were attending for the first time this year, while others have participated for over a decade.
Eileen G’Sell, a WashU teaching professor and longtime Skinker-Debaliviere resident, has participated in the dog show since relocating to the neighborhood in 2009.
“I thought, ‘How charming,’ seeing this child-designed flyer for a dog show, so I brought my dog, Holden, and we attended every June. He won numerous awards,” G’Sell recalls. “When he passed away in 2022, I was devastated thinking, ‘I won’t be able to go to the dog show anymore.'” Her concerns proved unnecessary: Her current dog, Violet, adopted in 2023, has won “Sleekest Coat,” “Puppiest Dog,” and “Shortest Ears” in previous years, and took home the “Shortest Ears” award again this time.
G’Sell observes that while neighborhood residents have different careers and come from various parts of the country, pet ownership serves as a common bond. “I believe this is what makes this neighborhood truly exceptional,” G’Sell tells SLM. “The area’s diversity isn’t superficial; it’s genuine. I’m grateful this tradition continues. It brings me so much joy.”
Some residents are working to strengthen these pet-related community bonds. For seven years, neighborhood members have been planning to establish a dog park. Adam Bergeron, part of the Skinker-DeBaliviere Dog Park Committee, believes a park would foster greater community engagement.
“There’s clearly strong interest in strengthening neighborhood connections, but this is just one annual event,” Bergeron notes. “We see the dog park as a space where anyone who arrives belongs there at that moment. It’s another avenue for building community between the eastern and western sides of Skinker and DeBaliviere.”
With funding from a Community Development Administration grant and private donations, the committee has secured $90,000 of the $130,000 required. The park is expected to open this year; additional details are available on its Instagram page.
During the show, the dogs strained at their leashes and barked at one another, completely unaware of the competition taking place. Within an hour, their brief moment in the spotlight ended, and they returned home with their prizes. The pavement bore witness to their success: chalk drawings of dogs that Cross had created before the event.
