Calista Sophia McKee, 15, spent the last 11 months and 1 week traveling across the country to show dogs in every state. Now, McKee has showed in all 50 states, and garnered over 4,400 points to win the 2024 Junior Versatility Scholarship. What’s next for this junior handler and the seven dogs she competes in dog sports with? Hopefully the Guinness Book of World Records.
McKee competed in Orlando, Florida, at the AKC National Championship, Presented by Royal Canin. She competed in the Junior AKC Rally and Obedience Showcase, as well as the AKC Rally Invitational and the Obedience Classic.
A Nation-Wide Mission
McKee was already a successful Junior Handler at 14 years old, competing in AKC Rally, Junior Showmanship, Obedience, Fast CAT, Lure Coursing and Farm Dog. When she decided she wanted to try to compete in every state, her parents were immediately on board. It took them less than 12 months, and they traveled in an RV to every state. They even went to Alaska and Hawaii via plane. During that time, McKee was did virtual learning at an online school.
Her mom, Codi, says the difference between the first state and their last state was tremendous. “Her rock-solid dog had a meltdown today, and just watching her handle that was big,” she says. “There was a big progression from New York, which was state number one. It’s so neat watching her change and grow, so I’m very proud.”
“How many 14-year-olds say, ‘I’m going to spend the next 12 months in an RV with my parents?’ She’s a very easy, very pragmatic young lady,” her mom says. “And from a handling perspective, she’s improved greatly. There’s some experience in everything, and she got to see all 50 states from the perspective of a 14 year old.”
Acknowledgement for Her Dedication
For McKee, winning the Junior Versatility Scholarship is a representation of all the hard work she’s put in the last few years, but especially the last year. “It’s exciting for me – we worked really hard,” she says. The Junior Versatility Scholarships are awarded to the top 10 juniors who have competed in at least three events.
Over the weekend, she was busy showing many of her seven dogs, including her Papillon “Bo,” her Weimaraner “Vogie,” and her Border Collie “Frankie.” She also competes in multiple sports with another Papillon, and three All-American Dogs.
McKee notes that she won the award by 2000 points – so it wasn’t entirely a shock when she got it. “I think she’s the record holder for most points ever by a junior,” her mom says. After traveling through the nation, McKee had over 4,400 points. Between 2022-2023, she’d gotten 58 total points through shows — mostly because her family had been living in Puerto Rico during that period.
Still Thriving With a Change of Scenery
After being in school online for the better part of the year, McKee is now in attending high-school in-person in Tennessee. She spent the last year with her parents and their seven dogs in an RV, so being in a school every day surrounded by 800 other kids was a big change of pace for her.
McKee is also now showing and competing less because she’s no longer doing school online. “I definitely miss it, but I also have a group of friends in Tennessee,” says McKee. “So it’s a change, but it’s a nice change.”
She hadn’t been to school in-person in over two years, but she says that the most difficult part wasn’t the first day back. “At the end of semester one, I had five tests in one day,” McKee remembers. “I think going back to hig school was harder than doing dog shows every week.”
Ambitions Continue
McKee also submitted her journey the past year to the Guinness Book of World Records. She could very well be the first person to show dogs in all 50 states in under a year, and certainly the youngest to do so.
She also has her sights set on college: specifically the University of Oregon. With her 4.0 GPA, McKee hopes to continue excelling in school and in dog sports with her dogs. Soon, they’ll probably be getting an eighth, bringing their family of 10 to 11.
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