Club Members
Linda Clark
Kwontum-Leap Shibas
kwontumleap.com
Prior to Linda's introduction to the world of show dogs, she showed and rode her first pony at age 3, a Shetland pony. From there her family acquired Welch ponies and Arabian horses and as a young adult she showed and jumped a Thoroughbred hunter/cross. Thus her entry into the dog show world was a small step from that of the horses.
Learmonth Siberians was founded in 1985 with the purchase of her first pet Siberian Husky. From there she entered the show world of Siberian Huskies. Linda acquired her first Shiba Inu in 1992, showing in the AKC Miscellaneous Class prior to the breed being accepted into the Non-Sporting Group. Originally, Linda turned to the Shiba Inu for her then 3 year old daughter as a breed that she could play with and learn to show, but the Shiba turned out to be such a match for her lifestyle that as time has gone by the Shiba has become her primary breed. Since that time Kwontum-Leap has bred selectively as well as acquiring a few additional Shibas with the majority finishing their AKC Championship or being major-pointed.
Today, Linda's involvement in the dog fancy is varied and nearly all-consuming balancing educational/work and family goals. She belongs to many clubs: National Shiba Club of America, the Shiba Club of Greater New York, Siberian Husky Club of America, Samoyed Club of America, Finnish Spitz Club of America, UKC Finnish Spitz Club, Empire State Dog Club, Syracuse Obedience Training Club and the Onondaga Kennel Association. She has held various positions in most Clubs including Training Director and Junior Handling Director/Instructor for Onondaga Kennel Association, Onondaga Kennel Association AKC Match Chair, Onondaga Kennel Association Team Captain for Invitational Challenge, Onondaga Kennel Association Public Education Chair, Chair of AKC Responsible Dog Ownership Day, SOTC Conformation Handling Instructor, Secretary/ Judges' Ed/Advertising Chair/and Club contact for the Shiba Club of Greater New York, as well as an AKC Junior Show Judge.