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Photo by George Bailey
Chloe Randall of Chelsea wins the American Bully Kennel Club's best junior handler for the 2025 season in Savannah, Georgia. She shows Doberman Gruff on Dec. 6, 2025.
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Kelli S. Hewett
Chloe Randall with her French bulldog, Harvard. The pair competed together for two years until Chloe began showing different dogs and breeds as she gained more experience as a junior dog handler.
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Kelli S. Hewett
Chloe Randall with her French bulldog, Harvard. The pair competed together for two years until Chloe began showing different dogs and breeds as she gained more experience as a junior dog handler.
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Photo by George Bailey
Chloe Randall of Chelsea (left) wins best junior dog handler with American bully Baroque at the ABKC Monster Mash-Up Vol. 1 dog show in Andalusia, Alabama on Oct. 11, 2025.
On any given weekend, Chloe Randall might be found in a show ring, expertly presenting a 130-pound bullmastiff or a sleek Doberman with the same confidence she once used to guide a French bulldog around the ring for the very first time.
Now 14, the Chelsea High School freshman is ranked No. 1 junior handler in the world by the American Bully Kennel Club — an achievement earned through more than a dozen competitions, 16 dogs, eight breeds and one unshakable focus.
Chloe’s dog show journey began four years ago, when she and her mom, Gretchen, attended their first ABKC event in Birmingham with Harvard, their new French bulldog pup.
“We just thought we’d check it out,” Chloe said of competition, which is more informal for the youngest handlers to help them acclimate to competition. “It was nerve wracking, but after I did it, I really loved it.”
She, her mom and her dad, David, live on Randall Ranch, a 20-acre farm and equestrian facility in Chelsea. Dogs and horses have always been a part of life, and her early bond with animals laid the groundwork for what would become a national-level commitment.
“You have to really know your dog,” Chloe said. “It’s all about the connection — eye contact, trust, learning their quirks.”
She and Harvard were a team for two years, traveling to shows across the region. In 2024, that work paid off. At the ABKC National Show, Randall won her class and was named Reserve Best Junior Handler in the nation, which is the runner-up. But it was what she said afterward that changed everything.
“I told my mom I wanted to be number one,” Chloe said.
That goal set the pace for 2025. Randall began showing a wider range of breeds — golden retrievers, shepherds, huskies and the bullmastiff — often traveling out of state (and even to Belgium) to do it. Her ability to adapt to each dog’s needs, build trust fast and handle larger, more powerful breeds impressed judges and peers alike. She ultimately earned the top junior handler ranking for the entire ABKC season — by a landslide. She was recognized in Savannah, Georgia last month.
“Some dogs can be nut jobs,” Chloe said with a laugh. “Others are calm but don’t want to work. You just have to be patient and figure them out.”
Her discipline behind the scenes is not typical of most young teenagers. When she’s not in school, at cross-country practice or riding horses, Chloe is training, grooming or networking with fellow handlers to find dogs to show.
For mom Gretchen, the view from the sidelines is both familiar and new.
“When Chloe goes in the ring, that’s absolutely phenomenal. It’s a beautiful thing to watch,” Gretchen said.
Next, the young handler is aiming for the prestigious Westminster. She plans to begin competing in AKC and UKC events in 2026 and hopes to qualify for the Junior Showmanship division at Westminster by 2027 — a goal she calls “incredible” given the caliber of competition.
She has plenty of supporters in her corner.
“I have been watching juniors for the past five years,” said Chester Rose, a veteran professional dog handler and mentor. “Chloe is one of the best I have seen. She has the talent and skills to potentially win Best Junior at Westminster Kennel Club.”
