For the first time in 21 years, a young man has won the Best in Show title at the Collie Club of America’s National Specialty. That young man happens to be Brayden Burn, an Oak Harbor teen who’s been making waves with his inseparable teammate Tsunami.

For the past year, Burn and Tsunami have been competing at different 4-H competitions in Washington, eventually ranking fourth in the whole nation, despite competing with much more experienced duos.

The national organization, 4-H, was created with the goal of helping youths achieve their fullest potential. Burn is a member of the All American Puppy Paws Dog 4-H, where children and teens learn how to be responsible dog owners and how to best train their pets, as well as leadership skills like public speaking. Competing is optional, as youths can just participate to learn more about their family dogs.

Being in the nation’s top 10 junior handlers, Burn was invited to the National Specialty competition in Peoria, Illinois. The 17-year-old only started showing dogs at 16, but he did not let that hold him back from further proving his worth.

Earlier this month, Burn placed first among contestants aged 15 to 18 and was finally crowned the “Best in Show” in the Junior competition, which included participants aged 9 to 18. Corinne Boon, his mentor, said this is the first time a boy has won this title in 21 years of female dominance.

Though he enjoys competing with his dog, Burn said being in the ring can be nerve-wracking.

“You want to demonstrate your dog to the best of your ability, but you also don’t want to fail them,” he said.

In this competition, young dog handlers are judged based on different factors. Handlers and their dogs must appear confident and well-groomed, and handlers must demonstrate their ability to follow the judge’s instructions on how to move their dogs, according to Boon.

Burn will turn 18 in September, meaning he will no longer be able to compete with other juniors. While in high school, he volunteers at North Whidbey Fire and Rescue and is set on becoming a firefighter.

He hopes to train Tsunami in finding missing people and helping with rescue efforts in case of a fire.

“Collies are very excellent at search and rescue,” Burn said.

In Peoria, Boon won the Collie Club of America’s Smooth Collie Breeder of the Year award, which she also won in 2019.

Like other breeders, Boon was judged based on how many puppies she produced in three years and how many of them became champions (out of 13 puppies, five became champions), how many health tests were performed on the dogs she bred and how many titles the dogs achieved.

While her main goal is to breed healthy dogs that can find loving forever homes, she also mentors families on how to prepare for dog shows.

“I feel really fortunate to have great families that want to carry on the tradition of dog showing,” Boon said.

According to Boon, who is also a 4-H judge, dog shows are among the oldest sports in the United States, second only to horse racing, and make the ideal family activity as it strengthens the bond between humans and their pets, while also connecting families with other dog lovers.

When asked about the widespread “adopt, don’t shop” dogma, Boon said she is providing families with dogs that are healthy and predictable in development and behavior, while rescue dogs often might have health or behavioral issues that families are not prepared to handle.

Boon tests her dogs for a variety of health issues, including degenerative myopathy and multidrug resistance. Whenever a dog shows a health issue, Boon neuters or spays the dog.

Her goal, she said, is to eliminate disorders in three generations of dogs.

Soon after they are born, Boon gets the puppies used to being touched and surrounded by humans, so they know how to behave in public or when they need a nail trim.

Boon is also selective with the families she sells her dogs to, often making decisions based on the family’s needs and the dog’s personality. When she sells a dog, she also makes herself available to help the new owners in case they need help with training or health issues.

Furthermore, she said, she is contributing to the preservation of the smooth collie, a heritage breed that is nearly extinct in Europe.

According to the Collie Club of America, there are two types of collie, the smooth and the rough, which differ in their fur. Like the name suggests, smooth collies have a short and flat coat, while rough collies have a long and “harsh-textured” coat — picture Lassie, from the homonymous TV show.

Collies were originally used as herding dogs in Scotland and Northern England, but the smooth variety has become less and less popular, according to Boon.

By preserving the breed as it has been for the past centuries of its existence, Boon said she is producing dogs that are loyal and affectionate with humans and children, who have the energy for a hike but also the ability to sit still and watch TV with the family.

Being herd dogs, collies are also good at retrieving children who wander away from home and are ideal for people with disabilities.

For example, Tsunami alerts Burn’s diabetic mother, Danyall Benavides, whenever she has high or low blood sugar levels. According to Benavides, Tsunami will put her paws on her shoulders to smell her breath, forcing her to stop whatever she’s doing to get tested and address the issue.

If Benavides ignores Tsunami’s warnings, the dog will then bring Burn for help.

Benavides is also the president of the Collie Club of Washington and a leader at the 4-H All-American Puppy Paws. She and Tsunami have competed as well, achieving wins such as the Best of Breed award at the Bell Vernon Kennel Association show in 2023.

There, dogs are judged based on traits like their height, head shape, eye placement, muscle and bone structure, while also demonstrating a smooth gait and good temper.

Benavides said she feels a great sense of joy and pride when she steps into the ring with her dogs, as they are connected by a strong bond.

“There is a pride and joy being in there with your beloved kids,” she said. “These are my kids.”

Burn and Benavides will attend the Bell Vernon Kennel Association’s dog show May 17-20 in Lynden, which will include obedience and rally trials. For more information, visit mtbakerkennelclub.org/events.

Photo by Luisa Loi Brayden Burn shakes Tsunami’s paw. Tsunami is a 2-year-old smooth sable collie, a breed that Corinne Boon said is going extinct in Europe, despite making a good family and herding pet.

Photo by Luisa Loi 4-H Leader Danyall Benavides shows off some tricks mother and daughter duo Maree and Tsunami, which look almost identical, have learned.

Photo provided Brayden Burn, a junior at Oak Harbor High School and volunteer firefighter at North Whidbey Fire and Rescue, is the first male in 21 years to win the Best in Show title at the Collie Club of America’s National Specialty. He was recognized at this national competition for the way he presented himself and his smooth collie, Tsunami.