Rachel Serion was bursting with pride yesterday after she stepped out of the dog show arena.

Clutched in one hand was a second-place red ribbon and in her other, a leash attached to Cody, an English cocker spaniel who won the ribbon at the Hawaiian Kennel Club's 100th anniversary dog show.

Serion, 10, a fifth-grader from Kealakehe Elementary School on the Big Island, has spent a lot of time at shows, helping her mom, Melisa, and showing dogs herself.

"It's not work for Cody," Rachel said. "He likes to come to show himself off, and he likes it when people clap for him."

The Serions and their dogs were among 422 entrants in the show, said Gerri Cadiz, Hawaiian Kennel Club president. The two-day show was held at Blaisdell Exhibition Hall and represented 79 breeds.

The Best of Show winner was Ch. Grandquest Kazor's Motumbo Xequemate, a basenji.

The key events yesterday were the Best Veteran and the Best of Show — the top canine out of seven categories: hound, sporting, working, terrier, toy, nonsporting and herding.

Dogs in all stages of readiness waited for their turn. Some were in cages. Some were being sprayed with hair products. Others stood silently as their groomers combed, tugged, wiped and placed wet towels on their fur to keep away tangles.

Waiting to show her veteran was Jackie Yasui. With silver scissors, she trimmed hair by hair around the face of her docile bichon frise. The small dog was a ball of white fur as she fluffed and combed, snipped and sprayed. The dog didn't make a yelp as Yasui talked and trimmed.

"Scarlett won her class as Best Veteran," Yasui said proudly. "She's a returning champion. I've been showing her son and daughter. Yesterday, her son won best breed by class."

Dog shows began in the 1800s and started as a way to compare dogs for their hunting abilities, Cadiz said. Today they're more to compare to the breed standard. The Hawaiian Kennel Club, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, held its first dog show down the street from the Blaisdell at an old roller rink on Queen Street, Cadiz said.

Some of the contestants called dog showing a sport, but Cadiz said it's more of a competition, a way for dog owners to see how their pooch measures up with the breed standards. In addition, showmanship and temperament are judged, she said.

Yesterday was special for Charlotte Farmer of Kailua. She showed her 10-year-old champion golden retriever, Broker. His muzzle was gray, but his heart was pure, she said. A champion in his class and a member of the hall of fame for show dogs, he came away with a second-place ribbon.

"He loves to go to dog shows," Farmer said. "He almost went through the screen door this morning."

Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com.