Annette Bamper
Owner, Groomer
The Owner, Annette Bamper, began in the grooming industry in 1984 as a Kennel Attendant/Grooming
Assistant. Grooming quickly became her passion and she graduated from North Jersey School of Dog Grooming in 1985 at the age
of 18. She has worked in numerous prestigious salons in NJ as well as teaching at NJ School of Dog Grooming in 1990 and owning
her own business in Chester NY from 1997-2002. Annette crossed over from pet grooming to show grooming in the early 1990's
and her earliest successes were wit a family of Great Pyrenees who won BOB, BOS, BIS, with the greatest wins were at the Westminster
Kennel Club show where CH Rivergroves Avalanche won several AOM consecutively. In 2001, a Wire Hair Dachshund she hand-stripped
won the Variety at the Bucks County Show. She has groomed several breeds (Great Pyrs, WH Doxie, Toy & Std Poodles, Lhasas)
for the ring as well as handling Lhasas and Poodles.
She had just begun competing in the creative grooming ring
when she was involved in a car accident in 2000. Suffering a TBI and back/hand injuries, no one was sure if she would
return to grooming. After running her business with a replacement groomer she sold her shop in 2002. Relocating to Elmira
(after falling in love with the region in 1998 while preparing to show Lhasas) to continue her recuperation, she began getting
involved with the local dog community.But, in 2003, she did in fact return to grooming as a career, and has never looked back!
Whio she is unable to compete in grooming competitions due to the MVA she was in she has continued to work on her Creative
Grooming and she has competed in several online competitions at www.petgroomer.com and won placements in several categories.
Annette has been seen in local parades with her dogs Dodger & Joker in Creative Styles and in 2006 made
the front page of the Star Gazette(to the delight of her Father who proudly showed the picture off before passing away
less than 3 weeks later) when they stepped out for the Elmira Holiday Parade's 50th Anniversary. They celebrated St Patrick's
Day with another parade in Horseheads in 2007 and Joker's St. Patrick's 'Do was featured by PeoplePets in a 2008
article about Creative/Extreme Grooming. In 2009 Annette and Joker returned to the Elmira Holiday Parade (sadly minus Dodger
who passed away 9/5/09) as Clowns to the delight of the many children of the community. In 2010 ABC Grooming Center
sponsored the Farmer in the Dell Float which saw Joker as a blue Lamb(it was awfully cold that day!) with Annette as a Cow(any
wonder she now has a spotted Poodle?) and her children as various members of the Farm.
Annette has many interests when she is not grooming, one of which is singing.
It is not uncommon to hear her singing to the dogs when you enter the Lobby area of the shop! She is very proud of her Gaelic/Celtic
heritage and sings in several Gaelic Dialects. She has learned Irish Step Dancing and is interested in the
Fiber Arts and is currently learning to knit.
