2017 Royalty
2017 King-
King Maximilian T. Roth is the son of Dr. Sherry Roth of Boca Raton, Florida. He is employed as a Mental Health Technician at his mother's practice and is also a certified emotional support animal. Being the consummate professional, he regularly attends continuing education conferences to keep up with the latest developments in his field.
When King Maximilian has time off, he usually heads to the beach near his home to relax with his many human and canine friends. It is then he can catch up with his thoughts on his future. "I have always wanted to join a non-profit board or engage in skills based volunteering pro bono, but being selected as the King of Barkus far exceeds any of my dreams," expressed King Maximilian with his black button eyes. "I have served as a Duke for years in Barkus, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime role that I will cherish as much as my Facebook, LinkedIn and Pinterest accounts-- and my mom, too," he added with an ear twitch.
As a canine who speaks both English (American and British) and Dog (Universal), King Maximilian feels he can effectively communicate with both krewe members and their human escorts about everything. It could be about his love of bacon, a topic he often addresses with humans. He also likes to share a confidence-building inspirational with his dog friends declaring that "you are not a bad dog, just a dog that does bad things."
His positive attitude is sure to be a highlight of his reign as he takes to the streets of the French Quarter as King for this joyous occasion of the 25th Mystic Krewe of Barkus parade.
2017 Queen-
Queen Athena Cooper, snow white Pomeranian, is the daughter of Barry Cooper and Stuart Smith of Miami, Florida. She was rescued from a life of being a perpetual afterthought in the suburbs of frosty Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her lonely heart and lack of social interaction made her quite unsure and shy-- at first. It did not take long for her to realize that she was her father's number one priority and that she would never again long for food, water, sunshine, companionship, and love. She is referred to by him as "Force's Deity of Wisdom a/k/an ATHENA."
True to her new lifestyle, Queen Athena was enrolled in school and was an all-star student. In fact, there was a talk of her becoming a show dog not only because of her intelligence but always because she was such a looker. But, the Queen dispels that notion as something her family wanted more than she did. "My aspiration was to be a Queen of Barkus, not a show dog. I did the math, and there are only 25 Queens in the history of Barkus, while there are countless show dogs," said the Queen while wagging her fluffy tail.
The Queen plans to arrive in New Orleans more than a week before the parade as her schedule is quite full. Among other things, she has a breakfast meeting at Cafe du Monde with local dignitaries, a happy hour fundraiser at Dat Dog, the Coronation Ball at the Windsor Court Hotel and the much-anticipated lunch at Galatoire's with her King. Her travel trunk is getting packed to the brim with outfits for every occasion designed and carefully fitted by her tailor. "I have also been practicing how to carry myself in various types of dresses and head wear as any responsible Queen would do," she stated. Also, she plans to have plenty of personalized throws on parade day for those along the route.
Queen Athena's confidence is high, and she is excited to be living out a dream. "This is just like being the Queen of Carnival, but with canines," she said ending her sentence with a small bark of joy and "If Ever I Cease to Love" playing in the background.
When this Mardi Gras season is over, Queen Athena plans to sleep for days in her Faberge Egg bed. After that, she plans to write a book about her life entitled "Who Dat Queen?"
2017 Grand Duchesses-
Grand Duchess Winnie Teich, a mystery terrier mix, was recently adopted by the family of Jordan Teich while they were at Pet Fest In Lafreniere Park in November 2016. How she became homeless is unknown, but her family is grateful to have found her as she is a perfect match. She thrives on long runs, chasing squirrels and snuggling.
Grand Duchess Luna Williamson, a special mix of Beagle with white GoGo boot paws, is a survivor of the Louisiana floods of August 2016. She was adopted by Jenny Williamson at Zeus Place and quickly adjusted to her new family. She especially adores her sister Lily, a four-year-old Conton de Tulear and treats of all kinds. She is called the "hot water bottle" because she radiates warmth when she cuddles.
2017 Grand Marshal-
