What a fun weekend! I have not been to a UKC show in over a year. It was time to get puppies out for socializing and ring training. It was fun hanging out with friends: Amy, Brittany, Kelly, Lies, Becky (for a short time), Charlene, Robbie, Cory, Ann D., and the other Aussie and GSD people. We also meet some really cool new people: Amanda, Kelly, Angela, Jeff, and Larry.
Congratulations to Cory and Robbie on their Group One win Sunday. Thank you Cory for helping out with the handling Vivid, Nikon and Stara. I won’t mention what a wimp you are for declining to handle Schumi!
Charlene has two new UKC Champions, her Harrier, Vivid and O’Stara the GSD she co-owns with me. Somehow Charlene managed to stay out of the ring completely and have others show her dogs, same with Lies.
O’ Stara should have finished more easily then she did. Her personality is quiet, sweet, and unassuming. Being in a beauty pageant does not fit her personality, despite it she earned her UKC Championship. O’Stara will be happy to hear there are no plans to pursue her UKC Grand Championship, but a tracking title and another Rally Obedience title are in her future.
Becky brought Schumi to the show Friday night. Schumi has been shown before at outdoor German shows, a Regional and the North American Sieger show. At these shows pulling and gaiting for very long periods is expected and suits Schumi quite well as he can go and go and he loves to pull—a little bit too much. Showing Schumi in an indoor venue, with small rings, and only 2 minutes or less in the ring to evaluated—well this is all new for Schumi.
Schumi at only 6 months is not nearly full size but still very strong. he needed to learn the fine art of being a show dog and his mom Becky was too much of a distraction so I sent her home. Schumi was shown 5 times and got better every time he was shown. The last show of the day they combined two rings and Schumi really had room to move out—and move out he could becasue he was now gaiting on lead and actually making the ring corners on his own. Wow it was fun to see him learn and actually start to get into it! Thank you Joe and Becky for trusting your boy with me. I know how hard it is to leave your dog with someone else. Personally it was hard for me to send you home becasue I didn’t get to hang out with you!
Schumi’s wins for the weekend are:
1st Place Junior Male Puppy
1st Place Junior Male Puppy and Reserve Best Male
1st Place Junior Male Puppy and Reserve Best Male
1st Place Junior Male Puppy
1st Place Junior Male Puppy
O’Stara’s wins for the weekend are:
1st Place Senior Female and Best Female
1st Place Senior Female and Reserve Best Female
1st Place Senior Female and Reserve Best Female
1st Place Senior Female and Best Female
1st Place Senior Female and Best Female
Nikon and Bailey ( Markus x Kira) were shown in the Novice Puppy Class at the first show on Saturday and Sunday. Saturday Nikon won Best Male Puppy handled by Cory. I handled Bailey and she went 2 out of 2. As I am in the ring with Bailey I look up and see Brittany looking at me with this look something akin to disgust. Her comment to me when I came out is, ” I don’t see what is so hard about showing a dog.” What wasn’t said is she thought I was clumbsy oaf and I messed up her puppy! Well…guess who handled both Nikon and Bailey on Sunday? Brittany learned quickly that it is not as easy as it looks when she went 2 out of 2 with Nikon. Then further had her hands full with Bailey. To our pleasure and our chagrin, Brittany and Bailey went on to win their class and win Best Puppy in breed earning a spot in Best Puppy in show. So now Brittany is back to thinking what’s so hard about this? I do have to say that Brittany was really working and had some moments of absolute brilliance in the Best-in-show puppy ring. I should add Brittany has never even participated in a single conformation class!
I was so pleased with the excellent temperaments of Schumi, Nikon, and Bailey, they were friendly, confident, out-going, and unflapable. If the pups had won nothing they would have still had been winners.
The anti-excitement for the weekend was an “AKC person” showing up at her first UKC show and filing a complaint with the show committee which in effect shut down the entire show while the show committtee hearing was held. My goodness such ridiculous drama.
Julie
Thank you for working with Schumi for the weekend and showing him. You are so nice and do so much for us I don’t think we could thank you enough. I don’t really know many other breeders but I hae to think you are one of the exceptions when it comes to helping and working with those that get dogs from you. You really make us (and others) feel like part of your family.
Thanks so much again.
Joe, I am definitely keeping you titled, Most Perfect Man!
There is nothing that makes me happier than to see someone give credit to one of the few breeders who is an exception to the rule. We are all very fortunate to be part of this family.
Julie, that was a great report! Thank you for sharing…or should I say, thank you for rubbing it in that I can’t be there. 🙂
Now it also makes sense as to why there were so many pix of the Harrier! Charlene, congrats on a double CH weekend!
I left out the best part! Becky worked with Schumi so that he would hold still and allow his scissor bite and full dentition to be shown. He was absolutely perfect in this area! Great job Becky!
Joe,
Thank you so much for your kind words. I appreciate your gratitude and your acknowledgment.
I can always count on you and Becky to do what you say and that is refreshing! Thank you also for trusting me with your baby boy for the weekend.
Julie
Hi Julie , I am loving reading this blog ,I check in regularly ,I hope you got my last message , xx
I wanted to wish , you and all your family and Carole and all your dogs a wonderful Christmas, you will all be in my thoughts as we celebrate Christmas over here on frosty Scotland.
I am deffo travelling over in April to see you all for the sieger show.I have booked my hotel eek , nerve racking. I have no doubt I will love it in the USA , cant wait to catch up with you both again. I am sure I still owe Carole a hot coffee!!;)
Take care , I would have posted some fotos of my GSD family for you but I don’t know how too lol x
If we’re lucky, maybe we’ll have a little less of that cold, rainy weather that we had at the BSZS and we won’t need hot coffee!
Stay warm in frosty Scotland & Merry Christmas!
Hi Lynn! Great to hear from you. I can’t wait to see you in April are you coming over with a bunch of other people?
Best Wishes,
Julie