**New Champion** Laureate Lavania

      Phew!  Today Vania won the final 2 points needed for the championship.  When she came to me to be shown, she had 8 points with a specialty major.  All I needed to do was win 7 more points and another major.....  That's all.  The 1st summer she was with me we won a 4 point major.  She was not giving me her undivided attention, she didn't seem to enjoy showing, and she didn't really know who I was.  In typical sheltie fashion- she didn't know me, why should she stand there and look at me just because I had food? 

     Kim and Pete asked me if I wanted to co-breed a litter of puppies and then attempt to get the final 4 points afterwards.   Yes!  We bred Vania to Am/Can Ch. Laureate Invincible, ROM/ROMC.  She had a lovely litter of puppies.  Since she has been here we have become good friends.  This summer the showing has gone much easier. She won Best of Breed over dogs that are already champions 3 times and placed in the Herding group once.  

     The judge that awarded her this final Best of Breed for her last required points said, "she looks at you adoringly".   Wow- I adore her too.  We have come a long way together.  In a post from last summer I was worried I was going to be a "one hit wonder" for Laureate- only finishing MeMe- but yesterday- Vania and I earned the last of the required 15 points.  

 

Read more...

Summer time Highs!!

 I have been SO FORTUNATE to have been asked by Kim and Pete of Laureate Shelties to show a few of their girls..  I started off with Laureate Meiomi (MeMe).  She was AMAZING!  She "moved right in" to my house and when we went to the shows together, this girl was On Fire!   I only showed her 1 long weekend (Wednesday-Sunday) and she Won every day expect Thursday.    Luckily for me it finished her championship as well.   1 "work week" of showing..... and done!   WOW!  Meme was a dream to show and live with.  The Laureate team called me a "rock star".....  but in a later post, you will see that perhaps I am a "one hit wonder". 

Read more...

15 minutes of Fame and a good show weekend

This weekend was one to remember. I showed Nicky in Bred-by-Exhibitor (dog), Glory in Bred-by-Exhibitor (bitch) and Dove in Open Sable (bitch). On Friday at the Lackawanna Kennel Club all three of them won their classes. Nicky was then awarded Winners Dog, and Dove was awarded Winners Bitch. Days like that don't happen very often. Saturday was not as good as Nicky went Reserve Winners dog and neither of the girls won their class. Sunday Nicky was again Winners dog, Glory was 2nd in her class and Dove won her class. The judge really considered Dove, but then awarded Winners to the winner of Glory's class. Glory had to come back in for reserve, but because the judge had really considered Dove for Winners, she was Reserve.

Saturday night I was on TV. I didn't get to see it yet (I hope they show re-runs)- but the Harrisburg Kennel Club dog show was televised on Animal Planet. If you remember from earlier posts (back in April), this was the show where I was in charge of the herding demonstration (click on it). They interviewed me and yesterday it was aired.

(The order of the pictures: Nicky, Dove, Glory)

Read more...

Acadia Cierra Like A Rock, AXJ, NA, NF, RN, HT wins Best of Breed !

"Nicky" has come to Acadia and I am SO EXCITED to be showing him! We showed this weekend and he was Winners Dog, Best of Winners, and Best of Breed over a special at his first show with me. The next day he was Reserve Winners Dog- Not too shabby for our first weekend together as a team. The judge that awarded him Best of Breed is breeder/judge Dr. Albert Bianchi. Thank you Dr. Bianchi for this very nice win, and a great start for me and Nicky. (photo from my yard)

Read more...

Success at the Specialties!

What a GREAT weekend this was. I am showing Belaire Little Bit Country ("Lola") for Gloria and Ken Hansen. She is the litter sister to Lainey, who I finished* last year. Lola is lovely, refined, has a PERFECT head, and I have told Gloria that I think that fellow sheltie breeders will really appreciate her qualities. Well, this weekend I showed her at the Interstate Shetland Sheepdog Club speciality show and she was Winners Bitch and Best of Winners under long time breeder judge Jo Virden for 5 pts! (which is the maximum number of points you can win at a show).

Lola was in the Open sable & white class, which was HUGE. We were 2nd from the end to be examined and when Mrs. Virden completed the exam and said to me, "take her around and put her at the front of the line" my heart leaped! I knew there was only ONE MORE to examine in the class! Sure enough, we stayed in front and won the huge open sable class. I felt very good going into the Winners class, but then Mrs. Virden really took her time and moved many and gave a good look to many in the winners class. When it was all said and done, she came back to me and said, "You will be my winners"- What a GREAT feeling!

Just as exciting as winning- was calling Gloria to tell her of the win. I just love calling with such good news.

When I got home, I found out that I had some additional good news. Acadia Shock N' Awe- a dog bred by me, but who is owned by Jean Theilmann and lives across the country in California, was also shown at a specialty this past weekend. He was handled by Jennifer Brough and he won both his Sweepstakes class and his regular class. He is still a puppy, and class wins at Specialties are really just that- special. Specialty shows have breeder judges and it is always good to know your breeding program is going in the right direction.

No one took (candid) pictures of me and Lola- so here are two pictures of Acadia Shock N' Awe and Jennifer. I will post the win photos of Lola when I get them.

*"Finished" is the jargon used by show people to mean "completed the requirements for a champion- or - finished the championship requirements"

Read more...

Acadia Congratulates New Champion- Ch. Belaire's Town N' Country

I have been showing "Lainey" for Gloria and Ken Hansen, Belaire Shelties and this past weekend she won the final 3 pts needed to complete the AKC championship requirements. What a thrill! Lainey finished at the Chester Valley Kennel Club show under judge Mr. David Bolus. Not only did she finish with a major, she did it on Gloria's Birthday. Lainey knows what sort of gifts we dog people always ask for! Good girl!

Read more...

2nd Major for Belaire's Town N' Country

This past weekend "Lainey" won her second major under breeder/judge Donna Garten-Kiser at the Penn Ridge Kennel Club. This brings her total to 12pts, both majors. Lainey is so much fun to show because she really loves the show ring. Thank you Gloria and Ken Hansen (Belaire shelties) for allowing me to show her.

Read more...

Major win for Belaire's Town N' Country

"Lainey" was Winners Bitch, Best of Winners, and BEST OF BREED over two TOP specials at the Perkiomen Kennel Club show on August 4 under judge Joseph Gregory. It was a VERY exciting win and Mr. Gregory was very complimentary about Lainey's lovely expression, wonderful side movement, and her feminine qualities. Of course winning a major is always a relief, but to win the breed was icing on the cake! Thank you Mr. Gregory and Thank you Gloria and Ken Hansen (Belaire shelties), Lainey's breeders and owners for allowing me to show her.

Read more...

Lucky 7-7-07!! New Champion- Belaire What You Leave Behind

7 sure was a lucky number for "Breckon". On Saturday, 7-7-07, he was Winners Dog, Best of Winners at the Huntingdon Kennel Club under judge Mrs. Paula Hartinger for the final 2 points. The best part was that his owners Gloria and Ken Hansen (Belaire shelties and corgies) were on hand to see him finish. Breckon was bred by Gloria Hansen and Yvonne Ansick. We had a nice celebration with cake and champage for the occasion.

Read more...

Breckon wins a 5 pt. major!!

This past weekend at the Trumbull County Kennel Club, Belaire's What You Leave Behind ("Breckon") and I won a nice 5 pt. major under judge, Mr. Sonny Ambrosio. This was Breckon's third major and brings his point total to 13 - just 2 away from the coveted championship.

The pictures here are not from the Trumbull County Kennel Club- they were taken by our wonderful friend and photographer Karen at shows a few weeks prior.

Breckon is owned and loved by Gloria and Ken Hansen (Belaire shelties and corgis) and was bred by Gloria Hansen and Yvonne Ansick. He is a very nice dog with a virtue that is hard to find in our breed. Breckon has the nicest front with a forechest- if you see us at a show and you want to go over him, just ask- I am always willing to show off the great virtues the dogs posses.

Read more...

Chips goes WD at Penn Treaty KC

I am showing Mejimo Chip Off The Old Block "Chips" for Robyn Fatula-Confer (Mejimo shelties). Thanks to Karen Kuszyk for these great photos. Chips is an 11 month old puppy and this was his first outdoor show. He was Winners Dog for his first point.

Read more...