**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.