Back-to-Back Specialty Wins for Nora!

 The Shetland Sheepdog Club of Anchorage held 2 specialties in one day.  The husband and wife judging team of Al & Liz  Bianchi came out from Virginia to judge. They are dedicated to this breed. They both have been very active sheltie breeders and judges, and more importantly they have been active members of the ASSA for decades, including holding the prestigious positions of President.      Al Bianchi just judged at the ASSA National this year (see Windsor's win photo) and Liz judged at the ASSA National last year.  They are knowledgeable and well respected.  

It was with great honor that Nora won Winner's Bitch at both shows.  The entry was large enough for 5 points each show, and at the end of the day, Nora had a total of 14 points, 3 majors.   She is now at the "dreaded last point" spot.   For some unexplained reason, that 15th point can be a bugger.   It is so common that I have gotten to the point were if I have a dog that wins a 1 point win to start, I say, "well, that is the 15th point- now we can begin."   I am keeping my fingers crossed that Nora will finish this weekend, but she didn't win the day following the specialties....... *sigh*  if only last weekend's show had been 5 points instead of 4.......   

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Congratulations Renee and Nora

 Congratulations to Renee Morgan!  She purchased Acadia Trust Me, "Nora", to show and today they won a 4 pt major under judge Mr. Gordon William Hayburn at the Tanana Valley Kennel Club show.

I had Nora for sale a year ago and Renee contacted me right away, but we had a hard time connecting.  This year I brought Nora with me to the ASSA national and Renee came to watch for 1 day and pick up Nora.   I am so glad that it is working out.   I really like Nora and I am proud to be able to share her with someone interested in showing and I am proud they were successful today. 

Acadia Trust Me  (Ch. Acadia Trusted Opinion, FDC x Ch. Laureate Meiomi)

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Acadia's Film Director- 2nd in the Bred By Exhibitor class

 Windsor placed 2nd in the Bred-By-Exhibitor class at the 2026 ASSA National Specialty

(GCh. Acadia Stage Director x Laureate Zinfandoll)

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Herding Group 1 and new *GCh.* Acadia Essential

This weekend Warren Won the Herding Group!  It is so much fun to show a dog that enjoys the show and is a good partner.  I love showing Warren and every time we win Best of Breed and get to show in the Herding Group I always feel he could win it.  This weekend he proved me right.   The towel  I had on my grooming table that day was the Group 1 towel Warren's grandmother, Liza, had won at the Mid-Susquehanna Valley Kennel Club show many years ago.  

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New Champion *Ch* Acadia Essential

 Warren finished his championship this weekend.  He needed 2 points and Friday was 2 points.  There was a major on Saturday, but only if Warren was shown to hold the points.  

The number of points depends on the number of dogs of a particular breed entered.  The point scale changes each year in May.  Currently, to earn 2 points in male shelties, there need to be between 6-8 males entered in the classes competing for championship points.  To earn a major (3-5 points) there needs to be between 9-14 male shelties entered.   Saturday the entry for males, including Warren, was 9. 

Once a dog is a champion, they compete in a different class against other champions.  Champions, and the class they compete in is often referred to as "Specials".   If Warren had been moved to the Specials class, the entry for the dogs competing for championship points would have been 8, or 2 points.   To earn a championship, a dog must win 2 majors under 2 different judges.  

He was entered in the Bred-by-Exhibitor class which I feel is a class in which the exhibitor proudly puts their best dogs, and shows to win.  Other exhibitors asked that Warren not be moved to the specials class so that the major "would hold"- the term we use when enough dogs are competing- the opposite thing we say is "the major broke"- meaning that enough dogs were absent the number competing went below the thresh hold for 3 points.   I didn't want to not show to him to his best advantage so I moved him to the Open sable & White class and asked someone else to show him.  They did a good job, but he was not as in-sync with them and it worked- a different dog won the major- which finished that dog's championship requirements.   They told me they were not coming back on Sunday so I moved Warren to the Specials Class to be shown as a Champion.   Sunday we won Best of Breed.  

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New *Ch* Acadia Laureate Red Sensation

 Zachary completed the requirements for the championship last weekend.  He finished with 4 majors and a 1st place in his class at the National.  I am very pleased.  He is the 2nd champion for his mother, Laureate Zinfandoll, this year and the 2nd champion for his father, GChB Acadia Gregarious,  DCAT

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New *Ch* Acadia Director's Cut "Vernon"

 Vernon finished in a few short weekends with handler, Zana Friend.  I love this puppy.  He is sired by GCh. Acadia's Stage Director and his mother is Laureate Zinfandoll.   

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GCh. Acadia's Stage Director and sons

Aiden is now a Grand Champion!  He is now GCH. Acadia's Stage Director.   He had a wonderful weekend of shows.  He was pulled for consideration in one group, and placed 3rd in the group on a different day.    A women came up to me when I was walking out of the ring, touched my arm, and said, Love, Love LOVE your sheltie!  That was really nice.  I walked back to my set up and another person said to me, I have been watching you this weekend and you two are a really lovely team.   It's true that showing dogs is a team sport.  It is what I love the most about showing dogs.  I love the connection with the dog. I love the time spent focused on the dog.  I love being a part of the team.  

    One day Aiden's son, Acadia's Film Director "Windsor", won Best of Breed- defeating Aiden and the other entered champions.  I was very proud of him.  Windsor earned 5 more points that weekend bringing his total to 9 points, 1 major.  

Acadia's Film Director   "Windsor"

    Brother Vernon, Acadia Director's Cut, was at dog shows in Virginia with handler Zana Friend.  He was winning too and now has a major.  

Acadia Director's Cut   "Vernon"

 

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Best Of Breed at Tri-State SSC club specialty show

 

Best Of Breed!! 

From the classes.  Acadia Essential, aka, "Warren", wins a 5 Point major.  He went on to defeat 8 champions for Best Of Breed at the Tri-State SSC specialty under esteemed judge Rick Thompson. 

What a Trill it was to have Rick point to Warren, and then say, “what a handsome boy” as he handed me the ribbon.  Warren was shown 1 other time, the day he turned 6 months, and I decided to let him grow up.  He is a fun dog.  Confident and happy and I couldn’t have been more proud of him!

Warren is Liza's grandson.  His mother, GCh. Acadia Light Up the Stage, aka, "Lolo", is the daughter of Liza and the sister of Aiden.  HIs sister is Ch. Acadia All Aglow, "Granby". 

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New *Ch* Acadia Everyone's Opinion- aka- Trestle

 Today Acadia Everyone's Opinion, "Trestle", won the final 2 points to complete the AKC Championship.  She is the 4th champion for her mother, Ch. Acadia Opinion Provided, "Chica", and the 2nd from her litter to finish.   

The judge said, "she is so pretty" as he handed me the ribbon.  I thought that was really nice of him to say.  Trestle has won Winners Bitch and better at her last 6 consecutive shows.  She truly has been "Everyone's Opinion" !!!

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Peer Recognition is the Best kind! Thank you Sherry Deeds

 I was so honored when Sonia from pedigreelines contacted me to say that they were doing a new feature entitled, "What do judges look for"- and they were asking top sheltie breeder judges to pick one term in the standard and a dog they felt illustrated the point.   She told me that they had asked breeder/judge Sherry Deeds to pick a word and dog- and Sherry picked Balance and CASSIA.

I am just So Honored!!    Thank you to Sherry for this honor, and to Sonia for doing this series- it's a good one.

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We had a VERY successful 4th of July WEEK!

 There were 5 days of dog shows- July 3- July 7, 2024 and Trestle was awarded Winners Bitch all 5 days!! Twice she was awarded Best of Breed over dogs that are already champions.  This week Trestle actually was, Everyone's Opinion :-)    

The show entries were not that high and it was only 1 point each day- except what happened on Sunday.  Sunday Trestle was awarded Best of Breed over 7 champions and it was enough to give her major #2.  I was hoping that she would end the week with a total of 10 points, but Trestle now has 13 points, both majors. Way more exciting than I had imagined!  We are not entered at any other shows yet, but I am sure motivated now to find a show.

Zachary was also entered this week and he was Winners Dog one day for another point.  He was Reserve Winners dogs one day as well.  He now has 5 points.  We have gone to very few shows since we got back from the National, but I think I need to plan out the rest of our summer a bit better.

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4th of July has historically been a Successful dog show day for us

 Today "Trestle" (Acadia Everyone's Opinion) was Winners Bitch- but I didn't get a picture because it was only 1 point, but on the drive home I was thinking about all of the successes I have had on this day over the years- and wished that I had gotten a picture.  

Ch. Zion Acadia Town Heroine, CDX, PT, VCX finished her championship on this day in 1997.  Tucket was the first dog I had finished by myself and I pretended that all of the fireworks that night were for us.  We lived in Arizona at the time and these shows were in California.  We had a lovely dinner on a dock by the ocean- and I was on cloud 9.  

Another memorable 4th of July I was showing a bitch in Maryland, my friend Cathy Meek had one of my bitches in Arizona, and someone else (I can't remember who) had a 3rd girl out - all three of them  won that day.  Again, Fireworks to honor their success!

"Mason" was conceived on July 4th- and was named Ch. Acadia Independence Day, CD,RM,RAE, BN,TKI - he became GCh. Acadia Serenity's first champion, and funny enough- his father's name is GCh. Barwood Clearsky Fireworks (he was born in July- but not the 4th of July)

Happy 4th of July - may the fireworks be to honor You too.

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Acadia Everyone's Opinion, "Trestle"

I had Joel McCarty show Trestle. I was hoping he would get a placement with her, but her class was very large and she did make the cut. She showed her heart out. It was really fun to watch as I saw just how much she enjoys the team aspect of showing. When Joel stopped paying attention to her, she would do something to get his attention again. She just loved it when he was her partner. I love dogs that love to show. It certainly makes the whole activity more fun, and I enjoy the partnership and the competition.

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Acadia Popular Opinion "Tecla" 4th place in the Bred-by Exhibitor class

Tecla placed 4th in a large Bred-by exhibitor class. She can be such a challenge to show, but I had my friend, Kathy McFall, groom her up- and then when she made the cut, Kathy sat with her (and I walked away) until we went back in the ring. I think it really helped a lot. Tecla went out to the end of her lead and moved beautifully- as long as we were going forward. She gave me a bit of trouble on the individual down and back, but she held it together enough- and had a few really beautiful moments. I was So Proud of her. I love Tecla and I was very proud of this placement.

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Acadia Laureate Red Sensation, "Zachary", wins the ASSA American Bred Class

 I am so proud of Zachary.  He continues to amaze me.  This year he won the American Bred class at the American Shetland Sheepdog Association National.  The last time I had a class winner was with Serena- GCh. Acadia Serenity.  It is such an honor to win a class.  Thank you Judge Barbara Wright for the nod and the honor.

 This is the judge's written critique: 

American-Bred Dogs 1. ACADIA LAUREATE RED SENSATION Sable and White, good balanced outline; sweet expression with beautiful lip line and underjaw; lovely condition; moved smoothly going around.

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ASSA 2024Can Ch. Laureate Torrington is Best In Futurity and Reserve Winners Dog

Theo

GCh. Laureate Magnified, ROM x Ch. Laureate Meiomi

Theo was co-bred by Catherine Pruss, Kim Aston and Pete Culumovic when I leased MeMe from Kim and Pete.  He was born here and I Knew he was special from the beginning.  See the video that I sent to Kim when he was a baby.   I kept sending them messages saying that he was going to be a "big deal".  I knew that if they had him, he could rise to his full potential.   It is really exciting to see a puppy fulfill it's early promise.   At the 2024 American Shetland Sheepdog National Specialty he was awarded Best In Futurity and Reserve Winners Dog.  I knew from an early age he would be a National Specialty Winner!.

I am just over the moon at all of the positive comments Theo received during the National week.

Sydney and Theo

Cadie, Sydney, Kim

 

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New Year! New Champion! *Ch* Acadia All Aglow

The new year starts out on a high note.  Granby finished with a 5 point major.  She is GCh. Lolo's daughter and the 9th consecutive generation of Champion bitch and the 7th of my breeding.  

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Granby started with a Bang!

 Acadia All Aglow, "Granby", has had two very good weekends.  Last weekend she was WB + all 3 days and she earned both majors plus 2 pts to end the weekend with 11 points.  Today she was WB for 1 point.  Granby is Lolo's only daughter and I have really been Thankful to have her and have her doing so well at the shows.  

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**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.  

 

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