Some Recent Successes

The past couple show weekends have been good to us. At the Fort Bend Shows in mid-January J/T was Winners Dog both days (with a Best of Winners on Sunday) and Solo was BOB both days. The joy was dampened a bit by the overworked Astro van's fuel pump dying about a mile from the show site on Sunday. Since my would-be rescuer (my dad) was with me...I was feeling pretty darned stuck! Thanks to a fellow Borzoi-fancier, Krista Hunt, we got back to Dad's house after the van was picked up by AAA. Krista was so kind (thank you thank you THANK YOU!) to drive us across town to northwest Houston from Richmond (south west of Houston).

J/T is Best of Winners at Fort Bend KC's Sunday show; Judge Clyde Morris
At the AAWC AKC lure trials the following weekend, J/T was 2nd on Saturday for 1 point and on Sunday won the Open stake and BOB for a 3 point major. We tried running Buster again - but he is still afraid of the other dogs after the collision he experienced the last time out. I guess the boy is going to need some time. At least his brother Wulfie is showing some promise.

At the San Marcos shows just this past weekend, J/T was Winners Dog both days and again Best of Winners on the second day. Solo was Best of Breed both days and also took a Group 2 on Saturday! The girls (Faina and Bugg) didn't fare so well - I had really hoped to get that last 2 singles on Bugg.

I also received word from Sylvia that Sasha (Gryffyn's Aeyrie Sonorus, Solo ex. Duri) was Winners Dog at the Friday RMBC trophy supported entry in Denver. Sasha also won Best Opposite Puppy in Sweepstakes at the RMBC Specialty Show the next day (same as the last RMBC Specialty Sweeps, when he was defeated by sister Nox) and also was Reserve Winners on Monday (to the father of Sassi's litter, Glaze).

More Excitement!

The last two weekends have provided us with more excitement. Solo won Best of Breed two of the three days at the Dallas cluster, got pulled in the group on Friday and then received a Group 3 on Saturday. Oddly enough, the judge who had pulled him in the group opted to ignore him in the breed on Sunday. Heard it happened in a LOT of breeds too and one person mentioned to me that he was in a "giant killing" mood. Although Solo is faaaaaaaaaar from being a giant (although I will admit he's a bit too tall for me ).

This past weekend the shows were in Rosenberg, just southwest of Houston. Solo won Best of Breed both days and won the Hound Group on Saturday! He was also pulled in the group on Sunday - just about giving me heart palpitations! Bugg won Reserve Winners Bitch both days, and Wulf....well, Wulf was a naughty child. But he's still beautiful!

I also got to have a nice visit with my father and we went to dinner with a group that he belongs to called Lifeline, which is for widows and widowers. It was nice to see that he has a wonderful support group to fall back on and they keep busy with various social activities. After such a long day, having got up at 3:30 that morning to drive down, the warm company and excellent food (sirloin and lobster...yum) were a great cap to an exciting day.

Great Beginnings!

Well, we've started out the New Year with a bit of a bang at the Nolan River Kennel Club shows in Glen Rose, TX! Not only is there conformation shows both days, but lure coursing as well - which made for interesting scheduling efforts and running back and forth. Ick - it also made for *VERY* early ringtimes - not fabulous for someone who is definitely NOT a "morning glory". We also debuted the two "Boogie Boys", Wulf (Gryffyn's Aeyrie Rock Me Amadeus) and Buster (Gryffyn's Aeyrie Bust a Move), from Monkee's May litter sired by Solo. They were originally to debut at the November TSE event in Houston but managed to bang and bruise themselves up beforehand - so evaded that working weekend. They weren't so thrilled about seeing flat-faced breeds like Pugs and French Bulldogs - and REALLY gave the eyeballs at Bulldogs, but they made it through without too much of a scene. On Saturday, Buster decided he had a time limit for trotting his fancy self around the ring and proceeded to throw on the brakes (brat) and Wulf decided that his good behavior on stacking at home, would remain at home and managed to crouch and post and alter his standing outline in a myriad of ways. On Sunday the boys were markedly improved - although they still weren't thrilled with Bulldogs. Victor showed Buster and I showed Wulf - and they both trotted around the ring reasonably well, and I couldn't believe I was stacking the same pup I had attempted to the day before. Wulf even defeated an older male in the Bred-By class (we dared not enter them where they would be in the ring together - can you say CHAOS?).

Solo did well in conformation, winning Best of Breed both days in an entry sporting the most specials we have seen in a while (5d/3b entered). Points in both sexes qualified for majors too. Then comes that running back and forth part...We showed in conformation, then out to the field for some "hurry up and wait"(HU&W) - run in prelims - HU&W - drive back to the building to show in Groups - back to the field and run Finals.

Sunday brought more excitement, with Solo taking 4th in the Group - after Jill thought that maybe I should just stay out on the field with him, not expecting the judge to use him . Glad I opted to have him there! As soon as we got back to the field, he got out of the van, got blanketed and went straight to the line for his Finals course. His performance on the field that day garnered him compliments from his competitors, who figured it to be between him and a new, fresh JC courser. But it was not to be.

Magik, on the other hand, finished her AKC Field Championship from the Veterans Stake. She had been searching for that last major for a seeming eternity - becoming more and more coursewise (and frustrating). We realized we had our own major of veterans and opted to bring some of them. Sassi had shown a bit of discharge, so her and Magik's father, Arthur, came along to the field. He put in a nice run for an old man approaching 10 years of age - can't wait to get the pictures. Magik was being obviously deferential to him though, plus he came off the course holding up his left foot, having hit a bad spot (the field is notoriously lousy for coursing due to its size and obstacles, like bleachers). Monkee was her usual creative self, and Doodle opted for about half a course before, well....doodling on the field. Flareon - obviously unhappy with being pried off the couch, turned in her two runs and was ready for getting back to help hold down the sofa. So Magik is now formally known as DC Chataqua Gryffyn La Magie Continue, MC JOR GRC FCh.

Victory in the Hound Group!

The BCOA Trophy Supported Entry at the Cypress Creek Kennel Club all-breed dog show was a stellar event for us. The trophies created by Margaret Lucia were absolutely wonderful - and I was thrilled that the results allowed us to bring some of them home!

Bugg, seemingly always odd-Borzoi-out (the judges either give her the class, or completely ignore her, it seems), came away with her first points by being awarded Winners Bitch! Bonus - bling! A lovely etched glass piece!

Arthur was the only veteran entered (at 9 1/2 years of age) - so his wins were by default...but not the compliments. His efforts were rewarded with an etched treat jar and vase (Sweeps and Regular classes).

Then there was Solo - last, but certainly NOT least! Solo went Best of Breed in excellent company. I could really appreciate many of his competitors. Our breed judging was scheduled at the beginning of the day...and we ended up being the last group scheduled - so that made for a looooong day, which was eased by a group of us visiting a favored Mexican restaurant (Los Cucos) down the road for lots of good food (and drink!). The wait was certainly worth it as Solo WON the Hound Group! Such a thrill to see him do it! The judge was Prof. Doug Taylor - who finished Sassi's championship (with a Major from Bred-By), as well as having awarded Duri a major (again from Bred-By).

The highlight (for me at least) in the BIS competition was watching Solo react to the Pekingese there. He was first in line, and the Peke was last. He did fine after the first go-round because Jeanie (who was handling him since David's Sharpei, Lashes, had also won her group) was keeping him occupied with tasty items from her pocket we had warned her that he might find the Peke an enticing "toy"). But on the last go round when she came to the end of the line, there were the ears. He had sighted the Peke! He was all about it, and it finally took off to do its last little go-round and Solo got back to business after a little pinch on the head. But it was so funny. David did win Best in Show with Lashes - she's already broken the record for Shar-pei BISs, but it's great to see her get more as she's a nice girl and just wags and wags her tail in the ring.

Here's hoping all our pictures turn out nicely!