And a good time was had by all!
Early last week I took a plane to Huntsville, AL to join up with my BFF Leslie Reed of Keel Mtn and Kathy Davis of Dwysan for a fun-filled 12 hour road trip to Huron OH for the CWCCA National Specialty Show. I was short on time off at work so we weren’t able to make it in time for the Sweepstakes competition but we got updates from Helen and Facebook friends as we were driving thru Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and finally Ohio. Our pretty boys didn’t get placements in sweeps but they showed well from all reports.
We arrived at the Sawmill Creek resort on the shores of Lake Erie and met up with the final member of our foursome Helen Keever and checked into our very nice suite, I said it was like a sorority house so we became the sisters of Sigma Cardi. The venue was fabulous and the Nationals Hosts did an amazing job, well done and THANK YOU!
Here we are the sisters of Sigma Cardi at the banquet Kathy, Leslie, me and Helen
Handsome Rider in the 15-18 month class, a cellphone shot from ringside, better photo to come.
On Thursday the boys showed again this time in the regular dog classes, both Rider and Owyn only need single points to finish their AKC Championships but the decision was made to not finish them before the nationals so they could compete against the other young dogs. The incomparable Sheri Hurst took both boys in and they were both awarded 2nd place in their classes. I was excited since any ribbon at the nationals is an honor. Bailey who was the 1st of my breeding entered at nationals got a ribbon last year and this year Rider did too. Of course Harry’s Oz won winner’s dog last year but it was good that both Rider and Owyn were in the ribbons this year too.
Here is another blurry ringside photo of Owyn.
On Thursday Kathy Davis and I attended the CWCCA Board of Directors meeting, Kathy was rotating off the board and I am in my second term as corresponding secretary, then we were off to the annual club meeting.
On Friday it was the girls turn and we spent the day ring side watching dogs, imagine that! On Friday night I presented Rider at the judges education seminar that aspiring judges attend to learn the finer points of judging the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Rider was a handsome example of the breed and he behaved very well for me. He hasn’t lived with me since he was 8 weeks old but he was good for his Mom anyway.
Saturday was all about the Breed, what a great bunch of dogs, it was exciting to see all the quality dogs being exhibited and what a thrill to watch the marvelous Harry P win the nationals for the 2nd time, this time from the Veteran’s class at 12 years old with his breeder/owner at the end of his lead. Harry P is Frosty’s Grandpa so it was a family win. After that excitement it was time for the last event of the nationals with the banquet and silent auction, I ended up with some great older handbooks from the silent auction and we had a good time looking at both the dogs and the much younger people in the photos.
Sunday morning saw us scraping ice off the windows, saying goodbye to Helen and piling into the car for the 12 hour drive home, it was cold and we were ready to head south to warmer climes. Actually the road trip was a much fun as the event itself since I got to spend some quality time with my girls!
The true purpose of the a nationals is to expose other breeders to your breeding program and look at where others are at in theirs. It is also a big family reunion where friendships are renewed and made. A place where dreams start. I had the good fortune of meeting with new and old friends and seeing some dogs I hope to bring into my lines, I kept telling people we were just a bunch of crazy chicks looking for studs and a party and that is exactly what we did.
I have chosen a sire for Banner’s 1st litter, a handsome black dog name Rush and I am talking with his owner Heidi about the breeding, you can see Rush here http://www.regentcardigans.com/html/rush.html. I know Leslie and Kathy also saw some boys they want to look at for their own programs, yep that is what the nationals is all about!
So that is a wrap for the 2012 CWCCA national speciality show and next year it will be in Tucson, AZ where yours truly will be acting as host/Chair of the event.
Yes, a good time was had by all!
Off to the Nationals
I was going to title it crazy chicks looking for studs and a party but I figured it would generate a lot of weird hits for the blog site so I changed it. But that is what we are doing, I’m off to meet up with Leslie (KeelMtn) my BFF and buddy Kathy (Dwysan) to drive to Huron, OH for the CWCCA Nationals. We will meet up with Helen and the 4 of us will share a suite and enjoy the nationals with out dog responsibility. Helen has her Arylan boy Owyn entered and Solstice will be represented by Harry’s young Rider but both boys will be shown by the multi talented super handler Sheri Hurst.
I’m looking forward to the time with my friends and after spending the weekend at Harry’s and then meeting up with my best buddies I will have gotten to see 2/3rds of my desert island friends all in the same week. That is my list of people I want with me if I’m stranded on a desert island. My dearests are not my nearest as most of my friends are in other time zones and I live virtually with them via phone, email, text, blogs and facebook so I am so excited to have real face time with the people I love best!
A quick trip up I-25
I know, I know, I went to Albuquerque a week ago and and I am just now writing about my trip. After working 70 hours last week early Saturday morning I jumped in the FIT and took a quick roadtrip (cost $32 instead of $132) up to Albuquerque to give Harry a hand with the puppies. He has been doing a fabulous job with the orphan Chicklets and Lodi’s puppies too so I went up to give him a break and help out where I could. Plus you know I wanted to see the babies and meet his new puppy girl, Kennebec Black Magic, Wicca who had arrived the week before.
So there are 5 Chicklets and Lodi has 8 babies 4 of which are tri and the other 4 are red or what we call “pink” or ee red. The “ee” is basically the definition of a dog who carries the double recessive “e” gene on the “Extension” gene locus. This recessive gene operates to prevent black hair from showing visibly. In the case of a “red” Cardigan, they are still red although they often have a pale, kind of dusty look or pink as young puppies. The reds were a surprise as we expected all Tris from the two tri parents. Whatever their color they are cute and I can’t wait to watch them grown up.
So here are a few phone photos from the weekend:
Ok not a phone photo, I stole this one of the puppy pile from Harry’s website, these are both litters mixed together.
Some of Lodi’s babies
A Chicklet!
Wicca, Kennebec Black Magic
Rider is a Papa
It was with much excitement that we waited for the arrival of 2 litters at Arylan sired by young Rider, Arylan Custom Goldwing (Oz x Lindy).
Harry did 2 breedings and expected Chickie’s puppies to arrive around the 1st of April and Lodi’s to arrive 5 or 6 days later.
Well Harry missed counted by a couple of days and on Saturday Chickies babies started arriving, after free whelping several she stalled and Harry elected to take her to the vet for help, the vet performed a C-Section and Chickie and 6 lovely tri babies came home. Then overnight the unthinkable happened, Chickie died. Test are currently being run but from all outward signs something was missed during the C-section and she died from internal bleeding.
I am almost inconsolable over the loss of Chickie, she was the heartbeat of Arylan. Joyful and sweet, always willing to please you and a dear soul that touched the heart of all who knew her. She wasn’t my dog but she was as important to me as any of my own. And if the loss of herself wasn’t enough what she still could have contributed to the breed is now lost as well. She gave Harry so much and I can only dream of what the 5 surviving Rider x Chickie babies can give the Cardigan world.
But like lots of things about dog breeding after great sorrow follows great joy. Lodi produced 9 puppies a few days later and by all reports they are doing well. All Tris were expected from this Tri to Tri breeding but behold 5 of the 9 are ee Red, always exciting to see how their coat color turns out. We used to think it was rare but with more and more breeders posting info about their entire litters instead of just the show pups we are hearing about and seeing more of these ee Red puppies. Nothing wrong with Red! It was just a surprise.
So stay tuned to www.arylan.com or Arylan’s Facebook page for updates and photos. Harry is good about keeping folks in the know. I’m excited to meet the little ones and know that Chickie’s babies will always hold a special place in my heart.
So if anyone ever tells you that dog breeding is easy, they either have never done it, never done it correctly or they are lying, dog breeding ain’t for sissys!
Hi Mom
Hi Mom,
Dad says I get to go to nationals, is that cool or what? I’ll be Rep’in the family. Right now I’m hangin’ with the Bros at Aunt Helen’s, ok they are really my Uncles but Bros sounds so much cooler.
Aunt Helen, is keeping me all groomed up and pretty and she took me to show class too just to make sure I don’t for get my manners since I am a teenager afterall. I will soon go to Miss Sheri’s to head to Ohio, Uncle Owyn is going with me, ROADTRIP!
So I’ll see you in Ohio, OK, hope I can follow in my Daddy Oz’s pawsteps I will try my best!
Tell Mommy Lindy Hi!
Love,
Rider
Springing Forth!
Tomorrow is the 1st day of spring, and we think of nature springing forth, flowers, lambs and in our world PUPPIES! That is right, puppies are pending, not here at Solstice but up I-25 at Arylan. One of my favorite girls and momma dog extraordinaire Chickie and our Banner’s sister Lodi are both in whelp to the handsome Rider. Hard to believe my baby boy is going to be a Daddy dog! Both these litters will be Black/White/Tri litters and I know that Harry still has some room on his puppy list so check them out at http://www.arylan.com/Puppies.htm.
I’m excited to see the pending babies since I am planning on taking our own Frost to him later this year for her 1st litter.
Happy St Paddy’s Day!
Banner O’Cardigan
We’re number 1!
Ok, not number 1 but according to the Canine Chronicle PJ is ranked 14 in Breed points and 17 All Breed points. Of course to stay in the top 20 you have to be out and showing and we don’t really special that much. Still I found it pretty cool and I’ve never had a dog ranked before (that not specialing thing again). Top 20 or not I’m always proud of my boy!
Of course PJ is always #1 in my book, love my best boy!
Eulogy for a good Judge
I don’t normally write about individual judges on my blog but the unexpected loss of Judith Goodin can not go unnoticed. She was well-respected and from all reports a good and honest judge of dogs. I hardly ever had the opportunity to show to her, but her skill and knowledge as a judge is not what made her a special person, it was neither that or her style or her excellent footwear. What made her special was her kindness.
I have been lucky in that my 1st show dog was sold to me by some wonderful people Linda and Kevin Flynn who are my dear friends and mentors still. I was lucky that they trusted me enough to send me a pick bitch from a lovely litter. That pick bitch became my beautiful Windy, Ch Keltic’s Winter Solstice, CGC. They sent her across the country to a newbie Novice and trusted that I’d do right by her and I tried. She placed at the GSPCA nationals and I had managed to put single points on her but could just not get to Winner’s Bitch in major competition. I had begun to worry that my lovely girl, oh so worthy was being held back by her not so worthy handler. I was to the point of giving up and handing her off to someone with skill. The Flynn’s had confidence in me but they were two time zones away and I was flaying. Then along came Judy.
I spent a lot of time stewarding in my early days (still do when I have time) and after another disappointing day in the ring I was assigned to Judy’s ring. What a lovely lady, kind to the dogs and handlers, pleasant and friendly to her steward, had great shoes. Instead of doing her own thing during breaks she took the time to chat with me and ask about my breed. Aww, a sporting dog person, how had I done, etc. I told her how I had a lovely girl but I felt like as a novice I was getting in her way. She made a kind remark and had to go back to judging. When the lunch break came and the arena cleared out she looked around furtively and asked me if my girl was near by and if she was go and get her. She was and I did. Judy put me thru my paces in the ring, had me stack, gait, set up. When she was done she put her hand on my shoulder and told me that I was doing a fine job and to just keep doing what I was doing and Windy would be a Champion before I knew it. Then she went off for her much shorter lunch break.
Of course Windy did go on to finish owner handled and have a lovely litter and I went on to other doggy endeavors. I have often wondered if Judith Goodin had not take that time to instill confidence in a novice handler would I have continued?
But I did continue and to this day I try to remember her kindness, I try to make the effort to help new people to the sport, to give back and to be a force for good.
To the people who loved her, your loss is devastating and there are no words of comfort I can give but know that she made a difference and may her kindness be remembered and paid forward.
Happy 3rd Birthday Babies
Hard to believe they are 3 years old!
Happy birthday Bailey, Charlie, Bonnie and Zippy!
Solstice Kennels 