Another great weekend

We had a busy week moving furniture out of the living room into a box truck in front of the house, so that Terry could lay the wood flooring in the living room.  What a lot of heavy lifting as well as dust being stirred up! 

On Friday, I left about noon to attend the Greater Chicagoland Papillon Club's specialties in DeKalb, IL. Friday's specialty started at 3:30 p.m. It was the first time I had been to one of the specialties since the flooding prevented me from attending in 2008.  I had Nelson and his daughter, Style, entered. Style was Reserve Winners Bitch. Nelson won an Award Of Merit.

I had a lovely dinner with friends after the show. I stayed with Patti Perkins, and we sat on her wonderful screened in porch and talked until late.

Best In Sweeps - Style

Saturday morning dawned lovely. After quick showers and a bite of breakfast, we were off to do some errands. Patti took me to a Master Gardner sale at the local Farm Bureau site. What a lovely choice of items to purchase at very, very reasonable prices! I found several hostas that 'needed' to come home with me!

Saturday after BIS at the all-breed show there was a second specialty show. Style started the day off with Best In Sweeps judged by Scott Perry, who has handled many Papillons over the years.

Style - WB, BOW, BOS - 5 points!

Gillian Hunn and friend, Doreen, from Canada were down to watch the fun.  Meg Peifer also came to watch.  At the specialty under breeder-judge, Jon Titus Steele, Style won the Bred-By Exhibitor class and went on to winning Winners Bitch for 4 points! Hurray! I recruited Meg Peifer to show her in the breed, since I had Nelson. After a very thorough examination and many laps around the ring, Mr. Steele pulled a dog special out, then Meg with Style and then Nelson, and his other selections. Ms. Style was BOW AND BOS over FIVE bitch specials for a 5 point major win! Nelson was Select Dog!

The five of us went out for a late dinner.  After dinner everyone went back to Patti's for some more chatting.  Gillian and Doreen went back to their hotel room.  Patti, Meg and I chatted for a while longer and then went up to bed. 

Sunday morning dawned very humid.  Patti had invited Gillian and Doreen back for coffee, so they arrived around 8.  We left for breakfast about 9, but first we were given a marvelous tour of the University of Northern Illinois campus, including a special project of Patti's the restoration of Altgeld Hall.  The building was beautiful!  The restoration was breath taking!  The details were incredible!  We did a short walk around to look at some of the art located on campus and then off for breakfast!  After breakfast, we did a bit more touring, to other projects and more of the campus and then back to Patti's for more chatting.  Sadly the day was getting away, Meg headed home and then I.  
What a wonderful weekend with old friends and new friends.  It did not hurt to come home with a 5 point major...two weekends in a row!

A heavy heart

With a tears streaming down my face and a very heavy heart, I read the email I never wanted to receive from my dear long-time friend, Taeko Suga.  "Squeak passed away."

Squeak

CH Loteki Good For Her
April 11, 1994 - July 4, 2011
17 years, 2 months and 23 days old

Squeak was a part of the Suga family of Toyko, Japan.  She lived the life of a treasured family member.  I know she always had the best of everything.  My heart breaks, but I know that my good friend, Taeko and her family are suffering more from the loss of their family member.

Good bye, Squeak, I know you are playing with your rugby ball!

 

Happy 4th of July

I hope everyone is celebrating the birth of our nation today.  We need to hold precious the rights our forefathers set out as a premise of this country - Freedom of Speech, the Press, and Religion.

I went to Chihuahua specialties over the weekend in Illinois with Gordita's breeder, Donna Erickson.  We had a lovely time despite the oppressive heat and humidity.  Thankfully the venue was air conditioned!  The club put on a luncheon for all exhibitors both days, which is always so very nice!

Best in Sweeps

Saturday Gordita (Donavin's One Gordita To Go Go Please) won her 6-9 class in Sweeps and went on to Best of Opposite Sex to Best LC in Sweeps.  She also won her 6-9 regular class and on to Reserve Winner's Bitch under judge, Cathy Gish.  We were happy. 

Saturday night the club held a banquet and a fun auction.  An enjoyable evening!

Sunday dawned a bit cooler.  Gordita again won her 6-9 sweeps class, but today she went on to Best Long-Coat puppy and then on to Best In Sweeps Chihuahua!!!  What a thrill!  I was floating on air with this lovely win.  

BOW for FIVE points

In the regular classes, Gordita gain won her 6-9 class.  She was showing very well.  We went in for WB.  She decided she was in a frisky mood and wanted to get to the other Chihuahua's in the ring on her down and back.  I finally got her attention and managed to get her to complete her 'back'.  We went around the ring a couple more times.  As we were lined up and the judge was studying each of the little girls' outlines, Mr. Bradley Jenkins, a Chihuahua breeder, walked over and pointed to us!!!!  WOW!  I couldn't believe it!  I was very surprised.  Donna was surprised, too!  We both were just a bit emotional over the win!  What a great win for our little girl!  We finished up the day with BOW for 5 points!  What a thrill for her to have such a lovely win.  I received many nice compliments, as well as several people offering to steal her away!  We floated home with big smiles, lots of nice prizes, including crate pads and beds, as well as a tall stack of rosettes!

Meg Peifer took some videos and has uploaded them to YouTube.  Here is the link -

Lincolnland Chihuahua Specialty 07-2011   

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL223C0F808D261CBD

Next weekend I'm off to the Chicagoland Papillon specialties.  Crossing my fingers for more good news! 

Enjoy your week!

Great weekend at the dog shows

I had a great weekend at the Cambridge, MN shows.  There are four shows at one site.  Often times the weather is so hot, but this year it was as perfect as one could ask for.

In the rain on Wednesday, I did laundry, packed, loaded and washed a large number of dogs.  I did not get on the road until about 2.5 hours later than I had planned, but everything worked out.


Thursday, Gretchen and I headed to the dog show bright and early to help by stewarding.  The temps were quite chilly.  The club was quite proactive in providing handwarmers and gloves!  Papillons showed in the afternoon.  I was thrilled to have Loteki In The Heat Of The Moment win WB, BOW and BOS for a major.  She completed the requirements for her championship.  Asia has become one heck of a show dog!  I also had entered Nelson, (CH Loteki For The Good Of Mankind), who was Select Dog.


Friday morning dawned overcast but a bit warmer.  Min Pins were at 8:15, so we left about 6:40 for the shows.  Papillons were about 2:00, we managed to set up a washing station and give the Papillons a bath and blow dry, through the courtesy of some wonderful dog show friends.  Today was another great day, as Loteki Rose To The Throne was WD, BOW for a major, his second!  BOB went to Nelson for a second major towards his Grand and Asia was BOS for her first major towards her Grand Championship!  Nelson got a pull in the group, which is always nice!


Saturday morning dawned partly cloudy and another day on the road to the show by 6:45 a.m.  The Min Pin specialty was Saturday night, but we had to set up their raffle, which is always a fun time with some really nice prizes!  After getting the raffle set up I went off to steward for a couple hours in one of the hound rings.  Papillons were again mid-afternoon.  WB was Loteki Touch A Rose for a major!  YEA, Gina!!!  Nelson was Select.  Asia was BOS for her 2nd major towards her grandchampionship!  Kelli Alseth had driven down so I was able to visit a bit with her!  It's been far too long! 


I had my first judging experience and judged the BBE group!  Although initially I had butterflies in my stomach, it went well.  My BBE group winner was Lisa Pertile's Phalene bitch, Alasera's Catch Me If U Can OA OAJ.   


The Min Pin specialty was after BIS, so after picking up and putting tables away, it was 7:45 p.m. when we drove back home.  We bathed my Papillons and crawled into bed about 11:30 p.m. 


Sunday morning dawned far too early.  I headed off to steward for a couple hours. While I was stewarding, the Alseths did a bit of puppy sitting.  After stewarding, I walked out to see the Alseths who had brought their motorhome.  It was great to see Jeffrey, who had been shooting a wedding on Saturday.  We visited a bit and then we went out to shoot some photos of some of my kids.


Papillons were on again about 2:00, by this time Kerstin Hokanson showed up with Kate Gustafson, whom I had not seen in a very long time!  Henri was WD for two points, with both, Nelson and Asia winning the Selects!  One more point to complete his championship requirements!


What a great weekend.  The weather was wonderful.  The people were fabulous and it did not hurt to go home with three majors, a new champion, and two dogs well on their way to their Grand Championships!  BUT it was so good to get home and sleep in my own bed!

AKC Agility

From Cheryl Brown (TN) reports from their first AKC trial since Jan 2010, on June 17 & 18 in Paducah, KY. 

They did not come away with any Double Q's but close each day.  "On Friday, Felix was easily cruising to a double Q and I didn't support one of the closing jumps well enough and he went around it. Oops! My fault!"

Saturday, Jackson was sailing towards a double Q but Cheryl bent over and sent him into the wrong end of a tunnel. Oh no! 
 

Felix was the only 4" dog running Excellent, since the other two dogs scratched. So, he did get first place for both of his runs. He ran well though and seemed really happy to running full-out again after all the TDAA trials.

Jackson didn't have much competition on Friday and then everyone came in for the weekend on Saturday. He did get first place on Friday, beating a MACH Bichon by 5 seconds.  With the mulipliers in effect, he brought home 34 points on that one run!  SUPER!  On Saturday, he Q'ed again in Standard and ran very well, earning another 12 pts. but no placement."

A good weekend overall!

Happy Birthday to me!

A great weekend away!  Lots of news!

After several days of intense heat and humidity last week, Thursday and Friday we received inches of rain and cooler temperatures.  Saturday morning was cool and damp again, off to work for the last ACT of the year.  I got off work at noon, came home, bathed the puppies, loaded the van and off to Minnesota for a birthday picnic at my friend, Gretchen Hofhein-Wackerfuss.  We have celebrated our birthdays together for several years, her's on the 7th and mine on the 11th.  I arrived about 6:15 in time for hamburgers fresh off the grill!  Yum!  I was hungry.  She had purchased a fabulous cake from a special bakery in Minneapolis.  My friend, Donna Erickson, brought a special bottle of wine, too.  What a lovely relaxing evening.

Sunday morning, I got up and bathed and groomed my dogs for the show.  We were not in the ring until after 1:15.  Once the dogs were bathed and groomed, it was my turn.  Then, Gretchen fixed us both some eggs and toast!  Yum, it really hit the spot!

We left for the show, picked up her father and arrived shortly after noon. 

I had a great day at the show with my Chihuahua, Donavins One Gordita To Go Go Please, was WB and BOS for another point at her 4th show.  She has been shown 4 times, 3 BOBs and 1 BOS, and a total of 4 points now!

Papillons were right after Long Coats.  Henri, Loteki Rose To The Throne, was his typical ADHD self, a bit out of control, but I was able to get him together a bit, and finally get him under control for a beautiful last go around.  He was WD for a point.  Next in was Asia, Loteki In The Heat Of The Moment, she won the BBE class and was WB, BOW, BOS for a point, closing in on the championship, one more to go!  Last but not least, I showed Nelson, a.k.a.  CH Loteki For The Good Of Mankind, who was BOB! 

At the show was Mary Waller *MN) and Loteki Just Blew Into Town CDX, a.k.a. Gunny, showed up at the Pap ring before we showed.  They had great news, Gunny, as earned two utility legs, with scores in the 190s!  Way to go Gunny!  Unfortunately, much to Mary's chagrin, Gunny decided to take the bar jump twice or would have had his third leg!  I am sure they will earn that title very soon!

Kerstin Hokanson, another Gemini, showed up ringside too.  It's been a while since I've seen Kerstin, but it is always wonderful to have a chance to visit.

Amy Nesselrodt (PA) wrote that her daughter, Molly (age 11) and Pippin, a.k.a. Loteki High Flyer NA NJ NJP NAP finished Pippin's Open Agility Preferred title with a FIRST PLACE at the Williamsport Dog Training Club agility trial on Sunday.  Molly and Pippin have turned into quite a team!  Congratulations! 

I am now a woman of 'leisure' for the next 8 weeks, so off to start my long list of 'to do', first to pot my flowers and a few more vegetables!  Today looks beautiful!

TDAA weekend in Tennessee

From Cheryl Brown, "Jackson was perfect on Saturday!  He got his TACh4 (25 Standard and 25 Games Q's past TACh3) and Q'ed every one of his 5 runs (3 Standards and 2 Games).

On Sunday, he took a vacation and decided to only Q once. :) Felix got a slow start on Saturday with only 2 Standard Q's and 1 Games Q but then did great on Sunday and got 2 more Standard Q's and 1 more Games Q. 

I was really proud of the Fee on the last game--Four-Leaf Clover. I did a lead out, leaving him on a sit-stay and walked out past 4 jumps in a straight line. He held his stay and came right to me over the 4 jumps. What a good Fee! The rest of the game had you stay within the center of the "leaves of the clover" and send the dog over a jump into a tunnel without passing the jump. Fee did that 4 times! He was perfect!"

Sounds like a great weekend, I stayed home from shows and did some work around the house.  Sunday we had a major storm move through and lost electricity for about 5 hours.  Back to work on Tuesday morning.....only a 4 day work week, YES!