FOUR MONTHS HAVE PASSED?!

Since we are on Facebook now (search for Ebonwald Cardigans), we do not update the blog much anymore. And shame on me! There still are people who do not have Facebook and therefore, do not waste as much time as the rest of us :)

Lots to update:

First Brewer: This past weekend he finished his Grand Championship by going Best of Opposite Sex to the #1 Cardigan in the country (Libby). He needed a single, but garnered a 5 point major there. That made him finish his title with 6 majors and a few 2 pt wins. The following day we took these pics at a local park and he also went Select Dog, to his Uncle Chase.

Brewer was also bred to my merle bitch, Ava (who is also a Grand Champion who finished in 7 shows with 7 majors).  She's normally snuggly, but was extra snuggly after we bred her. Pups are due March 6.

















 His first litter out of GCH Toshay's Butterfly are growing well:

Lager.

Lily 

Lager side

Stella

These three pups will be shown. They really are a lovely group of kids. I''m so happy Denise got such nice pups!

Campbell:

Shown below winning her first major under Susan Godek. She now has 13 points with one major and we are on the hunt for majors now. Maybe Fargo? She'll be two years old April 30 and we will be doing hips and other health tests this summer. We have a few boys in mind for her that I am eager to pursue. She is currently living with a good friend of mine and her FIVE young boys and husband on a farm in Northern MN where she is spoiled rotten. I'm so glad to have her with such fantastic people, and willing to work with me. 

Ballantyne:

Has been out west at Boot Camp. She had her hips redone as the positioning was terrible. This time I did both PennHIP and OFA to be sure. Her PH scores came back already: 70% percentile. We are trying to decide on the proper stud for her and every time I think I have it decided, something comes up or I find another dog to research. She'll be bred on her next heat cycle, which should be sometime this summer. 

Denley:

Turned one this past weekend in Denver and we got a few nice pics of her growing up. 

There is so much I like about her, and very excited about her. She is currently out west learning to be a cattle dog. She has the drive and instinct. Let's make me proud baby girl!

Ell: 

Ell was out last summer/fall for herding lessons/camp and came back with a leg in Started Trial Dog - cattle, and got her title in Started Trial Dog - sheep (these are titles given by Australian Shepherd Club of America). She's going for a refresher before the CWCCA National Herding Trials (AKC sanctioned) and her handler Glenn and her make a good team, but I'm already nervous and I'm just watching!

I'd also like to introduce my newest family member, Archer;

He is from Deb Shindle and Cindy Bossi and wasn't 'planned', but he is here nonetheless. His first weekend out at 6 months old he was RWD to the major on saturday and on monday was WD/BOW for his first 2 points (the major broke). He has a lot to offer my breeding program if everything works out like I hope. He is out of CH Pluperfect Merrymoon Practical Magic x CH Riverside Telltail Pulitzer's Prize.

Sadie:

Sadie Girl was shown as a VETERAN in St Paul at the Herding Specialty in January. I can't believe she's old enough, but she IS eight years old and I just saw a few grey hairs in her eyebrows. She still acts like a puppy and she makes me laugh every day. We were going to try for our Nationals' Agility Trials but we've been away from the sport since the rules have changed and the local kennel club (90 miles away) didn't have any room for us, so we will just wait. In the mean time she is keeping the pack in line as any alpha should, and my bed warm at night.

So that is the recap I think. We've been staying most of the time and not traveling to many shows due to lack of funds and busy farming life, but we hope you are all enjoying your winter. We finally got a huge snow storm last week and Corgis love the snow, so I'm glad someone enjoys it.

Be Well.

3 months later...lots of updates.

Where has the summer gone? I'll tell you where! I've been transporting sheep across the country!!! Since my last check in, I have only been to TWO DOG SHOWS! The North Star Herding Group Specialty weekend in Lake Elmo, Minnesota and the NorthWestern Cardigan Fancier's Specialty weekend in Richland, Washington!

The weekend of the NSHGC Specialty Brewer was Best of Opposite Sex two days and Select one day, while Libby (#1 Cardigan in the breed this year) was BOB all three days. Campbell was WB/BOW two days and RWB one day. Campbell now has 10 points and needs both majors to finish. Brewer is at 19 GCH points with 5 majors and 2 singles (a special was pulled one day, breaking the GCH major) and I think they'll both finish easily, just need some more coat.

Richland was fun! I got to see Pilot go BOB for the 2nd year in a row at the Specialty. Nash, Brewer's half brother was Select that day too and he and Flyer (another Pilot son) helped earn Pilot 1st place in Stud Dog too. Ava and Brewer showed that day and showed well, just out of coat and in the presence of some nice dogs. Pilot was Select the other two days and Ava didn't show the rest of the weekend. Brewer was out of coat but showed well. The judges sure seemed to appreciate his goofy self.

Other than that, the dogs have been coming and going. Staying with friends, other dog homes and family situations. I'm not in a position to take them all to classes so it was fun to have them all on little vacations.

Ell was in Oregon for the summer and while out there, earned her STDs (started trial dog - sheep) and one leg towards her STDc (started trial dog - cattle).  She will be trialing at the National Specialty in Arizona in March/April with AKC titles so fingers cross for that.

The breeding with Ava didn't take as she was only in heat for 7 days. I'm not sure if she'll be coming in again on schedule or if she'll wait 5+ months again to come in. In the mean time Ballantyne is awaiting her suitor out west so she may be having pups before Ava.

let's see. Oh yes.

While in Oregon I got to see Brewer's first litter of pups. There were 8 originally and I was able to get photos of three of them while out there. A fouth that Denise and I thought was pet quality was a hit at Richland and everyone wanted to see the three we left behind as they loved this little girl and couldn't believe she was pet quality. So that was nice to hear.

This was the boy we all liked best. His name will be Toshay's Samuel Adams. There is a lot to like about him.

 Below is Toshay's Stella Artois' front and profile photos. A lovely bitch with a lot of promise.

 And the boy below you can see is also a nice boy but no one was looking for a boy, so he went to a pet home. Better to be loved in a pet home than sitting around waiting for a show home.

All in all Brewer and Amy did a good job. Denise said they were a consistent litter and Brewer stamped nice level top lines, length, bone, 'pretty' and great head pieces on them. I can't wait to watch them grow up. In the meantime Brewer has a few other ladies waiting in the wings to serenade and I hope that those litters will be just as nice.

Dog show catch up

I have been slacking on updating my blog as much as i should be!

Just a quick update for those not on facebook (where everything is updated much more often!):

June 10 - Campbell (Ebonwald Merrymoon Collateral Damage) was WB/BOW/BOS over 3 specials for her first two points!

July 13 - Brewer (CH Ebonwald's Be Home By Midnight) was Best of Breed over another special for his 2nd GrCH major. Campbell was RWB.

July 14 - Campbell was WB/BOS (no BOW given as judge witheld WD award) for 2 more points! Brewer was select.

July 15 - Brewer was Best of Breed over another special for his 3rd GrCH Major! Campbell was WB/BOW/BOS for another two points. She is now at 6 points. Brewer has 10 towards his GCH, all majors!

I had an incredible weekend this past weekend not only because of the good showing my dogs did, but because I got to be a tourist along the North Shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota with Tylor! It was fun for sure!!

Thanks to all involved for making it a memorable weekend!

Ell at herding camp

 Its one of her first time working sheep in a round pen, with someone other than me, and in a new home (camp) but you can see she is going to be a riot to work. I'm excited :)

Summer Plans

Well now that is July (where did MAY go I am still wondering!), things should slow down here for the dogs and I :) Or so I think!

Duluth dog show...Brewer and Campbell are entered. We'll enter them at Lake Elmo too for at least a day (other things to do that weekend) and maybe debut the Higgins x Ell pup Denley there who will just be 6 months old. I'd like to take Margot there for the show too but its always so hot for the super coated dogs, so we'll see if anyone else is going to make points and make it worth someones time!

Ava has become my go to dog for herding. She doesn't quite have the push to make the cows move if they don't want to (Ell always could the stubborn ones moving, but she's off at herding camp). I've introduced Campbell to the sheep and cattle as well. She stays close to me (within 10 feet) but is bounding and smiling and eager to be out there and is still taking it all in ( and letting Ava do all the work). We'll see how she progresses. She may have to go on ducks first to get more confidence. Sadie has been reintroduced to the sheep and cattle too. She truly loves the cattle. The sheep will become stubborn and stop and turn to face her and she panics because she thinks they'll hit her 'bad' hip (the one with the plate in it and wires and pins). Its a mental thing and she needs to go back to ducks again where she doesn't have to worry about that.

We can't find any agility or rally classes that are within 100 miles of my house (one way) so I have the agility course set up minus a few items (chute, a frame, teeter) and am trying to get Sadie back in shape for some agility this fall. I'd like to also do rally with Ava and Mitcham but haven't had the time to really start with them yet. Hopefully now with less traveling I'll be able to get that done.

I feel that each dog I have should have letters on each end of its name, and its more fun to do the performance stuff USUALLY :)

Naveen and Denley are the best of friends. Naveen is truly a sweet, sweet girl and always over eager to see me or anyone else. I can tell Denley will be the big sister and tell her where to go and what she can and cannot chew on, jump up on or whatever, but Naveen doesn't seem to be the least bit worried. In a week or two Naveen will go to live with my friends for puppy k and some socialization classes. I'd hope to get her RN or CGC sometime this year as a pup. never did it but hope to accomplish it.

That's about it here. nothing too exciting. Just enjoying my dogs and letting them be my pets. We still go on our daily 2 mile walks and try to plan them early in the morning when its coolest or later at night right before the bugs get bad.

Upcoming Litter

My good friend Denise Waiting has a litter due July 20th. 

GCH Toshay's Butterfly, aka "Amy" was bred to my Brewer, CH Ebonwald's Be Home By Midnight. This will be Amy's second litter and Brewer's first.

Amy is OFA Good, PennHIP 90%, DM Normal N/N, CERF

Brewer is OFA Good, PennHIP 90%, DM Normal N/N, CERF, E/E, Fluff carrier.

Colors expected in this litter are brindles, and possibly black brindle pointed.

Contact Denise for more information on this exciting litter :)

Pedigree
future litter	Change sire AM CH Ebonwald's Be Home By Midnight Black and White with Tan USA 2010	BISS AM GCH C-Myste Baledwr Free to Disagree Brindle and White USA 2007	AM/CAN CH Merrymoon Firestorm Brindle and White Canada 1996	AM/CAN CH Phi-Vestavia Pirate's Patch Brindle and White USA 1989
				CAN CH Phi-Vestavia Unforgettable Red and White USA 1991
			AM CH Mariel Reese's Alice Springs ROMs Brindle and White USA 2000	AM CH Reese's Bold As Brass ROMb Brindle and White USA 1997
				AM CHIronhill Valentine to Mariel AM CD ROMs Brindle and White USA 1997
		AM CH Merrymoon Ebonwald Im a Q.T. Brindle and White Canada 2007	Pluperfect-Merrymoon Prince Black and White with Brindle USA 2004	Pluperfect Pattern Brindle and White USA 1996
				Merrymoon Pluperfect Poppy Red and White USA 2001
			AM/CAN CH Merrymoon Noblestar My Girl Sable and White Canada 2000	AM/CAN CH Mazara Merrymoon Reggae Bob Black and White with Brindle Canada 1997
				AM/CAN CH Merrymoon Noblestar Hot Ice Red and White Canada 1998
	Change dam AM CHToshay's Butterfly Brindle and White USA 2006	AM CH, CAN CH, NOR CH, SW CH Shadowalk Trademark ROMg Brindle and White USA 2001	AM/CAN CH Shadowalk GW Make Way For Morgan ROMb Brindle and White USA 1995	AM/CAN CH Phi-Vestavia Cardach Aeron AX OAP NJP ROMb Brindle and White USA 1992
				AM CH Shadowalk End of the Innocence ROMs Brindle and White USA 1993
			AM CH Shadowalk Vashon Jettsetter ROMb Black and White with Brindle USA 1997	AM CH Phi-Vestavia Inkling ROMg Black and White with Brindle USA 1995
				AM CH Shadowalk End of the Innocence ROMs Brindle and White USA 1993
		AM CAN CHToshay's Burnt Umber Brindle and White USA 2000	AM CHCoedwig Darby Of Windermere CD NA NAP NAJ Black and White with Brindle USA 1999	AM CH Coedwig Vestavia Luminescence CDX RAE PT OA OAJ OAP OJP ROMg Black and White with Brindle USA 1997
				AM CHCoedwig's Perfect Crime Blue Merle and White USA 1998
			AM CHDcross Bookter Stitch N Time HS Brindle and White USA 1995	AM CH D Cross Bookter Tyler Tyrant Brindle and White USA 1991
				AM CHD Cross Mallt Brindle and White USA 1990

Official photos and with AKC!

My first and second Grand Champions, both bred by myself. Both finished the same weekend. Both got their first majors 12 months prior at the same show, so in a year they both received their Champion title AND their Grand Champion title. Thank you to all involved (stud and bitch breeders) for making this possible.

They are totally different kinds of bitches, and not everyone's cup of tea, and neither are perfect but I'm very pleased with them both and wouldn't change anything about our quest towards their titles.

Ballantyne finished her CH title with 4 majors, and her Grand CH title with ALL majors (7 of them). She had several majors at Supported Entries and NSHGC Specialties.

Ava finished her CH title with 2 majors, and her Grand CH title with all majors (7 of them) including one Best of Breed over 4 other specials. To say I'm proud is an understatement!

GCH CH Ebonwald's Be On The Lookout - DN28237503

	Conformation - Awards Processed Through 02-JUN-2012
	CH   Number of Points 16 Number Major Wins 4 Number Major Judges 4 Total Number Judges 8 GCH   Number of Points 31 Number Major Wins 7 Number Major Judges 7 Total Number Judges 7 Events w/CH Defeated 6

GCH CH Ebonwald's A Blessed Pirate Queen - DN27475204

	Conformation - Awards Processed Through 02-JUN-2012
	CH   Number of Points 16 Number Major Wins 2 Number Major Judges 2 Total Number Judges 11 GCH   Number of Points 27 Number Major Wins 7 Number Major Judges 7 Total Number Judges 7 Events w/CH Defeated 7

Ava will be bred this fall, and Ballantyne is off to boot camp. She'll be shown in Richland this fall, and we'll see what 2013 brings for these girls. In the mean time I am just enjoying them and so glad for my friends who are helping make them, the best they can be.