Land O' Lakes weekend

it seems that no matter the dog show, the day before the first day of showing is another day of dog readying.

I spent most of Thursday bathing and grooming dogs, packing the Volvo and asking Mary again to haul half of my stuff. I swear I'm never showing 6 dogs in one weekend again unless I'm driving WITH her in her extended cargo van :) Many thanks to Mary for hauling my stuff and helping show Ava for me all weekend as well as take dogs back in for winners or sweeps.

Friday was the North Star Herding Group Club Specialty. In a frantic unload Thursday evening I was a nervous wreck in the morning as I had opted to leave my dogs at the show site (I will never do that again BTW...too stressful on ME). An early ring time and we are grooming like maniacs in our half sized grooming area that Teresa and I were set up in. Between Mary, Teresa and myself we managed to make it to ring 5 minutes early......only to realize the rings didn't start for another 30 min (insert large sigh and groan).

Cass ended up being the first and only dog in his class, and Mary had to show him as I had a ring conflict and showed Margot in her sweeps class in another ring. I was running like a fool and more than one person told me to slow down and relax (a slap across the face would have been totally appreciated as well Mary, Teresa, Diana or anyone else who told me to settle down!)

I was able to show Campbell in her class and back in the ring for Best in Sweeps....which by the way Campbell was fortunate enough to WIN considering her bouncy self and naughty antics. I do like those sassy Cardigan bitches. lol. What a thrill and honor and my first Best in Sweeps win!

In regular classes Campbell was 2nd in her class and Cass was again a lone entry in his class. Bolin in BBE didn't fare as well (5/5) but hey the rest of her weekend went well. :) Ava and Ballantyne were both entered in Breed in hopes of more major wins for their Grand Champion majors. Ava didn't need them but it would be a great thing if her grand champion was all majors!  Mary showed Ava for me (first time I've ever let anyone show Ava other than myself), and I showed Ballantyne. Both girls showed well and I was happy with Ballantyne going Best of Opposite Sex and Ava Select Bitch!!! Ballantyne earned a 5 pt major for her ribbon and Ava 4 point! I again had a ring conflict with Margot so I asked my Briard friends if one of them could show her for me. With only minutes of knowing Jackie, Margot did ok, but no points for her, which is fine. Her time will come! The Briarders LOVED her and had so many wonderful things to say about her I was beginning to blush :)

After the show I waited for photos forEVER and missed my Cosetta's annual lunch date with the Briard folk, but they were again complimentary on Margot and I was able to have Teresa try out the restaurant which she did like! The evening called for catching up with college buddies over beers and reliving a good Specialty day of showing.

Saturday was not as early and I didn't have Margot entered the rest of the weekend due to funds (re: no snow yet this winter for snow removal business). The judge was a woman who is well respectedd in Cardigans and has judged the Briard National. I had never shown to her before but she was wonderful with the pups and was very complimentary on my kids :)

Campbell won her class, as did Bolin (after being 5/5 the day before!) and Both girls showed well in the ring for Winner's Bitch. Bolin was considered hard for Winner's Bitch but in the end went to a more mature bitch and Bolin was RWB. Can't complain it was THAT close!

Ballantyne was BOS sex again and she was on the move. The judge pulled her first in the specials line up and I heard from many ringside that the judge couldn't take her eyes off of her. Ballantyne showed really well for me and went BOS over 5 bitch specials and all the class bitches for a 5 pt gch major again! wohoo!! I heard several thought she was going to get the breed and that meant a lot to me that others thought highly of my moderate sized girl. Ava was completely absent mentally in the ring and Mary had a workout keeping her in the game.

I met up with some good friends downtown Minneapolis for supper and then off to the bars with them for a few more drinks in St Paul after I pottied dogs back at the show site. Again a wonderful evening meeting up with old college friends!

Sunday we didn't show until after 2 pm and were honestly one of the very last breeds to be judged. Another good day with Cass being RWD, Bolin again RWB in another tight race for the Winner's ribbon, and Ballantyne was Select bitch for a 4 pt gch major!

After saying goodbye to all my friends....which there is NEVER enough time it seems to talk and catch up adequately, we loaded up the grooming area, packed up the car and I was finally on the road just before SIX pm. Unreal....

Overall it was a great weekend. Best in Sweeps with Campbell, Bolin two RWBs, Cass RWD (all to majors), Ballantyne three Grand CH majors (2 five points and a four point) and Ava one more four point major). Ballantyne now has 21 GrCh major points with ALL majors (5 shows, 5 days) and Ava has 23 GrCh major points with ALL majors (6 shows, 6 days). Before you know it they will have their Grand CH titles! Unfortunately for them, our next show will probably be the National or Fargo as with the lack of snow removal this winter I am a little cramped for extra funds :)

I wanted to thank everyone ringside for their help switching dogs, keeping the dogs quiet (ahem, LOL) and for the laughs and congratulations and hugs all around. It really is a fun thing, this dog showing thing ;)

Congratulations to all the winners this weekend on a strong entry of Cardigans! Always good wins when the quality is high!

Candid Photos from the St Cloud show

I love when I get to see ringside photos of my dogs. I never get to see that side of them so its really great when I get to see them. I will let you know who everyone is as well. There are some great photos here....

The blue girl below is Ch Ebonwald's A Blessed Pirate Queen. She is nearly complete with her GrCH having 5 majors and having beaten other Champions for every one of them. Ava is my first bred-by champion and will be my first Gr Ch as well.

Those blue eyes always have a different 'look' to them than the brown eyes, but they are so stunning.

Two photos of Bolin, "Ebonwald Brace For Impact at Toshay", in very limited showing has 2 singles and a 3 point major. She's been slower to mature but that is ok. Just happy to watch them grow up and not fall apart.

Bolin in for Winner's Bitch on Sunday. (she won!)

My friend Mary showing Ballantyne as a special on Saturday. her first weekend as a special and she gets 2 GrCh majors by going select and then BOS. She is also really fun to show and although modest in size (26 pounds) she is being found in the all breed ring. Her movement is amazing and if I could change anything it would be a bit more bone and a lower tail set (but I'm being picky!)

This is my little Campbell, "Ebonwald Merrymoon Collateral Damage". As you can see her side gate is amazing. The entire litter moves like this. Her long upper arm and shoulder layback are fantastic. For anyone needing to see proper movement, have a look see here :)

Such a typey little bitch. I LOVE her ;)

I always look so serious.

A table shot of Bolin. beautiful head, length of neck, sweep (neck flows in to the back), dead level topline. If you want to see proper topline, sweep, neck this is it!

More photos of Campbell. She's slowing down here to stand, but still has more reach and drive than many.  She's also super fun to show with that typical Cardi Girl attitude :)

Below is the Cass Man "Ebonwald Merrymoon Call One's Bluff. He has both his majors already and is such a good boy in the ring. He's a lot like his sister in so many ways. I'm eager to see how he grows up.

St Cloud weekend

This past weekend was the first show that I entered Margot my black natural eared Briard bitch in. While she was super excited to be at the show and in the ring we didn't win anything except training experience,which I wanted. She needs to calm down a bit in the ring to move well by herself, but when we were in for Winner's Bitch, and she had someone else to follow, we moved much better. My friends and long time Briard breeders went over her and really loved her, everything about her so that was really wonderful to hear as well. I was also glad to know that Margot's size is totally ok and that Mitcham is just a big guy :)

Saturday I entered FIVE Cardigans (yes you read that right, I am crazy). I was able to go BOS with Ava for her 4th GrCH major on her fourth day as a special and Ballantyne her first day out as a special was Select for her first GrCh major. The classes didn't go nearly as well for me but I can't win everyday :)

Sunday again 5 Cardigans and I was a bit more prepared. This time Ballantyne was BOS for her 2nd GrCH major and Ava was Select for her 5th GrCH major. Bolin (Ebonwald Brace For Impact at Toshay) was Winners bitch for her first 3 pt major! She has only been to one all breed show since she came to visit so in very limited showing I am quite pleased with her. I didn't think she was ready yet but a few weeks ago I got her out and really went over her. While she isn't a perfect bitch I think she has a lot of merit and was pleased to see her do well. special thanks to Mary and Tanya, Tylor and Shelley, Lacy and Suzi for all of your ringside and grooming and photography support ;)

Ava now has 19 GrCH points in 5 shows with 5 majors.
Ballantyne now has 7 GrCH points win 2 shows with 2 majors.
Bolin now has 5 points towards her CH title with one major.

Shows always go so fast and no matter how much time I get to chat with dog friends it never seems like enough!

Bolin's results

Bolin is a fluff carrier N/A, she does NOT carry pink either (E/E) and she is clear (N/N) for DM! YAY!!

This means my only dog that carries pink is Daisy. And every dog of mine is a fluff carrier (but I can live with that!).

Bolin

This was the Naughty Red Girl Bolin's 2nd point under judge Bev Capstick and expertly handled by friend and co-owner Denise Waiting :) Hey! I bred that!

Not Missing Me

Here is Forrest with his red-headed step sister in Idaho this past weekend.

Denise and Bolin. I can tell Bolin has a rough life and is missing me tons. At least that is what I keep telling myself ;)

Ebonwald's Brace For Impact

Ebonwald's Brace For Impact, aka Bolin, at three months. I think I'll keep her ;)