LONG, LONG WEEKEND

When I first starting showing shows rarely occurred on week days. We doggy people were pretty much restricted to the traditional weekend, Saturday/Sunday events. However, fancier enthusiasm and skyrocketing transportation costs have conspired to popularize the “Cluster” concept. This allows exhibitors to park the gas guzzler at one location and attend three, or more shows. Add in a Federal holiday, like Labor Day, and you have a Dog Show Happy Meal.

Charmin and Owner/Handler Margery Good

And no dog took more advantage of the Cluster Craze this past week than our number five all breeds dog, the Sealyham Terrier, Ch Efbe’s Hidalgo At Goodspice. Charmin parked the RV at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh and romped to five BIS at the Cary, Alamanace, Durham, Salisbury NC, and Raleigh KC shows, August 28-September 1, defeating 4937 dogs along the way.

So how did the rest of the top five fare? The number one bicoastal team of CH Galilee's Pure Of Spirit and Taffe McFadden started off the long weekend in Kentucky, going Group one on Thursday, at the Lexington KC show, and BIS the following day at the Northern Kentucky show. They then hopped on a plane and showed up fresh enough in Grass Valley, CA to go BIS on Saturday and Group 1 Sunday at the Gold Country KC shows, amassing 3531 points.

Ch. Ab-Rafiki The Icon Of Cool

The number two dog, the pointer bitch, CH Cookieland Seasyde Hollyberry, spent the long, long weekend in Kentucky. Thursday, Holly and Spirit faced off in the final seven, but it was the Basenji, Ch. Ab-Rafiki The Icon Of Cool, who ended up BIS. Holly didn’t even make to the BIS ring to face Spirit on Friday, going Group two behind the English Springer Spaniel, Ch. Cerise Jesse James. On Saturday with Spirit 2,000 miles away in California the path to BIS was clear for Holly. However, it was the tiny Long Coat Chihuahua, Ch. Tradewinds Star Dust that got the top prize. However you can’t keep a good dog down and Holly is one of the goodest dogs. She finished the weekend with BIS on Sunday and Monday, ending up with 3690 points for the five days.

Ch. Tradewinds Star Dust

The Standard Poodle, CH Randenn Tristar Affirmation, the number three dog spent a leisurely weekend in St Helens, OR, going Group one and BIS at the Longview-Kelso KC shows on Saturday and Sunday, defeating 3259 dogs. Rounding out the top five is the pint size short coat Brussels Griffon, CH Cilleine Masquerade. Lincoln was bred by Denise Barney, is owned by Mamie & Evalyn Gregory & Anne & Harlowe Jahelka, and handled by Paul D Catterson. Paul lives just north of Kansas City, MO and spent the weekend in Amana, IA, where he and his charge went Group 4 on Friday and BIS on Sunday, picking up 1031 points.

Lincoln and Handler, Paul Catterson

Look for the energetic Sealy to move up two spots when August results are tallied.