Monday, January 5, 2009

Winter dog shows

As noted in the last post, we went dog showing in the winter. Kim keeps asking me why we do this, personally, I still don't know. But just about anytime it involves friends, dogs and food, we end up knowing all that walking the dogs in the below zero wind chills at hotels with no level spots, is well worth it.

Starting off-and no I have no pictures--check out Kim's blog, www.cardicorgicapers.blogspot.com and there will be photographic evidence of the whole weekend. We pile in the new Tahoe-yes I have new wheels. I can pack anything-enough stuff for three adults, one preteen, four cardigans and one GSP, to go months with out resuppling. Okay, not that long but we made it through the weekend. I will add that it was a little tail heavy and that will have to be looked into before the next mass migration. Chilly Thursday morning, clear roads and lots of caffeine for most of us, we headed off to St Paul, MN. Traveling with Kim is a blast. Can't ask for a better partner in crime.

Get to the hotel. Now here's the trick, let's see if we can get our hotel gear out without exploding the entire contents of the Tahoe. And we did it with out much of an issue. Some adjustments to make for the repack on the way home, but not too shabby. Off to the show site. Thank God for Sherilyn and reserved grooming! In like Flynn, set up and back to the hotel we go! An early night as the rest of the weekend would be a bear-8:00am ring times for one of us-GSP, Juniors, Pemmies or Cardis. Unfortunately, I don't think Kim will volunteer to sleep with Meredith again-poor Kim. Yes Meredith is not an easy child to sleep with, okay that's an understatement ;0)

Now an a seperate note, we were all back at the hotel, walking dogs for the last time at night. I made the mistake of taking the GSP. Let me add that the hotel parking lot had some seriously icy spots. As I see Rus take a dive in the corner of the lot, Ransom aka Chunky Monkey at the end of his lead, I attempt to walk over and make sure he's okay. Bad idea, bad, bad idea. Promise sees someone to play with, I hit the edge of the icy spot and weeeeeeee....... Kim's description was that we looked like a bad yard sale. Landed flat on my back but I also had a death grip hold on the GSP. Not that he would bolt if loose, but man, he would be running around harassing every dog in site and run laps till we actually got a hold on him. So on my back, head cracks the pavement. What happens next is pure slap stick. Ransom sits on my head, we are all laughing, GSP then weaves the leashes, Kim is near by and poor poor Music, becomes a footstool for the GSP-he sits on her. Remember I still haven't let go of his lead either. After all is said and done, laughing till it hurts, we untangle, get up, brush off and look for the aspirin. I had a wopper of a headache the next day and did not walk Promise the rest of the weekend-left that task to Alec.

Friday is the Herding Club specialty show. We had a blast! Yes it does help winning. Frankie and Bear are in the same class right now and I hate to see either of them loose. Bear is turning out so nice and so funny to watch. He knows just the buttons to push on his Daddy Rus. Frankie is a pro and just walks in and does what needs to be done. We walked away with a nice 2pt WD to start out his career. Then it was on to sweeps-da FB boys swept it clean. Russ and Frankie both won their classes with Russ going on to win the Open Sweeps and Dawn's lovely little Peace beating out Frankie for the Junior Sweeps win.

The big news was that Eddie's dad, Picasso, won the Specialty!! He had a huge cheering section and I think the judge even cringed when we hooped and hollared for him. That meant dinner and drinks down at the Mall of America and Bubba Gumbs. Good food, great friends and perfect conversation, what more do we need??? Though it did make for a late night, early Saturday morning and a serious nap at some point.

Saturday, we prepared for the worst with a pending storm. Please note, no where in this post do I mention taking the Terminator Puppy with us. I opted to leave the heathen at home, which was a good idea as Promise the GSP was more then a handfull as noted in the above incident. Though I think I owe my hubby something for watching her this weekend. Now, don't take this wrong, she is a blast, but it's going to take a little work to get her focused on the task at hand, though I know that she will be a great performance dog.

Frankie beat Bear again for another 2pt WD. Emmie won her class and we were do hoping for her to get that last darn major. But Eddie's breeder won with her BBE girl and took BOB!!!! We stayed for group and raised a ruckus again-Ferris got a pull in group!! Weee haaa!! Due to the storm, we did decide to stay at the hotel and walked across the street for a burger, drinks and loads of fun. Tell you what, the 15 of us that did stuff this weekend are about the best group of dog show people around. The talk around the table was all about having fun, congratulating those who did win and keeping it all in the family. Special thanks to Jean, Susan, Garrett, Ferris and Joann for joining us regulars-Rus, Sherilyn, Kim, Alec, Meredith, Emily, Cindy, Marla, Bekka and myself. Tammy Johnston with the tailess cousins didn't get to join us for dinner but she's a great gal too! If and when I get a few dogs downsized here, seems that there's a pemmie waiting for Meredith at Tammy's house. And I would love to have a Chunky Monkey all of my own!

I'll let you check Russ' adventure in the Rally ring on Kim's blog, but let me tell you, if he can just keep his mind off girls for a few moments-it was a perfect run with an unexpected ending. Oh and check out his page for an announcement later in the week.

So Sunday rolls around-it's mass chaos, pack the truck, head to the show and try to do it safely. Weather wasn't as bad a predicted. Some sleet and ice, little bit of snow, but early morning traffic on the interstate isn't too bad, so slow going is acceptable. Frankie won his class and took RWD. I'm in no hurry to finish him as I want to enjoy this trip. Four points for the weekend isn't too bad for a 2nd weekend out. Emmie was so close to getting the class, but with 4 bitches in the ring needing only one major to finish, it was any bodies game. Luck had it, Susan and Panache got the nood and we were all so happy for her to finally get it after chasing that darn last major for so long. Wish the judge had given her the BOB too, but that's okay, we can forgive them for having a lapse in judgement ;0)

Amazingly, we managed to repack, leave some extra room and head home after hugs all the way around. It's sad leaving when we have so much fun, but so ready to get home to my bed and squeeze all my babies at home. Plus snuggle with the hubby-who bonked his head again in the barn. The man needs a hard hat on at all times. Seems though the weather took a turn for the worse the further south we went. Ice and freezing rain coated the roads, trees and driveways. Kim was rating the "ice rink" driveways and roads as we drove. It was scary for a little while, especially a stretch outside Rochester where it was 15mph, bumper to bumper and cars in the ditch every where. But we did make it home, in the expected amount of time, safely. Got unpacked, repacked Kim and off she went. I walked in to dogs happy for me to be home, a puppy very happy to see her playmates back and my own bed.

Will I go again? Right now we go, no, that's okay, but when the entries roll in, betcha I send mine in again ;0)

So here's to friends, food, fun, wine and lots of great conversation. I had lost the fun in it due to bad situations but now it's back. Honesty, sharing ups and downs, and accepting that each of us has our own way, that's what creates true friends. Thanks guys---the ride this year is going to be above and beyond!!!!

Again, check out the website for some updates in the middle of the week and go over and see what Kim, Russ, Shaker and Musey have been up to lately.

Later gators.....
C

10 comments:

Kathy and Kim Gibson said...

Weeee Haaaa...yep that is the best way to sum up the weekend. It was a blast and thanks to everyone for making it so!

Yes I will sleep with Meredith again under the following conditions--a cooler in the middle to form a de-militerized zone!

I have so much to post about and here I am commenting on Cindy's blog. Well I better get busy.

k

Cindy said...

Just wait till Topeka!! They might kick us out of KS when we are done there!

Thanks for coming along, it's never the same with out you and Russ.

Laura said...

Hey Iowan's! Come on down to Lake St. Louis. Entries close this Wednesday. Will be Carly and Sherman's debut in the show ring. The more the merrier!!!!

Laura said...

OOps. That was me, Laura. I'm building a blog for Marion and didn't realize I was logged on as her. Hope she doesn't mind. :-))

Laura M.

Sherilyn said...

LOL Laura! :)

Yes, this weekend was a blast! It was SO much fun to see the Boo babies out in the ring, even though Bear did make a fool out of Rus the first time in...but, we did see improvements the rest of the weekend. Every time that boy stepped in the ring he showed a little better. Give him another show or two under his belt and he'll be fine. Big congrats to Cindy and our other boy, Frankie! It's nice to be able to say we all co-own these boys, so when one wins, we all win! :) For our first co-bred litter we couldn't ask for a better start...what a rush! :D Thank you Cindy for coming up with this plan...can't wait to see what else we can do this year!

And not to blow Rus' blog that I know he's working on over at http://winjammin.blogspot.com, but we couldn't be more pleased with the way Chunky Monkey (aka Handsome Ransom) showed...taking WD 2 out of the 3 days, one of those taking BOW at the Herding Specialty for a 3 pt major! And then Tammy (Ransom's breeder) takes her class bitch Sunny in, and wins BOB 2 of those days, and takes a Group 1 on Sunday!

What a great weekend with wonderful friends from near and afar! Can't wait to do it again!! Thank you SO much! Congrats to all the winners this past weekend!!

Hugs to all!
Sherilyn

Sherilyn

Anonymous said...

I think your group needs to join up with the crazy SW group at the nationals and much trouble can be had!

Cindy said...

That's a deal! We could cause all kinds of chaos grouped together. I highly recommend we plan a gathering one night and totally make our presence known.

Sherilyn said...

You know it!! Sounds like a plan to me, too! Can't wait! :D

Dawn said...

Cindy, I hope you and your crew do come again, even in the horrible winter weather! It was a ton of fun to have so many cardis- I would love to see a repeat next year, but also at our summer show too!

Anonymous said...

Gosh those Beaszak dogs driving all the way up there and causing a big upset! LOL. I had soooo much fun with you guys. It was well worth the drive even if my dogs didn't win we would of still had fun. Minn. is the frozen tundra I would love to come back up again... but not in the winter!!! Thank you to everybody for supporting us and being such good moral boosters! Can't wait to see everyone in Kansas. Beware of the poop patrol that rides around on the tailgait of a big gray F150 they are trouble! If anyone takes my seat in front of the table to look at front there will be trouble. Haha joking. Good luck in the rings in the mean time!