Fault(less) judging

I'm back. I'm getting sick. And I am so glad to have the show over and done with for another year.

I'll try to cover all the events and the event, in the next few posts, but first, how about we talk about the weather?

Thursday is set up day for our four/five day cluster. This year the tent guys did us in--during their set up earlier in the week, they were heard saying--this is the event where it ALWAYS rains. Dang!

It was hot enough, now add the pressure of possible rain? Eeek. Cedar Valley Boxer Specialty went off without a hitch, sort of. Due to the passing of a judge's wife, the entire cluster was scrambling for a replacement or multiple replacement judges. Of course we got that all handled and on we went.

Friday-hotter still! Outside had heat indexes of 100 plus. We kept dogs calm, cool and handlers collected. We had a good day in the ring too-since Friday and Saturday are the Tri City shows, I usual enter at least one dog. Pete took BOS for her first grand points, Howie was BOB. Connor and Alec went out and kicked some collie butt and took BOV over the #1 smooth in the country. Of course neither breed did a darn thing in group, but hey, started off the weekend on a good foot. BIS went to a stunning and very deserving GSD handled by Jimmy Moses.

Saturday dawns with the promise of rain-and fulfilled it. Rain it did. We had to postpone the start for 1/2 hour, then 1/2 way through the afternoon sets, pulled all the outdoor rings inside to finish. We had just a few lightening strikes. By BIS though, the rain had come down to a short spitting rain and the sky was lightening up. During the day we also hold a CERF clinic and got a record 98 dogs! Microchipping also went on and the KCC students were awesome in helping out in both areas. Connor did not hold up well when a rude handler ran up and on top of him as well as dealing with the change from outside chaos to inside complete chaos, so just select.

And Jimmy and the GSD did it again, BIS #2 for the weekend.

We then stayed for the steak fry-great food! Alec judged in the puppy fun match-he had about 20 herding puppies and loved it all. Meredith got to show Stormy in the puppy group and me? I sat and watched. Kind of a chill down night for me before CRKA started handling the show.

Sunday dawned perfectly. Temps through out the day were awesome. People were awesome(most) and the dogs loved the weather. Pete took BOS for a grand major and Picasso was BOB. The Ms was 4th in her juniors class(she placed all weekend). Connor, select, oh well. And I wore me new pink jacket--you should see it in the Best Puppy in Show photo and especially in the BIS show photo next to, yeap, #3 BIS for the GSD!

Monday was as perfect as the day before. Temps-perfect. People-perfect. Though, never mind, that's for the next post. No Pete today, the old man Fred went in for his last hurrah. Of course it had to be Sulley to compete against in best veteran but he was happy and loved the steak the Ms had. Congrats to Emily and Sulley and Picasso for sweeping the cardigan ring. Ms took 3rd in her juniors class-funny, the old man must have known that it was his last show, he strutted and was almost flawless, other then the drooling :)

Connor took BOV-made Alec's day. He also got the lead on Drew with Weim in group. It's really great when the owner/handler asks him to take her in and let's him just show the dog. I have a post waiting in the wings about owners and handlers and the battles within. Nothing in group for either dog but it ended the weekend on a great note.

Clean up came easy, fast and we were back home by 6:30! Oh did I mention, #4 BIS to Jimmy and the GSD---again, gorgeous dog. I'm smitten with him.

My house-pigstye. Dishes all over, laundry up to the ceiling and my floors, let's not talk about that.

More to come....

Later gators,
C