ColliesHorsesArtLove: April 2009

Adam Lambert is THE AMERICAN IDOL!!!!!

I haven't really watched this show much before, but I gotta say, I'm pretty impressed with the talent of the final contestants. And, I really hate sitting in front of the TV, getting all wrapped up in a show when I feel like I should be de-furring my garage, but I know I'm watching history. The guy is a true genius in my book. He's got everything needed to be an American Idol. Good looks, incredible voice with a ton of range, charisma (my long lost Springsteen friend Candy and I have decided he's been fathered by Elvis), innovative in EVERY way, confident and humble. I love what he does with his songs every week and I guess I really didn't start watching the show until I saw him do his version of Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire". I'd see this guy in concert and my concert days have been over for a long time. Even Bruce or Elton can't get me to go again. Adam has true star power. I'd hate to be those other contestants. They probably sit back stage and say "I have to follow Adam tonight..........." It'd be like racing with Secretariat....what's the point? You know you're going to get beat no matter how wonderful you are.

Tirzah, Soleil and I are finally home from the CCA. We had a great time though I am glad to be home. Ty apparently hung his head low the whole time we were gone, so he's very happy to see his sister again.

Our flights were um....a thrill. Going there was fine, but I had minutes to get baggage & dogs to try and make the shuttle to the rental car place. Linda T was on my flight and picked up my wheels (which probably cost more to fly them than what I paid in the first place in....1979...). I was happy to see them, but they were missing one of the wheels which was in Linda's other hand. Thank God for cable ties!! I think instead of getting the wheels welded back on, I'll just re-do the ties every so often. They have a look.

After I dealt with that, I pulled my crates 2 high with a huge, heavy duffle bag on top of that outside to wait for the shuttle. Apparently I was in the wrong place and when I found out where to go, I went to call Thirfty to see if they'd wait for me. If not, I'd be sleeping in the airport til 5 am with my dogs (it was almost 1 am). I also was trying to get my girls to pee at the same time. I grabbed my cell phone and somehow it flung out of my hand into a large puddle of water in the street. I was in a panic ~ I don't know why it still worked because it was almost floating. What did we do without cell phones 10 years ago??? From there I "eye-balled" where to find my hotel. I'm such a purist....who needs a GPS. I found it after touring a good portion of West Springfield. At 3 am we were finally in bed.

It was such a thrill to be in MA going to the CCA. I remember 21 years ago I went with my first sable merle Tais (Kimberee's Entais CDX, HTDX) to show her in the first "official" AWCA Herding Trials, obedience and in breed. It was actually my first time in the breed ring at a show other than a match. Tais penned most of her sheep by the skin of our teeth and here is a photo. We really were in the dark back then training our collies. Collies & trials have come a long way.

I was so happy to have 2 of the 3 sheep in that pen. Most people couldn't even get their dogs to do an outrun much less pen sheep. It was cold there, snowed one day and I was staying in a trailer with Sherry Moss and her friend Lori. I think we laughed for 2 weeks straight. It might have been one of the most fun nationals I've ever been to. It was there I decided to breed Tais to Sherry's Hanzel, Ch. Nirvana's Canned Heat (with a gizillion herding & other performance titles after his name). I don't know why because the whole trip we never saw him sleep. He was a Joker's Wild son and he was crazy. (I ended up with 3 littermates, Moku, Tiiu & Roxy. Roxy was the only one who wasn't totally insane.)

My goal in MA in '88 was an obedience High In Trial. I was close. I won my Novice B class with a score of 196. I think there were 18 dogs in my class and Tais was absolutely adorable. HIT was a 197 1/2 as I recall.

Tais was my first conformation collie. She had two brown eyes and was very sound. I never finished her, though she ended up with 17 pts & 1 major. She also had 2 all-breed group placements and a BoS to Breed at Los Padres CC when she was a veteran at 9 1/2 yrs old. Now, finishing her would seem so easy. Her son, Entais Thunder Drumming CDX was HIT in Kansas City, CCA in '93 and his sister Roxy had the second highest score. She was the love of my life, Entais Roxane She Danced CD. I loved her as much as I love Punky. I still cry when I talk about her.

On to this show......

Here is Soleil. She was so much fun to show, but I have to say, she was BAD! She was just like her mother at this age, and I just don't care to correct them to behave. We have time for her to be good. She does have this horrible habit of hitting my (upper) back with her paws. That's a new one.

When I first got there, I thought she wasn't very fluffy, but after we got in the ring, I realized she looked fine. She's got a cute body and when her feet are on the ground, moves very well. We made a first cut out of the class of 19 bitches, but that was it. I know her eye would be too much or not the type Lee would care for, but that's ok.

All these pictures of Soleil were taken by Sue Larson. Thank you Sue!! You are the best! Both of Sue's collies did great in Herding and Agility. Jif, Trailwind Fairways Fast Forward TD HT OA OAJ NF qualified in Herding in the Pre-Trial test. He and Ch MACH3 Kimberee Hold That Dream also did excellent runs in Agility. I don't know about their placements as the catalog isn't listing that now, but a BIG CONGRATULATIONS to you Sue! Also, Jan Shields from Auburn, CA got a HIT on the B Course on Started Ducks with her beautiful DC Tartanside The Matrix HXAds. How cool.

Here's Tirzah in the x-pen before going in the ring. This is the only one you get to see. She didn't do anything. In fact, in her group of bitches, Danny only kept 2 out of about 8. I didn't feel so bad when he dumped beautiful dog after beautiful dog. He knew what he wanted and I have to give him credit for getting to the point. I'm ok with it.

I got to see a lot of dogs in person and see old friends and meet new friends. I saw Ch. Tartanside Power Play and what a phenomenal head that dog has. He really was beautiful. I visited with Peg & Jim Vohr and went over their dogs. To me, they have classic collies. Beautiful expressions, sound, sound bodies and the kind of temperaments that I love. They look at you and want to please. I watched Peg in Rally with Chatty, her 3 yr. old bitch and she was just lovely. Peg was also in the 11+ yrs Veterans Class which she won with Ch. Fantasy Mariner Frosting My Cake. That bitch moved quite well with a lot of attitude. She also made one cut in BoV Rough. Peg says she's done with breeding and I think it's such a shame for us. Beautiful dogs.

I got to see Lori Montero and she looks amazing. She showed her dogs and brought out Ch. Kimberee Under The Influence who got sick at last year's national. He looked wonderful. Lori also lent me some foreign substance and an x-pen w/ clips. I love you Lori. Move to California.

I met Jackie from Alaska who has a pretty young Southland bitch who just finished. It's so much fun to meet people in real life, rather than just on the internet. Since I've met people now who know Jolene, I'm probably pretty safe in meeting her in person too.....hahahahahahha!!!!!!! (ONLY KIDDING JOLENE!!!)

I loved the rough RWD. WD was very pretty, but the Reserve boy took my breathe away. From across the ring I could see he had a very long, light, lean head. When I went up to him, I couldn't take my eyes off of him. Tommy Coen was standing next to me and gooshing over him also. I found out later he had given the puppy his first 4 pt. major. He has 3 majors now and needs 3 pts to finish. He's 7 months old. He also goes back to Ch. Ballyhara Strike Up The Band ROM, who is behind Tirzah 3 x's.....His name is Danrosues Guardian Angel.

I also went over to meet John David Clarke of Davenloch Collies who is from Canada. Jolene told me to meet him. He has a beautiful sable merle bitch who is Jolene's dog Kort's sister from another breeding. (I hope I got that right). I saw pictures of her a month or so ago and in person was quite thrilled to see she is stunning and probably had the best moving body I saw all week. Her name is Serena, Can. Ch. Davenloch's Pillow Talk. I tried to stuff her in Soleil's crate to bring her home with me. She might come and visit later on so I can show her in the states. What is it with me and these sable merles!!!

Here's Serena as a puppy. Yummy.

Soleil & Ty's 1/2 littermates that Jennie Duhon raised did very well in their classes. Fury, Jennie's gorgeous blue bitch was 2nd in her class. She was shown by Nancy Anstruther. Lee had a hard time between her and the bitch who went first in the class. I know Jennie was beside herself as she couldn't make the show that day as she had to work. (!!! What's up with that???!!!) Thank you Jennie also for taking the time to look at Soleil. What a sweet girl you are! The boy littermate that Diane Fitzpatrick owns is also stunning. Very, very mature 10 month old who got a 3rd place in his class. He was gorgeous.

Ch. Twin City Wyndlair Anthem, the dam to Avalanche got an AOM. She's spectacular. She was my pick for Breed...but I wasn't judging....

I am looking forward to next year where it will be in my home town of Southern California. The flight out of Hartford, CT to Fort Worth, TX was pretty awful. I was sitting next to Lee Runnels and there were several other friends on that flight. It was so bumpy as there were thunderstorms in TX and we had to circle around a half hour before coming in. At one point the plane felt like it was going to drop out of the sky and Lee and I were holding onto each other and my new "stuffed Lana" saying our good-byes of "I love you!". Pretty peuky.

Then the dogs and I missed our connecting flight and they had us re-booked on a flight some 35 hours later. I chose to fly into San Jose instead. It's 2 1/2 hours from my house, but I was home that night and then Ty could play with his fluffy sister. And I could see (play with) my most darling Tony who was The Man taking care of all the punkies. He was glad I was home too. He and Punky missed me bad.

I also want to say that Bob Berfield of Stoneypoint Collies passed away during the national. I was in their club for a couple of years and really enjoyed hearing funny stories about him from Gwen Medlin. My heart is with you Joan. He was very loved and will be missed.