ColliesHorsesArtLove

The OES National ~ Dixon, CA

I went to the Old English Sheepdog National in Dixon last week to help Marilyn, my friend from Acton. She had Hana & her sisters (Betty & Millie) and their dad Ch. Love'n Stuff Mak'n a Difference. I took SeaB so we could spend some quality time together at the dog show next to several in-season bitches and I was officially a "bucket bitch" for Marilyn and her sister Kristi. It was so interesting to see their national compared to going to the Collie Nationals as in comparison theirs was like going to a very nice local specialty. Their entry was about 88 dogs total. Ours can go up to 1200, worse possible entry around 600-700. Anyway, I had a great time and in the smaller classes could call the winners for the most part. This is not a breed I could own, but I have to say these Old English have the NICEST temperaments and the building was EXTREMELY quiet with almost no barking. A room full of OES laying on tables, quiet, getting teased. Hairspray and no hysterical brushing at ringside or even in the ring. Apparently when they are done, don't touch them! Or, Diana, don't touch them!!! Their hair is all backwards from our collies (heads fluffed up, necks down, butts up!). At ringside I was given specific instructions to not touch the dog, nor let anyone touch the dog. I had Hana at ringside because Marilyn had back to back classes and I felt like such a pet person!! She kept touching her rear on me as she watched her mom and I had no idea I might be de-fluffing the butt!!! OMGosh!!! So Soooorrrrryyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!

Anyway, Marilyn got some nice class placements and Stud Dog with Sherman. But, the next day at the all-breed with still a very nice entry (some 40 dogs or so), she was Breed. They only need 4 dogs for a major so I kept saying as I was marking their catalogue, that did the WD/WB win a 12 pt major?????? Wooozeeee!!!!!!

Here is Marilyn and her special. I love these pictures!

I like the one in the background with the "splash"! Kind of like a pinto horse! Marilyn said in England they were not um, desirable ~ those "splashy" OES!!

T's New Lawn AND We Sucked At The Dog Show Again!!!!!

Today, Squishy got 2nd to his brother Cory (which I was totally fine with) then Cory got reserve. (Not fine with!!!) Julie showed Soleil and I was pleased to see her bark and lunge around the ring ALSO with Julie, but she was not as bad as she was with me yesterday. So there is hope. Tirzah got dumped again for Breed to the WD but, I really was secretly happy as I didn't want to stay for another all-breed group. I'm beginning to see why collie people love to just show at specialties. She is a beautiful bitch and also a lovely mover, though I have to say she's not in full coat yet, but nevertheless, I am tired of those groups.I have been worn down.

So, I came home early to see Tony watering his new "lawn" which is actually a combination of just our land thou he threw down some grass seed today and started watering. We had so much rain over a week ago and it's amazing how quickly the grass will start coming up. Our grass looks like grass, so we're curious if we keep it watered and cut, will it be like grass????? It gets pretty bushy and later when it dries, full of foxtails and stickers, but I'm sure I'll blog the progress. It's the cheap way to grass!!

My manly man. Getting some sun.

This is from our porch. T flattened the ground with his Bobcat on Thursday and already there is grass! 

The horses were eating, then all of a sudden they took off playing. Aura is to the far right. She is such a cool horse. What a sweet tempered mare. They love their grass!!

Squishy Wins BOV!!

Ty was the big winner today at the all-breed show under Dorothy Collier. He went over Tirzah (a total of 7 collies). Julie got RWD with Cory, and I got RWB with Soleil. It really seemed like Ms. Collier wanted to give bad Soleil WB, but Blondie was just as obnoxious as ever and told me I had one more chance with her. I was thinking to myself "How might I do that???". She's incorrigible! Julie got mad at me and AGAIN reminded me she's just like her mother was, and to let her grow up. Julie's showing her tomorrow! I want to watch.

Anyway, taking the picture, Linda T. told the judge that Tirzah was the mother of Ty, and her two reserves and she kinda crinkled her nose at that idea. Then she said about Ty "I REALLY like this dog". Good enough for me!!

Tomorrow's the last day. Squishyness.....

The Multi-Post ~ We Sucked At The Dog Show But Ali'i's Cute!!!!

What a fun day at the dog show.....as far as winning ~ not so good, but as far as seeing friends, that was wonderful!

There was a total entry of 8 (3-3-1-1). Ty got Reserve to the blue-headed white shown on an earlier post....Soleil got Reserve to a gorgeous sable merle Oktoberfest daughter of Jessica Whitman's. In my book, Soleil didn't quite even deserve the Reserve, as she was absolutely horrendous in the ring. She was lunging, barking and galloping. People remind me that her darling mom was the same way, and I suppose I remember (Tirzah's mom also was the same way, so it certainly seems genetic). Then, Tirzah got BOS to BOV which was the Winner's Dog.......Coley Bear, (Ch. Easy To Spot Whirlaway HC) got dumped. Tomorrow is another day.

Anyway, the picture is of Ali'i in his new Kensington cotton summer sheet. I took a picture because the sheet will probably never look as good as when it's first new. We are in training for.........Tevis next year so I am doing everything Janine tells me (minus those pesky iron shoes), as I figure she has 6 buckles and 2 of her 3 riders finished this last year. Since I am not getting to Tevis on my own, I've "signed up" with her and so far I am very excited! The blanket part, I'm not and this particular blanket will be a transport blanket only when he is hot and sweaty from a ride. He has another one for the pasture and I've already found out who to call to fix it when it gets eaten by the other horses (or hung up on the fence!). 

Anyway, I ride with Janine once a week, so she can make sure I am riding him properly (according to her training she did with him), and work him at home in the round pen 2-3x's a week. I also have to go out by myself which I hate 1-2x's a week. This last week was my first ride alone in almost a year, as I really haven't ridden him much since my 50 miler last year. We went out and did this particular hill 3x's and on the last time up, it was getting a little later in the day and I thought I saw a mountain lion standing in wait for me and my tasty little Ali'i. I was so terrified because as I looked up the road, I could see him just standing there in a "stalking" position. I rode forward bravely, then very terrified, I turned around to see if it truly looked like a mountain lion. I had to ride down the road probably 2/10ths of a mile and as I did, I was thinking to myself "Is this how I am going to die???". I finally turned back and looked again and noticed the mountain lion had not moved an inch and somehow I figured it was an optical illusion. So, I rode up the hill and sure enough, it was these wooden posts that lined the cliff side of the road. Thank God. I was free to ride again, though I did hurry a little as I still had another mile or so to get back to my truck & trailer. There will be many more rides alone on my quest for that buckle. Guess I just gotta just suck it up!!

Ty & Cory ~ The Movie

Here is Ty and Cory in Bred-By, then at the end is Winners Dog. What handsome boys!!!!! Cory's got the mega-fluff going!!

Soleil & June Bug ~ The Movie!!!

In line is Geri ("Secret Service") & Prudence, me & Soleil, Julie & June Bug, then Dina & Brenna. We placed as we stood.

"....Say You Love Me Toooooooo......"

 Apparently Squishy was really happy about his Winners Dog win at the dog show yesterday because when we were driving home, I put an Aretha Franklin CD in and waited for my favorite song of hers "I Say A Little Prayer" (reminds me of my mom,it was her favorite also). Driving along I hear this howling and have a double take. Is that on the CD??? Aretha might not have been the best dresser but she certainly wasn't a bad singer! I turn the volume up again and hear more howling...."Say you love me toooooo.......aaaaawwwwwoooooooooooo......... Oh, it must be Squishy. Maybe he has to go to the bathroom? No. He was singing with Aretha!!!!!! How incredibly cool is that??????? What taste that dog has!!! I really wasn't sure it was him, so I replayed it 2 more times and truly, it was him. (All I could see was this ruff and no head as I looked back in my van, and Tirzah and Soleil were sleeping. Sure enough 2 more times he howled to the song.....

Sooooooooooooooooo, say you love me tooooooooooooooo?????????????? I love Squishy!

I love that Jolene named him Squishy. Squishy Squishy Squishy!!! Thanks Jolene. You made my life!! Hehehehehe!!!!!!!!!

We had a great time at the shows this weekend. Los Padres Collie Club, Squishy was WD (major broke by 1 dog, but he has 5 pts now) and Tirzah got an Award of Merit. I was ok with that. My win with her last weekend will take me a ways....The judge was Janet Hitt and she was quite complimentary of Ty (and Tirzah). Said Ty really reminded her of the Tokalon dogs with his outline and head type. We talked a bit and she remembers that I am not a "stop freak" from a conversation years ago. To me the collie standard calls for a "very slight, but perceptible stop" and that doesn't mean a sheltie stop or any other kind of stop. I love looking at the old pictures of collies and seeing our ancestors. The look is really quite different from today's collies. So, for me this was a compliment. 

The next show was Southern California Collie Club and Julie and I had entered all of Tirzah's puppies in the futurity. Poor Dina nominated her litter and paid through the year, then neglected to enter her in the futurity.....poooooor Dina. She was at ringside with a groomed up Sophie and couldn't show her.

Anyway, Ty was First Futurity Finalist, Soleil was Second, a Stoneypoint bitch was Third and Cory (Hercules) was Fourth. Beautiful June Bug walked. From there we showed in the classes and Ty won his Bred-By class of 4 boys, then didn't do anything. (The major held for boys at that show.) Soleil got 2nd in her Bred-By class of 4 bitches the second show (June beat her under Janet Hitt). I have to say, with her and June Bug being shown under two "old-timers" and the Futurity judge was in collies years ago, they didn't seem to mind the blue in their eyes. Gayle Eads was So. California's judge and she has shelties. I've shown under some judges and they can be so rude about blue in the eye(s), so these judges this weekend were quite nice and if they didn't like it, they didn't make a big deal about it. Sorta like, judging a poor rear, or boney head....it's a fault, not the end of the world.

So, here I am, waiting for my pictures from my most favorite photographer Randy and video from Julie.....do they not know I have a blog to keep up????? So, don't go away!!! I should have something very soon!!

Where's Parker??????????!!!!!!!!!!

Not that I was worried......but all I heard was Tony calling his dog in his excessively loud voice yesterday morning. This was certainly a photo op!! Apparently Parker got underneath the hay tarp and found a little hole to try and crawl out of. 

Yeah, just stuff his head back in the hole...

The dog has got to be wondering what the hell T is doing.

Nice face on that dog!!!!!!!!!!! And T's work clothes were no worse for the wear!! 

Tirzah Wins Best Of Breed!!!! San Gabriel Valley Collie Club ~ What FUN!!!!!!

So HOW COOL IS THIS????????????!!!!!!!!!!! This is Tirzah's 3rd Best In Specialty win. The judge is Judith Pitt and she just loved Tirzah. She told me Tirz was a bitch she'd take home with her. I wasn't sure if she even liked her because during the Variety judging, she walked right past Tirzah and didn't look at her, then came back and pulled her out right away. In taking pictures I had mentioned she was just starting to put on coat, and she said that's the only thing she'd change about her, though she told me "where do I start telling you all I love about her..."

Randy Smith took these photos. I think he needs to live with me so I always have great pictures for my blog!!! I LOVE YOU RANDY!!!!!!!!

Soleil was shown only Sat & Sun (not under Shelley Roos....). She won a very beautiful Bred-By class of 4 bitches under Judith Pitt, then was Reserve Winners Bitch under Maralyn Busse on Sunday. She was VERY bad in the ring towards the end and started this obnoxious barking!!! Apparently I wasn't feeding her fast enough!! OMG!!!! Other than that, she showed well this weekend and she is out of coat.....(never had a bitch with hair like this!!!!). Maralyn was also very vocal about the sable merle issue and I'll say I'd show a pretty SM under her again as should others! 

Dina took these next pictures. Love them also!

Same footsteps!! Hehehe!!!

Love this picture!!!

There were 3 boy specials and 4 bitch specials plus WD & WB. Pretty Variety entry.

Winner's Dog. Pretty pic!! (Dina)

I'd take this bitch home too!!!! Oh, wait!!! I do!!!!

Tirzah & I under Shelley Roos.

So, what's up Dina??????????????????????? Randy took this picture. Is this how Dina is behind my back?????????????? "Oh, it's that BITCH in the ring again!!!" Hehehehe!!!

Another side note on this picture. The set-up behind Tirzah is ours....totally white trash with 2 ugly dog blankets hanging in the back for shade. Soleil & Ty are peeking out at us.

Here is Dina with her 7 month old puppy bitch Sophie. She is quite pretty.

Back to the drinking night (the first night, not the second or third drinking night) we're at Dina's house.

Here is Dina posing in her front yard.

Here's fast Squishy!!!

Squishy & Tirzah

Does Ty not stay still?? Every picture he's flying thru the air!!

Brenna, Sophie's mom was in season so Ty was flirting with her a little....

Wwoooaaaahhhhhh!!!! 

Here's Winnie, Dina's little bulldog. She is so adorable and apparently chewed all the pillars to the guest house and since it's Shaun's dog (Dina's husband) no one gets in trouble. She's a tough little dog and holds her own when she plays with the collies. Then when she's tired she drags her beddie to the center of the yard and sits on it with her eyes closed. She is very, very cute!

I had a great weekend visiting with Dina and everyone else from So. Calif. Doing it all again this weekend for two specialties in one day. Tirzah and all her puppies with be in a futurity so that should be a blast even though Ty isn't really ready to be out. It will be nice to go down again and T's hopefully going, so it will be fun!!

Dog Show Weekend with Dina

Is this a dog show picture????????????? No, but I am at Dina's, got dumped and we decided to take pictures of all the dogs and DRINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hadn't started drinking in these pictures, oooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhh yes I did!!!!!!!!!! But, I look ok??? Let's put a picture of Squishy on here!!

Ok. This isn't just Squishy...it's Tirzah, Solei & Sophie (1/2 of Sophie). Now we're eating old take-out Chinese food......and still drinking....talk to you later!!!!!!!!!!