The next generation

At the BCGA ASFA trials Dec 17 and 18 I managed to practice and then certify what I hope to be part of the next generation of Avalon Borzoi (coming up on #49 January 28th so can't help but wonder how many more generations I have the stamina for). Then two weeks later I brought her back out for her first real competition, and I am pleased to report that "RTee" appears to have the same back as her father and grandfather before her, and more than a passing interest in chasing plastic. She came home with two firsts and 48 ASFA points. Now to ease her through open without her getting interfered with, always a worry when running open dogs.

Photo at the top of this entry Nov 2001 FC Silkenswift Camus Dark Realm MC, LCM2,SGRC2,V-FCH, ROMX (BIF DC Mufasa Midnite O' Silkenswift SC, LCM ORC x Silkenswift Isis O' Shadlows JC) aka "Neechee"

Middle photo by Dan Gauss January 2007 BIF FC Avalon Dark Voyager of Ryhka SC, LCM (Neechee x Deuterium's Selenium of Ryhka SC, FCH, GRC, ORC) aka "Vger"

Bottom photo by Lee Gearheart December 2009 Avalon Artemis ("Vger" x Avalon Solarra SC, JOR, FCH) .

Another little potential superstar waiting in the wings (just certified with ASFA) is Avalon Talinn (Riven x Autumn) Lee got some photos of her as test dog at these trials that look so much like her grandsire Darkling it flight it was startling.

I dream of Genie

Well it looked like a good title. I have a visitor here for a bit, Afanasii Belozor Surreptitious JC who is from the litter bred 3 years ago by Rebecca and Tim Neal, myself and our friend Suzanne Liggett. Genie always had a lot of lure interest got her JC, got ASFA certed but Suzanne isn't exactly thrilled with lure coursing so she never made it out. I took her this 4 day weekend I was judging to Powell TN, she got her QC on Friday, ran on Saturday got a point, ran Sunday and Monday and got 2 more SC legs. Hope to get her to some ASFA trials before she eventually goes back to Arkansas .pretty girl was pointed in the ring as a puppy showing in BBE. She is a Neechee granddaughter on her dam's side.

The old and the not so old

Here's a picture of Neechee the "old man" here at 9.5 years old. While his face is finally starting to gray and he has slowed down, he still considers it his job to rage at the cats through his crate once a month (Oh how I would love to have him running loose inside when I get home in the evenings but I'd have to sacrifice the cats and that isn't going to happen) and to sniff the fluffy girls and see if they might like an older man. It is one of the more difficult things about dog ownership watching them age but the alternative having been through it is just as bad. The longer they live the more they entwine themself with you though, losing a young dog is tragic, losing an old dog is epic, so long live the Neech, I don't need any epics for awhile.


On a lighter note this tiger stripey looking pup is "Ruslan" or Avalon
Zavaristsky Athos from our "Z" litter. He is living large in Kansas and his owner who is a very good dog trainer is already channeling some of that puppy energy into the organized pursuit of a dumbbell. Bully for her!!