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.

wahoo! Tarzan's 6th Coursing Championship

"Tarzan" finished his LCM2 on August 8 2010 at the age of 9 years and 3 months. He is now known officially as DC Avalon Jungle Fever MC,CDX,LCX,RAE2, LCM2,V-FCH, TT, CGC . Tarzan was the FIRST RAE titled Borzoi (there have been others since but he will always be the first ). He won the Borzoi Club of America National Triathlon in 2005 and 2009 placed 4th in 2006 and 2007 (did not go to the national in 2008) and placed 2nd in 2010. He has also won the Borzoi Club of America's annual versatility award (AVA) twice, was High in Trial at the BCOA national trial in 2005 from Open B, and is in the Borzoi Club of America lifetime versatility hall of fame. Anything that Paula or I pointed him at he said well if it will make you happy I'll give it a go. It brought tears to both of our eyes this last weekend to see him run with so much enthusiasm. Here are some photos taken by Jennifer Batson at the trial if you'd like to see him, he's the heavily spotted tri colored dog in the pictures. Thanks Jennifer! Thanks to everyone who has said kind words about him too from the bottom of my heart and my friend Paula's too. He is pretty special to us.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=31056435&op=1&view=all&subj=100000167844984&id=81901837#!/album.php?aid=2028811&id=81901837

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.

Ziggy

Ziggy ran today and was 2nd of 4 so he has 2 of his placements now and 54 of the required 100 points. The photo was taken by Umarapiti. Ziggy is in the blue blanket at the top. The red dog is Fox who managed to behave and qualify although he didn't get points on Friday, and at the bottom is Cholla who ran well enough on Sunday and behaved thank goodness and qualified for his first 4 ASFA points. All went well

Headed Out This Morning

Hoping for good weather, headed to Cartersville for an ASFA trial with Ziggy dog. Hope he behaves. I always worry until they get out of open and then sometimes after that. Had a pleasant surprise last weekend when he picked up 28 points and a first at his first trial.

Such Furor

My God you would think we were sacrificing virgins on Main Street to read the heated posts that have erupted since ASFA accepted Silken Windhounds to run in Limited Stakes ( an exhibition only status stake) . Sure they did start out as Borzoi crossed to small lurchers but 5 generations later of DNA typing and breeding one to the other you would think that this would be a moot point. No one is trying to replace any breed with them, no one is saying they are an ancient breed, only that hey we'd like to bring them out and pay the money and let them run and then go home with them. Other than breeding type to type and DNAing every single dog used in breeding, I cannot imagine what other requirements would really be needed to insure a registry is "secure". If I were a drinker, I think I'd be doing that.

Omaha,NE

is COLD and rainy. Brrrrrrrrrrrr. The flights to Memphis and then on to Omaha were on tiny little planes that only seated 60 people. Eeek. Scary.

A great time had in Louisiana

Have been busier than a one legged man in an @$$ kicking contest lately. Last weekend judged at a 3 day AKC trial in Bush Louisiana. Man, great folks, great field and great hospitality. They sure know how to do it in the deep South. Sherita my friend from Santa Anna TX was also judging and we stayed with a friend of hers in Covington who has the most lovely aviary with finches, and all sorts of hookbills big and little. I fell in love with the umbrella cockatoo they had. If I am ever retired and home more I would love to have one for all the company they are. They love people. Saturday night they had a ROAST HOG IN THE PIT there and it was FINE eating man. Oh my my, let me sing the praises of the pig. Yummy yummy yummy I got pig in my tummy. Anyway, they also had wicked red beans and sausage for lunch Saturday ( and rice of course for those rice eaters) Sunday they had turkey and shrimp gumbo and man oh man whoever made that roux, wow. Sherita had a good weekend with one of her boys picking up majors two days and a different boy picking up a major on Sunday. I can't complain either , CJ was BOB on Sat lost the Best in Field run by one point, on Sunday though Vger was BOB and won the Best in Field run. I really really love that little goofy dog. He is so sweet. You can see him at the bottom of my blog behind his cousin Tory "running wilder". So a nice big gaudy ribbon ( which is how I think ALL Best in Field ribbons should be) for the Vee dog, a 40 pound bag of Pro Plan and his name engraved as the first dog on a perpetual trophy for a deceased club member.

Counting down the days to Las Vegas, only 3 more. I'm excited but of course dread the flight and I'm not a big city girl at all.

Oh yeah, my big news is I am down to a size 12 which ain't bad for someone who is 5'10"

Way Cool Weekend or Going to the Dogs

to

Man where to start well first on Friday I drove up to KY and ran Vger and CJ . Vger was 1st in FCH earning a placement towards an LCM2 in case we ever get inspired to head there and CJ was 3rd of 6 to put him only 8 points from his ASFA FCH title. On Saturday I got word from my friend Shirri who was running him for me that he had been 1st of 5 to finish! Yay. His sister had finished her FCH the day before so that is 4 from that litter with the AKC FC and the ASFA FCH title .

Saturday I helped some friends work a race meet, no one with Borzoi showing up so no point in just taking my own dogs there and running against myself since I'm not trying to rank anything. However, the day wasn't wasted as I stopped at the fabulous VF Outlet mall in Calhoun GA on the way home and got some more Easy Spirit shoes AND a couple of awesome blazers and some jeans on sale. Later I got home and went to the Halloween party my vet and his wife had and spent several hours laughing and having fun.

Sunday in Nashville at the fairgrounds (also known as a raceway) I did the very rare trick of me showing a dog ie. Sailor that I coown with my friend Paula. Well he went WD for one point then BOW for a major with me tripping around the ring with him. Even better from a breeder's point of view my girl Tory was WB for her second major shown by my friend Suzanne who is her cobreeder. If that wasn't enough joy for one day I get a phone call from my friend Leonore in NM with Tory's brother Py and hear that he has gone BOB for a 5 point AKC lure coursing major to finish his AKC FC!!! WHOOP WHOOP goes I riding down the road. I am SO thrilled. He is such a good boy, truly the golden boy and not just in color. Above photo by Dan Gauss of Shot On Site is our Tory FC Avalon Victoria Cross SC, FCH in Jan of 2007. Tory has both conformation majors, is open field pointed and has all placements and 200 points towards her LCM. Yes I think she ROCKS.

My Obsession

Since 1985 I have invested (dumped) a lot of money on this venture. The venture being the dog hobby. It is a money pit, but as I tell anyone bored enough to ask it keeps me out of bars. I have been really lucky to have some pretty nice dogs from others and also bred here. The boys here are Neechee and his two #1 ASFA sons Keelo and Vger who are black and white like him and his son Tarzan who is the spotted tri. Vger also known as Viagra and sometimes called "Sandra buy a vowel", has been a very entertaining little guy. Thanks to Dan Gauss and Lee Gearheart for these photos.