This Is Priceless!

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Not Gettysburg!!!

Um, I meant to say we're driving to Topeka, KS. Gettysburg is NEXT year--and it would take a great deal longer to drive there from Flagstaff!

The National

The Cardigan Welsh Corgi Club of America is set to host the National Specialty beginning March 11th. The first few days are for performance events, such as obedience, herding, agility, etc. Then on Tuesday the 14th, conformation events begin. I plan to arrive Tuesday in the late afternoon or early evening, after driving from Flagstaff to Gettysberg, Pennsylvania. Two long days in the van, though two of us will share driving. I'm taking Panda and Cassidy as BOB entries, and will also be taking a Panda daughter, Gypsy (Kennedy's sister) since her owner is unable to travel because of her husband's health. Gypsy shocked everyone, including me, by debuting at her first show in 6-9 Months Puppy by taking BOB over specials *and* went on to take 4th in the Herding Group. This is extremely rare. But the breed judge was also doing the Herding Group, and obviously liked Gypsy so much he couldn't pass her up in the group for older, more experienced dogs. My friend Rita was thrilled.

Rita has been in Labs for over 30 years--she bred Angus--and had never expected to have another breed, but she fell in love with Cassidy and decided she wanted a blue girl. Panda very nicely cooperated and whelped a lovely blue girl. Gypsy was definitely promising, so she went to Rita and start growing into her promise. So since Rita won't be there, I'll show Gypsy for her in Sweeps and in the regular bitch classes. I feel badly that Rita can't come, but am very pleased to be able to show off Gypsy. And the only reason I haven't posted a win picture is because she ate it!

Dogs In Residence

There you have all my guys, though a couple have crossed the Bridge. As time goes on I'll add more photos and posts, but for now you've experienced the big--and long--introduction. 8-)

Angus

Here is my token big dog, Rochar Cheysuli Back to Black. Two years after I lost my last Lab to old age, I decided my family wasn't complete without a Lab. So he came to live with me at 8 weeks. He is a big, sweet, goofy boy. So far he has 2 points toward his championship. It's tough juggling two breeds, hoping there aren't scheduling conflicts, so Angus hasn't been shown a great deal. He just turned 2, and I will begin showing him more regularly starting in May 2009. This photo was taken at 15 months; he's grown up quite a bit since then!

Pilot

Ch. Kismet Cheysuli Wild Blu Yonder, CD, was my very first Cardigan. He did very well in the breed ring, and even picked up a couple of Group placements. But his biggest brag was winning Best In Specialty Show at the Californa specialty. What a high for an owner-handler! Pilot was a beautiful mover. He sired Ch. Kismet Cheysuli Blu Denim, who won a Group placement and went on to produce Cloudy.

Sassy

This is the dog who started it all for me with regard to conformation, Char-Don's Sassy Sword-Dancer. I had been in competitive obedience for 14 years, and at class I became friends with a Cardigan breeder, Debby Burnett. When I lost my big black Lab--his CD won at 8 months of age--Debby suggested I buy a show prospect and try the breed ring; if I didn't like it, she said, I could go back to just doing obedience. Hah! I was immediately hooked. Sassy x-rayed as dysplastic at age two after winning three points and a BOB (much harder to finish Labs than Cardigans!), so she was retired from the breed ring and spayed. I did go on with her in obedience, and she attained a CDX.

Brenna

This pretty girl is Ch. Dwysan Cheysuli Blackberry Cobbler, bred by Kathy Davis. Brenna flew home with me from Florida many years ago and became a wonderful member of my growing Cardi family. She had lovely type combined with the elegance I like. She finished her championship easily. In the whelping box, she produced Gizzi, who went on to work for the Phoenix Fire Department in educating children about how to survive a fire; Ribbon, who won the Megan and an AoM at the 2004 National; and a sole boy, Bonus, who went on to become only the second dog in Cardigan history to acheive a Dual Championship, owned and trained by Duane Forbes. In the breed ring he picked up a couple of Group placements, but his real forte was herding. I can't even remember all of his titles!

Unfortunately, at age four I lost Brenna to illness. 8-( But she does live on in her children, for which I'm very grateful.

Vanessa

Meet Vanessa, aka Kollage-Kismet's First Class. Vanessa was bred by Kathy Harper and as a puppy went to live with Debby Burnett, my original breed mentor. Though one of the happiest dogs ever seen in the breed ring with a tail that wagged so hard her butt wagged, too, she just never could win any points. I acquired her at age two, and I didn't do any better with her than Debby did! I bred her to Cloudy and she produced the Christmas litter, thus is Stuff's mom-dog. Later on I did try agility with her, but she really just wanted to hang out at home, so I retired her. She is 13.5 (Note: Vanessa crossed the bridge April 7th because of an agressive cancer. Godspeed, sweetheart.)

Stuff

Here is Stuff-Puppy, Ch. Cheysuli's Stocking Stuffer. Though I don't usually do themes in my litters, Stuff and his siblings were born Christmas Eve 1999. So the entire litter had Christmas names. Stuff was such a cute puppy with his bright tan points that I could imagine him peeking out from a Christmas stocking. Unlike some others, Stuff did not do any major winning, though he did get his championship, but was my heart dog. At age four he herniated a disk and had to have emergency surgery, but fortunately he did very well. He recovered at about 90% of normal. Though his gait is affected, he runs around all over the place and never even notices. Stuff is a Cloudy son.

Cloudy

This is not the best photo in the world, but I can't find another at the moment. This is Cloudy, Ch. Cheysuli's Silver Lining. He was the first boy I kept from a litter I'd bred. He was a very "clean" mover with impressive sidegait. He was BOS in Sweeps at a supported entry in Houston, way back when, and went on to win many BOBs and even a few Group placements. Cloudy later sired a very lovely daughter: Ribbon, and is thus grandfather to Cassidy and his sisters. His grandfather was my first Cardigan, Pilot.

Rosie

Ch. Winbuck's Lyric came to live with me at six months of age. I felt that I needed to bring more type into my breeding program, and Rosie had it in spades. It took awhile for her to grow into herself--she had the gangly "puppy uglies" for several months--and then suddenly she blossomed. At the California Specialty in 2003, she was Winners Bitch/Best of Winners and received an Award of Merit. But her greatest accomplishment, as far as I'm concerned, is that she produced the litter containing Panda and Gryphon. So she did exactly what I acquired her for: produced lovely puppies who exhibited better type. Thank you, Rosie!

Kennedy's Birthday Party

Kennedy was served a special "cake" for his 1st birthday, and was given many wonderful toys.

Kennedy

Last summer, this youngster--Cheysuli's Tri To Remember-- moved to his new home in Finland, joining a blue "brother" called Merlin. He belongs to a wonderful owner who's been doing great things with him. At major puppy shows, he is 6-for-6 in Best of Breed wins, and also nabbed a Group 1 placement. He's now begun his quest for a CC (Challenge Certificate), which is awarded throughout Europe. He needs three to become a Finnish champion, and then will try for his International titles, and championships in other European countries. If all goes well, Kennedy will fly back to the US with his owners, Taija and Robert, to show in the 2010 National. Kennedy is from Panda's first litter, and is half-brother to Cassidy.

Gryphon

Here's Gryphon, aka Ch. Cheysuli Jumpin' Black Flash. Gryphon is a litter-brother to Panda. This photo is of him at the 2005 National, where he was awarded Reserve Winners Dog. Which usually isn't a big thing at all-breed shows, but when there are 70 boys entered at the National, RWD is a thrill! At the California Specialty with Panda in 2005, he acheived a brag by winning Best In Sweepstakes and Winners Dog. Gryphon has been siring some very nice litters, including multiple Group placers.

Panda

This is Panda, aka Ch. Cheysuli's Peekaboo Blue. She got the name because she is a "cryptic" merle: genetically speaking she is a blue merle just like all the ones with vivid marbling (Ribbon and Cassidy, for instance), but the merling was only expressed in three very small spots that are now hidden by her adult coat. She appears to be a tri. Big Brag: At the California Specialty in 2005, Panda was Winners Bitch, Best of Winners, Best Puppy, and received an Award of Merit.

Cassidy

This is Mr. Cassidy, aka Ch. Cheysuli's High Hopes. I plan to start specialing him on a regular basis; I've been waiting for him to grow up a bit, with only occasional shows. He just turned 2 on March 17th, 2009--St. Patrick's Day! (This is why a Welsh dog has an Irish name.) Big Brag: Cassidy won Puppy Sweepstakes at the California Specialty, and went on to finish his championship in two weekends.

Ribbon

This is Ribbon, aka Ch. Cheysuli's Liquid Silver. Ribbon's Brag: In 2004 at the Cardigan National Specialty, Ribbon won the Megan Competition (breeders' showcase), and then went on to an Award of Merit in Best of Breed from breeder-judge Cathy Ochs-Cline. It was quite a specialty!