Summer/Fall 2014
June was the month for the 'Death March' which is the 3 week long circuit of dog shows for professional handlers. The march starts in Filer, Idaho to Blackfoot, Idaho then to 3 cities in Montana. Those breeders/owner-handlers brave enough to compete go through a lot of frustration because it is difficult to win/place with your dogs when competing with the professionals. I competed in the Filer and Blackfoot shows since they were close. Reserve for Rebel on the 1st day of the Filer show, but on the 2nd day Rebel went Winner's Dog/ Best of Winners for a point, Trooper got Select Dog for 2 points towards his Grand Championship. Didn't do much in the regular ring the 1st day of the Blackfoot shows, but competed in the Owner/Handler Series with Trooper and received Best of Breed and 3rd place in the Hound Group. The 2nd day of Blackfoot Rebel received Winner's Dog for 2 points while Trooper received Select Dog for 2 points. I then competed with Rebel in the Owner/Handler Series where we got Best of Breed and then 3rd place in the Hound Group. Now both dogs have 20 points each in the Owner Handler Series.
July started off great! It was posted on the AKC site that Titan(Cynara's Africa's King of the Titans CGD TDI HIC TDH RN CD) received his AKC Therapy Dog Advanced(THDA) certification. Dogs who received this title had to do over 100 therapy dog visits. Titan was the 1st Rhodesian Ridgeback to receive this title, I am so proud of him. In addition to the therapy dog visits Titan does, we are training for the Rhodesian Ridgeback Nationals in September. Titan will be going for his last Rally Advanced leg as well as his 1st leg in Graduate Novice Obedience. As with any breed and especially Ridgebacks, it takes time and practice to obtain these titles but it does make you and your dog a better team.
september -2014 RRCUS National Specialty
Luckily this year the Nationals were fairly close to home, they were being held in Salt Lake City, Utah. I took all 3 dogs, Titan for obedience and rally, Trooper and Rebel for conformation. The Nationals are a great place to renew friendships with other ridgeback owners/breeders and to meet those people you have only talked to via social networking. If you place or win any ribbons that is just icing on the cake. Titan received First Place/ High Score in Rally Advanced B, 98 out of 100! We got some beautiful ribbons and prizes. While doing Rally with Titan I was keeping track on when I would be going into Amateur Owner Handler Class with Rebel. This year Rebel and I got 3rd in AOH class, I was very pleased because the judge was looking for red and large males, Rebel is a moderate light wheaten dog. Trooper did not make the cut in Best of Breed, people came up to say how well he moved and stacked then added on,' but he is moderate.' I was very proud of Trooper, he is always consistent in his showing and presentation. Rebel also then tested for Therapy Dog International and received his certificate! I now have 3 therapy dogs in my house.
Since the Bonneville shows were right after the Nationals and the hotels offered me the same low rate, the boys and I stayed over to compete in the All Breed shows that weekend. On Saturday Trooper was in a close run off for BOB (said the judge later) and got Select Dog for a 5 point major thus achieving his Grand Championship! Trooper and I have worked hard, with limited dog shows, to get his Grand Championship. Sunday Rebel got 4th place in Open Dog Class, out of 10 dogs...just the fact he ribboned meant a lot, because red wheaten dogs were the hit of this show.
October 2014
We entered the Boise Cluster Shows this October, Rebel in Conformation all 4 days and Titan in the Graduate Novice Obedience competitions. Rebel got 4th in the Open Dog class the first day and 2nd place the following 3 days in the same class. We may not have won the class but Rebel is slower to mature and the fact we placed over more mature looking dogs with pro handlers on them is great. Sunday we even received Reserve Winner's Dog which meant a lot with the heavy competition. Titan and I did not qualify for a leg of the Graduate Novice competition until the last day of the shows, then he got 1st place with his score. Four days of competing is hard on both dog and handler/owner, and both dogs and humans have bad days. Dog shows are great for getting input from other competitors, most breeder/owner handlers are willing to help or give suggestions. Right now Rebel and I are continuing to take handling lessons as well as obedience lessons for Titan and I. As long as we are having fun we march on...
Trailhead Ridgebacks
Debbie Bonsteel, Boise, Idaho, USA- dlbonsteel@gmail.com
Debbie Bonsteel, Boise, Idaho, USA- dlbonsteel@gmail.com
