Wednesday, March 23, 2016

Home Sweet Home

I guess I should post one last time for Silkenfest 2016.

Monday after the racing, Rob & J decided to make a concerted effort at finding a REALLY good Texas dining experience.  Rob had been cursed at restaurants . . . bringing the wrong entree, not having what he ordered (& forgetting to tell him & get an alternative order), etc.

They came back smelling extraordinary . . . it was the intoxicating aroma of smoked meat.  Our meal had been in NO WAY comparable.  J had fed us 'the usual'.   However, have I mentioned that Rob is a soft touch?  He snuck us a sample of the beef "shoulder clod".  WOW.  Tasty, tasty.  I wanted more, but neither Conner nor Opa! would share their bites.  (http://www.lockhartsmokehouse.com/plano-directions.html).
J says she 'honored' us dogs by ordering the Noble Rey's "Off the Leash" beer; Keith, the human with Dior (Opa's Dad), drank 3-legged Lab Stout - but we are not Labs.  Hmph.

On Tuesday we came home.  I guess the trip was uneventful, but we were at the airport forever (IMHO), and it took forever for Rob to get the van from parking (IMHO).   Once finally home; I had to put up with Wicka's crazy over-excitement at seeing us again.  OMG - we were only gone a few days.

In summary, it was a successful trip.  Although I decided to have some fun rather than repeat my Silkenfest LC Singles win (settling for 2nd),  I did make history by winning ISWS's 1st offered Silkenfest conformation Altered BIS.
My work here is done; perhaps I should retire . . .
Just kidding!  I plan to attend Silkenfest next year & continue to show everyone how it's done -- well, ow it SHOULD be done (IM-not so-HO).


Monday, March 21, 2016

Silkenfest Lure Coursing (one day late)

OK, so Saturday was the beauty pageant (which I won - at least the 'Altered' competition), but I only reported on this yesterday.  Yesterday was Lure Coursing, and I will report on it today.

I did not win Singles again.  Sorry, fans.  I could not restrain myself.  I ran the prelims more conventionally than my usual - hell, it was cold - I just wanted to keep moving.  My scores were great . . . but I could tell that my audience was somewhat disappointed.  People, who should be warming up their own hounds,  don't linger by the field just to see me run like other dogs.  They want to see a little flare.  In the finals I did not disappoint.  I declined to run into the far field, but waited by the line for the lure to return to me; I also moved into it's path along the 'homestretch' for a 'stalk & kill' maneuver.  What fun!

My scores were not good, but not dismal either (some judges have no imagination, but this set seemed to 'get it').  From that point on, it was up to the competition to do their best.  I had left open an opportunity for defeat.  Ah, well, Wyeth answered the challenge with enough skill to beat my combined score.  Singles #1 = Wyeth; #2 me, Agent Gita.

For the rest of the competition, (Open, FCh,  Veteran) there were many good runs.  Opa! did not contribute to this, but Conner did.  Her 1st & only run was a mess.  Lots of bumping after the start, and some more serious fault from one of the hound.  That one hound was dismissed; Opa! was excused for the day.  Silly girl.

Conner's runs were better and looked pretty good to me (as 'conventional' runs go), but they did not score fabulously.  He still managed to be 6th in Open.  Sienna won this, of course.  She runs like I might if I didn't like to add the creativity.  The Field Champion Stakes was won by Cartier - last year's top ASFA Silken; and Enzo edged out Tootsie for Veteran.

And the winner is . . . . ? Sienna.  She's a hot shit, right now.

I guess I can throw in the basics of today's LGRA results.  Whatever,  J won't let me compete (Bitch).
To summarize: Matt Cortez's Nova won, followed by Logan (also High Score Vet), then Pippin (High Score Altered), followed by Sienna.  Conner - the goofy boy whose enthusiasm is excessive to the point of ridiculous - was down at 12 or 13, but out of 31 entries, so that is not so bad.

Finally, there was that Texas Tough Triathlon: Best in all 3 events over the weekend - the 'all-around hound' . . . . it turned out a Pacific Northwest Sweep:
#4 Conner (InPhenite's own dufus -- well, THAT was a SURPRISE)
#3 Pagani
#2 Moon . . . & #1?
Sienna, our little regional hot shit.




Sunday, March 20, 2016

Silkenfest Conformation Day

OK, so this post is a day late & many already learned the results form posts by Lydia (Rio the WonderDog's human), but I feel compelled to chime in.  All of my fans may not be in one of the Windhounds' Facebook groups.
The show started with baby puppies.  I suppose they are cute, but SO childish.  I declined to watch & have no idea who won.  I'm sure Lydia posted this if you really want to know.

Next on the Agenda was the Altered Conformation competition.  This is a new thing for ISWS; they've always had "Companion" classes (I've won these many, MANY times), but there was no Championship track for Altereds.  Once we started competing with UKC - which does have Altered Championships and Grand Championships - & once dogs like my pal Ziggy & I started competing in these classes & earning the titles.  ISWS' "Companion" class did not hold the same panache it once did.  Anyway, ISWS stepped up to the plate & there is now an Altered Ch track for me to compete in.

They start with the boys.  The competition there was pretty steep.  It included Zephyr in Open, Rio the WonderDog, (who has many skills & who had even won Silkenfest via the Veteran's class in Kalamazoo), Ziggy (the 1st Silken UKC ALGrCH), and goofy Conner (my housemate - who had recently won a triad of UKC Altered Best in Multibreed Show's at his 1st UKC event.  Shocking, I know).  Anyway, lo & behold: Conner won AL Winners Dog.  Well, knock me over with a feather . . .  Rio was 2nd & Ziggy, 3rd.

Ok, my turn:  There was also steep competition among us bitches.  2 newbies, Saratoga & Piper, were in Novice (I forget which won); and Open included steep competition. Fudge, Tru & Breezy (both UKC ALChs & sisters of my deceased housemate, Bados), and me, of course.    What can I say, . . . the British judge was a very sharp woman (Gill Grist), I won AL Winners Bitch.

Let's see . . . I'll do a real quick summary of the Regular big stuff . . .
What?? Best Altered in the show?  Well, me, of course.  What did you expect?  J had tried to stack the deck in Conner's favor, I think, by having Jane Taylor show him -- Jane's highly skilled at this -- but Conner is a dufus & too ridiculous.  They had to switch back because he was kind of losing it (Momma's boy).  Anyway, just to show J who is in charge (me), I did not pull any tricks on Jane; so I won.  No problem.

Ok, my quick summary:
Best Puppy: Celeste (same dad as my housemate Opa! & sister to Wesley, who J co-owns)
Veteran Dog:  my 1/2 brother, Dmitri
Veteran Bitch & Best Veteran:  our friend, Tootsie
Winners Dog: Diamond; Reserve:  our friend, Moon
Best Opposite Sex: the ever handsome Wyeth
Awards of Merit:  Our friends Taser & Tootsie (again); Marshmallow Creme, Deuce, & Cooper
Winners Bitch & Best of Breed:  Zee -- aka Winsome Zenyatta at Attaway

That's enough for now.  I'll leave Lure coursing results until tomorrow & combine it with racing; I don't straight race in any case.


Saturday, March 19, 2016

Apologies

Agent Gita has asked me to send her apologies.  She's been partying this evening (and I had to go present the BadAss Trophy).  She promises to post news tomorrow.  J

Yeah - & J is having her wifi connection issues again.  Gita

Friday, March 18, 2016

SF Begins.

Today was the 1st day of Silkenfest 2016.  It was an easy, if boring, day for me.  I got to chill in our x-pen & watch.   Conner & Opa! both went to "Health Testing".  I expected both to be miserable about this -- and neither was happy when it was their turn to go, bu both were pretty mellow when returning . . . .hmm. . . . well, although - yes - Opa! had to cope with blood draw & a heart exam - both got cold laser therapy on some recent "aches & pains".  Fine.  No TLC for little old me.  Whatever.

In addition to "health testing", the Sweepstakes were today.  Czar -- who won last year's BadAss Trophy won Best Veteran, and Storm, one of our California girlfriends, won Best Opposite.  Best Puppy in Sweeps was won by Quinni - who I hadn't met before.  He's a Texan pup (Victor  & R.Lynn Shell).  Eliza (our pal Tazer's, housemate) won Best Opposite Sex puppy.

After the Sweeps, we went with Dior & Opa!'s brother, Khan, to Oracle Farm.  Some land owned by their friend's in LA.  We got to blow off steam in one of the fields.  Conner decided to play in the mud.  This did not please J.  He looked like a black footed ferret with mud up to his ankles.  LOL. He got to get a second bath.

That's kind of it for the day.  Nothing exciting for me personally, but nothing particularly irksome either.  Whatever.
Tomorrow is a "big day" for altered Silkens.  The 1st Silkenfest since they started the Altered Championship program.  J says that the competition is steep, & I need my beauty sleep.  I haven't decided if care yet.  It could fun to win; but it could also be fun to mess with J's brain a little bit . . . make her work for it.   I'll let you know what I decide.

Texas travel

well, yesterday kind of sucked.
After our usual breakfast J did not leave for work.  There was hustle & bustle about the house; then J loaded Conner , Opa! & I in Ivan the InPhenite van - the old van (or Ivan the Impaler as Iola likes to call him ever since he hit a deer).  This wass suspicious. We usually travel in the newer van, Ivan the Great.   Well, being smaller & easier for parking, I guess the older van is good enough for transport to the airport.
That was that. We were  up, up, and away: from Portland to Texas for Silkenfest 2016.

The flight was uneventful, but it was LONG.   Then, after being taken off the plane & meeting up with J again, it took us HOURS to actually leave the airport.  J waited with us at the terminal while Rob collected the rental van.  He had a hell of a time finding his way back to the Terminal for us.  The place is poorly marked & there's lot of road construction.  At least J was able to take us out of our crates & walk bit while we waited.  Once collected did we leave?  No.  We drove to another of the Terminals to find some people with funny accents (British, I am told).
They are coming to Silkenfest, too, and needed help with getting their luggage to the hotel.  This detour didn't take too long, but the transportation process was just dragging on & on. So boring.

Eventually we made it to the hotel.  We got to relax for an hour & explore the room.  And then what happened?  J put us back in our crates when they went to dinner.  Bitch.


Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Spa? Bath? Torture

Well, Silkenfest must be getting really close now.  We were bathed.

Not JUST bathed.  Yes, there was water & sudsy bubbles, but there was also power drying, hock trim, nail trim & dremel, and finally shiny coat supplement.  Oh, the indignity.
It seemed like another nice day in Central Oregon until J drove us over to Grooming by Cherie.  Sure, our pal, Dove, lives there, but his human has Grooming Torture Equipment.  If we go there, rather than having Dove meeting us at the practice field, grooming is always on the menu.

Damn it!  Sure I got to roll in goose poop yesterday, but today I smell like lavender & cedar shavings. Cherie says this is a good flea & tick repellant.  I hope so, because I hate ticks & fleas even more than I hate being bathed.  She thinks she can placate me with a Boa toy full of squeakers.  I'll take the bribe . . . but it won't work.

That's the only positive I can think of.  J was happy that I did not squeal or snap when I got quicked on the nail trim, but I am an adult now.  Whatever.

Conner acted much more mature than on his last visit here.  In October you'd have thought the creature from Alien was attacking him during the bath & blow dry.  Perhaps there is hope for the dufus.

J asked Cherie to try & tame Opa's curly girlie coat.  Sure Opa! looked svelte when Cheire finished; but, after one good shake, that wavy Mohawk between her shoulders was back.  LOL.  Good luck on "show day", bitches.


Sunday, March 13, 2016

Vacation before Silkenfest?

Yesterday was a good day.   
J has taken Opa!, Conner, Wicka, & I over to central Oregon, perhaps as a treat since we behaved ourselves at that vet visit or perhaps she's 'paying it forward' for good behavior at Silkenfest.  Anyway, yesterday we went for a "walk" by the Deschutes River.  I say "walk" in quotes but, really, very little walking is involved.  We get to be off-leash most of the time so that "walk" might as well be "run".  There are rarely other humans; it's on private property with escarpment on one side & river on the other (yes, there is also fence - but far from the path/trail).   It's basically a free for all.  
Wicka (stupid little Greyhound) can be a pain in the ass. She's FAST & never agrees to be the bunny.   However, when I climb into the split tree, she can't get to me.  I can also turn faster than her; then she looks bit stupid chasing in the wrong direction. <snort>

 In contrast, today is BORING.  It has rained on & off; and the wind is gusting like crazy.  We were supposed to have lure practice with Cayman, Kam, Garis, & Shiner (I hear there's a new pup with them, too); but the humans wimped out on us.  So here we sit and sit and sit.  At least no one is trying to kick me out of my leather chair.   I know I used to share it with Bados; but we grew up together.  Sometimes I miss the dope - but don't tell anyone I said that.
So that's today:  BORING, BORING, boring; and she brushed my teeth.  Bleh,  bleh.  That's one more clue that Silkenfest is coming.

Friday, March 11, 2016

Silkenfest 2016: The countdown begins

FYI:  It must be getting close to Silkenfest 2016.  
This year our attending Silkenfest will involve a plane ride to Texas.  More often we drive.  When driving, Ivan the InPhenite Van will start getting cleaned up, & stuff gets reorganized in the Ivan.  Those are early clues; but since we are flying, I haven't had such clues this year.  
So, you wonder, how do I know that Silkenfest is getting close?  
There are other clues.
"J" took Conner, Opa!, and I to the vet.  Just the 3 of us . . . that's suspicious activity.  We are all healthy.  No Greyhounds joined us.  Wicka, the skinny Prima Donna Greyhound goes on lots of excursions; but "J" did not bring her to the vet this time.  Appley (the 4th household Silken) did not join us either, but he's more of a home body.  Occasionally he'll show in Veterans', but he's retired from racing, has never lure coursed, and really prefers not to be out in crowds.  
Plus the vet shot Bordetella oral vaccine down my throat.  Ick, gag.  This definitely suggests that Opa!, Conner, & I are going to be around many other dogs.  

So what do you think?  The 3 younger Silkens that still compete in both shows & performance events get a check-up & vaccinations up-dated -- but not the Greyhounds?    We must be going to "The Show", aka Silkenfest 2016.   I DO have my #1 Singles title to defend; PLUS this is the 1st year that Altered dogs are competing on an ISWS Ch track.  That's a big deal.

I won't start blogging every day, but I promise to have my eyes open & my ears pricked for clues.  My fans will be the 1st to hear when I have more Silkenfest news!