Lone Star Classic Report (InPhenite shit only)

Well, I went to Texas this weekend.

Honestly it was stressful . . . the only time I'd ever flown was flying from Firebird to InPhenite as a wee pup.  J had also been to Kansas City to pick up the Greyhound puppies as their breeder would not ship them cargo - but that was IT for InPhenite's experience with air travel.

Plus, Opa! does not like to travel.  All the other dogs & I clamor to join J when she leaves (well, not for work in the mornings - 0630?  That's too early- but other times . . .  But, Opa! stays in the next room if she thinks J may take a dog with her.   Opa! has never puked & enjoys nonvet/nonshow excursions - but she is worried until she arrive at events.

J drove up to stay the night with Iola on Thursday so that we could fly direct from Seattle (Iola & Jane - Winsome Hounds- came to TX, too).  Traveling with that experienced crew helped with our stress.  BUT after that the TX show got off to a bad start- J had worn a necklace with glass charms that include her Grey's & Bados' ashes - Phoenix & Luka's charms broke off friday night (but were not lost).  Anyway, this made J more ANXIOUS.

J had brought me down explicitly for competition in the UKC Altered Ch class (with 3+ Ch dogs competing) - but I was getting no love from the judges.  Nothing on Saturday.  Opa! 'won' her age group with no competition but that was it - I thought she was showing well - but she did not advance from there.

Sunday started better for me - I won Best Companion in the Silken Specialty (beating Rio - one time BISS Silkenfest winner - as well as Bados' sister (Breezy) & her handsome son, Ziggy).  Not to be snooty, but ALL those guys had been 'rated' SHOW as puppies but are now altered for a variety of reasons.   I was labeled "pet" as a child.  Whatever.  I BEAT THEM ALL.  That was good.  (yeah!)

FYI:  For all "pet" puppies out there - don't let that "label" get you down - you are no less than "show" pups.  Even if you do not mature as beautiful as I did.  There are many routes to SuperStar status - admittedly - you may not turn out as 'pretty' - but as a Silken, there are UNLIMITED venues where you can excel.  Moving on . . . 

Opa!?  Nothing on Saturday in UKC or Sweeps, nothing in the specialty show on Sunday.  Less than nothing.  She would not stack & kept trying to leave the ring.  No points there.

Then with the UKC shows. . . I don't know what happened.  I did not manage to beat Ziggy in the ALCh class, but I did get Reserve (a 1st for the weekend).

Opa!? Perhaps it was the grooming suggestions Jane made regarding Opa!'s crazy curls . . . who knows? Anyway, Opa! decided stacking was not so bad.  In her age class, which she won by default - she would not "down&back" toward the judge; he made her try twice - but no.  She did keep moving - just sideways.  J was feeling a bit hopeless - but Opa! did move better in the Winner's Bitch class . . . actually she WON Winner's Bitch!!!!!!  What???!!!!!

Then in the final UKC show . . . perhaps Opa! gave up her resistance in disgust . . . but she won Winners Bitch AND Best of Winners!!!!!!!!

OMG!  J was on cloud nine, Opa! was clueless.  Unfortunately . . . J had to be at work before 0700 this AM  . . . we had to catch a plane.  DAMN IT!!!!!! I did not even get to show in the final ALCh class.

J helped the Walls showing a beautiful girl in the CH class - but then we had to zoom off to the airport.

Sigh.

Oh, well.  Don't expect more posts until another inspiring event - my typist (J) can be hard to motivate & claws don't mix well with keyboards.