Long Day

It can be a long day for some dogs at the dog show and sometimes it's nice to just sit and relax under a shady tree.

Benched Show?

Someone didn't tell him that it was NOT a Benched Dog Show.

Close Call

Hummer and his handler Jeff, working very smoothly together, impress the judge in a group of eight Newfoundland Specials, and is brought out first. Jolie is brought out behind him and the Judge has them move around the ring together for comparison when she changes his mind and is placed in front for the Best of Breed title. Jolie is very spry and agile like her Mother, Angel, and has a very graceful and fluid movement. Congratulations to both and especially to Jolie for her Group 4 placement!! We look forward to competing again in June in Vallejo for a four- day cluster entitled "Woofstock"! We'll have to get out our tie-dye t-shirts and wear flowers in our hair for that one!

Come on people now, smile on your brother everybody get together try to love one another right now. It should be a good competition!

Coyote Hills Kennel Club Show

Hummer wins Best of Opposite Sex on Saturday narrowly missing Best of Breed by a last minute decision by the Judge who chose Jolie for a very exciting finish. It was a very significant win for both littermates in an extremely competitive Specials line-up. Jolie went on to win Group 4 in the working group later that afternoon. With coat to spare, Hummer is moving well and showing some maturity and size in the ring and appeared unhindered by the summery 90 degree weather. 

News Flash!

Hummer wins Best of Breed at the Camilla Capital Kennel Club show in Woodland on May 10, 2008 under Judge Capt. Hal Shorr with his litter sister, Jolie, going Best Opposite that day. It was a very exciting win for the hot and sunny Mother's Day weekend with much of the congratulations going to Hummer's handler, Jeff Heim, who presents the dog with such elegance and grace.  The dynamic duo appear again this weekend in Vallejo for the Coyote Hills Kennel Club show. 

In Honor of Eight Belles

Hats off to Eight Belles who ran the race of her life today at Churchill Downs in Kentucky for the Kentucky Derby 2008. Shown at left beside Big Brown, the Derby winner, she was only a few lengths behind him for runner-up when she broke both her front ankles and had to end her suffering by being euthanized on the track. How shocking for her jockey, trainer, and owners. She had a ton of heart and would have been one of very few fillies to win had she won the Derby today. Such a price to pay. Hopefully her breeding will continue.

The Spirit of Competition

When not at dog shows, Hummer and I follow the San Jose Sharks who are now in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Beating the Calgary Flames in the first round they are now battling through the series with the Dallas Stars and have inched their way up 3 games to 2. As in any competition, there are similarities in the spirit of play whether it is on the ice or at the Fairgrounds. There is a great passion for the sport, desire to win, dedication to hard work and effort to meet the challenges from the opposition. If you lose you just try harder and the word "Quit" is never mentioned. Competition offers comaraderie to share the good times and the down times and it tests your character as a competitor. One of Hummer's favorite players for the Sharks is Ryan Clowe, a defenseman, who is from Newfoundland, Canada. He also likes Evgeny Nabokov, the Goalie, because his big human brother, Jordan, is a hockey goalie. There is nothing like the joy of winning, of working toward and meeting goals. It builds confidence, character, resilience, creativity, and is just a lot of fun! GO SHARKS!