Group 4th for Diva

Show business is 'funny'. One day your dog can lose and the next day, emerge a big winner. That's why when I show dogs, I always make it a social and fun event for me and my dog(s) because it can be political and subjective and who needs all that crap in their lives these days?  So sometimes we lose but more than 50% of the time, we win and of course, that's more fun!

Diva, Group 4th

On September 26, perhaps no one was more surprised than I when Diva (Varazs Kedves Quickstep FDJ JH) took Best of Breed (well, that wasn't the big surprise) at the Burlington Kennel and Obedience Club and then was pulled out by Judge Ron Mahon of St. Thomas, ON for a Group 4th.  The group placement was the surprise because it was a very strong line up of sporting dogs and professional handlers!

Diva is the 3rd puppy from this breeding between Ozzie (Ch Hubertus Quality Control FDJ) and Miska (Am/Can CH Varazs Kiralyi Kedvesem JH, FD, NAVHDA NA Prz III, Am/Can CD, Am/Can RE, CGN) to have a placement in the Sporting Group either in Canada or the United States.

Remembering Otis

Varazs Betyar Otis

February 2, 1998 - September 19, 2010

How quickly time passes. At the age of 12.5 years, Otis crossed the Rainbow Bridge in the arms of his loving owners, Maureen Lunney, DVM and John Ivanic.  He would swim like a fish and was a real climber and jumper, just like his dad "Rowdy", Am CH Legacy's Rhythm N Blues. Otis is now sorely missed by his humans.

Otis, spring 1998, with John

Otis at 11 yr.

Help me decide!

Oops!  I forgot one. I added #9 this morning. Somehow I missed it. If you've voted and want to change your vote, pls do so!

I'm going to enter some photos of my Vizslas for various contests.  I've got lots to chose from but am finding it hard to make up my mind which ones to submit. Please tell me which are your Top 3. This means actually leaving a comment on my Blog!!

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Vizsla friends

There was great human and canine camaraderie at the German Short-hair Club of Western NY's hunt tests on Sept . 12-13, 2010. Quite a few Vizslas ran in the Jr Hunter class. Here are a few of them. Thanks to Amy Olsen (middle) for supplying these photos.

Ok guys, time to practice our sit-stay; L - R, Diva, Jack, Ivy, Quest & Vadasz

Now that's better! Diva's doing a perfect stay without mama.

L-R "Ivy" - Lacost's Ivy Blessing; "Diva" - Varazs Kedves FDJ JR; "Quest" - Varazs Kedves Quester

Goodbye Gryphon

Int'l & Am CH Varazs Gryphon's Magical Mist CD JH RN RA RE CGC

February 21, 2001 - September 7, 2010

Gryphon and Elizabeth, spring 2010

2004

After enjoying an annual 8 day hike with his human, Gryphon (Int'l & Am CH Varazs Gryphon's Magical Mist CD JH RN RA RE CGC) passed away on September 7, 2009 at the age of 9 and a half following a brief but serious illness (cause still unknown). Despite doing all they could to save him, his owners, Elizabeth Packer and her family, are heartbroken.

I am extremely grateful to Elizabeth for giving him such a great life and for taking such wonderful care of him. I was fortunate to see and visit Gryphon several times throughout his life even though he lived in California, thousands of miles from where he was born.  Elizabeth traveled up to Canada in 2004 for shows and I visited Gryphon in California that same year. In 2009 just after he had turned 8. Elizabeth and Gryphon visited me in Arizona and came to the Rio Salado Vizsla Club's Specialty show where Gryphon was Best Veteran in Sweepstakes.  He still looked stunningly beautiful and was showing no age.

Rest in Peace sweet Gryphon. You will always be remembered.

February 2009

Elizabeth & Gryphon doing obedience, Woodstock, ON 2004

Diva's awesome weekend

Proud mama with new Jr Hunter "Diva"

Diva (L) with brother Quest (R)

From conformation to hunting - Diva had an awesome 3-day weekend! At the Oakville Kennel Club's all-breed conformation show in Milton, ON on Friday & Saturday, Diva was Winner's Bitch & Best of Winners both days for 2 pts each day. Woo hoo! That takes her up to 7 points; she just needs 3 pts to finish her Cdn Championship. And Sunday morning, I rose at 5:15 AM & drove out with Diva at 5:55 AM to Darien State Park in NY for the GSP Club of Western NY's hunt tests. Both Diva & her brother Quest were entered in the Jr Hunter level. Diva just needed 1 more Q for her Jr Hunter title. She was the first brace up. It had been raining during the night and part of the morning. Everything was soggy, including the quail which didn't want to fly. They really wanted to hide under the cover.

Being the first brace, I think the judges were marking a little harder because they didn't have any reference point. Diva ran fairly well, far better than her brother. She went on a beautiful point but I couldn't find the bird! That was the challenge with all her bird finds. If I manage to find the quail, they were sodden. I was very pleased when she did a lovely honor of her GSP bracemate & she's also retrieving to hand. Because the birds were soggy & not flying, she did catch 2 but brought them to me.

Anyway, Diva did more than enough to qualify although I think her score should have been higher, especially given her brother's performance. To be frank, Quest just pottered. (I can write that because I bred him & he's 50% my dog.) He really didn't (IMO) show good hunting ability although his other 50% owner and handler said he was much improved over the previous day when all he did was pee on everything (he just missed qualifying by 1 pt). Half the time I couldn't tell what Quest was doing - gazing at the galley, sniffing, nosing the air - was it a point or not? Anyway, I think the judges were tired or trying to make up for the large number of fails the day before or were just in a 'spread the good feeling around" mood by the time they got to evaluate Quest because he just squeaked by and got a qualifying score. So all in all a good weekend for 2 of my dogs but it really was Diva's weekend.  Now she's known as Varazs Kedves Quickstep FDJ JH. Way to go Diva!

L - R: Ivy (new V friend), Diva, Quest with qualifying rosettes

SYTYCD - Canine

So You Think You Can Dance? This dog dances far better than I do. Talk about an exceptionally well trained animal! If this doesn't crack a smile, you'd better check your pulse.

Lloyd, the Model

Lloyd's mom (Lloyd, a.k.a. Ch Varazs Nyar Cigany  is from our 2006 litter between Ch Kizmar Touch of Evil and our beloved Nova) sent me some news about Lloyd.  Lloyd was named for the famous architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, whom his owners (and I) admire. Lloyd was photographed by a Toronto pet photographer - Happy Tails Pet Photography. Follow this link to see some great photos of him.  What a handsome boy!

http://happytailsphoto.blogspot.com/2010/08/lloyd-sneek-peek-toronto-ontario-pet.html

http://happytailsphoto.blogspot.com/2010/08/lloyd-toronto-ontario-pet-photographer.html

True to their word

Talk about FAST Only 2 days after I spoke to the company, today Canada Post delivered a 4 kilo box of beef liver cookies from Northern Biscuit Bakery addressed to "Miska". The company was true to their word!!! We LOVE them! Wow, I just can't say enough wonderul things about their customer service, customer care and high quality product. I encourage you to buy these great cookies for your dogs (and horses too!). They will love you for it!