Awesome agility weekend!

Miska, Diva and I had a fantastic 4-day American Kennel Club agility trial in Romulus NY at the end of September.  Miska, especially, dazzled me with her performances except for Friday when she was totally 'off her game'.  Don't know what had happened that day but the other 3 days, she was magnificent.

Miska came home with:

1.  A Novice F.A.S.T. Preferred title   - NFP
2. An Excellent Jumpers Preferred title - AJP (this is Miska's 37th title)
3. Two legs tiwards her Excellent Standard Preferred title

On the last trial of the four days in the Excellent Standard class, I mismanaged Miska on a 180 degree turn and as a result, she went past the 2nd jump instead of over it which resulted in a Refusal and not qualifying.  Otherwise, she would have had a perfect, clean run and her title!!  Aaaaarrrrrgggh!! Oh well!!  Miska earned first and second places for all of her qualifying runs (7 of them!).  I was  thrilled with how Miska did, exceeding my expectations for her and for me.

I earned all those rosettes!!! (Miska)

And Miska's daughter, Diva, didn't totally disappoint.  She also earned her Novice FAST title (NF)  and two legs towards her Open Standard (OA) title.  She was a train wreck in all of her Open Jumpers trials so control, focus and weaves are what we have to work on before she goes into any more trials. When she Q'd, she also earned placements in every pass - two firsts, two seconds and one third place.  And she also earned one leg towards her AKC Lure Coursing Ability title.  And her younger, half-brother Bodi earned his AKC Coursing Ability (CA) title at this venue. 

All in all, it was a great Wine Circuit weekend!

Diva

"Sistas" over 3 years

Sisters Katya and Miska from our 2003 litter, taken in Ithaca NY over the past 3 years when I went to the Wine Circuit shows in Romulus, NY.

September 2013

L-R: Katya & Miska

September 2012

w

Katya, Miska


October 2010

Katya, Miska

Oh how I love to see Katya each time I go to this show!

Family visits

I love seeing our puppies/our dogs' relatives.

In September, Miska's son, Charlie and daughter, Elsie from our 2011 litter between Brick and Miska were here for dog shows. After Charlie and Elsie left to go back to their respective homes, I was exhausted!!

Miska and son Charlie

Charlie gripping sister Elsie's throat!

Elsie - perfect angel! (Not!)

Then Quest from Miska's 2008 litter arrived for me to take him down to the States for dog shows at the Wine Circuit in Romulus, NY.  He's pictured here with his sister Diva, mom Miska and uncle Tyro.  He took two third places in the Open Dog class, was 2nd one day and went Reserve Winners Dog but didn't bring home any points, unfortunately.

L-R, Quest, Diva, Miska, Tyro taken Oct. 1/12

While I was at the shows in Romulus, I stayed with my friend Pauline who owns Katya from our 2003 litter. Katya is a littermate to my Miska so it was nice to see her again after a two year absence.  The sisters get along very well.  As they age (gracefully), they are beginning to look more similar in their faces.

Two sisters - Katya and Miska taken Sept. 30/12

Then I got together with Gary who owns Vadasz, another littermate from our 2003 litter.  He's a brother to Katya and Miska and is shown below.  He is such a wonderful male dog and is so well tempered around other dogs and people, and of course, is very talented also.  It's a bit pity that no one has been interested in using him for stud.  He is still intact.

Vadasz & Miska, brother and sister taken Oct. 1/12

Quest's 3 pt major

Here's the photo of Quest earning his first 3 point major win at the Finger Lakes Kennel Club show at Romulus, NY on Oct. 3, 2010. Quest was handled by his breeder/owner, Sylvia Dorosh. The judge was Mrs. Carol Esterkin (absent from photo) from Tarzana, California.

Cdn CH Varazs Kedves Quester winning his first major. 

Wildlife at Lake Seneca, NY

I really enjoy going to the Finger Lakes, NY dog show circuit in September for many reasons: the show takes place in beautiful Sampson State park on Seneca Lake; it's a HUGE show with well over 2000 conformation entries plus there is agility, obedience, rally-o, lure coursing, eye and heart clinics; there are usually lots of vendors at the show; plus there are scores of wineries close by; exhibitors are very friendly and there is lots of socializing. And, there is also interesting wildlife. Just across from the state park is the former Seneca army depot, now home to the Seneca White Deer where they are protected. Instead of camping inside the park, I usually stay in a hotel in Geneve, north of the park so when I am driving to and from the show grounds, I usually spot the white deer in the early morning or at dusk (and some brown ones) plus lots of wild turkeys. Sighting the white deer is supposed to bring luck but that didn't work for me in conformation this weekend. :-(

The flock of turkeys I photographed were outside the army depot but I spotted lots inside the depot too. These turkeys, which numbered around 20, were considerably smaller than the two that ventured into our yard several weeks ago (they looked like turkeys on steroids and were huge in comparison!). Turkeys are very skittish but I used my new camera with a long zoom lens to take these pictures. I sure get a kick out of seeing wildlife.

I also explored other places around Lake Seneca and found a small hamlet with an intriguing sign on a railway crossing post on the outskirts of the village. I just had to photograph it!