News: Nov - Dec 2008

Monday 15th December

LKA was a bit of a damp squib for us - in the end taking only Seamus out of the three dogs we had entered, as Holly was in season and Kye unwell for a change! Seamus finished 3rd in his Limit class but on the plus side, we had time for some shopping. Always good of course!

Dave and I will not be sending out Christmas cards this year and will be making a donation to Hepatitis research instead, but thanks to everyone for all their cards and good wishes for the forthcoming holidays.

In the next week or so, and definitely before Christmas, Lesley and I hope to send out all the invitations to the qualifiers for the Springer Of The Year event we have organised. A venue has been found and booked for Sunday May 17th in Leicestershire. Two judges have been selected, one All Rounder and one Breed Specialist who will judge every dog on the day on a points system. The dog with the most points will be declared Springer Of The Year 2008 and all will be followed by a three-course meal. We really hope it will be well supported as we think it has the potential to become a really great and prestigious event for our breed.
 
Tuesday 9th December

We have been to Stockholm for the weekend with friends Lesley and Jane. For the first time we managed to do a little bit of sightseeing in the Old Town on Saturday although the weather was more English than Swedish, ie. wet and miserable. There were heaps of snow along the roadsides but nothing laying on the ground. On Sunday, we spent the whole day at the Stockholm Hund Show. Great to see our friends there and to meet some new ones. Helene and David enjoyed a successful day again, as Kylie (Wongan Romanza, and Seamus' mother) finished Best of Breed. Her brother Lleyton, Wongan Kadenza was Best Dog and Reserve Best Of Breed. Little Claudia, Barecho Quest For Success, sister to Holly won the Junior Bitch class, qualifying her for Crufts. We will wait to see if she will be making the trip over here for that. Finally, Barecho Zuper Diva finished Best Veteran, looking in amazing shape and condition as usual, going on to complete the show in the main ring as BIS2 Veteran.  Click here to see some photographs of the dogs on the day and a short video clip of Kylie in the main ring.

New word for the week - MOPS!! This means PUG in Swedish. You learn something new every day!!!

Monday 1st December

Still no show news and weather still unbelievably vile. Knee-deep in mud with months more still to go before spring.... !

But looking on the very bright side, some fantastic news from Holland!! Last weekend, Mattie (Peasblossom Caress) left us for a new home with Helma and Rudo, a very well-kept secret! At her first show, the Amsterdam Winners Show yesterday, Mattie won her Youth Class and finished second best bitch overall behind a Champion bitch. She also won two CAC's as this is a special show and two sets are awarded. Hope we've got that right, seems pretty complicated to us!! But, a really great start with her new owners, only two more CAC's to go and she will be a champion. Hopefully, more details and photos to follow but for now we want to wish Mattie and all at Kennel van het Veense Springertje all the luck in the world and long may the success continue!

Monday 24th November

Kye has made virtually a full recovery, thankfully. He is eating for England and enjoyed his first walk in the pouring rain this morning. Not too much fun for us, but he loved it! No show news still - just keeping warm and the dogs clean-ish!

Have been working hard on two Seminars that Lesley McCourt and myself are organising for February. The first, 'Sex On Sunday' and the second, a Conformation & Movement seminar with a difference! Click on the respective links to view full details.

Tomorrow Lesley and I are driving up to the Midlands to view three possible venues for the Springer Of The Year that will hopefully take place mid 2009. A new event for our breed and one that we hope will be wholeheartedly supported. It will be nice to have something a bit different to look forward to especially as the judges will not be made known before the day!! More info on that to follow.....

Tuesday, 18th November

We should have been going to a show at the weekend, but didn't make it as a result of picking up Kennel Cough from somewhere. Great! Lila, Mattie and Holly were all affected but have rallied round quickly. Kye developed a secondary, severe infection resulting in an overnight stay at the vets on a drip last night. He is back home today but looking like a toastrack on legs. Hopefully, he will make a full recovery but it has been a worrying time. Such a pity that people will insist on taking sick dogs to shows to infect everyone else's - is a red rosette really that important?

A little bit of good news in that Lily, sister to Kye and Mattie successfully completed her Bronze Good Citizens Award. Well done from all of us!

Monday, 10th November

No show news for us this last weekend. Weather is depressingly bad in the south and the dogs are constantly wet and muddy. We hate winter!!!!

Congratuations though to Rats, Peasblossom Butterfly at Beresford, for winning her class at the Gundog Breeds of Scotland. A special well done too, to Elaine and Raymond for qualifying Thea, Eden's daughter for Crufts at the same show. This is especially good, as Thea has not long had a litter of puppies and it was a last chance to qualify her before the year end. Congratulations! Hopefully some up to date photos to follow shortly of Thea and Seamus' puppies but we have added three newish ones to their gallery today. Go to Current Litters page to view.

More news from Sweden that Celine has produced her puppies to Seamus. All eight are doing well.

Tuesday, 4th November

What a day! Another super show for the Peasblossoms at the Midland ESSS Championship Show under judge, Kelly Jenkinson of the Eastriding Kennel in Yorkshire.

After a long drive in pouring rain, we arrived at the venue to find a jumble sale in full swing! We couldn’t believe our eyes! Unfortunately, the hall had been double-booked and we had to wait for the stall holders who steadfastly refused to clear up early, despite the best, and not very subtle efforts of the MESSS exhibitors to get them shifted. Even the ‘Boot Fair Cancelled’ sign put up outside didn’t seem to deter them!!!

Still, judging was underway by midday so not so bad under the circumstances. Kye was first up, in Puppy Dog, finishing second to the baby superstar, Trimere Thiller who went on to end the day as Best Puppy overall. Kye, however, was placed first in his next class, Novice Dog. Seamus won Limit Dog and we were thrilled when he was awarded the Dog CC, his fourth. What a great couple of weeks he has had! After lunch, Mattie won Puppy Bitch, and Holly won both Junior and Novice Bitch classes.

Finally, Seamus had to challenge BCC-winner, Jane Eyeington’s Sh Ch Calvdale Testimony of Meadowdale for BIS which he won! What an amazing show the Midland has been for him ….. he has attended both Open Shows and Championship Shows since he has been in England, winning consecutively BPIS at the Open Show 2007, RDCC at the Champ Show 2007, BD (& BIS) at the Open Show 2008 and now this time, Dog CC & BIS. See Seamus' gallery for photos of the day.

So…. a fabulous day and very well worth all the whingeing (mine!) the day before, trying to keep the dogs clean in unbelievably bad weather!

Two more pieces of good news – firstly, Liam (Peasblossom Bregan) was awarded his Bronze Good Citizens Award. Well done Liam and many congratulations to his very proud family! Clever boy!

Last of all – Hepatitis. Cambridge have issued an update which we will get round to putting on the site eventually but there is only one new piece of information in that a fund has been set up with the Kennel Club Charitable Trust. Any donations made will be for the sole use of Cambridge in their research into Chronic Hepatitis in the English Springer. But the really good news is that English Springer Welfare has made the wonderful donation of £5000 to the research fund! Thank you Celia and everyone on the Welfare committee for this fantastic sum, which will no doubt be put to great use. Just goes to show what can be achieved if you put your mind to it!