A few good weeks with Maria!

Thumper has had a great start as Maria Neff's full-time Special in both the AKC and ASCA rings.
After a lovely Best of Breed win under Kelly English at the ASC-Michigan club weekend of shows Memorial Day weekend, and a nice Best of Breed win the same weekend at the Pontiac KC show in Michigan under judge Mowbrey-Morgan, he and his wonderful new BFF/handler Maria got serious. The first weekend in June   Thumper and Maria won back-to-back Grioup Ones under both Kenneth and Donna Buxton (who traded off breed and group assignments the 2 days). I have always respected their judging and so I am doubly thrilled they both regarded Thumper highly enough to use him.

The following weekend in Canton Ohio judge Peggy Beisel-McIlwaine bestowed a Group 4 on the team after giving them the Breed. Sunday was another Best of Breed under judge Paula Hartinger. All in all a nice start to his year of being a Special!  His performance improves weekly due to Maria's excellent training and management. I miss him terribly but he'll come back after a while. Meanwhile he is now a Grand Champion, and I believe he might have eeked a Top 30 spot in  ASCA for 2011-2012 thansk to that last Michigan win. Oh he also was a Best of Breed/ BIS for the ASC-MI 'Evening at the Premier' ASCA show held in Kalamazoo MI Thursday evening in concert with the big UKC National show, called The Premier.
This makes him unbeaten at the Breed level since his 'official' start with Maria. It won't last forever but I am very proud of both of them. (Indeed he lost the Breed today to one of his competitors in Ohio but there is always another dog show!).