Its been a while...

It has been a while since we posted anything, it has been a quiet summer. We haven't been showing in Obedience and decided that a trip to Texas for ASCA Nationals was out of the question for financial reasons, not to mention not really having any dogs to take aside from Ribbon, as a veteran. So, we stay home and work.

In the process of trying to declutter I decided I did not really need the hundreds of ribbons and rosettes collected over the course of my dogs' show careers, so I pulled them out of their bins and looked them over for condition. The ASCA club shows award ribbons that only show the club name (and 'ASCA', of course) so if their condition is good they can be recycled back to the host clubs for use in Their future shows. AKC ribbons do have the specific date and event stamped on so they cannot be reused, nor can the major rosettes for ASCA Nationals and preshows.

Anyway, I decided to sort and return a lot of ribbons. But first I wanted some photos, of course!  First up was Ribbon. Not because she was my first to win a ribbon, but just because she had a manageable number. So here she is with her show career summed up in one photo (well, 2 including her RWB win at ASCA Nationals; I didn't want to haul that rosette, in a frame, out to the garden).

Ribbon's ribbons

Ribbon RWB ASCA Nationals 2005. Judge Ann Atkinson

I showed Ribbon start to finish in all her shows until the past couple of years as a veteran, when she went out with Maria Neff to ASCA Nationals and preshows in Bakersfield CA in 2012. Ribbon really taught me how to show a dog and how to highlight strengths.

My FIRST show dog was, of course, Flash. Well, my first Conformation dog. I wish I had a photo of my first Aussie and first competition dog, Bobby, with HIS ribbons, but I don't. So, I have Flash. I had a wonderful handler for him in AKC for his championship but I finished him in ASCA after Ribbon finished her ASCA Championship.

Flash and his ribbon haul. I didn't special him for very long.

Ribbon's son Thumper I did special, for 1 1/2 years. A little with me and one year with Maria Neff, his gifted and hard working young handler for whom Thumper was her first full time Special after graduating college. Since Thumper's year she has gone on to other excellent Specials of course, but I was sure happy he had his year with her.

Thumper and his ribbons minus his Best of Breed rosette for Canadian Nationals, which is framed so I did not want to haul it outside. Oh and no obedience ribbons shown. That will get its own little photo some day. LOL.

Satin is my most recent ribbon-winner, daughter to Ribbon and sister to Luster and Favor. She has not finished in AKC so these are her ASCA ribbons. I handled her in ASCA.

She had a good puppy competiton career and a short lucky career in regular ASCA classes.

Meanwhile other relatives are doing well. Lock (Thumper son AKC GrCh/ASCA/CKC Ch. Ninebark Cops and Robbers) high ranked in the Owner-Handler series. Another Thumper son Monarch (AKC Ch. Milwin Monarch of Dove Creek) became the first Aussie in AKC history to acheive a Dock Diving title under the newly AKC-recognized registry for the sport.   Favor (Milwin Inkwell Token of Affection Lots Of Agility Titles) competing successfully in her agility trials. Sammy (Inkwell's Imagine That UD, RE) halfway to his UDX. Luster (AKC/ASCA Ch. Milwin Inkwell Iridescent) siring several lovely litters. And everyone in happy loving homes. What more could we ask??