A photo session with Jeffrey Hanlin

Just a sampling.

We did it!

The results are all in for the ASCA Year (June 1 2012-May 31 2013) and my very own Thumper is #1 for the year in Merit standings. This is entirely the doing of a wonderful talented handler, Maria Neff, and HER handler (LOL) Debbie Neff, who took care of organizational details like travel planning, entries, and so forth.

 He is home with me now, for Competition Obedience training and some summer fun, but will be out here and there for AKC and ASCA, and we'll be at ASCA and USASA Nationals!

Thanks all!!

Summer!!

And Vay-cay starts

Came home from Michigan with Thumper and turned around pretty quickly to go to Vermont for Camp Gone to the Dogs with him and my old man Flash. As it happens Julie Rigby, Favor's owner (from the last Ribbon litter, by Press) decided she wanted to have 2 dogs at camp and one of them could be Satin if I agreed, so with the proviso that she would be HERS for the week I loaded her up as well an off we went.

The week's weather following humid and stormy conditions on arrival day the Sunday, was spectacular for the first 4 of 5 days of camp, low 70's, dry, sunny, chilly night. In short, perfect for man and beast. All 3 dogs had a marvelous time with my main concentration being positive motivation training for competition Obedience for Thumper, and just some fun training stuff and one-on-one hangout time with Flash. It was a celebration-filled beginning of the week as well and Flash celebrated his 12th birthday on June 2 (TWELVE!!!! Unbelievable), me my 59th on June 3, and Satin and Favor their 2nd birthdays on June 4. (They celebrated in their own way by having a little bitch fight. Oops).  Anyway Julie sorted the girls out and we came to the realization that they are their mother's daughters. Just had to avoid too much arousal while n lead together to avoid escalating to launching onto one another.

Anyway a few photos to show the week. Already booked for next year. And now planning on entering Thumper in Obedience at ASCA Nationals. (The clock is ticking...).

My friend Lisa's 'Abby' moving some sheep.

Satin's sis Favor.

"Does this wet Vermont meadow grass make me look fat?"

Favor turned 2 this week.

Favor moved some sheep

Thumper moved some sheep. Bark-circle-bark-circle---

Satin moved sheep too.

Lisa and Abby await their turn on the sheep.

Ribbon son Teddy, from her first ltter, was there as well, along with his housemate Lila, Thumper sister.

The end of the ASCA Year

Have done some travel since the last post, as the ASCA year wrapped up May 31. Thumper went to Wisconsin to the Rock River Valley shows the weekend of May 10-12, where he went BOB 3 of the 4 shows, under judges Flo McDaniel, Ronnie Bates and Bev Eichel.  The week following, Maria made a quick trip to the Florida Panhandle ASCA shows where Thumper was able to pick up one BOB win (judge Diane Keedy) despite some iffy behavior due to his developing a crush on one of the females in the ring with him. (That's our excuse, at any RATE!).

Thanks Flo McDaniel!

Thanks Ronnie Bates!

Following Florida Thumper and Maria went to Michigan for their final weekend together as a full-time team. They started with 2 AKC shows in Kalamazoo where Thumper went BOB under judges Keke Kahn and Peggy Biesel-McIlwaine.
Then on to Centreville MI where I went to watch Thumper finishe out his year with Maria and bring him home after. ASC-MI does a mammoth 9 shows on Memorial Day weekend and also on Labor Day weekend, plus performance events (I am only counting the conformation shows!). So the breakdown was, of 9 shows, Thumper BOB x4, BOS x4, under judges Kim Cochran, Bruce Caldwell, Liz Gibson, Mary Quam, Gail Karamalegos, Richard Klatt, Cherrie Cannon and Glenda Stephenson. The marvelous Aria (Ch. Sazbrat Enamoured), our main competition all year long, was there as well so we were trading off wins (Aria with 5 BOB's to our 4). Well, if we are going to compete, we are thrilled it is with such quality as Aria exhibits. We had fun.

Aria going for Thumper's bait. The noive.

Aria and Thumper

Once around the ring (x9)

Aria, definitely #1 ranked bitch for the 2012-2013 ASCA year. She was hard to beat! I am glad we were not sharing the same rings every single weekend!

Thank you Glenda Stephenson!

Thumper and Aria, just for fun.

Then it got ugly.

And so Thumper's full time year with his magical handler Maria came to an end. I won't pretend I am not absolutely THRILLED to have my baby back home but I am forever in debt to the Neff team for their endless support and work toward our goals this year, and for their friendship as well. Maria is a true talent, as I time and time again saw her pull a terrific performance out of a dog that sometimes lacked focus or  interest. Virtually every single weekend they were out traveling and showing in all sorts of conditions. I am so glad my dog could be her first full-time special , and so glad SHE could be his special handler.

It will be a couple of weeks before all the final months'-worth of ASCA shows are entered into the ASCA record books. Once that job is complete we should know Thumper's final position in the standings. We know who the Top 3 will be (Thumper, Aria and Jasa Hatcher's Memphis, out of California). The final order is to be determined. Stay tuned!

Weekend at Hoosier Working ASC

Thumper Best Opp under Sunday Miles
Best of Breed under Lynn Cobb-Conn
Best Opp under Gail Karamelagos
Best of Breed under Wendy Summers
Best of Breed nder Evie Sullivan


Thanks to Maria Neff of course!  Pictures to follow, if we like any!

Back from USASA Nationals, etc

Spent a week+ away from home at the USASA National Specialty where I saw a marked increase in quality in the breed, with many of the best young dogs sired by Cash (Ch. Harmony Hill's Money Talks), Satin and Luster's grandsire.

Maria taking Thumper around the big (REALLY big) ring at Purina's events center last week.

For Inkwell it was a short session in the ring, Thumper has never looked better and Linda Robey did bring him through one cut but not through the next one. Overall I did see many of the best dogs in the ring advance and I felt she judged dogs only, which is all many of us ask.

The rest of the past couple of weekend's results:

Fri 4/18 AKC in Terra Haute KC:  BOB and made cut in group (Peggy Beisel-McIlwaine)

One of the ASC-MI show wins

4 show Weekend in Kalamazoo MI (ASC-MI ASCA shows) BOB x2 (judges Sharon Griffen and Jeff Kitner)

4/27/13  Eaton OH AKC show   BOB and Group 2  (John Reeve-Newson)
4/28/13  Same club                     BOB and Group 2  (Barbara Alderman)

The next shows are ASCA shows as we reach the end of the ASCA year, with different adventures scheduled. 


In other news, Thumper son Monarch (Milwin's Monarch of Dove Creek) went RWD with his owner at the Bear Delaware AKC shows.

Thumper son Wyatt (NInebark Cowboys and Indians) earned his CGC last week with owner Ashley Roeser.

Ribbon daughter and Satin sister Favor (Inkwell's Token of Affection) made her national specialty debut in agility last week, getting a Q ribbon toward her Novice JWW title. She will be an absolute whirlwind once she settles in. Meanwhile she is fast and above all, is having fun with owner and handler Julie Rigby.

Julie and Favor in the BIG Purina agility ring.

Got ASCA Ch. Milwin Inkwell Black Satin (Satin's) win shots from the Western PA KC shows, will get her back into the AKC ring in a couple of months.

First AKC points, judge Robt Indeglia

2nd AKC points, crossed over for the Major and BOS over a special, for her first major. Judge Linda More.

Sammy (Inkwell's Imagine That, CDX) is preparing for the Utility ring with owner and handler Donna Johnson.

Sammy with a visit from his mother Ribbon; I'm holding Sammy and Eileen, one of Sammy's moms, has Ribbon. 

In Colorado Ninebark The Gypsy Run (Runner) continues to train with owner Alexis for agility, Obedience, rally, etc etc LOL. As well as continuing some conformation training. He is growing up fast and looking good.

Runner at about 10 months.

Lastly (for now),  I have learned that Painter (AKC Ch. Inkwell's Paintbrush of Milwin OA NF) with his agility titles has completed requirements for Ribbon to be awarded ROMX1 status!!!   She has:

2 conformation champions (Painter, Thumper)
1 Obedience CDX  (Sammy)
1 Rally Excellent (Sammy)
1Open agilty and 1 novice fast (Painter)

 In addition I expect more of her get to obtain Obedience titles (Thumper ), agility titles (Favor) and conformation championships (Satin and Luster).
So I'd better gather all these certificates and send them in for her! Then she will be AKC/ASCA Ch. Milwin's Silver Ribbon at Inkwell ROMX1 .

Reeeebon!

 

So fortunate to have all wonderful owners of her puppies, whether they are training for competition or simply to be good companions.

Some show weekends

Buckeye ASC shows in Medina OH: in 4 shows: BOB x2 and BOS x1
Show-Me State ASC in Greenridge, MO: in 5 shows: BOBx3 and BOS x 1.  These are for Thumper, incidentally.

Thank you especially to ASCA BJ Kristina Churchill for the nod.

We are in the home stretch of the ASCA year and I will have Thumper home after May 28 to start his competition obedience training. Several breedings are in the books for him as well, now that he will be home, and now that his first litters are a year old. 

Judge Kristina Churchill

Luster at 20 months

Can't believe Luster and Satin will be 2 in early June. Thanks to Jeff Margeson these now photos of Luster show him as he is right now. Handsome sweet boy.

He also was Winners Dog twice at the Blue Ridge ASC shows in March for a major and some singles. Not sure where he is in points now but he is on the board.

Western PA AKC shows

Western Pennsylvania KC shows (AKC) in Monroeville this weekend where Satin had her AKC debut. Day 1, judge Robert Indeglia, she was winners bitch for one point; there was a major in boys but the judge didn't cross over. Thumper was BOB.

Moving in the group ring

Always at his best with Maria

Day 2 Satin went WB, Best of Winners and Best Opp (over 2 bitch specials) for her first AKC Major. She was BOS to Thumper.  Maria showed both of them for me and the judge was Linda More.

Satin in the ring on Easter Sunday on her way to BOW/BOS

Thumper puppies continued

A nice snapshot of Posey, a blue merle girl from Thumper's litter with Henna (Sonrise Little Red Hen) in Canada. She looks happy enough, I think!