This saturday, December 8th 2012, we both – me and Gella “Haute Couture Romantika” – headed to Latvian seaside, Liepaja town. We took part at Liepaja National, whippet were judged by Belarussian judge Sviatlana Radziuk. Gella was entered to champion class and was ex.1, CQ and BB-3.
On November 10, 2012, we took part in Latvian Sighthounds Club Speciality Show held in Riga, Latvia. Judge was Mrs Malgorzata Wieremejczyk-Wierzchowska (Poland). Our show crew included our friend Inga of “Nemuno delta” whippets with her whippet Bianca “Whiteheads Eye Candy”, who did great that day and was ex.1, CAC & BB-2 –> got Latvian Champion title to her credits.
I showed handsome whippet boy “Deimis” “LTJCh Precious Stone Tik Romantika” (owned by Laura Ladygaite & Povilas Morkevicius), who also was ex.1, CAC & BD-2. Our little Kris LV & EST JCH Atomic Love at Stabmeldys” was third in bitches junior class.
Finally we had an opportunity to participate in shows in our hometown, with a venue just about 1km from our house :) – really big advantage after traveling more than 1000km to Estonia and back!
I had both girls entered to Vilnius Nationals on 15th and 16th of September – Kris needed her last JCAC, and Gella was supposed to be shown only for fun. We had not too much hopes for something great in the rings, so I was really surprised with the Saturday results:
15.09.2012, judge Livija Zizevske (LT)
Males open class:
CAC, BOS – Precious Stone Tik Romantika
Bitches junior class:
JCAC, BOB Junior – Atomic Love at Stabmeldys
ex.2 – Absoliuti Idile Be My Bianca Ryan
Bitches open class:
CAC – Whiteheads Eye Candy
Bitches champion class
CAC, BOB, BIG-2 – Haute Couture Tik Romantika
I was really excited with these wins, as our rivals were really outstanding dogs of great quality, so it was a real honour to win against them. After this show Kris “Atomic Love at Stabmeldys” finally got enough CCs for Junior Champion title, so now she is Lithuanian & Estonian Junior Champion.
On the next day we was already very happy even before the ring, as now both my dogs already had all they needed, so there was only fun in the ring :) And still “Kris” amazed me, again winning her class with another JCAC, what a surprise! Her mother Gella was second in champion class with marvelous critics from Polish judge Malgorzata Wieremiejczyk-Wierzchowska.
The results:
Males puppy class:
BOS Puppy – Kotton Sateen Dominija
Males champion class: exc. – Glaucium Persicum Dominija
Bitches puppy class:
BOB Puppy – Kashmere Glossy Dominija
v.p. 2 – bitch from “Noruta” kennel, not sure about the name…
Bitches junior class:
JCAC, BOB Junior – Atomic Love at Stabmeldys
ex.2 – Absoliuti Idile Be My Bianca Ryan
Bitches open class:
CAC – Whiteheads Eye Candy
exc.2 -Extraordinary Delight Dominija
Bitches champion class:
CAC, BOB – Bicolour Tourmaline Dominija
exc.2 – Haute Couture Tik Romantika
Sunday, September 9th, was a show day for us – I took part in Kaunas National show with our youngster “Kris” ATOMIC LOVE AT STABMELDYS, who needs her last JCAC for Junior Champion title. After Vaimela show I was quite nervous about weather, but luckily it was pretty fine – sunny and quite warm day, and also great cheerful company of handlergirls :)
But… definitely we would have try to get last certificate at some other show, as this time “Kris” was only 2nd in junior class under Belarussian judge Galina Pozdniakova. After the ring we took some nice photos of Kris, who now is 12 months old. First photo is taken by Reda Vengalyte, and on second one Reda is handling Kris:
…One evening I just surfed the web page of Estonian Kennel Union without any particular intentions and suddenly just got the idea – “hmm, Vaimela National seems to be quite good place to show my girls”… Accidentally I’ve already heard there are Lithuanian schnauzer owners from Vilnius also going to this show. So – we are in!
Our journey started at Saturday’s 2AM and turned into one of the most exhausting show trips. First of all the car supposed to board our show group of 5 people and 5 dogs broke down just a couple of days before and we were forced to board on a smaller one, so the journey was really “tight”…. We passed through Lithuania without problems and got to Riga on time, but then drove the wrong way and made about 60km on a wrong direction before discovered the mistake. Latvian roads were terrific, rain was pouring all the time – and still we managed to reach Vaimela just 15 minutes before the first ring (schnauzers) and even had time to pitch a tent.
Our ring was scheduled on 2PM and everything would be fine if there was no rain – but it was pouring even harder with every passing hour, so at the moment we entered the ring we were all wet to the bones. Luckily we were judged by really nice judge, Estonian specialist of hunting dogs Mr Elmar Lurich, who made very nice and fair descriptions to both my whippet girls. The results:
“Kris” ATOMIC LOVE AT STABMELDYS, junior class – excellent 1, EST JCAC, BOB Junior, BB-2
“Gella” HAUTE COUTURE ROMANTIKA, champion class – excellent 1, EST CAC, BB-1, BOB
Later Gella was handled in Group by Martina Paliulyte, one of the best Lithuanian handlers, and was BIG-2.
So we got all we needed – Gella finally got her second Champion title and now is Lithuanian & Estonian Champion, and Kris need only one Lithuanian JCAC for both titles.
Journey towards home was my worst nightmare – about 200km of totally dark narrow road full of pits under pouring rain, fog and wet snow, with trucks rushing on the opposite lane so close to our car, that I expected there will be a crush every second…. The moment we entered normal motorway near Riga was definitely the happiest in my life so far, and when we reached the Lithuanian highway it felt like paradise. 4 more hours of wet rain, frogs crossing the highway, lonely fox in the middle of the road and ghostly fog – and finally we are in Vilnius, all safe and sound.
Was it worth 2x Estonian CCs? Obviously not. But you never know what you will face on the road before you enter it. So now, three days later, we are just happy with nice results :) So now it’s some Lithuanian shows ahead…
For several years I had an idea to take part in Bialystok International show, which is held in Poland every year in the end of August. But somehow I never took the final step to register Gella there – until 2012 :)
So we decided to try our luck, and Gella was entered to champion class at this year’s Bialystok show – so this early morning we were packed and friendly accepted as a travel partners by Mrs Ingrida Kareiviene and her husband, who are owners of beautiful beagle female Ob-La-Di’s Little Angie by Stones.
After quite a long trip we finally arrived to the showgrounds, and… our ring is outside and there is heavy rain! Brrr… Luckily, after a 4 hours of waiting for our ring the rain stopped (almost:), so by the moment of entering the ring weather was almost fine for showing a whippet :)
Unfortunately, the results again was not very fine, as we did not get CAC needed for PL CH – “Gella” Haute Couture Romantika was placed second in champion class (her rival later became BOB). Still we got nice critics from Belarussian judge Mrs Galina Pozniakova and a bunch of beautiful photos made by Ingrida – many thanks! Perhaps we’ll try again and will be back to Poland later :)