ZORRO! - Darwyn Don Diego de la Vega - first US points

Zorro attended his first show with other Welsh Terrier competition yesterday and was awarded Best of Breed!  Today there were more dogs entered and he was BOB again for his first major!  Click here for details.

Otherwise known as Canadian Champion Darwyn Don Diego de la Vega, Zorro was shown for 3 weekends last spring in Canada, in a very new/short coat to see if he would enjoy the show ring.  He did - and does!  He did pretty well at those shows - completed his Canadian Championship with a couple of Group 1st wins (amongst some other very nice terriers).
Today's win in Virgina (click here for details) was his first major.  This was his 2nd time in the ring with other Welsh Terriers - 8 entered (yesterday he was also BOB).  What a wonderful way for him to enter the US show rings.  I am so proud.

After he finished in Canada, we decided that we would like others in the US to see our "Monty and Dora" son (since they both did so well at Montgomery 2011).  So, Zorro went to Ernesto Lara to be conditioned for next weekends shows in PA - otherwise known as Montgomery County Kennel Club (MCKC) shows, which includes the leading up shows of Hatboro I, II and Devon.  These 4 shows are also the Welsh Terrier Club of America (WTCA) National Specialties.  Clearly Zorro enjoys his new handler and they are working well as a team!
I fly out next week to watch, while Michael will hold the fort at home (thank you!) .... really looking forward to seeing everyone, the dogs, and most importantly, Zorro and his litter sister Jessie!
Click here for more about Zorro
and
Click here for more about Zorro's litter sister Jessie!

US Best in Show!

Canine Chronicle, has posted Joe's Best in Show win, with a couple of nice candid photos (the ones shown here).

This is a big milestone for Darwyn Welsh Terriers.

  * I have co-owned a welsh terrier that has received multiple (5) US All-Breed Best in Shows. 
  * I have bred a few that have received this top honour in Canada.
  * Joe is now my first home-bred US All-Breed Best in Show winner. 
Much appreciation to Mrs. Barbara Dempsey Alderman for the Group Win and Mr. Mark Houston-McMillan for this historic Best in Show Award.

This show, while relatively out of the way in Montana, was a very competitive show (just like how some of the smaller shows in Canada can sometimes be the most competitive).  In fact, a number of the top dogs in the US were in attendance at this show - including the #2 dog, all-breeds, the multi BIS winning GWP pictured below.  Also on this weekend, Joe (GCh Am / Can Ch Darwyn's I'm Not Arguing That) won 2 Terrier Group 1st wins - so now he has 8 Group Wins in the US and 138 career Group Wins overall - and now 29 Best in Shows, of which 1 is in the US.  :)

Click here for the Canine Chronicle details of the wins.

As you can see by the photos (and results), Joe is in beautiful condition and happy.  This is because of his dedicated handlers.  Both Milton Lopes (pictures in the ring) and Ash Oldfield (above) work together on him - in fact, I understand that in the last few months, it is Ash that is doing a lot of Joe's coat work, and together they do finishing touches.  That's teamwork! 
Thank you both for keeping Joe looking so good and so happy!

New Australian Champion with Reserve Best in Show!

We are very proud to announce that Parker is now also an Australian Champion!  Pending paperwork (of course!  :)
As you can see from the photo, it was a very happy day for everyone.  In the photo, Parker's co-owner Sonya is on the left, one of the 5 Group Judges awarding Parker is in the middle, and Aaron Andriash (Parker's handler from his 2010 shows, is on the right (he flew out to Australia to work with Sonya for a couple of weeks).

Parker is now:
* Best in Specialty (WTCA National at Montgomery BOB);
* Best in Show (all-breed Canada)
* Reserve Best in Show (RUBIS), Australia
* Multiple Group Winner (US, Canada, Australia)
* #1 Welsh Terrier and #8 Terrier overall (Canada, 2010)
* Westminster Kennel Club AOM
* Finished his championship in all 3 countries with top wins from 'the classes'

American, Canadian and now Australian Champion Darwyn's Webslinger

Sonya (his co-owner in Australia) took Parker to his first show a few weeks ago and picked up almost 1/2 of the 100 points that Parker needed to become an Australian Champion, which included 1 Group Win.  Aaron Andriash, who showed Parker for Michael and I in Canada during 2010, flew over to Australia and spent a couple of weeks with them, attending 1 show weekend.  During this weekend, Parker was awarded Terrier Group 1st (BIG) 4 times and a Reserve Best in Show (RUBIS)!

It was clear that Parker remembered exactly who Aaron was, and was super excited to see and spend time with him again.  And, from all of the photos, clearly Sonya had Parker in absolutely beautiful condition.
 
In just 3 weekends, Parker is now (Sep 23/2012) the #2 Welsh Terrier in Australia - wow!  Click here for details. 
OR
click here for details of Parker's Group and RUBIS wins in Australia.

Life can turn in odd ways sometimes, ways that one cannot predict.  I am very happy with the fork in this road that presented itself to me, and Parker is clearly benefiting by being in a truly loving home - as well as the attention and fun getting back into the show ring that he LOVES!

Good luck and remember to keep having fun!

JOE - Best in Show in the US - WOW!

The details are on one of my favorite US Dog Show Blogs:
CLICK HERE to see the exciting details!

It's been close to 2 years since Joe has gone to a regular AKC dog show (other than Westminster Kennel Club in New York) - so far this weekend, he has won both Terrier Groups and today he was awarded BEST IN SHOW, while many of the US's top dogs were there (including the GWP, which is the #2 dog, among all breeds!).

Joe is a pretty darn special dog ... so far 28 Best in Shows in Canada, an AKC all-breeds Best in Show in the, many Group 1st wins in both countries, BOB at a Welsh Terrier Club of America Specialty, multiple Best in Terrier Specialties, Group placements on both Montgomery County (MCKC) and Eukanuba/AKC Invitational weekends (US), Top 10 dog (all-breeds) for 2011 and 2012 and #1 Terrier in Canada (2012) ... and he started out as a puppy to be awarded such things as Best Puppy in Show and Bred By Group placements at the Northern California Terrier Specialty.

This boy has surpassed my wildest dreams as a breeder.  I have owned another US BIS Welsh Terrier, but this win today is just a bit different .... I bred this boy.  He was a singleton and I raised him, trained him and played with him as a puppy and young dog.  Hard to describe - but being awarded a Best in Show at an AKC all-breed show, with such top competition in attendance (Milton is used to that - since in Canada, he seems to always be at the shows that have the top dogs at!) is a living dream.

Another 2 US Welsh Terrier Specialty Wins!

Last month I attended a US Welsh Terrier Regional Breed Specialty (WSWTC) and brought 2 Welsh Terriers - Dora and Trooper.  Dora, who was Winner Bitch (and AOM from the classes) at the WTCA National Specialty at Montgomery last October, and who had her second litter a few months ago, was awarded Best of Breed.  So, she is now officially BISS Am Ch. Darwyn's Dora the Explorer!  Admittedly, Dora wasn't quite in the same coat condition she was in last October, but the breeder-judge, Mr. RC Williams of the well-known La Sierra Welsh Terriers of California didn't seem to have a problem finding her and giving her this award.

I also brought with me a young dog, Trooper --  Darwyn Here for a Good Time.  This was his second show, and I put him in to see how he would do and to support the club.  He did very well, going Best of  Winners at the Breed Specialty and multiple times on the weekend for his first points.  He still looks like a young dog, and like his sire, I think he will be best in a year or so ... so, for now, he will only go to the odd show and mostly just enjoy being a dog at home with us. 

Many thanks to Mr. Williams for these breed specialty wins, and to Barb Decker and the rest of the show committee for organizing this wonderful annual event.  If I did not have to rush home due to a dog at the vet in surgery, I would have stayed for the wonderful dinner and silent auction ... next year I'll be there for sure!

In fact Michael and I just got back from a vacation to Long Beach/Tofino area and have many wonderful photos of this boy playing on the beach and enjoying boat rides ... stay tuned!

Darwyn Welsh Terrier now in Germany

After spending a wonderful week at our home with Regina Schmid, of vom Granitfelsen Welsh Terriers, we decided to send one of our young boys home with her to live in Germany for a while.

We had a wonderful visit.  We spent time learning from each other about shows and breeding, playing with dogs, exploring the area and developing the basis for a good friendship.  Even Parker's new co-owner, Sonya, joined in (via long-distance) trying out her new language skills!  For myself, I relied on technology (I came to love Google Translate!)

Given that they have worked with some of the top breeders around the world, I was thrilled that she really liked what she saw here, both of my adults and my couple of young ones growing up.  So much so that she convinced me to loan her one that I had very high hopes for - a Joe and Dora son.

MJ -- Darwyn's Mighty Joe Young

I am sure you will be hearing more about MJ - on here, in Europe, and for sure on Facebook!  For now, he is just getting used to his new girls, the German Black Forest and his new family with Regina and Xaver.  :)

Good luck - have fun and see you soon!  xxooxxooxx

Earthdog trials in Vancouver area - Sept 8/9 2012

If you have a terrier and are interesting and seeing their natural instincts 'kick-in' for what they were originally bred to do, then I encourage you to check out the next  Earthdog event this weekend.  Or just go to watch!
4 CKC Sanction Earthdog Trials with all tests (IQ, JE, SE, ME) are being held in Langley on Sept 8 and 9.  Click here for details.
I know of one very keen "Darwyn" Welsh Terrier that will be in attendance.  This will be the 2nd (maybe 3rd) Earthdog event for these owners of a 7.5 year old welshie.  After the last event, they did a nice write-up for me which I will post after this one. 
I know a lot of people across North America that participate in their local trials and have an awesome time. I also know of a Scottie owner from Calgary that is flying out for this weekends test.  To me that is a stamp of approval on just how well run she expects this trial to go.
Go have some fun with your terrier!  In a safe way, of course.  :)