A Great Day!

It was a long day but a great day! I'm talking about Saturday, July 2nd, which began when I got up at 4:30 and left home at 6:30 for a 5 hour trip to West Bend, WI, with Breaker, Raven, Maggie, and Dreamer in the back seat of the Impala.


One of the first people to greet me upon arrival was Karen's granddaughter Emma, who is one of my favorite people. She helped me unload the car and laid claim to Dreamer. Dreamer thought it was a good plan!


The exciting thing about the show was that it has been a long, long time since 22 Lhasa have been assembled for competition in this area. Lhasa exhibitors were there from IL, MN, MI, and WI. It was so nice to see some people I had not seen for a year or two—Melissa, Val, Mary, Taiya, Jeanne, Stacey, Lisa, and Joyce, to name a few—and so nice to be with the usual group of friends again. We get to see each other only once a month on average. We compete against each other but are also supportive of each others' efforts. It is nice to have such friends.


The count was 6-12-1D-3B, and all of us were excited that there were majors at last. In addition, the Greater Milwaukee Lhasa Apso Club (GMLAC) hosted its specialty that evening, so we had the opportunity to show the dogs twice that day.


I showed Maggie in the first show. She moved nicely and took first place in the 6-9 month puppy class. There were two entries in that class. It's the first time she has had competition. The other few times she's been entered, she's been the only puppy. Breaker took Select Dog and earned a major toward his Grand Championship. I was not happy with his showing. We showed in mid-afternoon while the group judging was taking place. He was uncomfortable with the roaring and applause and became very skittish. (Sigh) His days as a special may be numbered if he keeps that up. It's so hard not to compare him to Walker, yet I know that is not fair to him. I guess I've had it easy too long and God decided I needed a challenge.


I'm one of those people who seldom win at raffles or Bingo.  That's one reason I never buy lottery tickets. However, fortune smiled on me yesterday when my $20 worth of raffle tickets yielded four nice prizes! (Given a choice I would rather have had Breaker show well!)


(And yes, I do know if you keep saying, "I never win" that you never will.)


I showed Raven in the 6-9 class that evening. She took first place out of two. Then the little darling went on to take Winners Bitch over the 9-12 Month Puppy, the Bred By Exhibitor, and the Open Bitch winners. What a wonderful surprise! She won 5 points toward her Championship with that win, so now she has 7. That win also earned her the title of "Best Puppy" in the specialty. It was only her third "real" show. She'd been at a match in late May and took best Lhasa puppy then Non-sporting group 1.


Although Breaker was calmer when he was shown in the evening, he was still not sure he wanted to be in the ring and was very antsy. He took Best Opposite Sex to the female who won Best of Breed, so he earned another major toward his Grand Championship. If anyone has a suggestion about calming capsules that actually work instead of simply claiming they do, let me know. Do they make a doggie version valium?? Maybe I'm the one who needs it!  LOL! 


Of course, we had pictures taken to commemorate the event, so I will post them in a few weeks when the photographer sends them.


Dreamer had a great time being passed from person to person. It was good for her to meet new people, and her tail never stopped wagging as people held her. 


By 8:30 I had all the dogs and equipment packed in the car and was on the road for home. Arriving at 1;30, I was grateful to have had a good day at the show and a safe journey home.


Once again, I have to thank the many friends who stepped up to help me, starting with Emma who helped me unload the car and who took charge of Dreamer whenever someone else was not holding her. Thanks to Stacey and Lisa who watched one dog for me while I was in the ring with the other and to Melissa and Joyce who did the same that evening. Thanks to Jan for taking Raven back in the ring while I was in with Breaker. Thanks to the GMLAC members for being so hospitable and putting on a great specialty show. Finally, thanks to Jane who called me while I was driving home to chat for a while and keep me awake.


Life is good when you have a Lhasa to love you -- and good friends to support you!


Joyce