25 December 2015 – Dog World
So, the last major show of the year LKA has been and gone and 2016 is approaching at a fast rate of knots. For the Gleniren Sunshoo team it has been a year that will be remembered with great pride and joy. There were periods in the show calendar, when the hamster wheel was turning so fast my little legs were burning a hole in the sole of the shoes. But the show team arrived in one piece at LKA and the day unfolded with dreams being attained that hadn’t even been dreamt about. Our Beautiful boy CH Gleniren Shootin Starmaker Sunshoo better known as Travis was declared the winner of the DW / Arden Grange Top UK Dog All Breeds. Excitement was at fireworks level.
We all have aspirations and a vision board of what we would like to achieve at the start of the year, that’s what keeps every exhibitor striving towards that ultimate vision. It doesn’t matter what level that is, it is irrelevant, all is of equal stature. It is simply your very own individual goal.
Slowly climbing that stairway to paradise is the important objective. When starting out in the doggie world (we all start at the beginning with one dog) maybe it is winning a rosette at an Open Show, JW or shCM, getting in the cards at a Champ show, stud book number, RCC, that magical first CC and BOB. Whatever the vision may be, each building block is an important platform for stability onto the next step. Showing, handling and breeding doesn’t come instantly over night, it is a long, thought-out process and as the saying goes ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’.
This year our vision board was set for heady heights, going for gold and receiving the Top Papillon Award, that was our aim. The first part of the year was so good taking three TGP placings, RBIS awards at the Pap Club and UK Toy. Then at SKC (May) we were jumping for joy taking a TGP1 under Julie Sparrow (Casarow), another TGP1 at Bath under Grace Godwin and unbelievably the next week TGP1 under Kari Jarvinen (Finland) at Blackpool.
By the middle of the year the vision board was twinkling with LED lights as we were fifth on the leader board for DW Top UK Dog All Breeds with Lesley Adam’s beautiful little L/C Chi Geoffrey ahead of us. Oh my, we thought all our Christmas’s had come early at that point
Our little Kate (CH Gleniren Kiss Me Kate Sunshoo) was doing well taking cc’s along the way with Travis and so the excitement mounts and we head for East of England. Here under Ann Horan the two received the double that day following on from Border Union under Mervyn Evans. Travis then went on to take TGP1 under Zola Rawson However a dream very high on the wish bucket list became reality, a BIS under Rodney Olham. This followed on with a RBIS under Stuart Mallard at Leeds and another RBIS at Driffield under Jack Bispham. By this point it isn’t only us smiling but Travis is smiling from ear to ear. So the three-quarter leader board comes out and it is announced that the Papillon is in the lead. By now the vision board is having a pink fit and is in flashing LED light mode. This was heights that were just not imaginable.
Many folk have asked me how this competition works. Points are calculated for the championship shows over the year with two points for a CC and an extra one for BOB. Group placing points are 5.3.2.1 with BIS 5 points and RBIS 4 points. To gain the award of being top of your breed is an outstanding achievement, congratulations to all that have done so. A step further is to be top of your group, all those with this title must be bursting with pride. You then have the overall points leader board, being in the top twenty is brilliant, top ten is off the scale and anything else well equates to winning the lottery! A New Zealand gentleman messaged me on FB as he had been doing some Google researching for the competition saying ,” I don’t think I have this right. There were 162 Papillons, 1764 Toy Breeds and 10.599 dogs at LKA alone”. Multiply that by the yearly shows, guess he summed up the magnitude in a nutshell.
So let’s get back to LKA where Mr Peter Jolley was judging our breed. Mr Jolley arrived looking immaculate and ready for the task ahead. A brilliant entry had been received and Mr Jolley must have been delighted. He went over the dogs on the table beautifully, firm with presence giving every dog confidence that all was okay. Always politely clear and direct of where he wanted the exhibitor to be at any given time. A super sized ring so every exhibitor had a chance to let their little ones give of their best.
The principal winners were as follows: DCC / BOB Irene & Glenn Robb’s Ch Gleniren Shootin Starmaker Sunshoo who then went on to a TGP2 under Tom Mather. BCC Jason Lynn and Stone’s Ch Afterglow Adelaide, RDCC Tom Isherwood & Da Silva’s Afterglow Mouseketeer, RBCC Amy Williams Sunlight Vision Of Ringlands, BP Isherwood’s Afterglow Lord Helpus Naf Taf and BV Church and Rutten’s Multi Ch Powdermill Sweet Touch Spinillons (Imp).
Travis amounted seven x TGP1, placings in all his groups except where he was shortlisted at WELKS, a BIS, 2 x RBIS (all Breed CH Shows), BIS (Breed Club), 2 x RBIS Breed Clubs and in the year amassed an incredible 21 cc’s.
The one thing that excelled during this competition was that Lesley, Glenn and I had been the best of friends, urging each other along when meeting up in the group ring. Each one of us had nothing but admiration for those two, fluffy show boys who always gave one hundred percent at every show, so what was there not to like. Of course we were in competition but we wanted the best possible outcome for both Travis and Geoffrey either way, both had done so unbelievably well. Thank you so much Lesley for your friendship. Congratulations for being Top UK Dog Runner-up All Breeds. The Chi folk must be so proud of their breed. Fluffy Toy brigade flying high, how good is that, the Toys coming first and second from all the breeds..
We have so many people to thank, but you know who you are. To all the judges during the year that have made 2015 so memorable, to all the breed specialists that thought so highly, an honour indeed. To the Travis fan club supporters both in and out of the breed, you have all been amazing and chivvied us along the yellow brick road when it seemed an impossible task. To DOG WORLD / Arden Grange for sponsoring the competition each year and calculating the results, it must be a nightmare to collate together.
Glenn, Carolyn and I thank you all from the bottom of our hearts. A dream just came true and history has been made for a Papillon to be top of the podium. F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S. Well done Travis we are so proud of you.
Next week I will give you the results of the winners from all the competitions held in the showing calendar.
Have a lovely Christmas, enjoy, chill- out in readiness to jump on that hamster wheel for 2016.
IRENE ROBB