# Quick Show Update and Brag



## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

Ok, so maybe this isn't so quick. Sorry for the novel! Went to our last show of the summer last weekend, with some mixed success. We were *this close* to getting both majors, but ended up with only two points. So I'm pleased that he showed well, but also kind of annoyed that we were so close. Oh well.

We showed in Augusta, NJ on Saturday. There was one other dog, who was supposed to be shown by the great Ernesto (handler who won Westminster). All of the Welshie people were in a tizzy, because most Welsh are owner handled, or handled by "normal" handlers, not the big name guys. So going into the ring my breeder was pretty sure we'd lose. But we won! Not against Ernesto, actually, but against his assistant (Ernesto showed a special who won the breed both days). We ended up taking Best of Winners, which should have been a major, but one bitch didn't show up, so we got 2 points. So it was a good show, but I'm bummed that we could have had a major if she had been there.

Then we went to Morristown, NJ on Sunday. The same dog was there, plus 3 others. One was in the bred by exhibitor class, shown by a judge (the same judge who we showed for in August). Unfortunately, we lost to the same dog we beat the day before. Darn! But, the good news is that we got reserve, against some impressive dogs and one shown by a judge. So once again, bummed that we missed out on a 4 point major, especially since it's a dog we had just beaten, but pretty cool that we got reserve in that situation. His breeder was thrilled with the reserve. 

One of the class dogs we beat on Sunday went on to win the whole breed on Monday (smaller field that day) and get 4 points. Kinda wishing we had shown Monday too. Haha. It's nice to know that even if Watson didn't win much, he's definitely the same quality as the dogs who are winning and it's probably my poor handling that is holding him back, plus his lack of physical maturity that will come with time. Morristown was our first time in such a small indoor arena, and I know I didn't show off his gait as well as could have, so we need more practice.

The best part was meeting a ton of Welshies including Watson's mom and relatives.

I wish my husband took more pictures. He did take some video, but hasn't been able to upload it from his phone yet. I'll add a link if I can get them.


----------



## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

Sounds like a great weekend and all he needs is some maturity as he is just over a year old. He is the first Welshie I have even seen pictures of, have never seen one in real life. Some breeds seem to be very scarce in our area. I have never seen a Doberman since I have lived here either.


----------



## petpeeve (Jun 10, 2010)

elrohwen said:


> So going into the ring my breeder was pretty sure we'd lose. But we won!


... make way, for The Great elrohwen !!!

Nice goin'. That should make .. you proud, and your breeder eat crow. :bounce:


----------



## Abbylynn (Jul 7, 2011)

It sounds awesome! Congratulations on your wins!


----------



## ChaosIsAWeim (Feb 12, 2011)

Congrats! What's that give him now?


----------



## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

Kyllobernese said:


> Sounds like a great weekend and all he needs is some maturity as he is just over a year old. He is the first Welshie I have even seen pictures of, have never seen one in real life. Some breeds seem to be very scarce in our area. I have never seen a Doberman since I have lived here either.


Yeah, definitely not common! I have only seen one outside of shows or breeders' houses. It was a pretty cool event to find 12 at a show together. He is still very physically immature I think, especially when I compare him to his slightly older cousin. He and his cousin have a lot in common, but I would've sworn the cousin was a whole year older until I looked in the catalog. Once he fills out he'll be really great.



petpeeve said:


> ... make way, for The Great elrohwen !!!
> 
> Nice goin'. That should make .. you proud, and your breeder eat crow. :bounce:


Haha. I think she was trying to not get her hopes up, or my hopes up. Plus we thought I'd be against the amazing Ernesto. I was proud though! Mostly proud of him, since I have no idea what I'm doing, but he makes himself look good.



Abbylynn said:


> It sounds awesome! Congratulations on your wins!


Thanks!



ChaosIsAWeim said:


> Congrats! What's that give him now?


We're at 5 now. 1/3 of the way there! I keeping thinking "We could have 10!" if things had gone our way. Ah well. It should inspire me to practice more for next time, since he was squirrely about stacking and we haven't practiced in a while.


----------



## ChaosIsAWeim (Feb 12, 2011)

Yeah I get why the breeder didn't expect you to win, it wasn't that she thought Watson didn't deserve to win, but rather realization that a lot of judges only look at one side of the leash, and it's not the side the dog is on. And Ernesto is a big name handler who wins a lot, he's not unbeatable, but it's hard, even if the dog he has isn't always the best that enters that ring. It's the way it goes sometimes. 

Yeah it sucks the major broke, but it happens. I can't count on two hands, how many times it happened to me while I was showing Kira, and she only needed one more major. The ESS I show, used to be a reserve queen before I started showing her, she continued to be reserve to majors at times, but we found the right judges and she finally got both her majors, finishing at a specialty. 

There was a lady that came to class last night that breeds welshies, she brought one of her girls with her, very pretty.


----------



## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

Yeah, Ernesto did win both days with the special he was showing (and he won the whole show one day), so of course there was a bit of griping from others who thought the bitch wasn't that great. I think people were mostly miffed about it because they think of the other breeds having big name handlers, but it just "isn't done" in Welshies. Hey, if I were going to hire a handler, I would certainly hire one who I thought could finish my dog quickly, so I can't blame that breeder for hiring him. I probably can't afford Ernesto though. lol I was impressed that I beat a judge and his dog for the reserve, since I assumed there would be some favoritism there.

The two dogs Ernesto brought were actually from Virginia. It takes a lot more dogs to get a major down there, so it's not surprising that someone would send their dogs to New Jersey with a handler. Who is the breeder you met? I'm starting to know the names of people and kennels up here (the shows have been really helpful for that) but I'm still figuring out other parts of the country.


----------

