# First Major!!!



## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

Watson got his first major this weekend and I'm really proud of him. We were at the New England Sporting Group Association show, which was a really nice smaller show. There was only one other class dog and we beat him both days. There were supposed to be enough bitches for majors each day, but one was absent so there was only a major on Sunday. So we got 2 points Saturday, and a 3 point major on Sunday by getting Best of Winners. We even got a fancy rosette both days, because the show gets nicer ribbons, so that was a nice keepsake. Welshie people sponsored prizes so Watson won a stuffed toy, some mugs, and leashes. He almost mugged the judge trying to get his toy. Haha

The bitch who broke the major is actually his sister. Their breeder has a young litter at home and didn't want her girl bringing back any diseases. I had to tease her that she broke a major for her own dog. My husband said that if we had known in advance, we should have offered to keep Watson's sister with us for a week or two until it was safe to send her back with the puppies.

It was a really long weekend. We had to get up very early both days, and on Saturday got very little sleep. Definitely worth it though.

Also, on Saturday the judge gave Watson a very hard look in the best of breed ring against two specials. One was the #3 Welsh in the country last year, and the other was recently at Westminster, so they are very nice dogs. I couldn't believe when she kept looking back at him, since usually the judges seem to ignore the class dogs in the BOB ring.

I'm a little disappointed I didn't get a professional picture of our first major, but we would've had to wait through 30 vizsla and after 4 hours of sleep I just wanted to go home and take a nap.

There is a 4 day cluster in June near my house that will probably pull a major, and I really hope to finish him there.

Some pictures of Watson with the toy he won:


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## cookieface (Jul 6, 2011)

Congratulations to you and Watson!


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## ChaosIsAWeim (Feb 12, 2011)

Yay congratulations, he is such a gorgeous boy. We both found success over the weekend then.


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

ChaosIsAWeim said:


> Yay congratulations, he is such a gorgeous boy. We both found success over the weekend then.


Did you show BB?


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## jade5280 (Feb 20, 2013)

Congrats! He is so GORGEOUS! You need to post pictures of him more often.


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## ChaosIsAWeim (Feb 12, 2011)

elrohwen said:


> Did you show BB?


No it was a bulldog specialty, but she did go (slept the whole time and kept friday's judge company)

http://www.dogforums.com/general-dog-forum/275026-jc-gets-winners-dog.html

She shows this coming weekend in Raleigh.


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## TheOtherCorgi (Sep 18, 2013)

CONGRATS!!!!!!!!! That's great!!!!!!!!!!! He looks wonderful!!!!

CONGRATS to you too, Chaos!!!!!!


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

cookieface said:


> Congratulations to you and Watson!


Thanks!



jade5280 said:


> Congrats! He is so GORGEOUS! You need to post pictures of him more often.


Thank you! I think I did a pretty good job on his grooming this time (though he was a huge PITA about it) and he looks very pretty. I'm not much of a photographer, so I generally get pictures when my dad is visiting and spends the whole time photographing the dog. lol I should post more of my random iPhone pictures though.



ChaosIsAWeim said:


> No it was a bulldog specialty, but she did go (slept the whole time and kept friday's judge company)
> 
> http://www.dogforums.com/general-dog-forum/275026-jc-gets-winners-dog.html
> 
> She shows this coming weekend in Raleigh.


Oh, I hadn't seen that yet. Congrats with JC!



TheOtherCorgi said:


> CONGRATS!!!!!!!!! That's great!!!!!!!!!!! He looks wonderful!!!!
> 
> CONGRATS to you too, Chaos!!!!!!


Thank you!


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

I forgot to mention that we got to meet a dog we're calling Watson 2! A breeder I'm friends with (we tried to get a puppy from her, but the pregnancy didn't take) had a litter late last year and somebody in CT got a boy and named it Watson. They are thinking of showing him and brought him out to the show for socialization. The owner is a woman about my age, and she had never even been to a show before, so it was fun to talk to another newbie. My Watson loved little Watson the puppy and they wanted to wrestle in the middle of the show.


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## ChaosIsAWeim (Feb 12, 2011)

elrohwen said:


> I forgot to mention that we got to meet a dog we're calling Watson 2! A breeder I'm friends with (we tried to get a puppy from her, but the pregnancy didn't take) had a litter late last year and somebody in CT got a boy and named it Watson. They are thinking of showing him and brought him out to the show for socialization. The owner is a woman about my age, and she had never even been to a show before, so it was fun to talk to another newbie. My Watson loved little Watson the puppy and they wanted to wrestle in the middle of the show.


Aw too cute.


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## SDRRanger (May 2, 2013)

Yay, congrats! He looks very handsome with his toy.


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## PatriciafromCO (Oct 7, 2012)

congratulations he stunning...


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## ireth0 (Feb 11, 2013)

Congrats! That's very exciting, good job Watson!


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## MrsBoats (May 20, 2010)

Excellent news!!! Congratulations!


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## Shep (May 16, 2013)

Congratulations!


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

SDRRanger said:


> Yay, congrats! He looks very handsome with his toy.





PatriciafromCO said:


> congratulations he stunning...





ireth0 said:


> Congrats! That's very exciting, good job Watson!





MrsBoats said:


> Excellent news!!! Congratulations!





Shep said:


> Congratulations!


Thanks, everyone!


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## RoughCollie (Mar 7, 2011)

Congratulations! Watson is a gorgeous dog!


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## kadylady (Sep 23, 2010)

Congrats! He is such a handsome boy!


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## trainingjunkie (Feb 10, 2010)

Congratulations!!! That's wonderful!


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## Keechak (Aug 10, 2008)

Cogratulations!! Getting that first major is a very proud moment! He is a gorgeous boy!


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## Canyx (Jul 1, 2011)

Huzzah! Congrats to you and Watson!


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## Kyllobernese (Feb 5, 2008)

I have always like Springers but that was before I saw Watson. Hadn't ever seen a Welsh before Watson. He is one beautiful boy, love his coloring. Great that he did well at the show.


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## doggiepop (Feb 27, 2014)

Congratulations. when i first looked at the pic of your dog i
thought "what are those lumps on his legs? it must be
some type of show grooming".


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## Finkie_Mom (Mar 2, 2010)

YAY!! Huge congrats to you and Watson 

I hope you got win photos!!! (And will share them when you get them LOL)


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

Finkie_Mom said:


> YAY!! Huge congrats to you and Watson
> 
> I hope you got win photos!!! (And will share them when you get them LOL)


No photo  I wanted to get one, but the judge had 30 vizsla after us. My husband and I were going on 4 hours sleep, so we just wanted to go home and sleep. I'll definitely get one when we finish.


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## Kayla_Nicole (Dec 19, 2012)

Congratulations to you and to Watson!


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## GrinningDog (Mar 26, 2010)

A HUGE congratulations! I'm thrilled for you guys!


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## Finkie_Mom (Mar 2, 2010)

elrohwen said:


> No photo  I wanted to get one, but the judge had 30 vizsla after us. My husband and I were going on 4 hours sleep, so we just wanted to go home and sleep. I'll definitely get one when we finish.


Hahaha I know that feeling well! I swear nothing wears me out quite like a conformation show. Maybe it's because I still get super nervous before we go in the ring.... Can't wait until he finishes


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

Finkie_Mom said:


> Hahaha I know that feeling well! I swear nothing wears me out quite like a conformation show. Maybe it's because I still get super nervous before we go in the ring.... Can't wait until he finishes


Yes! They are exhausting! On Saturday we went to a friend's house because it was a bit closer to the site than my house. Watson was so overstimulated by his dog friend, and anxious from sleeping in a different house, that he wouldn't sleep and paced and whined for 2 hours. Eventually we just drove 1.5 hours home. Then Sunday we got up at 5 and drive 2 hours back to the show. So yeah, I really wasn't in the mood to hang around for an hour. That's the problem with pictures on the last day of a show - you just want to get out of there. 

This was the first show where I wasn't especially nervous though which was awesome. A little jittery right before we went in, but not as bad as previous shows. I feel like I'm getting the hang of it a bit.


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## samshine (Mar 11, 2011)

Congratulations elrohwen and Watson!! You are doing so great for a beginner. By the time Watson hits his prime, maybe you'll be able to do him justice. That's the way it went with my first dog.  There really is so much to learn to be really good, which is one of the things that keeps it interesting.

I've never quite figured out why conformation is so exhausting. Even when I was young I would always crash after a show. I don't get that way after agility competitions.


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

samshine said:


> Congratulations elrohwen and Watson!! You are doing so great for a beginner. By the time Watson hits his prime, maybe you'll be able to do him justice. That's the way it went with my first dog.  There really is so much to learn to be really good, which is one of the things that keeps it interesting.
> 
> I've never quite figured out why conformation is so exhausting. Even when I was young I would always crash after a show. I don't get that way after agility competitions.


Thank you! Yeah, I did something stupid the first day, and I know I don't show him to full advantage. I'm glad I'm in an easy breed! The first day one of our obedience instructors watched us (she was there to show two of her dogs) and she gave me some good tips. She tells it like it is and I appreciate that (though it's also nice to have he other Welshie people tell me I'm doing a great job). 

I'm not sure if I want to special him, but I'd like to go to nationals next year, and Westminster some day.


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## packetsmom (Mar 21, 2013)

Woohoo!!! Way to go!


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## elrohwen (Nov 10, 2011)

packetsmom said:


> Woohoo!!! Way to go!


Thank you!


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