I was getting Cole ready for the show and while I LOVE my dog and can appreciate many of his qualities….. I was feeling a tad puney. Cole has THE BEST temperament, a clean head, a lovely outline and to die for movement……. and while he does have coat, he is not dripping in coat. I looked around at some of the other collies on tables and ex-pens and told Diana as we were heading to the ring with our two littermate specials, Cole & Tirzah, "Cole isn't dripping with coat like some of these other dogs" and Diana quickly replied "AND?????….So what?????" I thought your right…. and I proudly took Cole to the ring.

He showed his little heart out. Our judge Lily Russell pointed to Cole for Best of Variety!!!!! And then Best of Opposite Sex to the Breed!!!!!!!!That REALLY made my day!!!

She gave me several compliments on Cole as we were taking photos and after the show.
She said he was a beautiful dog with a clean head and that he was a wonderfully moving dog.

                                                                                                photo by Randy Smith

I felt so bad for our judge as I am sure she was expecting sunny Southern California….. It was FREEZING!!!!! and SUPER WINDY!!!! She was watching the second second show huddled up in a TARP!!!!
I asked her if the tarp was working and she asked if I wanted to share her blankie…. and I said you mean tarpie…. It was pretty funny.

                                                                                 photo by Randy Smith

At the second show Ty was Best in Sweeps and both Diana and I were thrilled!!! He showed so cute and what a beautiful little puppy!!!

Aquinnah is doing well in her new home with her new family.

Izzy and Aquinnah enjoying the sun.

Danya and Aquinnah…… What lucky girls!!!

Diana came down for the High Desert Collie Club specialties and Apple Valley KC with Tirzah and her two pups Ty & Soleil. It was great seeing all four pups together again and showing them at their first shows at just over 6 months of age. The pups all showed WAY better than I expected as they are out of the flingiest little girl ever!! By the third day they were quite the leaping, prancing ponies…. They are not used to being cooped up for such long periods of time. It was a good experience for them…. getting into the show routine. Cory was sooooooo done with being brushed and fluffed but like drinking out of the spray bottle. June Bug just wanted to race around the ring the last day and I am not sure her feet ever touched the ground…. It was like showing a Lipazzaner stallion!!!!

Diana and I took photos of our 4 puppies at the show…… THAT was tons of fun!!!! Thanks Kate and Tony for helping and putting up with Diana and I and 4 wiggly pups.  This was the third day and they were WILD!!!! They are sooooo cute!!!!! Each has some very nce virtues and they all have FABULOUS temperaments!!!!!

My handsome Cory.

My elegant little June Bug

Ty and Soleil

Cole getting ready for the show.

I just adore my little Coley Bear!!!! What foreign substance???????? It was REALLLLLY windy……hence the do…..

Tirzah

Oh I just love this little girl, Tirzah!!!!!

Grace and Dax showed great!! Dax was Best in Sweeps and RWD and Grace was RWB!!!! I am sooo very proud of my pups!!!

SABLE MERLE POLL RESULTS

 1) The INFORMAL Poll that ran for two weeks at this email.
( collie.mail@gmail.com ) is below:
Tallied – totaled 95 people.
There were 73 Collie Club of America members out of those voting.
Of the 73 Collie Club America members there were 60 voted in Yes, in favor of sable merles being included in the standard;
There were only 13 No votes from CCA members.
There were also 19 Non CCA members that are conformation show exhibitors; 18 voted Yes, in favor of sable merles being included in the standard, only 1 No vote.
There were 3 additional voters that did not ID themselves as cca or non cca members voted Yes, in favor.
Ours is not the only poll.

 2) The CCA CLOSED Members List ran a poll.
There results were out of 83 members, 52 Yes votes for change to add Sable merles to the standard, and 31 No votes.

3) CCA did an interview of 80 CCA members (of 2000 plus members ) just recently … no results have been posted yet.

 Conclusion so far: Of the two polls with results posted the numbers point to adding sable merles to the standard.

 If you have not voted ..or your friends have not voted… the informal poll is open again for ALL who have not voted before, please do so now Collie.mail@gmail.com 

Here is a link to the photos of the SM that was excused by Shelley Roos for being in the wrong class
Photo link

The sable merle meeting at CCA  will be a 11:30am in the Storrowton Tavern  on
the Big E complex.  It will last 1 1/2 hrs.

Sylvie Lingenfelter
CCA National Show Chair

Here are some cute photos of Cole (Freedom x Stella) one of my CA dal pups enjoying the snow!!