14.3.10  CRUFTS

WOW!!  WHAT A DAY WE HAD, IT WAS A 4AM START AND 10PM FINISH BUT WELL WORTH IT !!

THE DAY STARTED WITH SHOWING SPOOK (GWP) WHO HAD A 5TH IN LIMIT, IT WAS THEN A MAD DASH TO ANOTHER HALL FOR THE COCKER SPANIELS.  THE CLASSES WERE HUGE AND WE REALLY DIDN'T EXPECT TO COME AWAY WITH A 4TH WITH LILY.  THE JUDGE WAS THE WORLD FAMOUS FRANK KANE WHO HAS TO BE ONE OF THE FAIREST JUDGES THERE IS.  HE EVEN MADE A POINT IN COMING OVER TO US AND SAID "SHE HAS ONE OF THE BEST MOVEMENTS...SHE JUST NEEDS TO MATURE"  OVER THE MOON IS PUTTING IT MILDLY !!

THEN CAME THE BRACCO'S TURN....... THE JUDGE WAS MR C DE GIULIANI FROM ITALY. CONTE WAS 2ND IN POST GRADUATE, BUT THEN HE HAD A 2ND IN OPEN WHICH WAS THE BIGGEST CLASS OF THE DAY NEXT TO THE WORLD CHAMPION (WHO THEN TOOK BEST OF BREED. ) COMING 2ND NEXT TO THE WORLD CHAMPION....I CAN HANDLE THAT!!!!!  THEN MICKI TOOK  2ND IN POST GRAD, AGAIN IT WAS A HUGE CLASS AND I AM SO PROUD OF THEM ALL.

8.01.10  BOSTON CHAMP SHOW...I DID WONDER IF IT WAS A GOOD IDEA GOING AS WE HAD RATHER A LOT OF SHOW, BUT IT TOOK IS 2HRS TO DO A 40 MINUTE JOURNEY AND WE GOT THERE SAFE AND SOUND.  WHAT AN EXCELLENT DAY WE HAD, 2 FIRSTS, A SECOND, RESERVE BEST BITCH AND BEST PUPPY IN BREED...LETS HOPE MANCHESTER IS A GOOD SHOW FOR US TOO WHICH IS IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS

JANUARY 2010...HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY ANDSAL BABIES (AND OWNERS OF COURSE !!) AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE WHO SENT XMAS CARDS, PHOTOS AND GENERAL UPDATES ON MY BABIES....PLEASE DONT FORGET TO LET ME KNOW THROUGHOUT 2010 :0)

DECEMBER 2009....HAS NOW GONE, BUT BELOW ARE THE ROSETTES WE HAVE HAD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR...LETS HOPE 2010 IS ANOTHER GOOD ONE FOR SHOWING

20.12.09 Well i have no idea where the year has gone to, we have been very busy with shows and also i am now at college doing a grooming course, which i am really enjoying,  i will have a separate page when i get the time to do it.  Showing has gone really well, having numerous best puppy in breed and a reserve best in breed, and we have 6 qualified for crufts 2010, not sure if we can take them all though!!  Our last show was LKA where we had a 1st in post grad.  There are a few open shows left this year and early next, but the next Champ show is Boston in January.  I should have been at a show today but we have about a foot of snow and Newark is lousy on a cold day, so we have spent most of the last two days in the fields playing with the dogs in the snow.....lots and lots of photos taken, and will put those on the gallery page when time allows.

My thoughts are will Roy Gill as it is just over a year ago when Ann died, she is still deeply missed by all who knew her

I hope she will be proud of the beautiful solid liver bitch that is in partnership with a good friend of mine.  Fen is still a puppy and is by Birkenwald Xanto, i am sure she would have liked her as much as we do. (photos below)

29.7.09 Hip score results back for Andsal Runa at 3:3 and Andsal Xquisite 5:6

28.7.09  Not very good at keeping this updated but there has been all sorts happening, been busy with showing, Spook had a second at East of England in Limit, Paul's cockers are also doing well too, last week we were at Leeds with Tammy and Blossie who had a third and VHC.  Not sure why but i didn't enter any of mine!  Our next show is National Gundog on the 1st August and i am taking Buddy and two of Paul's cockers

2.7.09 Windsor champ show, the hottest day of the year - who ever invented Air con needs a medal.  Because the public pay an entrance fee we couldn't  take Buddy or Anya but we took Spook, my much loved GWP, who came out of retirement, this was his first show since he took the reserve CC at Crufts - he had a 3rd in limit, and he was a star as always.  I also took the Hubby's two cockers who had a 2nd in junior with Blossie who has qualified for Crufts at her second champ show, and Tammy had a 3rd, so good results all round really. a couple of photos below - Spook on the left, Tammy in the middle and Blossie on the right

Crikey we are now in July, where is the year going??!!  We have been doing some open shows and Blackpool was our first Champ show of this year, and Took Buddy who had a 4th in a fairly large class.  This was his first champ show, so we were pleased with the result.

April - May  Sorry about the lack of updates but its been very busy around here. Vora has given us 13 beautiful babies, we are having to help her feed them, but they are all doing very well. There have been some excellent results in showing and working tests etc, I have put those on my results page.  We have had two outstanding foals as well - they can be seen if you click on the new foals link of the home page.

28.2.09 Wath & West Anya was second in Puppy

21.2.09 Buddy mated Birkenwald Vora today, this really will be an exciting litter, and I cant wait!

21.2.09 Back at Newark again today, Anya was 2nd in puppy, the judge said what a lovely pup but just not as mature at the one that was 1st.  Well she is still only 6 months old!  Buddy was 3rd in Graduate

15.2.09 Went to Leicester Gundog Soc with Anya and Buddy and also the Hubby with his leg still in plaster :0) Anya was best puppy in breed and Buddy was second in Post Grad.  This was the first show for both of them and i am very proud how they took it both in their stride and they behaved beautifully.  Next show is the 21.2.09 (and its the day before i am 40!!!!

14.2.09  Holly gave me her babies today, and they are lovely, they are big strong pups and i am looking forward to seeing how they grow.  I normally name them in alphabetical order but these just might have to have a valentine theme!!

19.1.09 Great news for the Birkenwald affix, Roy has just called me to say that the affix has been transferred to his name, which means that the dogs/puppies,  that he and Ann planned for the future will still carry "Birkenwald"

7.1.09.  Ann's funeral was held yesterday at Yeovil Crematorium, it was a lovely service and and a lot of people travelled many miles to say goodbye to a very special lady, for those people who knew Ann i am sure you would agree that she was a kind, thoughtful lady who was so generous and would help anyone that asked. The thing that will always stick in my mind about yesterday is the song "Who let the dogs out" which was the parting music. Ann would have found that very amusing.

Now for the good news.  Roy is going to continue with the Birkenwald line, both he and Ann had planned the coming years to which Roy will honour, which is wonderful for several reasons, a couple of those being is that Ann would be overjoyed that Roy is continuing her lifelong passion, and it is also wonderful for the breed itself - continuing to expand the gene pool here in England which is not enormous, and quite frankly the pure "English" bred dogs are lacking in just about every way possible. (but that is another topic totally)

Now,  the not such good news is that there are terrible rumours being spread by very small minded people - idiots spring to mind! who have nothing better to do, and we have our suspicions on who it is but WHEN both Roy and i find out who is spreading them, god help them.  I am too angry to say much more, but for anyone who is too stupid to listen - here are the facts.

The Birkenwald Affix is NOT for sale, the only person who will continue with that Affix and the ONLY person that could do it justice is Roy

Ann and Roy's Birkenwald dogs are NOT for sale, other than any puppies Roy breeds

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