Bouviers STAR In The Lone Star State
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to that challenge. Denise and Tom Hunse produced an auction catalog of the amazing collection and brought in a professional auctioneer. Beautifully displayed, the items included Laura Falloneer’s quilt “Around the World with the Bouvier,” a gorgeous sterling silver Bouvier motif bracelet handmade by Tony DiGiorno and Bobby Scott’s handmade stuffed Bouvier statute. Chet Jezierski donated the original artwork used for The Illustrated Bouvier. The Southfork donated two days lodging at the ranch and lunch with the crew to the Auction. Susan Upcraft parlayed the carting relocation into access to the cast of Dallas to autograph a magazine for the auction.
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hursday, October 31 began early with Judges Education and DNA Blood Draws. At 10 am, the first dogs joined breeder-judge Nancy Eilks in the ring for regular classes. A strong advocate for honoring the performance abilities of the Bouvier, she established the Multi-Level Performance awards and managed the first tracking trials at the specialties. Nancy served in various Officer, Board and Committee positions including two terms as President and Show Chairman for the ABdFC. She is active in Judge’s Education and chairs the ABdFC Register of Merit and the Ways and Means Committees. The club hosted an Anniversary Observance between the Dog and Bitch Classes. Winner’s Dog was Margaux’s Call To Arms bred by Sandi Lyon, Priscilla Martin and Lee Calhoun and owned by Dennis and Jennie Specht. Reserve Winner’s Dog was Rocheuses Papa Was A Rollin’stone bred by Colton & Heather Johnson and owned by the breeders with Faris Taylor and Doug and Michaelanne Johnson. Angie Motta and Dayle Sullivan bred both Winners and Reserve Winners Bitches. WB was Bon Idee’s Love American Style, owned by Jacquie Moore and Angie Motta. RWB is Bon Idee’s Luck Of The Irish O’Riley owned by the breeders. Best Bred By was JBB’s Just Take It All; breeders and owners are Patte Klecan, Yvonne Savard and Ray Waterman. Best Pup-
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py was Obvious Boogie Shoes bred and owned by JR Gabber, S. Clute and C. Langley. Brittney Barber with Dante’s Blazing Inferno V.D. Cassiopeia was Best Junior. A specialty highlight for many was the Stud Dog Class. “Casper,” GCH Rocheuses Me And My Shadow Cornus, owned by Frank and Corrine Dreyfus, Heather and Colton Johnson and Karen Brown and bred by Douglas Johnson and Karen Brown was followed into the ring by fourteen of his get. As the spectators looked down the line-up they noted the consistency of the offspring. It was impressive to see so many of his puppies at the specialty and their owners to be so excited to be part of the sport and the event. That evening offered another chance for attendees to socialize and speculate on the next day’s outcome. Club business was addressed at the Annual Meeting and followed by the fun of Bouvier Bingo and an Ice Cream Social. The next day Mrs. Eilks awarded Best in Specialty to the winner of the Top 20, GCh. Stonepillar’s Steel Blu, bred by Diane and Bruce Hamm and M. Sears and owned by Daniel and Julianna Garrison and handled by co-owner Elaine Paquette from an entry of 138 with 116 competing. Best of Opposite Sex was CH Margaux’s Va Voom bred and owned by Sandi Lyon. Best of Winners and Award of Merit was Bon Idee’s Love American Style bred by Angie Motta and Dayle Sullivan and owned by Angie and Jacquie Moore. Select Dog was GCH Ch. Take Aim’s Playing For Gryffindor bred by Mo Hieronimus, Susan Digiorno and Lee Calhoun and owned by Terry and Penny Peterson and A and M Dimercurio. Select Bitch was Ch. Cam’s Just Be Jealous At Rana bred and owned by Catherine
A Humphrey and Marilyn L Adams. Award of Merit winners were Ch. Obvious Sonic Boom bred by Cindy Langley and owned by Cindy with JR Gabbert; CH Quiche Kenzi Girl Laurendell bred by Elaine and Louise Paquette and owned by them with Diane Dumaresq. Best Veteran was Valliant’s Sweet Science at Jasms bred by Jalynn Campion and owned by Jalynn and Joyce Vaughn. The specialty was a wrap with the Awards Banquet. The 2013 ABdFC’s AKC Outstanding Sportsmanship Award bears mention. Recipients Doug and Michaelanne Johnson are known to many as successful multi-breed professional handlers and breeders of BIS Bouviers and Old English Sheepdogs. They have passed on their love of purebred dogs and the sport to their children and now, grandchildren. Michaelanne is always present with a kind smile of encouragement and an offer of help. Doug has served as ABdFC President and Board Member, on the Bouvier Health Foundation and as Board Liaison to the Dirty Beards. The show community may claim the Johnsons but we in Bouviers know they claim us as theirs. Generous as mentors and as competitors, it does not surprise us to learn of their generosity to their community during the Colorado fires of the past two summers. They opened their kennels at no charge to over 300 displaced dogs and cats. They rallied fellow handlers to offer their rigs filled with crates and food should they need to evacuate the kennels if the fires threaten them. Patte Klecan, our AKC Delegate, wrote a tribute to the Johnsons for the ABdFC’s publication Dirty Beards Quarterly, quoting Doug’s summation of their philosophy: “Dogs will come and go, but friends will always be there. Family and friends always come first.”
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nd so it was with the 2014 National Specialty. We celebrated the dogs with the recognition that it was friends’ shared dedication to each other and the Bouvier that brought us to this half century mark.