Bulletin Board - May 2004
Dear Springer Enthusiasts:
May I start out by wishing all moms, both human and canine,
Happy Mother's Day!
We received some exciting news this past month, from the Canadian Kennel Club. Our own Miss Atti (Ch. Nanjay's Miss Atti Tude) has been ranked as #4 English Springer Spaniel in Canada for the year 2003, as well as #1 English Springer Spaniel Bitch!! The points for Top Dogs in each breed are tabulated by the Canadian Kennel Club in reference to the number of points earned while showing at conformation shows; and the number of dogs defeated determine how many points are awarded.
POINTS SCHEDULE: For example, if your dog wins with 2 dogs in the competition, your dog earns 1 Pt; 6 dogs = 2 Pts, 10 dogs = 3 Pts, 12 dogs = 4 Pts, 17 dogs = 5 Pts.
We were not campaigning our girl, or seeking to earn a Top Dog Award. Miss Atti was shown at the beginning of 2003, earning Best of Breed and a Group Third as a puppy. Then she earned a Best of Breed and a Group First her first time out as an "adult" special. She also competed at the English Springer Spaniel Club of Canada's Annual National Specialty Show, in Nepean Ontario on May 3rd, where, at fifteen months of age, she was awarded the only Award of Merit! These special awards are presented to dogs at Breed Specialties after a pre-set number of entries has come into their breed ring (all Champions), and then only at the judge's discretion.
Those three weekends were the only times that Miss Atti was exhibited last year. We decided that three weekends of showing was enough! The house was just too quiet (for a change!) We are very proud of our girl and would like to thank the many Springer enthusiasts for their well wishes and support.
Huge congratulations to Robert Lacroix & Nathalie Clément and "Joe" (Am. Can. Ch. Bryden Malysse Meet Joe Black CD) for winning #1 Springer in Canada for 2003 and also #10 Sporting Dog in Canada for 2003!
Also congratulations to good friend Nancy Bryson, of "Dogs By Bryson" for the "2003 Groomer of the Year Award" she received this past weekend at the Ontario Groomers Association competition. Nancy has won this award three out of the last five years - quite impressive! Nancy runs a grooming school as well as a top all breed grooming shop; "the best" as far as I am concerned - every one of her students knows how to do a PROPER trim on an English Springer Spaniel!
In fact, I was MOST impressed with the grooming seminar/demonstration that Nancy gave at the OGA competition this weekend - one of the best I have seen. Nancy was teaching the groomers how to groom -- all of the fine points and details -- and the demonstration was with the best breed possible -- the English Springer Spaniel! Nancy had borrowed our wonderful girl, Nikita, for this demo (Ch. Nanjay's Nickelodeon), and as always, Nikita was a perfect angel and did a wonderful job as ambassador for the breed amongst several professional groomers from Ontario and surrounding area. Thank you to Nikita's parents for allowing me to borrow Nikki for the weekend.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the families who have "lent" me their precious Springers for some of these grooming competitions over the past two years. I have provided some Nanjay Springers to the Canadian team for competitions and it is most appreciated. May I offer special thanks to "Nike" and his family Nina, Randy, Brent and Ryan; to "Riggs" and his parents, Ed & Glenna; and of course to "Bailey" and his family John, Heather and all the boys.
As my regular "visitors" may have noticed, we are now attempting to update the Bulletin Board monthly. If you are a member of the Nanjay family, and have some news about your Springer you would like to share with us, just send me an e-mail and we will post the news.
Till then, take care, Happy Spring, and as always, have fun with your Springers.
And here's my quote for the month, with Mother's Day in mind:
"Every boy should have two things: a dog, and a mother willing to let him have one." ~ author unknown ~
Nan and the Nanjay Fur Patrol
A Mother's Blessing
Of all the special joys in life,
The big ones and the small,
A mother's love and tenderness
Is the greatest of them all.
~ author unknown ~
