March 2009 - Jodi earns her first show point at the Apple Valley Kennel Club, under judge William Bergum. Thanks to Deborah Frane for snapping this candid at the Rio Hondo show, while we were in the ring. Jodi's tail is always up when she's moving, but when she's thinking too hard about the liver in my hand, the tail droops.
The conformation standard is confusing to judges when it comes to color. Verbatim . . . "tri-colors are allowed, but not preferred". It does NOT say "should be PENALIZED", but unfortunately quite a few judges do not understand that. "Not preferred" simply means a properly marked tri-color is equal to orange/white and liver/white, and should not be a consideration in placements.
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| Jodi free stacks like a CH! |
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May 2009 - With Roger Kibbee (pro handler) Joy earns her first 2 show points at the Rio Hondo KC shows. Joy is the 5th Bernie daughter to earn CH points, including her littermate, Jada. Congratulations to Mike and Deborah!
January 2006 - I was sitting on the balcony of the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Orlando, FL when I got the call from our friends Mike & Deborah Frane. Joy won the Amateur Walking Derby at the Greater Phoenix BC club field trial, at the beautiful Empire Cienega Wildlife Area, near Sonoita, AZ. With a smart forward race, and 3 finds punctuated with very stylish points, Joy was a decisive winner. We are so happy for our friends, who have given Joy the life most Brittanys can only dream of - HUNTING A LOT - and curling up in Mike's lap when the day is done.
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| New Champion - CH Simply Irresistible! |
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| CH Simply Irresistible |
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Kandy finished her CH title on July 28, 2006 by going Winner's Bitch/ Best of Winners for 4 points, at the Bexar County Kennel Club show in San Antonio, TX. Handled by Clint Livingston, Judge Shirley Limoges found Kandy to be "Simply Irresistible", which is how we've looked at her since the day she was born . . .
The photo above was taken at the Contra Costa KC show in June 2006, a month after she was photographed for new packaging for Eukanuba dog food. The studio promised to call us again because they really liked her.
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NFC/DC/AFC Tequila’s Joker x FC Missfit’s Radikewell Krista
Breeder: Marc Rittner
April 7, 2006 -
Mike earned his Field Champion title last weekend at the LaSalle Brittany Club’s Spring field trial by placing 2nd in the Open All-Age stake (25+ starters), with Bob Burchett handling. Coincidentally, his mom Krista earned her FC title on the same grounds, after winning the the Open All Age (45 starters) at the Hoosier BC trial in April 1998, also handled by Bob.
In March of 2002, Mike won the ABC Central Region All-Age Futurity with a gutsy performance in brutal winter storm conditions (Danville, IL). Mike always found birds, and easily won 5-6 Puppy and Derby stakes on the West Coast and Midwest. He beat (now) FC/AFC Redlines Tequila Smoker and other winners, for the California Brittany Club Juvenile Field Dog of the Year in 2001.
Bob always told us Mike was going to be a great one, but at the age of four our faith was waning (and finances) as adult placements were few and far between. Bob persuaded us to let another one of his customer’s take over as Mike’s owner, so Calvin Graham has been paying the bills since July 2004. (But Mike actually lives year ‘round at Bob’s.)
We still think of him as part of our dog family, and I told Calvin if anything ever happened to Bernie, we’d buy Mike back no matter how much it would cost. I hope someday Mike can come back home – I miss him a lot but know he’s happy being a bird dog, training and trialing. Decisions like letting Mike go are decisions that haunt you forever.
We wish the best for Mike’s future – continued good health and many more happy days in the field. If he ever wins the Nationals, I hope I’m there to see it. Many thanks and congratulations to Bob Burchett & Calvin Graham, for supporting and believing in Mike; a new Field Champion!
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