TexAun Aussies @ TexAustralian Kennels

After a hectic 2007 moving to New Mexico and campaigning Phil to #1 All-Breed Australian Terrier, we decided to take it easy in 2008 and showed our dogs during about a half-dozen weekends this year. Phil took a Group 4 on one day during shows in Midland, TX in April. Bo and Valle had three successful days in Long Beach, CA in June, including the Great Western Terrier show. Bo took Best of Winners (best non-champion Aussie) on Friday and Valle won Best Opposite Sex (best female), including beating all Champion females, on Sunday at the Great Western Terrier show. We followed that up with Lily, Bo and Valle at three shows in Greeley, CO in August where Lily won Best Opposite Sex two of three days. In September, we took Bo and Valle to two shows in Rio Rancho, NM and Bo won Winners Bitch (best non-champion female) both days. Early in October, we took Lily, Bo and Valle to four shows in Alamogordo, NM. Lily won Best of Breed on three of four days, Bo took Winners Bitch on Friday and finished her championship (hooray!) and Valle took Best of Winners on Saturday. Lily and Bo are both qualified for the Eukanuba National Championships in Long Beach, CA in December. The big question for us…do we defer a long-planned family ski week starting that weekend or not?

Last weekend, we wrapped up showing for 2008 (maybe) in Los Lunas, NM by bringing Phil back out for a warm up for next year when we plan to campaign him again. On both days, Phil showed well and the judges gave him a good look, but gave Best of Breed to another deserving dog. His handler (Bob) was a little rusty working with him so that will be something we’ll be working on during the next couple of months.

Long Beach, CA - Bo and Valle followed their strong showings in Albuquerque in May with more big wins this weekend!

Sunday’s win for Valle was her first major! Many thanks to judges Mrs. Lydia Coleman Hutchinson, Mrs. Roberta L. Campbell and Mr. Keith Lovell!

Albuquerque, NM - TexAun Aussies had a good weekend at the Rio Grande Kennel Club shows, our home all-breed club. On Saturday, Bo (TexAun Mr Bojangles Is Really A Girl) won winners bitch (the first of two “major” wins needed for her championship) and best opposite sex. Valle (TexAun’s My Funny Valentine) took reserve bitch. On Sunday, Bo and Valle put up tough competition for winners bitch again, but came up a little short. Bo took reserve bitch. We also showed Lily (Ch Benayr Tiger Lily) on Saturday to get her warmed up for some campaigning later this year. And, thanks go to Jessica for doing a great job “pinch-hitting” for Karen showing Lily and Valle.

Congrats to Kreg and Bill for picking up a winners bitch major on Sunday with ABQ Candelaria Christhill; to Patricia, Tammy and Kreg for best of breed on Saturday with Ch Christhill Sunny Dunes Tapa; and to Willie, Julie and Carol for best of breed on Sunday with Ch Double Nickel T-Like Teaser.

Midland, TX - On one of the rare weekends that Phil (Ch Benayr Wild-Eyed Philosopher) will be shown this year, he got a Group 4 on Sunday. The terrier entry was small but what was there was tough competition. The White Bull Terrier that won the Terrier Group each day also went on to win Best In Show on Saturday.

It was the first time since October 2005 that Bob showed one of our dogs to a group placement. Betty Bossio took our dogs into the group ring for much of 2006 and 2007 with much success. Bob and Phil were both a little rusty on Saturday (or was it really just the man at the end of the lead). But Phil was all business and showy on Sunday. Among other things, he stuck his free stack after being “pulled” and that may have been the clincher.

Since he slept the whole way home, he obviously gave it his all. And yes, when sleeping on a pet bed he prefers to bunch it up so he has a pillow.

Edgewood, NM - We’ve just been crazy busy relocating to the Albuquerque area, showing dogs and fitting in some fun.  We bought a house in March, sold our Houston house in November (finally) and moved somewhere in between.  We live on the highest ridge of a mountain valley in the East Mountains area near Albuquerque on two acres with the dogs, kids and Karen’s mom…spectacular views - 5 miles across the valley, the “backside or green side” of the Sandia Mountains and South Mountain…skiing, hiking and mountain sports 15 minutes away.  Enough about us, I’m sure you want to hear about the dogs…

Phil (Ch Benayr Wild-Eyed Philosopher) finished 2007 as Dog News’ #1 All-Breed Australian Terrier with the following 27 group wins and placements.  Many thanks to the judges that found him worthy and to Betty Bossio, our handler and one of our dearest friends!  We’re giving Phil much of 2008 off to be a dog and hope to campaign him again in 2009.

01/07 - Nolan River Kennel Club - Mr. Ronald R. Krohne - Group 4
01/20 - Fort Bend Kennel Club - Mr. William Bergum - Group 3
01/21 - Fort Bend Kennel Club - Mrs. Judith V. Daniels - Group 3
03/18 - Galveston County Kennel Club - Dr. David G. Doane M.D. - Group 2
03/24 - Fort Worth Kennel Club - Mrs. Annemarie Moore - Group 3
04/01 - Brazos Valley Kennel Club - Mr. James J. Ham - Group 1
04/14 - Stephenville Kennel Club - Mrs. Mildred K. Bryant - Group 4
04/21 - Bee-Tex Kennel Club - Mrs. Keke Kahn - Group 4
04/22 - Bee-Tex Kennel Club - Mrs. Loraine Boutwell - Group 4
05/17 - Riverside West Kennel Club - Mrs. Roberta L. Campbell - Group 3
05/18 - Metairie Kennel Club - Mr. Paul (Pogo) A. Thomann - Group 3
05/19 - Slidell Dog Fanciers Association - Mrs. Alice M. Watkins - Group 3
05/20 - Northlake Kennel Club - Mrs. Keke Kahn - Group 2
06/16 - Sangre de Cristo Kennel Club - Col. Joe B. Purkhiser - Group 3
06/17 - Sangre de Cristo Kennel Club - Mr. Raymond D. Bay - Group 1
07/06 - Trinity Valley Kennel Club - Mrs. Karen C. Wilson - Group 3
07/07 - Greater Collin Kennel Club - Miss Virginia L. Lyne - Group 4
07/22 - Galveston County Kennel Club - Mrs. Michele L. Billings - Group 4
08/11 - Corpus Christi Kennel Club - Mr. Guy Jeavons - Group 4
08/12 - Corpus Christi Kennel Club - Mrs. Annemarie Moore - Group 2
08/19 - Greeley Kennel Club - Mrs. JoAnn K. Dutton - Group 2
10/05 - Chaparral Kennel Club - Mrs. Margaret P Mickelson - Group 3
10/06 - Chaparral Kennel Club - Mrs. Judith V. Daniels - Group 4
10/13 - Tyler Texas Kennel Club - Mr. Robert J. Shreve - Group 4
10/14 - Tyler Texas Kennel Club - Mr. Adriano Bosa - Group 2
10/27 - Travis County Kennel Club - Mrs. Lydia Coleman Hutchinson - Group 4
12/15 - Mississippi State Kennel Club – Mrs. Dawn Hansen - Group 4

Lily (Ch Benayr Tiger Lily) went on to pick up two more group placements before she went into semi-retirement.  We’ll probably breed her to Phil sometime in mid-2008 and in 2009 work on her earthdog titles.

01/28 - Abilene Kennel Club - Dr. Sam F. Burke Jr. - Group 2
02/17 - Guadalupe Valley Dog Fanciers - John P. Wade - Group 3

Shelly (Ch Benayr In A Nutshell) is fully retired now, has been spayed and we are looking for the perfect forever home for her retirement.  She had her last litter of two (we lost one) with Phil and we have high hopes for Valle (TexAun’s My Funny Valentine) to continue her line.

Polly (Ch Benayr Norwegian Blue) finished her championship as noted earlier this year.  She is in semi-retirement and we plan to breed her to Phil early in 2008 and then start working on her agility titles.

Bo (TexAun Mr Bojangles Is Really A Girl), Valle (TexAun’s My Funny Valentine) and Swick (TexAun’s Blind Man’s Bluff) all picked up points toward their championship.

Regarding departures and tough decisions, we made a lot this year, placing puppies and more mature dogs.  We love all of our dogs dearly but occasionally need to make tough decisions on show prospects.  Patty (Akiba’s Miracle Worker) went to the home of a retired couple near Austin where she gets constant love and attention.  Swick (TexAun Blind Man’s Bluff) went to a family of four in the Los Angeles area and they plan to quickly get him through basic obedience and may train him as a therapy dog.  Lucy (TexAun The Doctor Is In) has been spayed and we are looking for her perfect forever home too.