Hickory Best in Show at Westminster 2011

It was with joy that we watched Ceil and Scott Dove’s beautiful Scottish Deerhound GCh. Foxcliffe’s Hickory Wind co-owned with Sally Sweatt win the Hound group. Very fitting I thought. Then the long wait for Best in Show.

Sitting all through the evening waiting for the finale to be decided was too suspenseful. While it is no surprise to those in the Scottish Deerhound community that Hickory Wind should win Best in Show (chosen by an Italian Judge Paolo Dondina)  it is a surprise to many people who haven’t yet made the acquaintance of a Scottish Deerhound. We will all be sorry to see Hickory retire but anticipate joyfully her participation as a veteran where competing Senior Deerhounds are given standing ovations by one and all.

A dog show -even the prestigious Westminster  Kennel Club is not the best place to appreciate this most beautiful of dogs. This dog will only really take your breath away when you see it race with grace and joy across a field or know the special bond  generally life long formed between Scottish Deerhounds and their human companions.  A dog not for small or lonely places- an ever social dog requiring close interaction with his owner.

“In Africa I never had dogs of any other breed than the Scotch Deerhound. There is no more noble or gracious kind of dog. They must have lived for many centuries with men to understand and fall in with our life and its conditions the way they do.   Karen Blixen a.k.a. Isaak Dinesen (Out of Africa)

Westminster Kennel Club Website  http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/2011/results/bis/index.html

Hickory

Scottish Deerhound Celebrities

This years Scottish Deerhound National Specialty at Basin Harbor was a fabulous opportunity to see some truly outstanding deerhounds.

Among those in attendance were: Best of Breed: Ch Foxcliffe Hickory Wind, Best of Winners/Best Bred By Exhibitor/Winner’s Bitch: Dhu Mohr Prilly’s Quintessence, Best Opposite Sex/Best Veteran: Ch Gayleward’s Tiger Woods,  Winner’s Dog: Lehigh Damon of Greymorn, Reserve Winner’s Dog: Dhu Mohr Pennant’s Quilleran, Reserve Winner’s Bitch: Foxcliffe Enchanted Evening, Futurity Stud Dog: Fernhill’s Huntly d’lux, Veteran’s Field and Non-Regular Stud Dog: Ch Briarwood’s Obsidian of Vale Vue, Brood Bitch: Ch Dhu Mohr Miaruatg, Best Veteran Bitch: Ch Glassonby’s Desert Rose, Veteran 7-9 Ch Caretta’s Mandolin JC Winner, LGRA AKC Coursing: Anaituil Rockwood Range, Best of Breed: ASFA Coursing: Atzberg Legacy of Caretta JC.

Not being professional photographers we don’t have pictures of every dog, I hope you will enjoy these shots though.

Foxcliffe's Hickory Wind presented by Angela Lloyd bred & owned by Ceil & Scott Dove

Dhu Mohr Prilly's Quintessence

Gayleward's Tiger Wood's

Lehigh Damon of Greymorn owner handled by John Dilberger

Dhu Mohr Pennant's Quilleran owner Sheila Matheson

Fernhill's Huntly d'lux owner handled by Ed Shirley, co-owned Barb Heidenreich

Caretta's Mandolin shown by Alistair Sutherland

Anaitiuil Rockwood Range owner handled by Susan Trow

Basin Harbor Club

We’re Here!

We’re staying in Pinecrest Cottage with a spectacular view of Lake Champlain. Our cottage mates are Barb Heidenreich and Nancy Logan along with- Fernhill’s Vesper, Elegy, Zephyr, Mojo, Bayard and Cailean. A lovely 2 bedroom cottage equipped with all of the essentials, comfy beds, a refrigerator, a coffee maker and sufficient hot water for much needed showers. The dogs were packed like sardines in the front room as we all know puppies have a penchant for shoe chewing & musn’t be trusted for even 5 minutes alone; as we found out to our sorrow in Kentucky when Uncle Ed lost a pair of sneakers and here in Vermont when Uncle Len lost the heel out of a pair of leather brogues. Nancy Logan a long time deerhound owner left her senior dh at home and accompanied Barb H as a travelling companion and room-mate. We had lovely chats in the cottage and shared doggie walk duties. It is too bad that the whole show experience seldom leaves free time for the dogs to play off-leash or run freely. Lure coursing is a welcome release for the dogs and owners alike. I take time each day to find somewhere to throw a ball or toss a stick for our busy girl Cailean. At the Basin Harbor Club the grassy airplane runway was one such place, fortunately Cailean is used to playing with me & capitalizing on whatever space we might find to burn off some energy.

Nose to tail deerhounds

Fortunately tired dogs aren’t too fussy about who sleeps where.

Home away from Home

Nancy, Barb, Cindy & Ed

One of the most fabulous parts of the Specialty being at Basin Harbor is being able to walk from your cabin to the main dining room. Starting the day off with a buffet breakfast prepared by someone other than me is my idea of a great start to the day. Ed Shirley and Cindy Crysdale (proud owners of Fernhill’s Huntly d’lux and Fernhill’s Bailiewick) were in the cottage beside us & as a fellow golfer Ed & hubby Len made good use of the beautiful golf course at Basin Harbor. These two guys can turn a staid dinner table into a raucous celebration and managed to egg each other on so that most meals descended quickly into hilarity.

Ed & Len