My Champion Welsh Terriers
To date 16 Champions ...
- 10 are BOTH American & Canadian Champions
- 1 AKC Grand Champion (and bred by Darwyn)
- 11 are bred by Darwyn
- 1 Obedience (& Rally-O & Agility) Champion
- 1 English Champion
- 2 Welsh Terrier Club of America (WTCA) Best of Breed winners
(Welsh Terrier Club of America National Specialty); were bred by Darwyn!
** NOTE -- To see photos of most of my dogs, you will need to go into each of their individual profiles (on the right) **
The above statistics might suggest that I have been involved for either a long time, or I have a lot of puppies. Well, I have been involved since 1999, and since then, on average had 1 litter a year (some years none and a some 1 or 2 more). I also make a point of NOT finishing my dogs off of each other (ie. while a few times I have shown more than one dog, usually for experience, the public information shows that I do NOT load up the entries, either in Canada or the US shows with dogs of my kennel). I also try to make it out to shows that are either tough competitively (at the terrier group level or at the breed level in the US). I use handlers, sometimes for specific things (either I cannot get to a show, I want to watch at our National Specialty and really see the other dogs, or the dogs are finished champions and being campaigned.Another important thing for me is that ALL of my champions have been pointed, or received their majors, with me trimming and handling them. In fact, I must admit that some of my champions are in spite of me - not because of my skills - especially early on :-)
My start!
I believed, and still do, that it was very important to start with a strength in bitches. I imported my first Welsh Terriers from England from the Saredon and Felstead Kennels (down from Crufts BIS, Crufts Group 2 sires and imported an English Champion Bitch). Since then, I have bred Specialty winning bitches and also co-own a bitch that was a multi-Best in Show winner (and #1 in the breed, and a top ten terrier in the US, with only 5 months of shows - you can see the quality in her when she just strides by across the living room floor now - breath taking!).
Looking back, clearly Honey (Am & Can CH Saredon Mistress Nora), and K-See (Am & Can CH Saredon Chasing Secrets) were the foundation stock to the DARWYN Welsh Terrier line.
The 2 boys that are now being shown (Joe & Parker) are both grandsons of Honey. Athena, who along with Parker, won at Montgomery 2009, is a grandaughter of both K-See and Honey. And, I am also currently growing up 2 youngsters from K-See's 3rd and last litter which I am quite excited about (along with a couple from Paisa's 1st litter). At the end of 2010, I am considering the possibility of combining my strong bitch lines (Honey x KSee x Paisa) in an upcoming breeding during 2010 (very exciting indeed!).
They say that good dogs come from good dogs ... well, Honey's sire, Mel (English Grand Champion & Am Champion Saredon Forever Young) went Best in Show at Crufts ... Honey didn't go Best in Show, but I always said that she got her Championships, and won groups, including the largest show in Canada, despite of my handling and trimming - not because of them! That was back in 1999 and 2000, and I was just learning (I still am!).
I then imported a couple of more dogs - learned from that, that some dogs can be champions but not *quite* the same quality as others ... and they have gone on to live fantastic lives in pet homes.
And, then along came K-See (Am/Can Ch. Saredon Chasing Secrets)! You can read more about her on her page, but just know that it was really Honey and K-See that gave me the 'show bug' ... when random people come up to you and want to buy your dog, or wonder whether you are going to be at a particular show (or not) ... and stop talking with you ... that's when you know that you have a good quality animal! I feel very lucky that I was able to start out with a couple of quality bitches, that good people have allowed me to breed to their good dogs, and I have also learned that sometimes it is the generations that follow that the the real quality comes out - but you need a good base, and idea as to what you want.
Handling and Trimming
I have done much of my own handling, however at times do work
with some really great people. For our large
breed specialties, I have come to the decision that while I enjoy being
on the end of the lead when the ribbons are being handed out
(and I have been there handling), I also
really enjoy watching all of the dogs being presented and
being on the other side of the ring to see how
my dogs compare. The benefits to me to do this
is that it is less stressful (don't have to prepare the dog for the
ring), you get to see all of the dogs being shown, can FOCUS on
watching (closely) all of the dogs being shown (and by flipping in
the catalogue, see who their parents and siblings are)Early on, I showed my own dogs at the specialties, and still sometimes do show puppies. Over the last few years (7 years perhaps?) Wood & Jenny Wornall, and Andrew Peel, of California, have presented my dogs beautifully at the main Welsh Terrier Club of America specialties. During 2009, I was involved in my first "campaign", which Wood Wornall presented Paisa (Am/Can CH Sanherpinc Paisa, co-owned with Mr. Bruce Schwartz), to many (AKC) Best in Show and Group 1st wins - and in the 6 months Paisa was shown, she gained the title of #1 Welsh Terrier in the US (all breed points). Following Paisa's brief show career, Wood & Jenny Wornall and their team showed my boy Parker (Am/Can CH Darwyn's Webslinger) to BOB at the Welsh Terrier Club of America at Montgomery, BOB at Eukanuba, Group Win and an Award of Merit at Westminster Kennel Club! In April 2010, they have started to show my other boy, Joe (Am/Can CH Darwyn's I'm Not Arguing That).
a.jpg "BIS Am/Can Ch Sanherpinc Paisa & Larisa")
In
Canada, I do much of my own handling. At times when I cannot
be at a show, or shows are not at a time when my dogs are in coat, I
will work with some handlers (these include Aaron Andriash, Beth
Hilborn, David & Pat Gignac and Doug Belter).2010?!
Parker came home at the end of March and will be shown in Canada, in limited showing during 2010. In his first 2 weekends out he finished his Canadian Championship by getting 2 Group 2nds and 2 Group 3rds (I handled him one weekend and Aaron Andriash handled him the 2nd weekend). After that he went to 2 weekends with Aaron Andriash while I was down in California at a Terrier Specialty and Parker got 4 GROUP WINS plus a couple of Group 2nds. He's currently the #1 Welsh Terrier in Canada!
Joe, starting in April 2010, hit the ground running at the Nor Cal Terrier Specialty and Sacramento KC. He finished his title and won BOB over his sire, a multi BIS Welsh Terrier (and got a group placement from the classes!). Since that weekend, he hasn't had many weekend without a group placement and WON THE GROUP at WOOFSTOCK (Contra Costa) in California!
Athena was shown in Canada for a few weekends and is currently the #2 Welsh Terrier (just behind her half brother, Parker). In June she retired from the show ring and is enjoying home life. The plan is to breed her this summer ... let's just hope that she reads "the book"! :-)
We also have a few very promising puppies that might make brief appearances in the show ring ... but, we don't want to take away any of Parker's glory, so we'll just have to see about when they come out! :-) And, we are very excited about the possiblity of welcoming into our home a Parker puppy, bred to an outstanding Am. Ch. bitch (Paisa's litter sister!) ... I am off to Oklahoma City in August to evaluate them .... it'll be a while until this puppy makes her debut .... first things first ... socialize and grow her up! And, keep the fingers crossed! :-)
OK ... who are all of these dogs that I speak of?
I have made a page for many of these Welsh Terriers, and the links on the right will take you to their page which provides some pictures and a bit of information about them.
While I am very proud of all of my dogs, champions or not, I am particularly proud to own and/or have bred my Group Winning Welsh Terriers and those that have represented me at the Welsh Terrier Club of America National Specialties (Montgomery County Weekends) over the years. These include...
Joe (Am GCh & Can CH Darwyn's I'm Not Arguing That): finished in Canada with Best Puppy in Show wins, group placements and got both US majors by defeating specials (owner handled!) He finished in the US wtih Group placements and BOB wins over BIS specials Welsh Terriers! He's a multi group winner in the US and the #2 Welsh Terrier (after only a couple of months!)
- Parker (Am / Can CH Darwyn's Webslinger): won Best of Breed at Montgomery (2009) from the Open Dog class ... BOB at Eukanuba 2009, AOM at Westminster KC and Won a 300+ Terrier Group in Portland in January 2010! #1 Welsh Terrier in Canada (2010) with multiple Group Wins!
- Paisa (Am/Can CH Sanherpinc Paisa): a multi Best in Show winner in the US and Group winner in both countries (and #1 Welsh Terrier in both Canada and the US for 2009)
- Athena (Am / Can CH Darwyn's Heroic Endeavour): won a 5 point major by winning Winners Bitch at Montgomery (2009)
- Cyril (Am/Can CH Darwyn Secret Rendezvous): won winners dog and best of winners a few days over the Montgomery weekend (2008), and is a multi group winner!
- Mercedes (Am/Can CH Darwyn Class at a Glance): won Winners Bitch and an Award of Merit from the Open Bitch Class at Montgomery (2004)
- KSee (Am/Can CH Saredon Chasing Secrets): won Winners Bitch and Best of Winners 3 days over Montgomery weekend (2003) ... also a multi Group Winner!
- Robbie (Am CH Darwyn's Heart Throb): finished his American Championship with 3 - 5 point majors, then the next day won Best of Breed at the Welsh Terrier Club of America National Specialty (2005)
- Bentley (Am/Can CH Darwyn Pure Inspiration): Group Winner and won Winners Dog at US Welsh Terrier specialties!
- Becky (Eng / Can CH Felstead Fashionable): was one of 3 Welsh Terriers to be awarded an English Championship in that year
- Honey (Am/Can Ch. Saredon Mistress Nora): my first and won her class at Montgomery 2000 ... She was also a Group Winner (despite her owners newness and lack of skills in trimming and handling! :-)
PICTURES BELOW:
Here is JOE (directly below) at one of his first shows, handled by me, being awarded a Group 2 in the Bred-By-Exhibitor Group at Nor California Terrier Specialty, and below that, Parker, also at one of his first shows, being awarded Best of Breed at Montgomery County Kennel Club!
%20BredByExhib%20Grp2%20NorCal%20TerrierSpec%20Apr09-small.jpg "Ch Darwyn's I'm Not Arguing That (Joe) with Larisa")
