2010 SPECIALTY
WATCH
(It's never too early
to obsess ... )
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Breeder-judge Sandra Fikes of Kalahari Ridgebacks in Mobile, Ala., who will be judging the 2010 National Specialty in Ventura, Calif., next year, dropped a bombshell on the popular rr-folk mailing list this week: She will not permit the use of bait in her ring next year.
That's right: So long, string cheese. Take a hike, hot dogs. Hit the road, rib eye. No food in the ring. Period, end of story.
Such no-food policies are common in other American venues such as United Kennel Club shows. But the AKC-oriented bait masters are reeling from the news.
"Don't panic.... You have over a year to train your dog, learn to get
his/her attention and focus, and make him/her look fabulous," Sandra wrote in her email. "Performance
people have been doing this for years in their venues."
Hey, look on the bright side: No more scouring the TJ Maxx rack for jackets with pockets, and no more squirrel cheeks.
Online pundits have already started complaining and speculating about what will happen to the cheaters: Will they be caught on videotape and reported to the AKC representative for unlawful use of Rollover? Calf liver in the third degree?
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Little birdies tell us that the 2010 Specialty Committee will be adding a third Sweepstakes competition: Junior Sweeps.
Puppy and Veteran sweepstakes have been staples of the annual Specialty scene for decades. But erratic scheduling of specialties -- the 2009 National was a mere eight months after the 2008 show, and the 2010 show in California won't be for a whopping 16 months -- has played havoc with puppy eligibility. To placate irate club members, the club has twice extended Sweeps classes to include an 18- to 24-month-old class. This, in turn, caused still more annoyance as the 2-year-old dogs trounced their less mature competition.
Hence the new Junior Sweeps class, which would be open to dogs and bitches aged 12 to 14 months. Puppy Sweeps would be curtailed to include puppies from 6 to 12 months (as opposed to the current limit of 18 months).
An even playing field -- makes sense to us!
But still another event to shoehorn in -- where will they find the time?
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Thanks to everyone who ordered our Specialty merchandise via email. We are delighted to annouce that we will continue to sell our chic T-shirts, classy glassware, and clever coffee mugs on our web site, right here.
Free Ridgeback Bumper Sticker with every order. While supplies last!
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WINNERS BITCH...
BUT LOSERS
BITCH MORE!
This ultimate dog show zinger on a gently form-fitting woman's tee!$20.00 T-shirt in White, Pink, Lavender or Yellow Specify XS, S, M, L, XL, 1X and 2XCLICK HERE TO BUY!
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JAVALISCIOUS
You have the T-shirt ... get the coffee mug. "Winners Bitch" cartoon on a 11-ounce full-color mug.$8.00 each CLICK HERE TO BUY! |
OF COURSE
Leisa Temple's artwork is prized for her sensitive depiction of the breed she knows so well. This image of a Ridgeback coursing a lion -- or the tip of his tail, at least -- is a keeper. $25.00 each in White, Yellow or Blue CLICK HERE TO BUY! |
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FOILED AGAIN!
Rich metallic design adds a touch of bling to this generously sized ladies' chocolate T-shirt. Guarantee we won't be able to keep these babies in stock, so order yours today!$20.00 Metallic Ridge T-shirt in Chocolate SOLD OUT IN L and 2XX; limited quantities available in XS, S, M and XL. Email Denise at revodana@aol.com for more info.
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BOTTOMS UP
The hair of the dog that bit you goes down smooth with these 1.75 oz. gold-logoed Got Ridge! shot glasses (with gold rim).$20.00 set of four CLICK HERE TO BUY! |
SOLD OUT!
10 oz. petite gold-logoed Got Ridge! wine glasses.
We will email again when this hot item is back in stock!
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Greetings!
There is nothing sadder than the aftermath of a Specialty -- the empty hotel parking lot, the poop-weary grass, the new, non-doggy hotel guests who take great exception to crotch nose bonks ...
But it ain't over till the big brown dogs run, and to that end, scroll down for some belated coverage of the ASFA lure-coursing trial held the day after conformation classes ended.
Also, talk about 2010 is already surfacing, Check out our two items at left about major changes to the 2010 California Specialty.
Missed some or all of our daily coverage of the 2009 National? Just visit our archive page here to read all our emails from Specialty week.
Now that we have a break from the daily grind of Specialty reporting, we are busily at work on our National Specialty issue of The Ridgeback Register. You've already read our just-the-facts-ma'am reporting of the National in these emails; now subscribers can sit back and savor the in-depth analysis and thoughtful commentary that have become the magazine's hallmark.
Not a subscriber? You can fix that right now by clicking here.
Thanks again for all your kind words, both public and private, on our email coverage of the National.
Our favorite? "I cannot remember when I have enjoyed missing a national specialty more ... "
Until next time ...
Theresa M. Lyons
Denise Flaim
Publishers
The Ridgeback Register
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Dante had his Beatrice, and so, apparently, did RRCUS.  Best in Field at the RRCUS ASFA National Specialty Lure-Coursing Field Trial was "Beatrice" (Kushinda's The Kove Actress, She Wrote), owned by Dr.
Kammi Kai Hefner, Kimma B. Hefner and Karrie Dee Hefner. Beatrice's name will be engraved on the Malcolm G. Masai Ambassador Challenge Trophy (below), a Dannyquest bronze of two Ridgebacks and lions offered by John Rogers. For permanent possession, the trophy must be won twice by the same dog. 
Photos courtesy of Sue Ann Leslie, Tophat Ridgebacks
Veterans(Winner received the silvertone lion trophy below, offered by the O'Neills of Diamond Ridge Farm in memory of "Isis")1 "Moose" (MBIF FC Mwenje's In a Big Country, MC, LCM, SGRC2, SOR, ORC) 2 "Savvy" (FC Uzuri Juba Lee Exclusively Tailor Made, FCh, LCM3, OA, AXJ, NAP, NJP, NF, CD, RN, CGC) 3 "Chip Jr." (Ch. Kennebec Chip Off the Ol' fella, CDX, RA, SC, CGC, TT, TDI, ET, HIC, VC) 4 "Hazel" (Ch. Rare Earth's Element of Surprize, FCh, CD, NA, NAJ, VC) NBQ "Lucy" (DC Rocky Ridges I Love Lucy, SC)  Open A1 "Trixie" (Kushinda's Tails And Legends Be Told) 2 "Rayne" (Rare Earth's Celtic Summer Storm, JC) 3 "Cash" (DC Freedom's Ring of Fire, SC) 4 "Jessica" (Kushinda's My Bad Image, She Wrote) NBQ "Kalicia" (Kushinda's Twice the Veldt's I-Motion) Open B1 "Brady" (Ivorymoon's Speed in the Starlight, JC) 2 "Bititi" (Luvaskis Thomas' Bititi Big Ekundu) 3 "Keanu" (Kushinda's Image of Kimani) 4 "Speed Racer" (DC Umtali's Arrest Me Red) NBQ "Piper" (Tifari's Simply Sinful, RN, JC, CGC)  Open C1 "Cheetah" (Kimani-Kushinda's Cutting Edge, JC) 2 "Sundew" (ARR Sundew Rising, SC, RE, AX, AXJ) 3 "McKenzie" (Taylor Made Out of Savvy) 4 "Astra" (Cynara's Astral Phenomenon, SC, CGC) NBQ "Chase" (U-Ch FC Mwenje's Artemis Mopani, SC)
Open D 1 "Beatrice" ( BOB, Kushinda's The Kove Actress, She Wrote) 2 "Sanyati" (DC Pheron's Sanyati of Kariba, CD, LCX, MC, MX, MXJ, RE, CGC, TT, HIC, VCX) 3 "Kordell" (Kushinda's Look Behind You Texas Ranger) 4 "Adobe" (DC Wheatridge Orion Adobe Sunset, RA) NBQ "Rikki" (Echostar's Thunder by Ridgelea) Field Champion A 1 "Venus" (FC Diamond's Twisis Tempt'n, SC, FCH, BOB run) 2 "Reese" (FC Mystic Isle's Southern Cross, FCh, SC) 3 "Akina" (FC Gamlyn Pocket Full of Mischief, FCh, SC) 4 "Olivia" (FC Kushinda Good Night Olivia, UK, JC, SC, FCh) NBQ "Fergie" (U-Ch FC Ngwazi's Blackeyed P at Mwenje, MC, FCh, SGRC, JOR) Field Champion B1 "Libby" (MBIF DC Intl Ch U-Ch Jabulani's Liberty's Fire, RN, SC, FCh, LCM, CGC) 2 "Een" (Kuluta's Een in 'N Miljoen, FCh, SC, CGC, ET) 3 "Ariel" (DC Diamond's Ariel of Le Creme, LCX3, MC, FCh) 4 "Nitro" (BIF CD Rare Earth Top Fuel Eliminator, SC, CD, LCM2, GRC, CGC, TT, TDi, HIC, VC) NBQ "Storm" (MBIF DC Aslan's Nor'Easter of Tophat, MC, LCM4, LCX5) Field Champion C1 "Rudy" (Rudolph Jabari, FCh, JC) 2 "Gibson" (Ch Kennebec's Braveheart, SC, CD, FCh, CGC, TDi, VC) 3 "Wrigley" (DC Walker Coil Wrigley LeCreme, MC, FCh) 4 "Wanda" (BIF Rare Earth's A Real Hare Razor, LCM2) NBQ "Turner" (FC Seidach's Turn Up the Volume, SC, FCh) |
 The few, the proud ... the triathletes. RRCUS Triathlon competitors are the unsung heroes of the National. After competing in Obedience and Conformation (which this year was judged by Diane Jacobsen of Calico Ridge), these well-rounded hounds slug it out in Lure Coursing for their third and final score. By the time the winner is announced in the aftermath of the bunny chasing and slip-lead yanking, usually only a small knot of well-wishers and diehards remains. Select, or runner-up, awards were very close this year, in some cases decided by as slim a margin as .25 of a point (out of a possible 300 points total).
Best In Triathlon was "Joie" (Freedom's Pride of Northstar, SC, RN, NAP, CGC, TT), pictured here trotting and coursing. She is owned by Carol and Jerry Vesely, and co-owned and bred by Penny Weston. 
1st Select Award: "Tory" CH Rare Earth's History In Motion,
JC
2nd Select Award: "Savvy" (last year's winner)
FC Uzuri JubaLee Xclusively TaylorMade,
LCM3, CD, RN, SC, OA, AXJ, NAP, NJP, NF, CGC, HIC
3rd Select Award: "Chip Jr." CH Kennebec Chip OffTheOl'Fella, CDX, RA, SC,
FCh, VFCh, CGC, TT, TDI, ET, HIC, VC
4th Select Award: "Gemma" DC Dimond's Precious Gem, SC, CGC
5th Select Award: "Shasha" DC Sanyati's Savanna Shasha, CD
The Triathlon Kennel Stake winners were Michael and Suzanne Miller, represented by "Shasha" (DC Sanyati's Savanna Shasha, CD) and "Sanyati" (DC Pheron's Sanyati of Kariba, CD, LCX, MC, MX, MXJ, RE, CGC, TT, HIC, VCX)
Triathlon Breeder Stake winner was Monique McIlhenney of Kennebec, represented by: "Chip Jr." (CH Kennebec Chip OffTheOl'Fella, CDX, RA, SC, FCh, VFCh, CGC, TT, TDI, ET, HIC, VC) and "Gennie" (BIF DC Kennebec's Queen of Heart, CD, RN, SC,
FCh, VFCh, CGC, TT, HIC, VC).
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That's all for now! Like the pooped agility competitor above, your Ridgeback Register newsletter goddesses are taking a much-needed break.  If you have friends in the Molosser breeds -- that includes Mastiffs, Bullmastiffs, Dogues de Bordeaux, Tibetan Mastiffs, Neos, Cane Corsos and Leonbergers, to name but a few -- be sure to tell them about our new magazine, MODERN MOLOSSER. Our first issue, with Brando the Dogue de Bordeaux on the cover, mails next week. Visit www.ModernMolosser.com for more information. And then it's on to our next issue of The Ridgeback Register. Look for our in-depth coverage of the RRCUS National Specialty, as well as stories and analyses from around the world.
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