THERE'S ONLY ONE
WESTMINSTER
The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, first held in 1877, is the second-longest continuously held sporting event in the USA, second only to the Kentucky Derby. This year was the 136th show and took place over 2 days, 13/14 February 2012 at Madison Square Garden in New York city. Because of space the entry is limited to 2,000 dogs. There were 25 Cavaliers entered for judge Keke Kahn and her top winner was
GCH Full Of Malarkey Miles Of Aisles for BEST OF BREED. He is a 4 year old blenheim owned, bred and handled by Patrick Kelly (and wife Tamara) out of Ch Peakdowns Karina by Ch Sheeba Discover Marco Polo. Definitely a lucky show for "Miles" as he was top dog last year also.
GCH Mingchen Canadian Girl, bred by Louise Pearce in Canada was Best Opposite sex for owner Susan Thompson. Another 4 year old blenheim who was sired by Ch Covington Paydirt ex Ch Maryne Paper Moon.
Awards of Merit were given to 3 dogs - GCH Miletree Northern Star, GCH Bekenhall Blue Suede Shoes and GCH Sheeba Mark Twain
Here is a link to highlights of the Cavalier judging. It lasts about 19 minutes.
http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/videos/#/Breed%20Judging/2012/Toy/vid:17885917
Andrew Mueller aged 10, competed with his Cavalier 'Stella' in the Junior Showmanship Preliminaries.
WAGS
A dog lover who took voluntary redundancy from her public-sector job says she has never looked back since starting a business with her two daughters. Susan Joicey took the plunge after 12 years as an administrator in the pensions service and has opened up WAGS (Wash and Groom Salon) for dogs in Monkseaton, North Tyneside, with her daughters Laura, 26 and Kayleigh, 25. “I was really worried about taking voluntary redundancy as I enjoyed the work I was doing, but knew my job wasn’t safe. But now that WAGS is up and running I wouldn’t go back to working for someone else. Being my own boss is so rewarding, even if it is very hard work.”
The family hit on the dog grooming salon idea because they regularly took their own Cavaliers to similar parlours.
“Kayleigh and Laura were keen to leave their office jobs and work in dog grooming,” said Mrs Joicey. Investing my redundancy pay into my daughters’ future is exactly what I wanted to do. It funded them through a diploma in dog grooming at Lincoln Agricultural College so they are now fully qualified groomers, doing a job they love and are a key part of a business that they can grow."
HOW "ART" THOU?
Elsa Marie Kitching (Ixion) from Wiltshire sends this portrait, painted in 1612, of one of her ancestors, King Christian IV of Norway and Denmark, his first wife Anne-Catherine of Brandenburg, their son and the family pet.
Elsa writes "I am assuming Christian's sister, Queen Anne-Marie, wife of King James 1st gave this little Blenheim as a present to her brother when on a visit to Denmark which just goes to prove that fancies pass from generation to generation. Don't be too impressed by my paternal ancestry. Christian had 7 children by his first wife, twelve by his second and two more by his mistress, who was the maid of Wife The Second ! So probably most of Scandanavia is descended from him, including Sandy Tostvig!"
POINTS MEAN PRIZES
Marisa Colavecchia-Fish had a good 2011 with Carolus Lidia Sh Cm who won DOG OF THE YEAR at the Trent Toy and All Breeds Training Club.
Takashi Matsumoto was hoping to make it over for the CKCS Club show this year but, due to work commitments, he has had to cancel his trip. He has a new email address and can be contacted on
takashi@uk.so-net.jp
BRIGHTENING UP THE DAY
Sharon Spevock and her Cavalier, Pebbles are a certified pet therapy team. Sitting on a pink polka blanket with pink bows tied around her ears, Pebbles, brightens up the day of a patient at the Arbors nursing home. “I always had a dog,” said Max and motioned to a photo near his bed. That’s my Murphy. He lived to be 17.”
IT'S ALL HAPPENING AT THE
HUMBERSIDE......
Steve Watts (Jamesbonny) judged the Humberside Club Open show on 5th February 2102 which was unfortunately badly hit by the atrocious wintry weather that was sweeping much of the country. Many of the exhibitors were unable to make the journey because of the snow and treacherous road conditions. This would have been disappointing for the judge, the committee and of course the exhibitors and their dogs who had looked forward to the show. 30 Cavaliers and their owners braved the elements and the main winners were Toraylac Perfect Passion for Best Bitch & Best in Show. Garlouchi Just Magic of Charnavale took Best Dog. Tasset Mary was Best Puppy in Show and Belvelmont Red Focus was awarded Reserve Best in Show
BEST DOG & BEST BITCH
RBIS, BIS, JUDGE, BPIS, BOS, BPD
Secretary Linda Flynn writes “A big thank you from the Humberside Cavalier Club Committee to those exhibitors who braved the arduous trek in the treacherous weather conditions which enabled us to still hold the show and staying for the AGM afterwards. To show our appreciation lunch and all refreshments were free. Although the number of dogs and exhibitors was depleted there were still some lovely dogs for our judge Stephen Watts (Jamesbonny) to make his choice, and it was a great atmosphere”.
...and another success for a Humberside exhibit....
Khatibi Ready Teddy Go To Beaconsfylde gained his final Points for his Show Certificate Of Merit recently and his winning streak continued when he also took Reserve Best Dog at the Humberside Open show.
Humberside Club Points Trophies 2011 
Charwelton Angelic Star at Callyspride won the Salver for Best Bitch to the delight of owners Louise Callaghan and Lee Todd.
Alison Walker and won the Best Dog Salver with Korolevsky Iosef
and Roxanne Hobb's Beaconsfylde Just Lucy (below) 
won the Trophy for Best Puppy
GONE TO THE DOGS
Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world's largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. Barkfest was a brunch held at Bonhams, New York, over the Westminster show weekend. This served as a preview for the art sale "Dogs in Show & Field". Potential art buyers were encouraged to bring their dogs to not only see portraits of dogs on the wall, but also meet others of their species. The event benefited the American Kennel Club Humane Fund. One lot was PUPPIES IN A BASKET by James W Brook. Estimate was $1,200 - 1,800.
CAT'S GOT YOUR TONGUE
Siv Jendresen is Norwegian but lives in Montana and has sent a photo of Percy, (Nordictouch Xavier) a dog she bred. His family in Missouri rescued a mom and 3 kittens who were going to be outside cats but after being neutered and vacinated it was discovered that one of the kittens was blind. "Ziggy" is now living inside and Percy has obviously taken to him and looks after him, like a big brother.
YOUTH AT CRUFTS
Rose Jenkins has two Cavaliers from Katherine and Ming Li, Avalcier Sam and Avalcier Jasper who will be competing and performing/demonstrating at Crufts this year. Sam is in the YKC Freestyle final on Saturday afternoon and Rose, Sam and Jasper are also part of the Dog Activities Team. Look out for them if you are anywhere in the vicinity of the main arena over the weekend
EXHIBITION
The Morgan Library in New York is exhibiting a collection of works from 2nd March to 20th May illustrating how history's greatest artists, writers and musicians were inspired by animals. The exhibition is called "In The Company of Animals," and shows animals as symbols, teachers, scientific subjects, and as man's best friend. The collection contains the satanic snake in Albrecht Durer's "Adam and Eve" with T.S. Elliot's "Practical Cats," David Hockney's sketches of his puppies with illustrations of Winnie the Pooh. The pieces represent vastly different worlds, yet the tenderness toward animals is tangible throughout the disparate works
The exhibition is supported by Tina Santi Flaherty seen above, in honour of her two faithful companions Jackie, a Labrador retriever and Scarlett her Cavalier.
THE DOGGY PADDLE
A commercial photographer first started shooting dogs underwater about 18 months ago when he was asked to do a portrait of a Cavalier who wouldn't stay out of his owner's pool. The near weightless conditions, coupled with the drag of the water, do odd things to a dog. Lips go flying. Fur and ears lie flat. Eyelids are peeled back. Most of all, they reveal the intense determination that dogs bring to having fun.
TOM'S TRIP!
Tom Boardman (Volney) is in hospital in the UK and feeling rather low.
Whilst on a world cruise on the Queen Mary 11, 
Tom managed to fall and injure his ankle on a stop in South Africa. Complications developed and their trip was curtailed when Tom (and Joyce) had to be flown home. A card from his Cavalier friends sent to their home "Pelham". Priory Road. Sunningdale. Berkshire. SL5 9RH, would certainly help to cheer him up.
Get well soon, Tom. The shows aren't the same without you.
Joyce was pleasantly surprised to find that one of the Cruise Entertainers, Antony Stuart Lloyd, was someone she had met through the Cavaliers! Antony is the son of Rita Lloyd who breeds the Cwmhaf Charlies in Wales. I think I am right in saying that Rita has three talented sons all with great vocal skills. I recall how one wowed the exhibitors some years ago when he opened the South and West Wales Cavalier show with the Welsh National Anthem. What a voice!
As they say, it's a small world
GOOD TIMES IN GENK
I visited a Belgian dog show in Genk when I was over in Germany for a few days and it was nice catching up with some of the Belgian breeders who had entered. The entry of 10 Cavaliers was small for Belgian judge Monique Von Brempt who is very well known on the European circuit.
UK CH Miletree Constellation who is visiting Germany for a while, won BEST OF BREED for Klaus Vorderstrasse and I am sure, his owners at home, Peter and Ruta Towse were delighted with the news.
Ivory of Maesllyn took BEST BITCH for Arnold Jacques
Iumbo extreme de la Forge and Glenn du Clos de Larpege
Spring Berry of an Excellent Choise
Indaani Always Shining Star
Jewelstar of Lyla's Dream
RINGSIDE
Ruth Mochrie was happy to see her Downsbank Cherry Companera go BEST OF BREED in the King Charles
DOWNSBANK CHERRY COMPANERA
19TH FEBRUARY 2012
