Better pic

I had a better version of the finalist photo sent to me.  Although I have a pretty decent camera, I really don't know how to use it properly (and nor does the Luckiest Man Alive).

Thank you John for the wonderful pictures of my bestest dog.

Happy TENTH Momma D.

It's Darbi's 10th birthday today!!  My, how time flies.

I've said to people that Darbi is a good trial dog, but she is a GREAT dog.  Plain and simple, just a great dog.

I'm blessed to have her in my life.

I had a few photos sent to me from the first series of the Canadian National last week of her and I.

Lining up for the long retired.  She looks like she's got it.

Still running hard and loving her job.

Always nice to get the first series out of the way.

Happy Birthday sweet dog.

FINALISTS!

We're back from the Canadian National.

Remember what I said about me thinking that Libby might go farther then Darbi...

well...

forget that.

Darbi is a 2012 Canadian National Finalist!!

She was a warrior throughout the 10 series and 8 days of the National.

We were in GREAT shape going into the 10th series, but unfortunately had to handle on one bird of the water quad.

I can't express enough how much it means to finish a National with her, my first dog.  She's 3 days away from turning 10 days old and she ran with heart, style and precision.  Several people there commented to me that they couldn't believe her age and how stylish she ran for an old gal.

The arthritis in her right ankle was starting to act up near the end of the trial and I could tell that her leg was bothering her, but she kept running hard and straight.  It brought tears to my eyes on line.

Good job Momma D.  It was truly an honor.

Heading out...

Sorry about the lack of posts lately.  It has been busy around here.

We're heading out to the Canadian National in Iron Bridge, Ontario today.  Talk about a long drive...

Keep your fingers crossed for us.

I'm not sure of the internet situation once we get there and don't know if I can blog, but I'll try.

We have 8 dogs going, including my very own Libby and Darbi!!  Libby is only 2 years old, so it will be interesting to see how she handles it all and Darbi is at the twilight of her career and will possibly be retired after this trial.

Libby is going to be a great dog when she grows up.  She just "gets" blinds, has a phenomenal memory and has guts-her greatest quality.  She is a more talented dog then Darbi.  Darbi has age and experience, she is not very easily "tricked" and she has seen hundreds (thousands?) of tests in her lifetime.  But if I were a betting woman, I'd put my money on Libby to go farther then Darbi right now.  Libby is more likely to "blow up", but she is also more likely to do a very difficult water test then Darbi.  We'll see if I'm right...

Plus, we have other Elmingo puppies Meg, Turq and Zink!!

Of course Miikka is coming along for the ride as the official Team Horsetooth Mascot.

More congrats!

I just got word that two of Miikka's kids finished FIRST and SECOND in the Qualifying at a trial in Canada this past week-end.

Congrats to "Eider" (NMH Elmingo's Pacific Eider MH ***) and NEW Qualified All-Age "Maggie" (Elmingo's In Hot Pursuit ***).  Both pups are from a Shaq x Miikka breeding.

Way to go!!!

Holiday???

Kenny and I took a much deserved holiday.

We went to a field trial.

Serious.

I decided Darbi needed one more shot to qualify for the Canadian National since she was running so well.

I want Darbi to retire while she still wants to do this and we're thinking the Canadian National (or the last couple trials of 2012 in the US) will be a fitting place to do that.  Obviously it's a very emotional decision for me as she's my first dog and got me in to all of this mess in the first place.

Kenny and I drove up to Brandon, Manitoba to run 3 Opens in 4 days with two dogs...Darbi and her daughter Meg (Elmingo's Prime Suspect).  Of course Miikka came along for the trip.

My best friend lives close to Brandon, so it was a great chance to see her as well and make a real holiday out of it.

Running this trial was a vacation to us.  We only had 3 dogs, visited with old friends and met some new ones.  The trial was small (20 dogs in the Open) and the contestants had great fun, along with the judges.  There was a tail gate party every evening.  Kenny came up as a supportive husband, and not a dog trainer, and I think he thoroughly enjoyed sitting back and just watching dogs.

People at Canadian trials don't take themselves too seriously and I love that.  There is great camaraderie for the dogs and handlers alike and we sincerely cheer each other on.

For anyone who hasn't run a Canadian trial, you don't know how much fun you're missing.

In Canada, one needs a placement to qualify for the National.  Darbi decided to give me an ulcer and wait until the LAST Open to qualify.  And she didn't just qualify, she WON!!!  She tried her heart out on every test (yes, even the water blind!) and seemed to know her momma was counting on her.

Meg was not to be outdone and finished all three Opens with two RCMS and a THIRD place!  Meg went 12 for 12 series and I was so proud of her!!  Darbi went 9 for 12 and finished one other day with a CM.

And on the left in the below photo, Darbi's daughter "Shadow" (Elmingo's Cedar's Shadow MH WCX QFTR) WON the Qualifying the same day as Momma won the Open and 1/2 sister Meg was third in the Open.

Smiles all around.

Kenny was pretty happy as he knew the drive home would be an extra long one had Darbi not qualified.  I believe I saw him at the truck thanking Darbi personally after the placements were announced.

My best friend and I spent the day off from trials getting a pedicure...and I tried to choose a lucky color.  If you look closely, I think it worked.

Best story of the week-end though: they needed a test dog for the first series of one of the Opens and didn't have one.  I volunteered Miikka, but announced that she had been out of training for two years.  I ran the same test as the contestants did...a triple with two retired.  She smoked it!!!  After she picked up the third bird, all I heard was a familiar voice from the gallery: "You ARE NOT taking her out of retirement!!!".  My loving husband at his finest.

Darbi & Ahti

Proud mother and her daughter (Elmingo's Tic A Tee Boo - Prize x Darbi 2011).

It takes a village to get Darbi's ears up.

Cheyenne Trial

What a great week-end for Elmingo pups!!

My little Ahti WON the Derby at the Cheyenne Trial.

Yes, I know I posted recently that we're not sure if Ahti has got what it takes to be a competitive trial dog...and we're still not sure.  But we decided to put her in these 5 trials in a row so she can see what she's training for.  It is obviously working.  She finished the last three derbies and she's training better and becoming more consistent.

Every dog is different.  While some dogs need 5 trials in a row like they need a hole in the head, some thrive off of it.  It's up to us as trainers to read what each dog needs and work off their individualities.  Some people complain that pro trainers have a "program" and if a dog doesn't fit in that "program", then they go home.  I beg to differ.  The good pros are not like that.  Period.

And while Darbi's daughter WON the Derby, Darbi's son Turq got SECOND in the Amateur at the same trial!!  Way to go Turq!!

Peanut was not to be outdone.  Her son Zink finished FOURTH in the Qualifying at the Cheyenne trial, and her kids Eider and Matti finished FIRST and THIRD in the Qualifying at a trial in Canada!!

Way to go everyone!!

Peanut's Bumper

Miikka loves her bumpers.

Give her one bumper and she'll entertain herself for hours.

While Darbi is happy rolling around without one.

Best friends.

Tired and happy

What a long week-end.

One thing for sure, it is a huge effort to put on a field trial and it does indeed take a village.  I could not have pulled it off without the help of many people.  Thank you to everyone.

The Centennial Trial mostly went off without a hitch and I have to say that I'm glad it's over.

I decided to only run Darbi this week-end as to focus on the trial.  I felt scattered every time I went to line with her, as I didn't get a chance to really watch test dogs, analyze tests or concentrate on the task of running a dog.

Well...Momma D took good care of me and we got FOURTH in an 86 dog Open.  It was amazing.  She was stylish, fun and showed her warrior heart.  She had a hunt on the flyer in the last series and that was her only bad bird of the trial.

The icing on the cake was that Kenny WON the trial with a dog we train named Danny.

The last series of the Open was a quad with three retired and Danny did it perfect.

Miikka's son Zink (Elmingo's Little Man) WON the Qualifying!!  Way to go Zink!!

And Darbi's Kids Ahti (Elmingo's Tic A Tee Boo) and Sleuth (Tartan Mystery Man Of Elmingo) both Jammed the Derby!

The idea of running Ahti to let her see what she's training for is really working!!  I didn't get a chance to see her run (Kenny ran her as I was too busy), but I hear she was a little trooper.

Miss Libby ran a brilliant first series and land blind in the Open, only to pick up the poison bird on the water blind...AGAIN.  Now it's a worry.  She's only two and 8 other dogs picked up the poison bird, including some very nice Field Champions, but we don't want it to become a bad habit.  There's always something to work on...it's never ending...and this one is glaring at us in the face with her.  We can cast her off poison birds easily en route to it, but if she can SMELL it running past...it's game over.

I'm exhausted and will have a nice rest today...and thankfully we have a bunch of tired dogs here too.

Fort Collins Trial

Yet another week-end, yet another field trial.

It's the big stretch of trials here in Colorado and we're working hard.  Next week-end is the Centennial Trial and Kenny, I and other wonderful people are putting it on.  We still have some work to do this week to get ready, but have most everything prepared.

It was a fun and successful week-end for us.

Boomer got THIRD in the Open, Qualifying him for the US National.  I just love this dog and we're honoured to be able to train him.

Momma D got a JAM in the Open too, with me!!!  She ran terrific and it was so much fun to stand beside her.  A little wiggle here and a little wiggle there precluded her from a placement, but that didn't matter to me.  She was into it, she was working hard and she showed us she most definitely still wants to do this.  A hunt on the long retired in the first series was her biggest fault, and we knew that even though she did awesome in the last series, it was still hanging over our heads.

And Darbi's son Turq also got a JAM in the Open, not to be outdone by his mother.

Otto, the little (not so little anymore) puppy I raised (and sold to a client) WON the Derby.  It's been so much fun seeing him grow up and develop into a wonderful dog.  He has a bright future.

Darbi's young kids Razor and Ahti both finished the same Derby with JAMs.  So proud of those two for completing this difficult Derby!!  And their littermate Sleuth was THIRD in the Derby last week-end, also in Colorado.

Libby ran in the Open...and we're very proud of her!  She did the first series as good as any dog we ran, completed a very difficult land blind in fine fashion...and then picked up the poison bird on the water blind.  I can't say we were too upset...she's young and she's learning...however, it was a bratty move on her part.  Overall, we were very pleased with her performance.

Good week-end all in all!!!

A couple of Darbi kids

I've had some pics sent to me recently of Darbi kids.

They are too fun not to share.

"Spur" (Elmingo's Lone Ranger - Prize x Darbi 2011) is growing up to be a handsome guy.

"Bode" (Elmingo's Bode At Full Tuck: Tiger X Darbi 2006).

Bode's owners told me that instead of geraniums this year, they decided to go with "potted lab".

A fitting photo from Bode's owners.

Better week-end for Libbs

Miss Libby got SECOND in the Qualifying this week-end and became Qualified All-Age in the US.  She ran great and we had fun together.  Looks like I got my little girl put back together.  That's one thing we love about her...it doesn't take much to get her working good again when she gets loose.  She's easy, tries hard and is a very bright little dog.

That was Libby's last Qualifying.  She'll move up to the Open now full time.  It will be times of bumps and bruises, trials and tribulations for her, but she's ready and it's time.

Libby's littermate Zink also finished fourth in the same Qual.  Way to go kids!

Darbi made it to the water blind in the Open and then gave me no effort OTHER then getting off the point real pretty.  We hacked our way through it, but I wasn't pleased.  As Kenny has told me, they get unreliable at her advanced age and water blinds are generally the first place they start to "sour".  After running a real nice set of marks, and doing a fabulous double land blind, I was for sure disappointed, but I don't hold a grudge and Momma D owes me nothing.

Ahti ran her third derby...and after blowing up int her first one, she's starting to come together.  She was dropped for a couple of hunts after three series this week-end.  We're a little unsure about her right now...unsure if she has the "it" factor to be a successful trial dog, but we're plugging away and not ready to throw the towel in yet.  She can be a worry wort in training and she's been having a hard time catching on to new concepts, but she's getting better every day.  We decided to start trialing her so that she can see what we're training her for, and she was getting better and better every series this week-end.  Don't get me wrong, she's not a slug when she runs, but she can worry herself into bad spots.  Fingers crossed that these trials show her that this is supposed to be a good time and it seems to be working so far!

Just as expected...

Sorry I've been blog lazy since I've returned from Canada.  I've been busy catching up with life and ran a trial the day after I got home.

As expected, the girls I took up there were more then a little loose after running 10 days without a collar and getting no training...just testing.

I include a picture of Libby running last week-end as proof.

Test Dog

I stole this pic from the NRCC website.

It's of Meg and I running test dog in the first series of the Canadian National Amateur.

Her and I have had a blast and the tests have been fun.

We head home to Colorado tomorrow to run a trial this week-end.

All I can say is that after a number of days running as "set-up" dog...with no collar...Libby and Darbi are more then a little loose.  My expectations are fairly low for the trial this week-end for those two.

Canada again!

I'm back in Canada again.

If it seems like I was just here...I was.

I'm helping out at the Canadian National Amateur Retriever Championships in Red Deer, Alberta.

I volunteered a couple of years ago and I'm a woman of my word.

I'm running "set-up" with Darbi and Libby and using Meg as test dog for the first few series.

Since I can't run the Amateur anymore, it is a good fit and the perfect way to give back to all my wonderful friends in Canadian Field Trials.

While I obviously can't say a word about the tests, I think it will be a fun week for contestants!

If you want to follow the National Am, which starts Monday, you can do so at www.nrcc-canada.com

Good luck to everyone competing!!

I don't think you'll hear much more from me until I get home next week.

Picture Day

I grabbed my camera and took some pics for Kenny's website today.  We've had a good run as of late and it's fun to immortalize it.

Darbi's son Turq (Backwater Smokin Turq).

On the right: Darbi's daughter Meg (Elmingo's Prime Suspect), along with "Danny", who we train.

And the three two year olds we qualified for the Canadian National.  It's pretty impressive.  Two of these pups are Miikka kids and I'm very proud of them all.

Left to right:  Zink (Elmingo's Little Man), Libby (Elmingo's Flip Your Lid) and Riot, whose a riot (LKY's Controlled Chaos).

If you remember, it was just over a year ago that I took a pic of the same three "amigos" for finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd in a Derby in Missouri...they have come a long ways.

So...the elephant in the room...Darbi is the only dog we took up there that didn't qualify for the Canadian National.  She's been running "up and down".  She went 8 series one week-end in Canada, and then went out in the first series both days another week-end.  Kenny tells me that is entirely normal for an "old" dog.  They are unreliable and generally only do what they feel like at this age.  Darbs will be 10 in a couple months.  But she's finished 3 of the 6 US Opens she's run so far this year, so it's not all bad.  We'll keep going forward with her, and I may make another swing up to Canada in a month or so if I feel like she wants another shot to qualify.

But Darbs has been put on a long term arthritis medication for now.  After a long examination and talk with my wonderful vet, we decided that it was best for Darbi.  She doesn't have any obvious lameness that people can see with their older trial dogs, but she does have some aches and pains and general body stiffness.

Darbi owes me nothing.  When she says she's done, she's done and that's that.  But she hasn't told me that yet...she bounces at the door to get on the dog truck and go training every day and she come off the truck at training a little (too) exuberant sometimes.

The vet said he saw no obvious issues with her eyes and it appears she sees mostly fine.  I guess she only looks at what she wants to look at.  I have no problem with it.  Every day I get to spend with her, trialing or not, is a bonus with a senior dog.

Whatever she wants to do is fine by me.

Harper's Colors

Harper is here showing off all her pretty ribbons from the Logan Lake trial in BC a couple weeks ago.

She is Elmingo's Violence On Request (Prime x Darbi 2008) and lives in Alaska.

Way to go Harper!!

I know my website is down.  I've been working on it.  It's my fault and I forgot to change the web hosting before MobileMe shut down.

I'm not very good at updating my website though, and I do most of it through my blog.  I need to add a Libby and an Ahti page, amongst other things, but it seems there's not enough hours in the day.

Good kids!

So happy to see Darbi and Miikka's babies growing up and doing well!!

At the Logan Lake trial in BC:
Elmingo's Violence on Request (Prime x Darbi 2008) WINS the Qualifying one day and had a 3rd and a 4th on other days.

Elmingo's Pacific Eider (Shaq x Miikka 2007) placed 3rd in one of the Qualifyings at the same trial after winning the Qual in Lethbridge.

In Saskatoon:
Elmingo's Little Man (Shaq x Miikka 2009) placed SECOND in the Open one day and qualified for the Canadian National at 2 1/2.

Elmingo's Prime Suspect (Prime x Darbi 2008), after her WIN in Lethbridge, went to the last series in 4 of the 6 Opens she ran up north.

Backwater Smokin Turq (Prime x Darbi 2008) placed in a couple of trials in Canada after, as as you know, recently qualifying for the US National.

And Miss Libby (Elmingo's Flip Your Lid - Shaq x Miikka 2009) also qualified for the Canadian National with 10 staples in her side!  She's such a trooper.  The staples are out and she is fully healed from her latest attempt to harm herself.

While Darbi and Miikka are both spayed, I have my eye out to the future of Elmingo Retrievers.

Libby is also spayed, which makes me a little sad as I think she would be a great addition to the gene pool.

Ahti is intact, but she won't be bred for a year or two at the earliest.

BUT Meg is going to become a mother later this year and I'm getting one!  Meg is Elmingo's Prime Suspect and she is being bred to last year's US Top Open dog FC Fresh Squeezed Juice.  Should be a fabulous breeding and I'm on the list!  I'm getting a little boy to raise and develop, but I'll get a little girl from Meg to keep for myself down the road and add to my breeding program.

If you're interested in this breeding, let me know as the waiting list has already started!!!

I may not have any litters myself coming up, but I'm so pleased to see my lines grow and develop and carry forward.

Internet Withdrawal

We're up in Canada and I'm going through a little bit of internet withdrawal.  I don't turn on the data on my phone, or access it though my wireless card, as roaming charges are insanely expensive.

A quick note to say we're having a great time and the dogs are running well.

Miss Libby qualified for the Canadian National by placing third in the Open the second day in Saskatoon!  She ran a great trial and we're very proud of her.  It was her 2 year and 6 month birthday when she qualified.

And Darbi ran 8 series this week-end, getting to the last series in both Opens.  She finished with a RCM the first day and I picked up her the second day.  I, again, don't think she saw the long bird on the second day in the last series, but we're watching her close.  She still wants to train and trial, so we're giving it some time to figure it out.

We'll get her eyes checked when we get home to see where we're at too.

The weather is miserable today, so no training until it lets up a bit...but it looks like sunny skies from here on out!

I won't update again until we get home.

Momma D keeps rolling...

Darbi has had a great year so far...as a mother.

"Meg" (Elmingo's Prime Suspect - Prime x Darbi 2008) and I WON one of the Opens at the trial in Lethbridge, Canada this week-end.

That is 3 Open wins by 3 different dogs, and two different sires, for Momma D.  And those are the only three Darbi get competing in AA competition right now.  Pretty good.

It was a thrill to not only win the Open, but to do it with a dog I bred.

And Miikka was not to be outdone...her son Eider (Elmingo's Pacific Eider - Shaq x Miikka 2007) WON the Qualifying at the same trial.  Way to go Eider!!

Darbi did not have a good week-end.  She was sick with diarrhea all week-end and went out in the first series both days.  We also had a hard time getting her to pick out the long mark in each test (I ran her one day and Kenny ran her the other, both were VERY long marks).  I know her eyesight was going a little, but now it's worrisome.  The CERF vet told me a year or so ago that it was normal "aging" changes we were seeing.  I think her eyes and her body will give out long before her heart does.  It's too soon to tell quite yet, but she's starting to tell me that it's time to think about her retirement.  We'll keep watching for the signs and she'll tell us when she's ready.

Libby had a good week-end for a little baby dog.  She didn't make it to the long retired on the first day, but worked real hard and pulled off the marks to run the blind and ran a really pretty blind!  That's big stuff for a little dog.  In the second Open, she made it to the water blind and unfortunately was the first of our dogs to run it.  We made drastic changes to how we ran the water blind after we (Kenny ran her) picked her up.  Very proud of my little Wibbs...she just keeps growing up more every day.

And Miikka was the highlight of my week-end.  She ran as "bye" dog in one of the Opens and she thought she'd died and gone to heaven.  I won't make it a habit with her (and I only let her get the "go" bird so as not to strain her legs too much), but it was so fun to stand on line beside my little peanut.

Flames Fan

I had an old t-shirt on Libby for the first days days after her injury.  It kept her from chewing out her stitches, which she seemed determined to do.

Then I remembered this...

I had this doggy Calgary Flames jersey in storage.  I bought it for Darbi to wear at some point...as a joke.

It fits Libby perfectly and covers up her wound.  Better yet, it's made for dogs vs a human t-shirt.

Libby looks like a rock star and I can no longer worry about the t-shirt coming off!

Win-Win.

Atta boy Turq!

Darbi's son Turq (Backwater Smokin Turq - Prime x Darbi 2008) WON the Open yesterday at the Cheyenne trial.

This qualified him for the US National as he already had a second place from a couple weeks ago.

Turq is only 3 years old, and was a Canadian National Finalist last year at 2 years old.

Way to go Turq!!

And Boomer got a third place behind Turq, and needs only one more point to qualify for the National himself.  He'll get it...no sweat.

A great day.

Darbi didn't get off the point on the big water blind in the Open...I'm not so mad at her anymore.  She has two kids with US Open wins this year by two different sires.  Good going Momma D.

If it wasn't for bad luck...

then Libby would have no luck at all.

Let's see...how does it go again with her?

-broken jaw at 8 weeks old

-broken leg at 9 weeks old

-almost had her tongue amputated at 12 weeks old

-found and ate rat poison at 5 months old

-failed her eye CERF at 14 months old

-mastitis after her FIRST heat cycle and emergency spay at 16 months old

and now this...

Poor thing caught her side on the side of a door.

I swear I like this dog...alot...and I'm not trying to have her killed.

Little boys growing up

We had a fun week-end at the Centennial Retriever Club trial.  It was a busy time as Kenny and I, along with some other wonderful people, put it on.  We're a little exhausted tonight to be sure.

Darbi finished the Open with a Reserve JAM.  She ran great, but got out of the water early and hunted a bit around the pond to the last bird.  I think she knew where the last bird was, but she was just too old and wise to make the giant swim to it.  9 1/2 year old dogs know their options and she certainly knew hers.

Only two dogs made the swim all the way to the bird and Miss LIBBY was one of them...as test dog.  She got dropped after the water blind after needing too many casts to get out on the point.  But she was amazing in the fourth and I was so proud of her.  It was spine tingling for me to watch.  Libby needs 1000 more marks and 1000 more blinds to be a consistent Open dog, but geez...she's not even 2 1/2 and she's made it to the water blind in 2 of her first 3.

Libby also got a 4th place in the Qualifying at this same trial.  Not sure what it will take to get her Qualified All-Age, but we're plugging away.  Quals are the most difficult stake to win for a variety of reasons...and I have to keep reminding myself that she's still little baby...or at least Kenny reminds me often when I get too ahead of myself.

I just received some updated pics of Goose and Stewie, two of the Arson x Miikka pups.  They are really growing up!!  Gordie has started Basics and is doing well here with us and I can only imagine that his two brothers are as bright and intense as he is.

Goose has his mother's face.

And his father's intensity.

And Stewie looks like his dad.

Stewie with his big "sister" Emma.

Emma is from the Tiger x Darbi litter of 2006

She looks like she has her mom's aversion to having her picture taken.