I slept about four hours last night despite taking ZZNyquil - my mind is trying to get around a Reserve Best in Show.  People have carefully planned campaigns and spend thousands in advertising and only a fraction even win a Group.  Dogs on their 5th weekend out showing with NO advertising campaign are not supposed to do this.

I am so humbled by this - I have the best people around me.  And I had so many people genuinely happy for me and Stinger.  I have always had faith in him but I never dreamed of ever getting a RBIS.  Stinger made the Dog Show Poop Blog which is kind of like the Drudge report of the dog world.  I immediately burst into tears.

On Cloud 9 - and heading up to the show now.

I dropped Stinger off at the show yesterday.  Lenny was not there so Jamie babysat him for me.  He fussed at me for Stinger being fat - he is not fat he is just well big.  Thats the story I am going with.

As I drove off I kept thinking just let me get my 8 points to finish his Grand Championship.  Thats not much to ask right?

So I knew the Aussies showed late so at 3 I finally gave in and texted Lenny - no answer.  No worries he is in Groups.  Luckily my friend Carson sent me a message on Facebook that Stinger won Breed - AWESOME!  I quickly checked and that was 4 points.

Carson said Herding Group was going in and I was hoping for a placement.  Lenny's main dog in a German Shepherd named MegaBucks so he was showing him.  Jamie took Stinger in for Lenny.  Casron gave me a play by play and said Stinger looked AMAZING so I was hoping something behind MegaBucks (who has 11 BIS' in the last two months!)

I get a message we got a Group ONE....ummmm hang on STINGER????  I am hyperventalting - I mean a GROUP ONE???  Against an advertised, heavily campaigned and drop dead gorgeous German Shepherd?

My two year old part time REDDOG beat him?

I stopped breathing at this point - I got a text from Lenny that we won Group.  I asked him who was taking Stinger in Best in Show and the textwas to the effect Jamie was not letting the lead go.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would get a Group One.  I mean I am a small breeder, I don't advertise nationally (just our breed magazine), I have a very young Special.  People like me are not supposed to win

Someone forgot to tell Stinger.

When I got the text I did not believe it - Reserve BEST IN SHOW!  I own and bred a Reserve Best in Show dog - I am so humbled and honored and happy.  Stinger just shows his heart out!

The best part is all of the friends that congratulated me - they actually were as happy as me.  I am just in awe.  So the next time you hear the little guy can't win, just have your own Stinger moment!

I made the final trek to Albemarle yesterday to get new shots of the puppies.  At 7 weeks old you can really see what is in store in the future and I have to say the future is bright for these little monsters.  They are all super friendly and active, Shirley and her family have done a great job socializing them for sure.

What we did get was GREAT heads, strong fronts and real toplines - something I don't always see in the breed.  We also got some strange coloring that I had never seen.  Luckily I have some really good mentors that I could go to and cautioned us to wait and sure enough they were right.  We had three dramatic color changes.  And what is interesting t me I have seen more puppies with similar coloring posted on Facebook and the *know it all* answers were so wrong I actually reached out to the owners to caution them.

I don't run around living my life online - Facebook is not real life (I know shocking)  What I do have is a network of people I trust...implicitly.  People who have been in the breed and know the dogs in my pedigree and who want me to suceed.  When they talk, I shut up and listen.  Positioning yourself for success is finding people to trust that will tell you the truth.  And in some moments you listen to a truth you may not like but digest it and move on.

I am super lucky.

So what of these pups?  Well they all have spectacular homes.  Most wil NOT ever have a career in the ring and by my choice that was the plan.  NONE of these puppies were offered to show homes, all of them were sold before birth, many before conception.  I have no interest in building a show empire with my puppies all over the place.  Saying that there are three puppies who will be registed full registration to grow out to see the possibilities.

One is staying with us, the other two are going to people who have been waiting for years (one since Bummy's original litter)  If they don't turn out, they are staying as pets with their families - that is the ONLY show puppy I will sell.  My rules.Have you guessed who is staying?  She will be living with me, her Daddy, Uncle Memphis and Granny Bummy!  Welcome Calabrone Uwharrie Keep The Faith or FAITH.

Stinger capped off the weekend with a Select behind Trent - We now have 17 Grand Champion points in two weekends - absolutely astounding.  While I know Stinger is a wonderful dog had you asked me two weeks ago I would have told you the probablity of getting points was probably not in the cards.

We are showing against well know advertised dogs.  Stinger met Lenny less than two weeks ago.  But as with everything Stinger gives his heart and it is working.  I love this dog so much.

I had to get my Australian Shepherd Journal ad in so I got a copy of his win photo.  Even in the mud my RedDog is sure handsome.