AKC Canine Experience & Match Show

Ember & Josh rocking the rally ring

We had a super fun day at the Suffolk County Kennel Club sponsored AKC Canine Experience Event held in Kings Park, NY last Sunday! An AKC Canine Experience is a multi-club, multi-sport event that introduces and welcomes owners of newly AKC-registered puppies to and educates them about the sport of purebred dogs. The day-long event features educational presentations and provides an opportunity for potential owners to be mentored by experienced exhibitors and club members prior to an afternoon match, during which new exhibitors and future fanciers practice their newly learned skills.

We represented the Long Island Weimaraner Club, offering information on our breed and giving people an opportunity to meet our dogs. There was a mini-Grayhart reunion with pups from a few of our litters in attendance. We participated in Rally run thrus and the conformation match. The Sporting group, including the Weimaraner judging, was judged by Mrs. Toby Frisch, an AKC judge who is approved to judge many groups and Best In Show. She was wonderful to our puppies and very complimentary - a pleasure to show to. After the event, we took the dogs, big and small, on a run and for them, that was the best part of the day!

 Josh and Ember, Grayhart's Light My Fire, (Summit x Jam), only 10 months old, did a super job on their rally run through - their first time ever in a show ring!  Josh and Aimee have been working hard at training Ember in obedience and agility, and it is obvious that their hard work is paying off.

 Bonnie Lane, President of the Long Island Weimaraner Club, had a nice informational booth set up with handouts and thanks to KellyAnn Kwiatek, samples of Natural Balance rolls and food.  The puppies, 4 month old, Martha & littermate Louie plus 11 weeks old, CeCe, were a big draw.

 A little show training for Cece...hard work for a little pup in the heat...

 I also did a rally run though with Savi, who has been training for her CD (Companion Dog) obedience title so the Novice Rally course was a piece of cake for her.  She had terrific attention and was happy to be working.

CeCe was a little star her first time in the ring - stacking like a pro!

 We had an entry of 5 Weimaraner puppies in the match show and it was a group effort to get all the pups in at the right time, figure out who would handle which pup and take photos. A match show is a practice dog show, a great way to get the pups used to the show ring and procedure, as well as get new handlers in the ring for practice.  Match shows are not worth points towards a championship but to win a match show with a big entry, is always nice.  Our Savi, was Best in Show Puppy at this same match show three years ago with an entry of 400!

 The puppies, Martha and CeCe were in the same class.  See what difference a month in age can make!  Martha won the class but I was thrilled with how well baby CeCe did.

Ten-month old Littermates from our Rockstar Litter (Summit x Jam), Ember, Grayhart's Light My Fire, up front with me and Ella, Grayhart's How High the Moon, shown by Steve Lane, in the 9-12 class.

 Ember was up first and the judge told us both girls were so similar she had a hard time making up her mind.

Steve did an awesome job showing Ella (above) and she won the class.  Then all the winners of the 3 classes went in for the judge to pick the Best of Breed (BOB) Puppy.  Ella won and was awarded BOB.  Steve then took Ella in for the Puppy Sporting Group and we were thrilled when she won a Puppy Sporting Group 2!

 Aimee didn't complain when she was asked to hold CeCe...taking her responsibility very seriously!

 Jam was along for the ride and got to play with one of her favorite people, Steve!   Steve showed Jam to her Championship and occasionally takes her in as a Special.

Then it was CeCe's turn for some puppy show and play!  Teaching her how to gait on a show lead and what fun it can be!