[doganjo]

At 11 years of age, my lovely Belle (Yarak Viola to Aberdon) was awarded her third Challenge Certificate at the Scottish Kennel Club Championship Show yesterday and thus became a Gundog Show Champion.

I am over the moon! 

She is the first Champion I have made up since bringing this breed into Scotland in 1984 - purely down to logistics and distance from all the Championship shows.  Now I have moved this is the closest - half an hour away.

I'm in the process of sending out new pedigrees to all her offspring with her Title and photographs on manilla card.  I hope their owners like them.
The photo shows my pal, Gill Tully, who came up from Lincoln specially to handle Belle for me since I had two others to run round with.  Allez won Best veteran Dog and Missy was 3rd Junior Bitch.

[sabrina]

No wonder you are over the moon. Fab results 

[nutterly_uts]

Fantastic achievement Well done  

[Louise Gaunt]

Congratulations to both of you!

[Rosemary]

Well done Team Aberdon 

[Caroline1]

Congrats and what lovely coat markings as well

[verdifish]

Awwwwwwwsome nesss personified !

[Bionic]

You must be very proud of her. She looks fantastic on the photo. Well done to both of you 

[Ghdp]

i think you are more than entitled to brag! She looks lovely.

[kelly58]

You get back what you put in  she is stunning !

[Kimbo]

Champion Belle   
what a beautiful girl you are. Well deserved!

[Kitchen Cottage]

What a beautiful dog! She did do well! 

[doganjo]

If I explain a few things about Belle it may be apparent why I am quite vehement on health and training issues.

My friend Joanne bred her, from her champion bitch to a French stud dog from a top kennel; their hips were scored and found to be below the breed average before the mating, and at 9 weeks the pups were sold. All seemed fine till Jo had a call from one of the owners when they were 13 months old saying Belle would be due her second season in a few months and he was going to mate her to his 'stud dog'. (It turned out he had bought a dog and two unrelated bitches - obviously a breeding combination) He 'ordered' her to remove the breeding endorsement, which she rightly refused to do, explaining that she was not yet 2 years old, and had not had her hips x-rayed nor had a health check, and that he had signed the Bill of Sale to that effect. After some effing and blinding both verbally and in writing, he had her hips done and they came back as acceptable.  The next phone call was that she had 7 puppies and the ban should now be lifted. Again Joanne refused as Belle was now only 17 months old.  After further to-ing and fro-ing he said he was going to 'get rid' of the 'stupid bitch', and refused to sell her back to Joanne.  Her nephew then contacted him and asked if he had an older dog he could work (she was apparently already trained to birds of Prey).  He agreed to sell Belle to him, and Joanne sold her to me.  When I got her as a 2 year old she was extremely nervous, particularly around men.  Even now if anyone touches her ears unexpectedly she screams, Adam had been told that part of his training regime was to lift her by her ears if she disobeyed him.
It is particularly sweet that after considerable love, nurturing, and correct gentle, and positive training, two of her three Challenge Certificates, and one of her Reserve ones were awarded by men, and that she is able to come on shoots with me as a clever and very much welcomed Brittany. 

It would give some people great pleasure to let this horrid man know what she has become, and what he has missed out on, but that isn't in my nature.

I can only say how much I love my BabyBel, and how very proud I am that she is now Sh Ch Yarak Viola to Aberdon

[Herdygirl]

Give me the guys address... i'll lift him by his bl**dy ears!  .
she is so lucky to have been bought by you Annie.  Congratulations to you and Belle for your success 

[devonlady]

Well done Annie and Belle, she looks every inch a champion