The TBCC’s 60th Specialty was today and not only did the memorable achievement of the club worth noting, the achievements of Team Figgy were immense! Seriously – one for the record books and one I will never forget!
It started with Alexis entering the ring for her last time as a Junior at a TBCC Specialty. Three years ago, she started her Junior competition experience in the same room as the only entry but with every cub member rooting her on. This year she didn’t have competition in her class but it looks like the club will have a new Junior to root on – Brooke is an Open Junior and she showed her Chihuahua like a champ! The two went head to head competing for Best Junior and Alexis won! She and Harry were seamless – We were all so very proud of them both!
Going from the Junior competition right into the Long Coat variety completion, it was exciting to not only watch our friends achieve major goals and wins but to witness Alexis be an intricate part of the day. I so love when a a club and its members support and root on those in the ring and those outside of the ring too! Alexis has proven herself to be quite the talented handler being asked all day long to handle dogs the ring. I don’t know who was more proud! The icing the cake was when she got to bring Patriot – Eddie’s father and Milly’s grandfather – in for the Best of Variety completion as the winning veteran of the specialty, This win was a final major needed to earn his Grand Champion title!!!
After the long coats were done, Georgie and I had our chance to enter the ring. As a class dog, he has always been the dog that kicks off the variety. Today he was the second and final smooth coat in the ring. He truly showed his butt off! Even with the most distracting floor in Orlando Dog Show history, he only stopped to try to search for scraps ONCE and his tail was up the entire time! I couldn’t have been more proud. When he won Winner’s Dog, the idea of him getting the cross-over was the furthest thing from my mind! Knowing he needed only four single points to get his Champion title – And the fact that I had entered him as a class dog for six more shows – I was beyond thrilled that we earned one of those four points. While in for the Best of Variety completion, I was honored to be a part of it in my club’s 60th Specialty. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined being in the ring for that, with my own breeding!
To then be awarded Best of Winners I was actually brought to tears – Along with my friends and fellows breeders/exhibitors who have supported me and my program – and I had to pause to the note that in addition to the acknowledgement for Georgie and I, but also the fact Georgie also earned his Champion Title… AT THE TBCC’s 60th SPECIALTY!!!! Oh My Goodness Words Can NOT Express How I Feel! Beyond honored and excited – We have our first home grown champion!
