o'cockaigne

For the show in Mechelen (Belgium) on August 18, JL. Had I reported brandir in the youth class under judge Mrs. Tanya Ahlman-Stockmari from Finland. I didn't know her and the name also told me nothing. In the Champion class was Regalflight Tarloch of Susanne Baumann (D). Mrs Ahlman told me that this was her race and showed that she liked Brandir very nicely. When I asked her what kennel she had her Deerhounds, she said Sassatown and I was right to burn a light. She was therefore of Sassatown and very long ago I met her partner with hounds but in recent years never heard or seen anything of them. Anyway Brandir got an excellent and became BOB. Before he had to go into the honour ring I took photos by Karl Desai. Brandir had never been on a podium so I was afraid it would be a battle. But no, he did great and Karl really has very nice pictures of him can shoot. Hopefully they will appear quickly on his site so I can order a few.

In the course of the afternoon Brandir had to take up against the other rasgroepwinnaars. The group was approved by Mrs. S. Kealy from Ireland. In the preferred ring, Gary Janssens was with Kilmara or First Avenue for me, a giant of an Irishman of just 22 months young. And although Brandir did not fall into Kilmara, they found each other very nice and would prefer to romp a game. Mrs. Kealy approved the Hounds and Gary and I both had the feeling that we were in for bacon and beans, they barely looked at our hounds. How great was our surprise when we were both in the selection of four. After another round of walking there was placed and Kilmara on the second and Brandir in the first place! It didn't have to be crazier!! But it did. For the BIS inspection there appeared 8 Rasgroepwinnaars, the Dachshund and terrier were not show up. Brandir was in the meantime quite fed up and didn't really want to stand still, he is only 15 months after all. So much pressure I didn't want to put on him and let him commit a little. After Mr. Eberhardt (D) all the dogs and Brandir had approved we walked another round through the ring and we had to get out of it all again. We would be called one by one, in order of placement. Very big was my surprise when Brandir was allowed to take a seat on board four! Laden with gifts, we left the honour ring and it was still an entire puzzle to drag it all at once to the car. Simon had the cult standing cold and in the late afternoon sun we toasted to our brandir.