October, 2005
By Jane Eno

The first week of October, I found myself sitting in the mud outside the Kerry Blue Terrier ring at Montgomery Kennel Club Show. In the ring were many top quality Kerry Blue Terriers – truly a wonderful sight! It was a true “who's who” of Kerry Blue Terriers. I felt very lucky to get to watch.

Earlier in the week, I was at the Agility and Obedience trials as well. Not only were the Kerries competing as beautiful and sound as the ones competing at Montgomery, there were Kerries competing in performance events who were also Champions. Today, as I write this, I am sure there are Kerries sitting at home with their owners, Kerries herding sheep, Kerries running in Agility Trials, and Kerries working towards that elusive perfect 200 in Obedience that could easily blend into the rings at any Conformation Show. Unlike so many breeds which compete in performance events, such as labs, goldens and border collies, there is no split in the breed between Performance, Working, Pet and Show Ring. There is one standard, and all breeders are working towards that ideal of perfection.

For this I thank the breeders! They have maintained a sound, healthy dog with a sensible structure in the Kerry Blue Terrier. Not all breeds have one type that can both work and win in the show ring. The labs that I see that win Field Trials almost never compete in the breed ring, and the breed ring winners would have a hard time keeping up with their longer legged, slimmer built cousins in the field. I do hope the split never occurs in our breed. Form does follow function in dogs, and so far, the Kerry Blue Terrier breeders seem to have kept this in mind. Thank you!

Front & Finish 2004 Combined Regular Agility Excellent A&B Ratings

Keriland’s Talk About Town MX AXJ
P Hanson/J Beeby/C Maglaque, Score 257

CH Kerigolf Flower Power MX MXJ
B Kincaid/D Kincaid, Score 158

CH Kallehan’s Blue Moon Rising OA AXJ
M Hall/E Andrade/C Hall, Score 46

Lookout Shannon’s Bailey Boo CDX OA OAJ
E Shannon/C Shannon, Score 44

These are the dogs that compete at the highest level of agility – Excellent. They receive one point for every dog beaten. Congratulations to these talented dogs and handlers!

Brags and Stories

From Virginia Barishek, Philadelphia, PA:
Andy (Garryowen's Smarty Pants, UD, NA, RE) finished his Rally Excellent title as follows: Pocono Mt. KC, 94 pts and 3rd place; Valley Forge KC, 98 pts and 2nd place; Palisades KC, 90 pts; and an insurance leg at Gloucester County KC, 98 pts and 2nd place.

From Victoria Kniering:
Blue Moon's Badger Buster got his very first leg ever in Rally Obedience at Montgomery.. mine too ;o]]

From Sharon Burnett:
Two of the 4Rs, Rascal & Rocket, made the trip from Seattle to Kimberton for 3 of the 4 days of the All Terrier Agility Trials. Both dogs quit eating almost immediately, which got me pretty stressed out. While we did not have a good trial at Kimberton, I learned from watching our tape that Rascal was having an issue with the 16" jump height. She was very happy on the contacts and tunnels, but there was a definite drop in attitude when confronting the jumps. I decided to follow Eve's lead with Tonka and move Rascal into Preferred, so we can get the jump height to 12". We've been going to class, and I've had Paul tape us. I am very pleased with what I see. Rascal has picked up speed and it even shows in her weaves. She is like running my dog of 2.5 years back. Feels very good as a handler. We compete on November 5 in Open Preferred. I think I'll have good news to report next time.

Rocket is taking a break with plans to start obedience and become a therapy dog. Ever since he was jumped at an agility trial by a Golden Retriever, he has been difficult for me to keep on track. I believe some additional training will get him out of this, and we will be able to return to trialing. Rocket is fine in class. Trials have him way stressed.

Renny the Gator has started basic clicker training. She loves dog school and of all my Kerries has by far the highest drive. Renny has a very bright future and I look forward to providing glowing reports!

From W. Shane and Dana Flint:
Ch. Harmony's Flint to Fire "Apollo," 1st Leg of CD, 188
October 29,Sioux Empire Kennel Club, Sioux Falls South Dakota

From Jane Eno:
Jessie won his 4th title of the year by qualifying in Rally Novice at the Kerry Terrier Obedience Specialty and both days at Golden Triangle in PA. He is now Primrose Jessie James UDX NA NAJ RN.

Last Updated: 11/08/2005, 8:57 am