Big Weekend in Dixon | Sandy Oak Chesapeake Bay Retrievers - Blog

Sandy Oak Chesapeakes

Big Weekend in Dixon

It's been awhile, but this weekend was a good weekend for Sandy Oak Chesapeakes at the Sacramento Valley Dog Fancier's Assn shows in Dixon. On Saturday, Greg and Luann Nealon's good looking Sandy Oak's Oh Henry! was Winners dog for another point towards his conformation championship, and our Ch. Sandy Oak Wish Upon A Star RN CGC ("Annie") went Best of Opposite Sex for 1 point towards her Grand Championship. Both dogs were handled beautifully by our own Catherine Collins. On Sunday Catherine finished Annie's Grand Championship with another Best of Opposite Sex win and the last needed point for the title. Henry didn't come back to show on Sunday because there were no points to be had in class dogs.

As a brief synopsis of AKC Champion titles, the first Champion titles comes by showing from "the classes" and going Winners Dog or Winners Bitch. In doing so, the winning animal gets points based on the number of dogs he defeats at that show. AKC requires 15 points including 2 major wins under 2 different judges. A major win is a win of 3, 4, or 5 points. To put it into perspective Henry as 12 points including 3 major wins....only 3 more to go.

The Grand Champion title is the next level and can only be awarded to a dog who is already a champion. The dog competes from the Best of Breed class for either Best of Breed, Best of Opposite Sex to the Best of Breed, or Select Dog or Select Bitch. They earn the points based on the total number of dogs of their sex that they defeat for Best of Breed or Best Opposite and for Select, one has to deduct 2 from the total number to calculate the points. It takes 25 points including 3 major wins and 3 wins over other champions to earn the 1st level Grand Champion title. AKC has now expanded that to a Bronze Grand Champion (50 points), a Silver Grand Champion (75 points) and a Gold Grand Champion (100 Points).

Annie finished her 1st level grand champion title with 25 points including 5 majors and 7 wins over other specials. We have not intention of going any further....to intense, but it was fun doing it because we could!

The show this weekend also had an eye clinic and I took Lacey, Dedee and Annie in to be re-examined for eye anomalies and they all cleared with flying colors and will be re-CERF'd.

Next big shows will be the ACC (The American Chesapeake Club) supported entry at the Golden Gate Kennel Club shows at the Cow Palace at the end of January....watch for Lacey, Molly, Henry, Annie, Ben and a whole gang of other Chesapeakes. I urge everyone in the area to try to come as this is a 2-day Benched show which means that the dog have to be there with all the other dogs of their breed in the benching area except for when we show! Tons of Chessies, tons of vendors, and tons of other breeds! These are the 2 big shows on the West Coast!!! No unentered dogs allowed though, but human friends are welcomed.

Hope everyone has a Happy Halloween!!

Kathy