On the same day as the AGM, Tia (Grasilva Silver Vine) was awarded Best Bitch in the new Special Yearling category at the NECGB Contest of Champions, which was judged this year by Mike Caple.
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Maggie Mott of the renowned Kamgaard Norwegian Elkhounds in the US judged the Houndshow. The winner of the CC and BOB (and with it, her title) was Nyx (Grasilva Gee's Quest). Nyx is the second homebred Champion for the kennel.
Maggie's critique read "Certainly not a "glamour girl" but an individual of correct type. Not a big bitch, but so soundly constructed, in total balance and displaying a beautiful light and effortless movement. Watching her move around the ring, my thoughts were "she could go all day on the hunt and never tire." A tight weatherproof jacket topped it all off. A very worthy CC and BOB winner as well as a new Ch title." Other individuals from the kennel also won well at the show. Flint (Grasilva Little Rock Avec Gilkaro JW) chalked up yet another RCC; Flint's siblings Mason (Grasilva Eric's Gift), Etta (Grasilva Faithfulness) and Tia (Grasilva Silver Vine) all won classes, with Tia being considered for higher honours. The NECGB Championship Show was judged by Anne MacDonald and dogs from the kennel were again placed highly.
On her first time out for several months, Nyx (Grasilva Gee's Quest) was awarded the RCC in bitches and later returned to win the challenge for Reserve Best in Show. RCC in dogs was Flint (Grasilva Little Rock Avec Gilkaro JW). The main photo (taken by Tom King) captures Nyx taking a lap of honour at the end of judging. The photos below show Siri (Am Ch Kamgaard Kiamesha) on her way to winning the Brood Bitch class, with son Flint in hot pursuit. The second photo shows Mason (Grasilva Eric's Gift), another from Siri's litter, who was also placed, as was sibling Etta (Grasilva Faithfulness), who won Novice Bitch. Sister Tia (Grasilva Silver Vine) won the Yearling Bitch class. The elkhounds of Grasilva travelled north for the Norwegian Elkhound Association of Scotland Open Show. Basking in the warmth of an unusually clement spring day at the Royal Highland Showground, the Grasilva Team enjoyed a very successful day in the sunshine.
Judged by Tanja Mortimer (Laakso), the main results of the show were as follows. Best In Show & Best Dog - Tress & Gilluleys Grasilva Little Rock Avec Gilkaro JW Reserve Best In Show, Best Opposite Sex & Best Bitch - Gray & McHugh's Am Ch Kamgaard Kiamesha Reserve Best Bitch - Gray's Grasilva Silver Vine Reserve Best Dog & Best Veteran In Show - Horner, Simmonds & Mott's Am Gr Ch/Can Ch Kamgaard Kut Above Best Puppy - Lee's' Skogly's VL Ankerbrua Aftonlee. The image above shows Siri (on the left with the rosette for RBIS) with her winning offspring, Flint (behind with his BIS rosette) and Tia (on the right with her rosette for RBB). Grasilva had a good day at the NECGB AGM and Contest of Champions yesterday. Actually, the youngsters from the kennel pretty much swept the board in the relevant categories at both! Firstly, the points trophies were awarded for wins over the course of 2016. Mya (Grasilva Cruggleton With Laakso), owned by Tanja Mortimer was confirmed as the top-winning Norwegian elkhound puppy of 2016. She is by SBIS Am Gr Ch/Can Ch Kamgaard Kut Above out of Ch Grasilva Gwendoline Mary. Flint (Grasilva Little Rock Avec Gilkaro JW), bred by Bryony Gray and Vanessa McHugh and owned by Alan and Helen Tress and Katherine Gilluley, had to make do with the trophy for top male puppy - but then he was out of puppy by the end of last April. However, he was also confirmed as the top points-winning male Norwegian elkhound in the UK in 2016!
Top brood bitch in the UK (based on points won by offspring over the course of the year) was Flint's mother, Siri (Am Ch Kamgaard Kiamesha), co-owned by Bryony Gray and Vanessa McHugh. Later in the day and at the same venue, the Contest of Champions took place, and this time, Flint came out on top as the Puppy of the Year, with litter sister, Bryony's own Tia (Grasilva Silver Vine), chosen as Puppy Bitch of the Year. Flint was also the winning male in the Stud Book Challenge. Sincere thanks to the judge, Robert Greaves, for the awards at the Contest, and to the organisers for such an enjoyable day. Tia (Grasilva Silver Vine) has been quietly chalking up some impressive wins throughout 2016, despite very limited showing. The year culminated in the award of Reserve Best Bitch at the NECGB Open Show, as previously reported.
The first championship show of 2017 was Manchester and, at only 21 months of age, Tia proved that she is more than ready to step up and challenge for the main awards. Under respected Norwegian judge Espen Engh, Tia won her first CC, topping it off with BOB and her first appearance in the group ring. Commended by the judge for her outstanding quality, we feel sure that this is the first of many such appearances for this beautiful young bitch. The judge's critique reads: Very attractive, typy bitch, making a lovely overall impression, the star of the day. Quality, well chiselled head. Well set ears of medium size. Excellent neck which she used to her advantage both standing & moving. Balanced angulation in front & behind, very good length of leg. Firm topline, not the shortest of backs, but short enough for balance & competition. Well set & carried tail. Beautiful coat & colour. She had a lot of energy & was not always easy for the handler to restrain, but most of the time moved really well, especially using her hindquarters to her advantage. To me she stood out in the entry, & I was very happy to have the pleasure of judging her & awarding her the CC & BOB Video of the Hound Group is available on the dogworldtv channel on Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4keOZqSYXQ On 30 October, the NECGB Open Show was held on the same site as Midland Counties. The Championship Show classes for elkhounds started at 9 am. Judge Serena Parker awarded 1st in half of the classes to Grasilva-bred dogs. Mason (Grasilva Eric's Gift) and litter-mate Tia (Grasilva Silver Vine) both won their classes. But the kennel's stars on this occasion were the mother and son duo, Siri (Am Ch Kamgaard Kiamesha) and Flint (Grasilva Little Rock Avec Gilkaro), who took both RCCs - in Siri's case, for the second year running - and Mya (Grasilva Cruggleton With Laakso), who was awarded Best Puppy.
In the afternoon, Debs Moughton officiated at the Club Open Show. The littermates Flint and Tia both won classes again. But, this time, Tia went one better and scooped up the award of Reserve Best Bitch. Watch out, Flint, she's going to catch you! Mya (pictured above with owner Tanja Mortimer and the lovely rosette made by Moocraft) was awarded Best Puppy in Show. This is surely the start of an exciting show career for this lovely young lady. As the babies made their debut in the summer, the 'puppies' from Siri's litter, born earlier in the year, continued to go from strength to strength.
None more so than Flint (Grasilva Little Rock Avec Gilkaro). After a flurry of good wins in the spring, he went to East of England (see picture) and came home with the RCC under Gavin Robertson, who wrote "Compact dog with lovely balance, blunt wedge shaped head, neat ears, moderate angles, lovely topline with high set tail, free easy sidegait, lovely rear, nice type with bright future." As it happened, that bright future wasn't far away. At the Houndshow the following month, he went one better, winning the CC under Finnish judge Leila Karkas, who wrote "Excellent type, lovely head and expression, good construction, topline and tail. Excellent body and bone. Moves well. Balanced good working dog, CC." To win such an award under a Scandinavian judge was a huge honour and her comments testify that Grasilva is producing Norwegian elkhounds that are true to type and able to perform the function for which they were bred. Flint's siblings also performed well in the ring. Mason (Grasilva Eric's Gift) took home some Hound Group placings and a Reserve Best in Show at Open Shows. Sister Etta (Grasilva Faithfulness), ably handled by young owner Lucy Cullen, set about learning her craft and on the way scooped up several wins, including 1st in Junior Bitch at Driffield. I think Lucy may now have been bitten by the showbug! Meanwhile, Bryony's own Tia (Grasilva Silver Vine) rivalled Flint's impressive record with some nice wins of her own in Junior and Post Graduate classes. Watch out for your sister, Flint, she's creeping up on the rails! Crufts 2016 saw revered breed specialist Elspeth Wallace (Elsken) on the woolsack. The day proved very successful for the Grasilva connections.
Both Flint (Grasilva Little Rock Avec Gilkaro) and his litter sister Tia (Grasilva Silver Vine) won their Puppy classes, with Flint going on to win Best Puppy in Breed, as depicted above. But that wasn't all. Tia's kennel mate Ren (Strom Footloose For Grasilva) won the RCC, much to Bryony's delight. Well done old man - you showed the youngsters a thing or two! |
AuthorBryony Gray is the owner (some might say slave) of the Grasilva Norwegian elkhounds. Archives
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