An extraordinary weekend 20.-21.7.2013

It is not often I am left speechless and surprised completely off-guard...
But now I have to say it has happened!

Little did I know when starting the car on Friday what would be the outcome on Sunday evening!

I don't even know where to start so please excuse me if I somehow seem lost with words when trying to describe this truly UNFORGETTABLE weekend.....

Before anything else I want to thank all the judges during the weekend for appreciating the quality of our young boys - Karin Brostam Berglund, Miklos Levente, Monika Blaha and Kurt Nilsson - THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.
And thank you Maarit and Tuukka for keeping Armas in such great shape! Karo and Saana - super company and lots and lots of laughs!
Without one very special lady this weekend would not have been possible - Outi, one in a million kind of friend <3
Thank you all friends for living these super moments with us!

Ok, that sounded almost like a speech at the Oscar's but it kinda feels like it... LOL

So let's start.

On Friday we headed to Oulu with Karo and were preparing to continue to Tornio on Saturday morning. I gotta say it takes a certain kind of madman to do this kind of trip for fun! But yes, we are that kind of madmen ;)

20.7.2013 Tornio, International show

breed judge: Miklos Levente, Hungary

group judge: Monika Blaha, Austria

Exclamation Beyond The Horizon: EXC, INTERMED/1, CQ, BEST MALE, CAC, CACIB, BOB and BEST IN GROUP !!!!!!!!!!!!!

photos Saana Pirinen

Armas - Best In Group at 17 months
photo Karo Hämäläinen

Now I was left with a dilemma...... Armas won the group and Best In Show would be tomorrow.... But we would also have our Finnish American Cocker Club's Main Speciality show tomorrow in Kangasala.....

These are the moments when you realize how lucky you are to have such a remarkable friend, who will help and support you no matter what. THANK YOU Outi <3

And one special thank you goes to my husband Antti who drove me on Sunday morning back to Tornio <3

So on Sunday I headed back to Tornio ( don't even want to tell you how far away it is.... LOL ) and Outi took my dogs to the speciality show.

21.7.2013 Kangasala, Finnish ACC Main Speciality show

judge: Karin Brostam Berglund, Sweden

Exclamation Miracle On Ice: EXC, JUN/1, CQ, BEST MALE, CAC, BOB aka BEST IN SHOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Miro 16 months - BEST IN SHOW !!
photo Jaana Myllymäki

Photo Laura Suikkanen

Photo Jaana Myllymäki

Exclamation Time To Remember: EXC, CHAMPION/2, CQ

photo Jaana Myllymäki

And meanwhile in Tornio.......

21.7.2013 Tornio, International show

BIS judge: Kurt Nilsson, Sweden

Exclamation Beyond The Horizon: BEST IN SHOW 3rd !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So happy - Armas 17 months - BIS-3 in the rain <3

I am so proud of my young dogs and feel so lucky to have such great friends to share these very special moments with!

THANK YOU ALL !!

I want to share one note I got from a friend that just made tears in my eyes - happy tears...

Sometimes the perfect day just comes along....

Oulu weekend 12.-14.7.2013

It's a long to far away, yes.
But thank you all who made this weekend such a nice one!

We drove all the way up to Oulu for a triple weekend show. On Friday there was a group show and Sat & Sun INT shows.

Also learnt a lot during this weekend, e.g. not to use thinning scissors to smoothen the lines from the trimmer used on the throat. LOL. Well, seriously, don't agree with everything said and done but hey, it's a free world and this is not dead serious :D
We had a lovely time nevertheless and our little Sisi shined through out the weekend. So proud <3

12.7.2013 Oulu, FCI group speciality show

judge: Rita Reyniers, Belgium

Exclamation Miracle On Ice: EXC, JUN/1

Exclamation Time To Remember: EXC, CHAMPION/2, CQ, BEST FEMALE 2nd

13.7.2013 Oulu, International show

judge: Vitor Veiga, Portugal

Exclamation Miracle On Ice: EXC, INTERMED/3

Exclamation Time To Remember: EXC, CHAMPION/1, CQ, BEST FEMALE, CACIB, BOS

14.7.2013 Oulu, International show

judge: Viveca Lahokoski

Exclamation Miracle On Ice: EXC, INTERMED/4

Exclamation Time To Remember: EXC, CHAMPION/1, CQ, BEST FEMALE 2nd, res-CACIB

Agirotu 2013

What a weekend!
Agirotu 2013 held 5.-7.7. is now behind. Each year there is a weekend that is called AgiBreed, where we have many days of pure agility fun. The name comes from an unofficial competition we have on Sunday, we have team competition where teams are made by breeds! This year we had a unique first time EVER - 2 teams made from yankees! And 7 out of the 8 were also related to one another!
Our no 1 team did great - they ended up 6th overall! Our young team was in the end part of the list but it was fun!

There is also a costume parade each year and the teams really go all out for it. This was also the case this year. Close if not even more than 30 teams had super ideas and costumes were absolutely spectacular.
We of course participated too. Our theme this year was Yankees of the Agirotu, keeping the movietheme that was this year theme for the event. And to our BIG surprise the judges awarded us with 3rd place!!!! WOW! What a thrill!!!!!!

And just like a movie - we got an Oscar for 3rd best costume design ;)

Thank you all for a lovely weekend!!!!

Dog sport weekend 29.-30.6.2013

You know the feeling sometimes ( all the time ) when you stop and wonder why you book yourself so busy during beautiful summer weekends..... The answer why bother comes when it's done you feel exhausted and beaten but my gosh, so thrilled and proud and happy. Yes, all that and more!

We had a busy weekend, doing variety of dog sports and had fun!

Early on Saturday morning Eva and I woke up to a cloudy and a bit rainy day and headed off to agility competition, of course!

We had booked 3 starts, 2 agility and 1 jump course and yep, I can tell you that at least the audience got a full amount of spaniel fun!

But no seriously, despite some not-so-proud-of-my-spaniel moments there was a heck of lot super work there too! And I have to remind myself that this was Eva's third competition ever, and we had a break of 1,5 months just before this!

Let's start with the last two starts, disqualified was our theme for those. And both times our Achilles heel was  the weave poles.... A bit long sending from a jump to weave poles... and that was it, nose to the ground and off she went..... Aaaargh. But her pace was great ( excluding the lap/s of honour she so gracefully - butt to ground and full speed - took ), no faults in any other obstacles, see-saws were all done correctly and quite fast, all contacts were perfect... so what can I even complain..... LOL.

The first start was just super! Even though got 5 faults from the weave poles ( she stopped in the middle and moved her front legs as if she was saying nhjaa, let's got his way... but she recovered and did continue all the way to the end ) and a very small overtime penalty too ( those ***** weave poles..... ), she finished with 7,18 faults and was THIRD overall!!!! Way to go Eva <3

HAPPY! :)

On Sunday Outi and I packed our car and took a trip to Tuusula all breeds show.

Such a lovely day, thank you all dear friends for sharing this day with us! And thank you to our judge mrs Montford for appreciating the quality our junior possess!

Please enjoy!

30.6.2013 Tuusula all breeds show

judge: Jeanie Montford, Australia

Exclamation Miracle On Ice: EXC, JUN/1, CQ, BEST MALE, CC, BOB

Miro in the group

Miro stepping out to BOB

15 months old cutie-pie

BOB Miro and BOS Heavenly Way's Touch Of  History

photos (c) Karo Hämäläinen, THANK you, again! :)

Exclamation Winter Kiss: EXC, CHAMPION/1, CQ, BEST FEMALE 2nd