Though the show ring has never been our focus, this past year we decided to give the people what they wanted! We knew our breeding stock was quality, but it is always nice to have that validated.
We started showing our beautiful girl, Leia, with a wonderful handler who worked with her and created a very special bond with our girl. Within a few short months Leia was a Champion..... and then a Grand Champion!
In late autumn of 2021 we were asked to pick up our special boy, Bandit, as his owner's health was declining. We made the trip out there and spoke to his owner about Bandit's aspirations. We decided to start showing him, as well, on behalf of his owner / previous owner, Rodney Beckstead. Rodney had worked hard with Bandit and he was the Breed Ambassador when the breed was fully recognized by AKC. Bandit was a spokes "person" at various New York TV Studios as well as during the National Dog Show in Philadelphia in 2018. Rodney had a dream to take "The Bandit", as he called him, all the way to Westminster. We decided to try to follow his dream and even asked the same handler Rod chose for him to show him at this distinguished show!
Both Bandit and Leia were entered in several shows over the last year including the AKC Nationals in Orlando, Florida and our breed's national specialty in Albany, Oregon. They both did well and we decided to go ahead give the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show a try.
The show, normally in February, was moved to June this year and we were able to travel to the beautiful Lyndhurst Mansion in Tarrytown, NY to watch our Nederlandse Kooikerhondjes compete for the top spot in the 146th Westminster Dog Show!
Our hearts skipped a beat when the dogs went around the ring a final time and the esteemed Judge Edd E. Bivin pointed to Bandit... and then Leia! What an honor!