UKC Show 8/22-8/23

Well, two weekends in a row now we've hit conformation shows. This time out, we decided to try UKC. A couple other Westie ladies talked me in to going to this show but then backed out about a month ago due to another committment. So I decided to try it anyways, though I assumed no other Westies would be there. It was definitely a different type of environment than AKC. Some people wore jeans and tshirts. Some dogs were clearly not use to the show ring. Breeds I'd never heard or seen before. As Westies are normally buffed & puffed a lot for the show ring, it's kind of weird to go in to the UKC ring without any powder, hairspray, or other gunk in his hair. I'm not sure how I feel about that. I washed his head the night before so he didn't have his usual texture to it, making it look flat and he also got a part right down the middle. I don't think he looks his best without a little stuff in his head hair. I think he might like it too. . .he thinks he looks all cool with a big old head of hair. ;) He doesn't like the teasing part but he does look impressive when it's all puffed out. . .anyways, I digress. . .
So Rhys took WD, BOW, BOB, as quite frankly, there wasn't any other option. ;) But then the more surprising part happened when he went on to group. He took a Group 1. Then we went on to Best in Show. And apparently, as we found out firsthand. that they award a reserve best in show. So that was pretty awesome. First UKC show and up we pop with a reserve BIS. He also took a group 1 in both the next shows too. So he is pretty dang close to being a UKC champion. If there was one more westie there, he would be a UKC champion in one weekend. But since there wasn't, we'll have to find a show somewhere else. Now I've got a goal of going BIS. UKC will probably be my only chance for acheiving that so why the heck now. ;)

One point down, 14 to go!

We went to the Muncie shows for the first time this past weekend. He took WD, BOW on Thursday, but since all the other regulars pulled, we had no competition which equals no points. Saturday he took RWD to Betty's cutey Duffy. Sunday, after a VERY early morning start, we found a judge that apparently liked us enough. She gave Rhys WD and then when we went back in, BOW at the Anderson Kennel Club show.
I'm not sure how I feel about this. One on hand, I'm horribly glad to get that first point over with. I've been starting to worry that it would never happen and have been stressing over whether it ever would. By Saturday afternoon, it was getting pretty bad. ;) On the other hand, I have decided I do not particularly care for winning over a friend. It just doesn't seem right when you are going up against someone you respect and is just as deserving as you are. Both dogs obviously have their own (yet different) advantages but also their own respective disadvantages. Maybe this will get better with time, or at least a bigger show where there is more competition.
What was proved to me this weekend quite clearly is that some judges like smaller dogs while another will like bigger dogs. Funny that it should come down to something like that, but whatever. It has always cracked me up that something so clearly written as the "standard" can be interpreted in innumerable ways. Guess that means that I'm going to have to be very diligent about keeping track of who likes what and show my dog to those that would appreciate him the most. Anyways, a big YIPPEE that the first is done. I'm hoping someone will tell me the first is the hardest but I'm thinking that is so not going to happen. ;)