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| Charm |
| Chess |
| Chess was my first showdog, and we learnt a lot together. She was a big girl with a soft, gentle disposition who wasn’t really keen to perform in the show ring. Once she was titled I retired her to concentrate on the draftwork and obedience which she enjoyed. Unfortunately we lost our sweet girl to lympho sarcoma at the very young age of 4 before she could enjoy her retirement, or produce the puppies I was so looking forward to. |
| Charm was one of those dogs who really suited her name. It wasn’t a quiet gentle charm like Chess, it was a full on, high voltage, in your face sort of charm. She lived every moment to the full, as if she knew her life would only be such a short one. Unlike Chess she loved the showring and did well, till she contracted the awful disease Miasthenia Gravis at 18 months. Life after that was a nightmare for both of us as we tried to find ways to control the disease and its side effects. We lost Charm at 3 years of age due to complications of mega oesophagus (a side effect of the myasthenia). Losing 2 such special girls as Chess & Charm within 6 months of each other had me close to heading to another breed, but a new start was made with the arrival of Bayley. |
| After losing our first Newf, Bear, with epilepsy at 18 months, Storm came into our lives by way of The Newfoundland Club. She was 3 ½ years old, and I think anyone would have called her “hyperactive”; she remained that way her whole life.
Storm and I became actively involved in all the activities the Newf Club had to offer as well as helping out in places like rest homes through The Animal Outreach programme. She was a capable carting dog, and performed well at ribbon parades, but it was in the water that she excelled, becoming only the 3rd Newf in the history of the Club to win the WRDX Award. Storm died in November 2004 at the age of 14 ½, having convinced me that Newfoundlands were to always be the dogs for me. Her spirit is always with me, and I don’t ever expect to own another Newfie with her courage, her boundless enthusiasm and her great sense of fun. Storm’s Record (Awards) 1997 Auckland Branch Beginner Water Trial 1998 Auckland Branch Most Outstanding Rehouse Junior Water Trial Junior Freight Haul Junior Manoeuvrability Breed Ambassador 1999 Auckland Branch Senior Water Trial Newfoundland Club Senior Water Bitch Achievement Award Veteran Award WRD 2000 Auckland Branch Most Outstanding Rehouse Newfoundland Club WRDX (92%, 97%, 97%, &99.6%) Senior Water Bitch Taupo All Round Newfoundland Veteran Award 2001 Newfoundland Club Veteran Award 2002 Mac Boat Trophy (Judge’s choice for best performance at National Water Trial |
| Storm WRDX 28 March 1990 – 11 November 2004 |
| Seabound Dark Secret (Charm)
(Pouch Cove’s Robert St Albans (Imp USA) x Waterbear Maid to Order (Imp Aus) |
| Ch Windsong Bagatelle (Chess)
(Waterbear Kipling (Imp Aus) x Kristagale Smarty Pants) |
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| Stormtide |