Meilleure paire de l'année 2006 en Angleterre

Skyes On Skye…

Skyes On Skye…

When everything begins with a gift… The gift of a Skye commemorative badge "Skyes on Skye 2006"…
The idea made its way, matures… We will go there as visitors, and the crazy  idea to think  that we could also take  part of the adventure as exhibitors...
Six years, we have to wait  six years to have the pleasure to live this great adventure. France, my country, doesn’t really believe in me, or rather doesn’t believe really in  my dogs, I decide to go somewhere else, further, in the land’s Skyes  to have the confirmation that I am on the right way. Lost among 85 registered, it will be necessary that I give all I have in me if I want to prove  to all those who believe in me that I have my place as breeder. I also want to make honor to my country, the country which gave to the world its best Skye Terrier breeding bases as "Ricelaine", "Mandane," " Neuville Mousseaux "," De Luchar "and remind to everybody that France, one day
was the best… The heart beats, we count the months, years, we count each  day… Here we are finally, we can’t go in back, we are going to win, we must…
For this challenge, we chose our best dogs, or our best showy dogs:
Roxane for her good mentality  and her great pride,
Vici the grand-father successor, Lily, our last baby,
and of course, Viceroy "Roy" for friends (13 years) that we wanted to provide a last turn of honor…
The day of the exhibition, we were feverish, paralyzed by stress. Stress even, if we had honestly no special ambition and it was clear, it was clear that we were here to defend the colors of our country, point…
We received the famous catalog… 85 Skyes engaged with 14 dogs in open class, our small Roxane, Margotte and Säshkä will have to be very good to support all this competition...
I meet my friend and American Judge Gene SAPHIRIS. It’s a very person. He plans to mate her beautiful bitch with our Roy. It puts Roy on the table, As if he wants to confirm the first impression he had when he saw Roy for the first time... wanted to have the assurance that  the dog  he had seen at CRUFT, was not a mirage. He confirmed his first impression. “Gorgious” he said…

It's our little Vici that will open the show. Shown,by his owner, very proud of this honor. My little 23 months  son which work proudly on the famous ring of the Isle of Skye.... Vici is so beautiful, and I’m so proud of him… It will be shown in three Different classes, as in England, you can compete in every class that the age of the dog you allows if you wish.
Oops, it starts badly, The judge put it second of the class, it’s so hard for me that I feel my eyes becoming wet, I don’t like at all the first one..
Why? Gene watches me; He looks  surprised, too… Second Price, an award, a paper of judgment and a gift… But I’m disappointed, Philippe gives me all the awards, he has to go back in the ring for the second jugement.
No time to blow... I screamed of Joyce. First, I don’t want more. I want him to stop on this victory but  That was not the opinion of the organizing committee,  I understand that I have to compete again.
A beautiful class of older dogs...I am afraid, I panic... I bite my fingers nervously. Second, ouf, not too bad, I am still happy and another award, another paper of jugement and some another gifts…
So, here we are. Roy, I would show him, it is my dog, and I am so proud… Max is here with his camera as the greatest reporters, Gene, is there too, on the first lines. They smile me, they reassure me… They can feel my emotion. My dog is a star. I think I’m going to fall… My hand are wet, my face might be red, my legs seems to be so fragile, a lot of stress in fact... I would like to go… The bagpipe sounds, it's time to go.
I start to move with a decided step . People rhythm the entry of veterans in clapping in their hands. I look at my dog. It is impassive, walking with a decided step, it is so beautiful, I love it so much…
"How old is it? "Nearly thirteen years” answered I to the judge, she looks at me impressed, she smiled…
A go and return, a triangle… I put my dog on the floor, I take time to kiss him and say " Go on,  my son, shows them”, Roy starts go
like a soldier, he knows his works, perfectly,  by heart. A very nice class of six veterans. They walk one after the other, they walk again and again. She wants to see everything even at thirteen years : hindquarters and forequarters quality, Topline quality, Endurance. I am a little scared, I know that Roy is already an old person, "my son" and… in a breath, I hear to call me "number 19 winner."

WE HAVE WON…

I put my dog in static, I cry, tears of Joy run through my cheeks, a swarm of photographers jumped on us to take a maximum of pictures of my dog... and begins taking shot after shot during an eternity. I hide my head in his fur "We’ve got it, my Roy, thank
you, my dog, I love you "An enormous packet of veteran dry food, an award, a bottle of wine, a little glass in crystal glass with a Skye sculpted on it…
I Can’t move, I am paralyzed by emotion. Laurent come to my rescue it take gifts and take me out of the ring… I find the strength to return. Roy is engaged in the  super "Vintage" veteran class. The public claps in its hands more and more, its little hero Despite their valiant age… I wait on a side. The judge must see the other dogs she didn’t see before. After, the judge asks us to turn and walk together. Roy, you can do it. It’s tired. I feel the leads becoming harder. I’m afraid… the judge has made his choice " Number 19 is the winner "

WE HAVE WON!!

I cry again But I am so proud of my old dog… I can’t leave this ring, I have to stay to compete another time. We need to compete with all The winners of each class to know who will obtain the dreaming CC which gives access to the title of Champion of
England. Vici is one of them. The father and its son in challenge together… She keeps only three dogs. The junior, the veteran and
the Open. My Vici goes out, but I am proud of him… She let the junior and has to make a choice between  the open and the Veteran. Roy has a second wind, he walk with a very alert step … She hesitates. My heart beat so strong… Roy is second with the Reserve of CC, unbelievable for a thirteen years old dog… She confessed at the microphone, that the two dogs were the same
value, but that one belonged to the future and the other belonged to the past is… Cruel but true…
It is the turn of my Lily… My little soldier, its second show. She looks afraid. She is so young, there are too many people... she walks courageously against a drop ears. A bitch of a type radically opposed. Mine is a fragile small thing but it is admirably good. A second
place for Lily, which is fine, I am pleased…
I have to go with Roxane. Roxane, it is showy. It's in the blood. It is not to her advantage, his time. She is at the end of her seasons, she is a little bit tired… This is not the good period for it… An impressive class, composed only with champions… 14
dogs in total… I think I’m not helped by all this circumstances. My Bitch is not at her top… The judge makes a First selection. She keep my dog, forward. "I? ", It's marvelous, , Roxane is  also selected… She obtains the 4e place with a reserve.

I am delighted… everything is finished?not really… We have maybe  to compete for the BIS... If the male CC wins on the female, I return for RBIS with… ROY
Roy is tired, he drags its legs, it doesn’t want to go back for the final but he gives me its last effort, he follows me… 3rd of the  BIS… Well, everything is OK for me….  He has  to return again to compete for the Best veteran. I am returning Without hope. My dog is very tired, it is  late, he wants to sleep. He shows its tiredness. He doesn’t want some noise anymore… but... another time, a turn, a triangle.  The Best Veteran? The number 19, of course... It wins an enormous award, a Crystal engraved vase with Skyes and a giant bag of dry food, another one!!!…
Roy, you must go on to compete for  the… Best Vintage, and I promise you that after I leave you to sleep
And…  again and again, we walk… He is walking graciously, it is so wonderful, I thought he understood that it is important for me and he wants to give me this pleasure...
The winner of the Best Vintage? The number 19… and  my dog disappear under… gifts. I ear the noise of cameras and flashes , it is so beautiful… t goes for the last honneur turn, the people stand up, Clapping in their hands, I am so proud…
Another final turn on this ring and it will be the end of the dream…
Our beautiful Roy must compete in pairs with his daughter Roxane. I take two leads. Not easy, walking in rythme  with two dogs…  My couple is successful, dogs are homogeneous, they walk together absolutely in harmony… I won this class also….
What a lot of emotions…
Go outside for the final photo. There's even a Finnish journalist who takes a lot of pictures of our Roy. It will be an hero in its origin country…
I want to remind you in on word the fabulous story of this dog, whose life has not really started a dream...Roy comes back from the hell. Saved from the death in Spain, in 2000, with 7 other Skyes, it took me two years  of intensive care, attentions, love, to arrive to this result of today.
I must remind  the assistance provided by Michelle Maitre, another Skye breeder, who helped me to stop with the help of Her husband, a chronic eczema…
We saved all these 7 dogs, only one of them, Whimzy, didn’t survived …
Our fight against all these horrors much be  more important than our victories even if they are the proof that everyone can help to save a dog by giving a little love…

To Whimzy...