November 2002 Newsletter

November 2002 Newsletter


If you have been trying to reach me, I am really sorry. I have been so busy. Tuesday a week ago, I got up at 6:30, rotated puppies let the dogs out, took Micah to school at 7:10. Came home to spend a few minutes with Montana and read with him before he had to leave for school at 8:15, at 9:00 AM I cleaned kennels and fed the puppies, that takes about two hours. Meanwhile during that time, met a client that I artificially inseminate his shepherd for him. At 10:00 A friend dropped off her English Setter bitch to be bred at 10:00 AM. At 11:30 Hunter helped me take photos of Desi’s puppies. He was getting very frustrated as He had taken photos of five of them, when I realized that he had moved the camera, so we were missing heads or feet. I had to bribe him to finish taking the photos. While all of that was going on, Katie bathed five setters for me. She is now bathing for me on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, that has been really helpful as I was bathing fifteen dogs a week by myself. At 1:00 I downloaded the photos that Hunter took. At 1:20, Hunter and I went to Micah’s play, actually it was a drama act for her sixth period class. Picked up the CD that had all of the my brother’s and our kids on it that we took for my mom’s birthday, so that I could get them printed for my mom’s birthday. At 3:00 I took Hunter to his school. He takes some speech classes four days a week, so he can pronounce his F’s, Th’s, L’s etc.
At 3:20 Hunter gets out of school and at 3:30 we pick up Montana at his school. On Tuesdays Micah has girls in Technology (computer –video –web design class), so the boys and I pick her up at 4:00. At 4:30 I fed all of the dogs, cleaned kennels again got dinner ready for the kids, rotated the puppies (of which we do every two to three hours), called the babysitter and headed for the 6:00 ferry. I take a communication class with Paul on Tuesday nights and we don’t get home until 10:30PM. Then I take the babysitter home and answer a few emails.
To tell you the truth, this a pretty common day, although most evenings we are at Micah’s basketball, 4-H, Awana (kids group at our church), or horse shows, or Montana’s football, wrestling, baseball, or basketball or choir. Hunter just wants to train dogs in the Field, Hunt, or ride horses all day. He just turned four. Montana is eight and Micah will be twelve in a couple of weeks.
So if you can’t reach me, email me. If I don’t respond, email me again. Sometimes I lose the email, sometimes I forget to write. But I do want to correspond and I do want to hear everything that is happening with your dogs and you.
Judges seminar at the Seattle Hilton: Last Saturday Joan Savage asked me to help her with a seminar that she was doing for the Judge’s Education Group. Obviously Joan was speaking on English Setters. She asked me to bring a couple of dogs and to say a few words as to what I am doing in my breeding program to produce a Dual Setter and what to look for. When it was my turn to speak, I said that I could tell them a lot about the bird instinct and intensity that I look for in a setter, but that it wasn’t something that they could necessarily see in the show ring, but that I would demonstrate it. As well, I said that an English Setter needs to be an incredibly balanced dog that moves effortlessly across the ground. That they should have no hindrance of movement, as they were bred to hunt all day and that we still hunt them for four to six days straight in Montana. If they aren’t put together properly they will break down. Then I asked them to stand at the edges of the room. I had Joan hide Sahara, and I planted a bird at the back of the Ballroom of the Hilton Hotel. I went to Sahara and whistled her on. She was a little confused about hunting in a hotel, but she proceeded forward. As she came around the chairs at the back of the room, she slammed up on point. She is so incredibly intense it takes your breath away. I proceeded to explain how our setters were supposed to set, how their angles fit into the correct pointing position and how their tail was an extension of their top line. Meanwhile Sahara was just about shaking. Then I picked up the pigeon and released her. It was pretty neat and fun.
Great News in the Field Zion , Dual Champion Set’r Ridge’s Real Gold JH, earned another Amateur Field point last weekend with Terry Barnes expertly handling him. He has been at Terry’s for two weekends of trials and will come home after this coming weekend’s trial. He now has six Amateur points. He needs four more including a major. We won’t have any Hunt Tests until spring. He still needs two Master passes out of six. Also in the Field, Jordan , High In Trial winner, Ch Set’r Ridge’s Deep Impact Am Can CD JH is doing awesome in his Field training. I can’t wait until he hits the trials. Obedience He earned a 198 and a second place in Novice a week ago. He has gotten many other placements this fall also. Agility Donna Richardson and Raine, earned two Novice Standard legs, with two second placements, one jumpers leg. They also earned two AG1 legs in UKC Agility.
On the Show front, I think I forgot to mention last month that Meg, Arden’s Spice Girl (Zion & Meg) won back to back majors. Meg is owned by Laurie and Mary Engel. She has since whelped a beautiful litter out of Canaan. Cathy Brewer’s Maxi (Canaan x Taylor) won back to back four point majors this month, and her sister owned by Janet Gray and Cathy Brewer won a five point major and needs only one point to finish. Amber Gupton’s Riley Set’r Ridge’s Platinum Gold (Canaan x Annie) is now minored out and looking for majors. Dale and Summer Bennet’s Autumn Ch Set’r Ridge’s Autumn Skye (Preacher x Ritsy) won two Best of Breeds this month.
Pavel and Magdelena Voslalikova’s Yanni Set’r Ridge’s All American, recently won: CAC of the Czech Republic, CACIB and Best of Breed. In February he will compete at the Eastern and Central European Show, the World Show, and the International and National Dog Shows. Pretty neat.
Julio and Flavia’s Prince (Canaan x China) won two Best In Shows in Brazil as well as a group II and IV. Prince’s kids Shell and Dream also did well. Sergio Costa’s Rodin (Shobe x Josie) won Best of Breed under Mr Ed Bivin in Brazil. Jill Warren’s puppies did well at the Specialty in Calif. Nick went Best of Opposite in the Sweeps both days and Neville won RWD at the Specialty. Pirate King just won two points at an all breed. These puppies are out of (Darcy and Sheba). Sheba, Set’r Ridge’s Supereminent (Bubba x Ritsy) now has ten points towards her Championship. My puppy out of this litter Sera is waiting here at home. She points beautifully, and she is very naughty.
Lincoln Lloyd took Hanna (Zion x Maggy) to her first show and she won Reserve Winners Bitch to a major at six months of age. Kathy Dunbar’s Ben , Ch Set’r Ridge’s Tuft O Gold (Canaan x Annie) is now a Champion. Yeah! Dan and Akassia Mann’s Amelia (Zion x Shiner) won her final major this month to become a new Champion. Yeah!! Joy Kealy’s Ryelee (Canaan x Jira) won Best In Sweeps and Best Puppy. Hilary Oakes MoJo (Canaan X Phoenix) won her Canadian Championship this month. Sumiko Ikeda’s Shine Set’r Ridge Sunshine Superb (Bubba x Ritsy) won BOB at one of her first shows. Karen Eskew’s Gunner (Canaan x Eve) won Best of Breed recently and he only needs one major to finish.
Our puppies are doing well. We have nine puppies now out of Natanya and Fitz. You can view our litters at www.englishsetter.com and then litters.
May God richly bless you as he has me. Melissa

www.englishsetter.com
Setter Ridge Kennel
Melissa D Newman
7009 S Heggenes Rd
Clinton WA 98236
(360) 341-2878
(360) 341-3078 fax
setterridge@englishsetter.com
May God Bless you as he has me!

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