A souvenir from Finland

Well it was a whirlwind trip to Finland, I arrived late Saturday and checked straight into airport hotel for well needed sleep as it would be an early start for the show,  so it was a pleasant surprise to be upgraded at the Holiday Inn to an executive suite - though with my stay there only being around 7.5 hours  and most of that for sleeping I couldn't get much benefit from it!  - Nina and Harri then kindly picked me up to visit the show at Kotka, where the weather was bright and sunny - but boy was it cold, -6C without wind chill, which they said took it over -10, great for the dogs.

It was lovely watching so many nice dogs - and lovely to see Fihtolas Qumina take Best bitch and Lecibsin Sappa BIS.  My photos of the day are not great - but lucky for me Harri took some lovely ones.

Then a quick get away from the show to drive north - to rendezvous with Jukka Kuusisto to pick up a souvenir!

Meet Lecibsin Ukas to Elbereth, a 13 month old boy - who we are delighted has joined us, and a huge thank you to Jukka for letting me twist his arm, and let Uka come to UK and to Nina and Harri for helping me with the whole trip/planning etc. Uka is already hip scored and eye tested (pra carrier) and has the sweetest of nature and lovely sensible character, taking the transition from his home at Lecibsin to a stop over at Nina's, and then the long trip here in his stride, Halla and he are already the best of friends.

He has a super pedigree, and is a strong built boy with super movement, below are some super natural photos taken in Finland by Harri.  We are delighted he is here safely and his first night went better than I could have ever expected showing his fabulous temperament - and that of course of Matkamies.  I hope to mate Uka with Shacal Reilu Peli this spring/summer.

Crufts 2016

Well what a show - a thrilling, amazing day at Crufts 2016.  With Matkamies taking BOB back in 2015 it was going to be a hard act to follow.

Elbereth Valkotassu

It started in Post Graduate dog  - I had honour of handling Gemma & Rob's Elbereth Valkotassu - as Gemma is a little too close to the arrival of their baby to be running around the ring - and from a class of 12 dogs  - Tassu was placed 1st, he was so good, showing beautifully for me, and I came out of the ring to a jubilant and very emotional Gemma.  Rob captured their lovely boy on camera.

 In open it was the turn of Multi Ch Elbereth Matkamies ShCM who was second behind one of the top winning dogs from Finland.

Then onto the bitches, where in the veteran bitch class Kia was second, Suvi 4th and Apina VHC, then Tilkkuturkin Hallantuoma to Elbereth JW won the Junior bitch class, and Elbereth Kaikki Meille Allforus won a huge post graduate bitch class of 19 with owner Caron Bell.

Then it was the turn of Elbereth Pelinainen JW who won the strong Limit bitch class, with her best buddy Elbereth Suvituuli taking second in the Good citizen class.

So for the bitch challenge - I was delighted to see three half sisters standing proudly and competing for the bitch CC.  Then over the moon when best bitch was awarded to Pelinainen, and res BB to Hallantuoma.  Peli's second CC and Halla's 4th Res CC.

Then it was the challenge for BOB and we were head to head with the lovely Marymead Muskateer, and so it was a very emotional moment for me, when our judge, Miss Eliina Haapaniemi from Finland awarded BOB to the young (2 year old) Pelinainen, not sure who was more over the moon, owners, Barry & Angela or me!

Especially significant for me is that my four first placed dog/bitches are all sired by the UK's number one dog - Matkamies, from each of his three UK litter and his litter in Finland.

Elbereth Pelinainen JW

Ruth Dalrymple/ The Kennel Club ©

Photo by Yulia Titovets

OnEdition/The Kennel Club ©

Summer Shows

What a great start to the summer shows:

At Birmingham National, "Team Elbereth" had a super day, first Elbereth Matkamies winning the dog CC, then Judi Cross and Ch Elbereth Marja won her 4th CC and took BOB.  If his was not enough, our new edition Tilkkuturkin Hallantuoma to Elbereth (Halla), only 6 months of age took Best Puppy in breed.

Halla then made a big impact at Bath, taking BOB & BP under Mr M Vines - his critique certainly shows what an impact this cocky little lady made on him:
Jackson’s Tilkkuturkin Hallantuoma to Elbereth, what a name, but very suitable for such an outstanding exhibit. Did it all for me, still a very minor puppy, a sable of eye filling quality. I was taken a little by surprise when she entered the ring, breathtaking would be an understatement. Fabulous feminine head so correct, eye, ears, very good stop, soft well padded muzzle, excellent dentition, tight lips. More reach of neck than you would expect, with just that hint of an arch. Well defined wither, into a topline so firm for one so young. Very good tailset. Coat texture soft at the moment as you would expect, but has the makings. Very good bone, all so feminine, forehand into very straight forelegs outstanding. Feet very tidy just the right amount of arch. Underline good, chest proportion roomy. Loved her rear assembly, long bones, wide thigh, short hocks which showed firmness standing & on the move. The handler moved her out at just the right, pace, this for me was the icing on the cake & the final decider for best smooth sound action in all areas. In presentation a confidence & attitude beyond her age. BP, BB & BOB (Judge Mike Vines)"  Her sire Matkamies had to settle for RBD and E Kia joins Bridus was reserve BB.>

Moving onto Southern Cos, where Mr Harri Lehkonen from Finland judged the breed, and from entry of 60 dogs he awarded a 12th CC to Elbereth Matkamies and BOB, with bitch CC to Elbereth Suvituuli, Matka's daughter out of E Penikka.  Elbereth Marja was RBB, and E Pelinainen won two classes, what a superb day.  This is the first time a father and daughter have done the double in the breed.

Fin Ch/Belg Ch Lumiturpa Pigga at Elbereth 29/8/1998 to 11/9/2014

I had always hoped Pigga would last forever, in fact often joked that as she was such a calm bitch who lived life at "Pigga pace", she was conserving her energy to live to a record age, but sadly she left as at the very ripe old age of sixteen years.  

first day

Pigga joined us on 30th January 2003, I had seen her in Finland as a youngster and wanted to buy her - but she was not for sale, so I was very fortunate when on a trip in 2002 I managed to persuade Matti & Riitta to let me "borrow" her for a litter, to help increase the gene pool here in UK.  So it was planned and we mated her with Fin Ch Staalon Lapinjoiku and her flight was booked.  I can remember that evening like it was yesterday - as I left home to drive to meet her at Heathrow it started to snow, just a little covering of a couple of inches, but when I arrived at the cargo centre I was informed that the snow and more importantly the ice on the runways/standings meant her plane had not even landed yet - even though it had been expected some 1.5 hours before.  I waited and waited - as three hours passed it was suggested I went home, but I dare not because of the snow, not wanting to drive more than I had to.  Then it was announced that as the plane had been circling the Heathrow airspace for so long it was going to have to go to Gatwick to be refuelled, but it would not be unloaded there.  So I waited and waited, drinking a number of those vending machine hot chocolates to keep me warm in the drafty cargo office!  I was really stressing how Pigga would be coping in the confines of her flight crate in the hold of the plane for over 10 hours, and of course she was (we hoped)in early stages of pregnancy.  When midnight came and she was finally landed and was released from the box, I truly expected her to be very stressed and messy, from such a long flight.  But this was Pigga we were talking about, she was fine!  She jumped into my car - we drove home carefully, and then I let her into the house, she walked straight into living room, laid down and said  "yes this will do nicely"  not a peep was heard from her, and from the next day it was like she had always lived with us.

Her litter was born, six puppies, 5 boys and the one girl, and we realised that we could not bear to send her home, so negotiations started - and we were very lucky that Matti & Riitta agreed she could stay in UK.  She had a limited show career - adding her Belgian Title and Brussels 03 winner title to her Finnish crown, but she was notoriously lazy and really did not get the point of showing off she was much more suited to being a lady of leisure at home, taking advantage of all creature comforts.

Pigga was a very gentle girl, I can honestly say I never heard her growl, she was very friendly and loved humans, and was happy to get on with any dog she met.  Once you met her you just had to love her, and she was so happy to share her affection about, she would go and stay with anyone - and was adopted by a number of lonely campers over the years on holidays, from young Josh & Phillip to not so young Steve and Andy, the latter even had T-Shirts printed with the slogan "I've slept with the Pigga-la- la". She was well known for pawing at you as she sat by your side - thriving on human attention.

 A great brood bitch, she had three special litters here in UK, to add to the two she had in Finland, and from her kids in Finland she has had significant impact - and she is behind a number of our more recent UK imports - albeit a few generations back and those in other countries!  Her second UK litter in 2004 was 6 girls and 1 boy (redressing the balance a little, sired by Elbereth Runo in Bernavia, and her last litter was born in August 2005 - to the very handsome Hapmi, again six puppies.

If you met her you loved her - fact!

Run free - Pigga

World Winner Dog Show - Helsinki 2014

When it was announced that the WW14 would return to Helsinki I was quick to plan a return trip, (I first visited Finland for the 1998 WDS) to see the breed I love, of course being in the breed's country of origin we could expect an amazing entry, though who could have predicted how big an entry it would be!

As the schedule was issued, the Finnish KC decided that the Finnish native breeds would benefit from a free entry and I started to think about actually entering Matkamies to be part of this once in a lifetime opportunity, so as entries were FOC I sent off the entry and then sat back to see if I would actually go through with it! Then I realised that flying a dog from UK is very complicated and expensive, £600 each way plus handling costs, so other ideas were considered and a plan of action made, "simples" drive to Holland, and fly out with Matka as escorted baggage from Schipol.  As planes usually restrict cargo load to no more than three dogs I had to get my booking in quickly - so the flights were booked and space reserved.

In no time at all, entry numbers for Finnish Lapphunds had surpassed 250 dogs and by the time entries closed, there were 526 entries! This certainly gave the organisers a headache?  Whilst there had been three judges advertised for the breed, there was no way they could judge this number of dogs between them, and provide the individual dog grading and critiques as is the norm in finland.  What would they do?  Then it was announced - FIVE judges:

• Kirsi Honkanen - Finnish Lapphund (Puppies, veterans + *intermediate bitches)  - total of 87
• Saara Sampakoski - Finnish Lapphund (junior, intermediate, champion dogs, CC, CACIB competitions, BOB) - total of 116
• Elina Haapaniemi - Finnish Lapphund (open dogs) - total of 91
• Mari Lackman - Finnish Lapphund (junior, champion bitches, CC, CACIB competitions) - total of 114
• Tuula Savolainen - Finnish Lapphund (open bitches) - total of 118

So Matka was entered in Open Dog, a class of 91!  I debated long and hard about whether to go - but the booking had been made and it would just be amazing to be part of it, and the team of Nina, Jordie, Pia and Caron persuaded me to take him.  Of course his relaxed temperament is well known and I had no worries that the journey would be too much for him!

The WDS14 weekend was slap bang in middle of our family fortnight in Builth Wells, so my mad venture to Finland would actually be via Wales!  So on wednesday 6/8/14 Caron and I left Wales for Surrey, a stop over back home, then Thursday a quick visit to the vet for Pet Passport paperwork to be updated for entry to Finland/tied to cover return to UK as necessary too.  Then the drive to Folkestone and through Chunnel and onwards to Holland, and Jordie's hospitality.  Then an early start on Friday 8/8/14 for the flight to Helsinki.  As we sat on the plane, the Captain apologised for the delay in loading - but it appeared the plane was carrying an unprecedented TWELVE dogs on board, and at that point we could see the cargo team, loading the dogs via conveyer belt into the body of the plane.  

Matka on far right awaiting loading

At Helsinki we were reunited with Matka, and we headed out to meet up with Nina, who was kind enough to share her home with 4 mad lapphund lovers and a lapphund!  Pia had flown direct to Helsinki to join up with us.  Nina's kind friend Harri also provided the canine transportation for Matka as the hire car would not allow dogs!  
Another early start was planned for Saturday morning of the show, as with huge numbers expected at the show and Matka due in ring at 9.00am, we couldn't be late!  We were so fortunate to have Nina and Harri to get us to the car park, and navigate the short walk into the venue and our outside ring, arriving stress free and with time to groom up Matka, though like many of the dogs present he was rather in summer clothes!

photo by Melanie Holbaek

Because of the large number of dogs in the class the judge Elina Haapaniemi asked for 25 dogs at a time to come into the ring, after a look at the batch of 25 and moving them in two sub groups, we then left the ring as each dog was assessed in turn - Matka being dog 17 to be seen (not counting absentees). My dream, was to receive the excellent grade, and so was chuffed to hear this announced to the crowd by the ring steward after his judging and so we could rest until the class finale later in the day.  Once all the exhibits had been judged/graded, the dogs receiving the grade excellent were invited back in the ring - again in numerical order and the judge started the process of reducing the number down from approx 20 to the four final placings.  It was nerve wracking as we were moved around the ring, and then asked to present the dogs, and out of the corner of my eye I could see the judge shaking the hands of the exhibitors who were not making the cut.

The tension mounted and then I realised there was only 7 dogs left in the ring, again we all moved up and down, and three were unlucky, so I realised we had made the final 4 and would be placed at the WDS!  We were still standing in alpha order and I was at the front of the group, and then the judge moved another dog up behind me and asked us to move again.  Under FCI rules its quite common for judges to place the dogs in reverse order, so as we ran around the ring and the crowd did the usual excitement building, slow hand clap, as the judge pointed to me - I was sure I was fourth, so it was amazing when she pointed to the No1 place board, a truly emotional moment.

The day did not end there - after all rings had completed judging - the stewards called the dogs who were eligible for the CAC into the main breed ring, to be judged by Saara Sampakoski, this was awarded to the Junior winner Turnukan Nalle, and I was delighted to win the RCAC.  A super result amongst cracking dogs from around the world, see the full results.

Whilst at the show the Finnish press caught up with us, for an interview - really to find out why this mad lady had come from UK to Finland for the WDS!

Matka's critique "Five year old with pale cream markings, very typey male, not in full coat, strong well shaped head, excellent expression, good bone, healthy structure, good mover"

The return trip was planned for Sunday, but a decision had to be made - whether to leave Matka behind in Nina's care for another National Championship show the following weekend.  It was obvious Matka was very relaxed at Nina's and I just felt it would be the one chance to gain his Finnish title.  So we headed home, without Matka, doing the mad trip in reverse, flight to Schipol, and overnight stay with Jordie, to wish her a Happy 30th Birthday and a celebratory meal at Cafe de Hamer .  Then another early start for the long drive back to Wales, which was certainly made easier by the euphoria of what Matka had achieved.

photo by Harri Kivimäki

So Nina had the tough job of taking Matka to the show the following weekend, I was judging at WKC, so was unable to take her call/messages till lunch time.  When I finished judging I turned on my phone and saw a message, did I dare read it?  It was amazing Matka won Open dog, the CAC, and then best dog beating the champion dog winner and finally BOB over the bitches, BOS was the lovely  Lapinpeikon Namupala, the judge was Erja Nummi.  

Matka's critique "Excellent type, correct proportions, excellent head, attractive expression.

Good topline, good ears, excellent broad body and bone substance. Well balanced angulations. Moves freely. Beautiful coat. Entirely stylish" 

This win gives Matka his Finnish Sh Ch title.


Now to wait a few weeks till we can organise Matka's return trip.

Not just for puppies

Had a few moments to updated blog with some pictures of some of the older Elbereth Lapphunds:)

Elbereth Taika AW

First pictured is Elbereth Taika AW, the first and only Finnish Lapphund to date to gain her agility warrant, Magic as she is known to her friends was bred from the very special millennium litter, Fin Ch Lumiturpa Nörri x WW02 Sulyka Mischa at Elbereth, she is pictured at just over 13.5 years of age!

Elbereth Jarkko

Then we have the handsome Elbereth Jarkko, a few months off his 11th birthday.  He was bred from the all Finnish combination of Fin Ch Staalon Lapinjoiku x Fin/Belg Ch Lumiturpa Pigga at Elbereth.  Such a softy, who recently gained his bronze good citizen award.

Elbereth Norppa

Elbereth Tuula

Two litter mates feature next, wolf sables, Elbereth Tuula (bitch) and Elbereth Norppa (dog). They are out of Pigga and by the lovely Int/Fin Ch Lecibin Hapmi who we were fortunate to have stay with us for a couple of years. 

Every bit the softy, Hapmi captured hearts of many and he left a great legacy of some quality dogs with his superb temperament.

Norppa was successfully shown as  a youngster - and his greatest achievement was BOB at Crufts 2008.  Now neutered and retired.  The pair are 8 years old in these pictures.

Elbereth Myssy joins Bridus

In 2011 we imported Lumiturpa Mamman Mamo in whelp to Lecibsin Kepponen, as yet another litter "made in Finland", pictured are sister and brother Myssy and Tuuri. 





Elbereth Tuuri (photo by AHP photography)



Elbereth Keijo

Multi Champion Elbereth Matkamies ShCM is a well known show dog, and now he is proving to be a good sire, with puppies from his first litter (to Elbereth Penikka) now maturing into impressive dogs/bitches.  Elbereth Miskakarhu recently won his JW and sister Suvituuli has won a number of Best bitch and even a BOB in 2013.  Featured here is one of their brothers, Elbereth Keijo.




Elbereth Keijo

 

Elbereth Pikkuinen

The baby puppies will be undertaking their puppy career in 2014, Matkamies' second litter are to Elbereth Tiia, son E Matti won Best puppy on his debut, pictured here are Pikku (bitch) at 4 months and Tassu (dog) at 6 months. Otso at 6 months and Matti and Helmi at 3 months.

Elbereth Maanantain Otso



Elbereth Valkotassu



Elbereth Helmi



Elbereth Matti

Five weeks - and we get outside

Finally there has been a break in the weather and the puppies are now getting regular visits outside.  It is funny because at first the big wide world is so scary they want to come in, but once they realise they can run about and frolic/play in the bigger place, then they don't want to come in!  A couple of organised escape plans were put into action to get out of the puppy pen, so have had to resort to more cable ties to secure the panels!  Wednesday the weather was very kind, so plenty of outside fresh air, and now they are very peaceful in doors as Zoomies are outside, plus as a bonus all the poos have been outside.  At moment energy levels of a five week pup are such that they sleep for 2 hours, then run about for 15 mins, then back to sleep for 2 hours etc Plus now eating 4 hearty proper food meals a day with top ups from Tullu.

Managed some quick head shots outside

Lightening

Tanny

Triangle

Creamy

Dotcom

Tullu puppies at 4 weeks

As I weighed these I was rather surprised by their weights, and quickly checked back to the last two litters, to see that yes these are a hefty lot!  Bigger than Tia's five or Penikka's seven.  Probably as a direct result of them all really taking to real food.  The temptation of some ground chicken mixed with lactol got their heads in the food bowl, and soon after they were happy to try anything softened.  Now at 4 weeks they all have little set of teeth - so are happy to try a little firmer kibble.  Four good meals a day - plus their mum on tap is definitely showing on the scales!

They are now very people orientated - with such adorable waggy tails!  Trouble is now changing newspaper in their pen is such a game as far as they are concerned - and really I could do without their help!

With the weather being so bad and the ground so wet they have not ventured outside yet - but fingers crossed we can get the outdoor pen up this weekend and start the exposure to outside and some house-training.

We were very lucky this week (well you are!) as Pia and Thomas popped over to get some stunning photos.  We did have to wake some up and they were not terribly cooperative - you will easily spot who I mean!  But am sure you will agree these are lovely shots.  (don't forget you can view bigger pictures by clicking on the thumbnails).

Lightening
(Wolf sable bitch)

Tanny
(wolf sable bitch)

Triangle
(wolf sable bitch)

Creamy
(cream ?w/s dog)

Dot.com
(wolf sable dog)

Diamond
(tricolour bitch)

Then we did some candid shots - using a reindeer pelt