Big Fall Update!

Lots of fun stuff happening around here this fall!
Solstafir's and Viking Tindra's litter all went to their new homes in late October.  I wa able to keep a co-own on one of the girls, who will live here in MD, with Dr. Sherry Seibel.  She will be shown, and bred, and I am thrilled with her!  So proud of my boy, for proving himself as a stud, producing a beautiful 5 pup litter.

Solstafir has also reached a major landmark in showing, having achieved his AKC Bronze Grand Champion status, on November 9th.  He is currently as the ranked #6 Icelandic Sheepdog in the AKC, and the #1 in UKC.

Baby boy Keisari, who is still 14 months old as I write this, earned his UKC Grand Champion title on October 19.  Keisari is also just one 3 point major away from his AKC Championship, as well!

Middle child Fox Meadow Thorra Kari (Vetur) sits at the #8 AKC position, and the #3 UKC, for Icelandic Sheepdogs.  He is just one 3 point major away from his AKC Grand Championship title!

I had annual eye exams on Solstafir and Vetur, on November 9, and I am happy to report continued clean and clear reports on their eyes.  The were also both OFA certified for full dentition, earlier this year.Vetur recently was issued a CHIC certification, for his health tests / reports, and is available for stud.

BIG week!

We have had a very exciting week here! 

In the early hours of Friday morning, Solstafir's litter came into the world.  Viking Tindra whelped 5 beautiful pups - 2 girls, and 3 boys.  They were all large, and are thriving, and putting on steady weight.  I do believe most will get Solstfir's rich coloring.  Cheers to Julianna Dolfinger-Price, and the lovely Viking Tindra for doing such a good job with the precious babies.  You may visit the pups, see photo, video, and contact Julianna via Facebook.  The pups page is Solkyssa Icelandics.  https://www.facebook.com/pages/S%C3%B3lkyssa-Icelandics/474193889337663   Puppy application requests can be made to artgecko@me.com

The next day, Saturday, my other two boys went to an AKC show and BOTH boys were awarded AKC Majors!  Fox Meadow Thorra Kari went Best of Breed for a 5 point major - his second towards his Grand Championship, and Solsteinn Keisari at Whitetail was Best of Winners for a 4 point major - his very first major, at just 11 months old! 

Also, last week the new AKC rankings came out, and I now have 2 boys in the top ten Icies.  Solstafir still holds the #5 ranking, and Vetur has moved up into the #8 position!

GOOD stuff!!!

Summer Solstice update - Super Moon puppies?

Solstafir has been mated to Viking Tindra, daughter of Frostfyre's Roskur, and Viking Syfjuth.  Their courtship was June 21, 22, and 23, so we may be expecting a litter around the last week of August.  The mating was concurrent with not only the Summer Solstice, but also the Super Moon this year, which got them extra frisky!  The litter will be whelped in New Jersey, by Julianna Price, Tindra's owner.  I'll provide more details as they reveal themselves.

In other news, Vetur (Fox Meadow Thorra Kari) moved up in the AKC rankings to the #14 Icie, and he holds the UKC #2 ranking in Icies.  Solstafir still hangs out in the top 5 in AKC as the #4 ranked Icie, and is Still UKC's #1 Icelandic Sheepdog.  Youngster Solsteinn Keisari at Whitetail has received his first leg towards his UKC Grand Champiopnship title, and has also received two AKC Best Of Breed wins, at just 9 months old.

Retrospective on a good dog

So, as of right now, per the official AKC rankings that run up through April 30, Solstafir is the #3 ranked AKC Icelandic Sheepdog.  The results of the first Icelandic Sheepdog National will be posted at the next update in a few weeks, which will drastically change the top rankings.  I thought it might be a good time to look at Solstafir's show accomplishments, as he has undoubtedly acheived his rankings pinnacle, having been the #5 AKC Icie for all of 2012, and having sat at the #3 spot for the first 4 months of 2013.

Solstafir has gathered over 100 AKC points, taken 15 AKC majors, and earned titles of AKC Champion, and AKC Grand Champion, in less than 2 years time.  He has also earned titles of UKC Champion, and UKC Grand Champion, and has remained a top 3 ranked UKC Icie for three years.  He is currently the #1 UKC Icelandic.  He has been on NBC television two times, in back to back appearances in the National Dog Show, on Thanksgiving Day.

This dog has taken me, in three years, through the process of being a complete newbie to the show ring, through all the learning curves, the trial and tribulations, and into becoming a mature dog show handler.  He has not always felt like showing, on a few days here and there, but has put up with me, nonetheless.
 
No matter where things go from here - and I do have two younger dogs to look for success with - Solstafir will always be my most emotionally important companion and partner, in this nutty little dog show world.  He has taken me on a wonderful journey, and he shows me his heart like no other. 

I really love that dog.

Well, isn't that Grand!

In a feat very similar to what his brother Solstafir did last year, exactly one week after earning his AKC Championship title, Fox Meadow Thorra Kari completed his UKC Grand Championship, on April 27, with his 5th Best of Breed over a Champion class, at the TNT Canines UKC show in Biglersville, PA.  He then went Group 2, in a tough 7 dog Herding Group. Thank you to judge Mrs. Marilyn O'Neill, for making Vetur a UKC Grand Champion!

Vetur is a new AKC Champion!

Great big news! My boy Fox Meadow Thorra Kari "Vetur" earned his AKC Championship title, in Timonium, Maryland on April 20.   He went Winner's Dog for 2 points under AKC Judge Carolyn Herbel to complete his Championship. No professional handlers were used to earn any of his points or majors. 
Also, Solstafir was Grand Champion Select for a hand-full of points.  Solstafir is the current #3 AKC Icelandic Sheepdog, so far in 2013.

Keisari goes BIG at Eden MD, UKC shows!

At his very first cluster of shows, at just barely 6 months old, Solsteinn Keisari at Whitetail was awarded Best Of Breed over a 3 dog ISD entry, in 3 out of 4 weekend shows. Not only did he go BOB, but then was awarded Herding Group #2, and TWO times awarded Herding Group #1. The points earned for 4 shows, and the 3 competition wins by 3 different judges, completed his UKC Championship title in just one weekend! This was completely unexpected!  Tremendous thank you's go out to UKC Judges Tracy Daugherty, William Chrzanowski, and the irrepressible Tina Camp. This young boy is on his way, and I am very proud of his maturity!

Solstafir ranked #5 AKC Icelandic for 2012!

GCH Fox Meadow Hausti Solstafir has been confirmed as the #5 AKC Icelandic Sheepdog for 2012!  In the UKC, Solstafir had also been confirmed the #1 ISD, and his brother Kari is the #2 ISD, as of January 8, however a late registration altered the list to #2 and #3 respectively.  So proud of my boys!