Fabulous, long overdue, very happy news update!

It's been a while since my last update, but much has happened in the meantime.  After taking time away from AKC conformation shows, for most of the summer, and much of the fall, big things occurred, all at once.

Solstafir attended the National Dog Show in Philly, won breed, and found himself in his third trip to NBC TV on Thanksgiving Day, in the Herding Group ring.  On the same day the show was actually held, November 15, we found out that Solstafir was still in the #4 spot in breed rankings, and was therefore being honored with an invitation to the Westminster Kennel Club show, in New York city.  This is the most prestigious dog show in the US, and I am floored to have received my first invitation to Westminster!

Not to be terribly outdone, the next weekend, November 21, my boy Keisari hit the final major he needed, to earn his AKC Championship title!  Keisari followed that the next day, with another major, which is the first applied toward his AKC Grand Championship.   After we had pulled away from AKC for over 4 months, we went to a succession of UKC show, where Keisari took quite a few Best of Breeds, and is currently holding the #1 Icelandic Sheepdog, in UKC conformation.  Keisari had all his health testing done in early September, and we are very happy to report Good hips, clean and clear eyes, and full dentition!  Keisari is now available for stud.

My middle kid, Vetur, has been having a good time of his own.  After completing his AKC Grand Championship, earlier this year, he went looking for girlfriends.  We found a lovely mate in a beautiful chocolate tri-color gal from Michigan, Arbakki Sigga.  Vetur and Sigga enjoyed each other's company immensely for the week she was in standing heat, and were consumed by epic romance.  If all went well, Sigga should be due with a litter around January 6.  We are very anxious to see what this mating will produce!

End of winter update

Well, spring 2014 starts tomorrow, and we welcome the busy dog show season that comes with it.  Winter was a season of few shows, but some fun things have happened.

Most notably, Fox Meadow Thorra Kari (Vetur) tacked an AKC GCH onto the front of his name!  On February 15, Vetur was Best of Breed in West Friendship MD, to score the final Major he needed to earn his Grand Champion title.  He finished 2013 as the #7 AKC Icelandic, and also the #3 UKC Icelandic, and at the time I write this, Vetur is also holding the #5 AKC Icelandic Sheepdog ranking, for the new year.  He seems to have several potential suitors roaming around, and we are waiting for him to start seriously dating.

GCH Fox Meadow Hausti Solstafir has been enjoying his Bronze GCH title, and his #6 AKC ranking, for 2013.  Solstafir was also the #1 ranked Icelandic Sheepdog in UKC conformation.  Last week he was awarded his 20th AKC Major, at York, PA.  His daughter, Solkyssa Rauda Mana Dis, joined us at the show, for her very first show entry, where I was privledged to handle her in the ring.  I was very happy to see Solstafir's little girl, whom I co-own.

My youngster, Solsteinn Keisari at Whitetail stands, at the time of this post, at 15 AKC Championship points, with one major.  He will finish his AKC Championship with one Major win.  At 18 months old now, he is beginning to show more maturity and poise.  Keisari was unranked in AKC for 2013 as a class dog, but was the #2 Icelandic Sheepdog in UKC conformation.  I have great hopes for this boy, as he matures.  He is built like a tank, and is extremely athletic.  I look forward to him becoming my third dog to hit the top 5 of the breed, in AKC rankings.