Jocelyn goes to her first show...and more

So I moved up with my parents in August, and I began talking to the breeder about possibly showing Joce. When she was just 4 months old I took her to a puppy match offered by Muskegon Kennel Club, and she won her class, but came in 4th in the winners class. I asked the judge about it after, and was told something that upset me, but these are people that learning to be judges, so I talked to my friend R in GR and she said the Joce didn't have the problem that the judge mentioned.

Joce showing off her ribbons earned in the puppy match

So I decided that we would go ahead and get a small issue fixed, and then get her registration switched from limited to full registration. When I originally bought Joce, I was planning on training her for hunt tests, and it was only when I picked her up that Collette and I got on the same page about showing...I hadn't been strong enough when I was talking to her to Joce for her to understand that I really did want to show. So I in my haste to register Joce, went ahead and did it...so about 3 weeks before the show I wanted to show her in closed, I was calling around frantically trying to get everything changed over so I could enter Joce in her first show. It also didn't help matters that Collette happened to be away at the Golden Nationals about then too....lol ....timing is everything!!! So I finally got hold of Collette, got the paperwork to her and we got the co-breeder to sign off...and the AKC received it the day I had to enter her. I had been talking to this awesome lady in the AKC, and the day I needed to enter, she found that the paperwork had been received, and she pushed it through in time for me to enter Joce...she was so cool and helpful I could not have shown at our first show without her!!!!

Ok, we were entered....now I had time to panic (hahahaha). I needed to find close to wear, shoes to wear (remember, I broke my ankle last year and I need flat-no heel soles!!). My awesome mom donated the clothes, I managed to find some shirts I had worn to work, and so I went out and bought a couple of pair of shoes to wear. I met my friend R at the show site the night before we showed, set up what I could, and got a quick first grooming lesson (there is definitely more to showing a Clumber than just trimming the feet...lol). Joce and I went home, she got a bath and we went to bed. We got up Friday morning, drove back to GR and showed. We won our class (in each class there was only 1 bitch entered), and when we went into the winner's bitch ring, wonder of wonder's, Joce got reserve!!! For anyone who doesn't know about this, it means that she came in second ....beating other winning class bitches. It also means if by some chance that the dog who won was disqualified for any reason...Joce would get the points that the winning bitch got. I was so happy, because she had just turned 6 months old 2 days before that... and it is usually hard to do something like that that fast with a puppy  :-)

Joce and I waiting outside the ring

Down and back, after we have gone around once



The Judge making her decision for Winner's Bitch

Here are some pictures from the second day, where Joce went reserve again...she did this all three days...I was so proud of her!!!! Even though I am having problems trying to stack her....LOL...we are both learning!!
So we decided (actually I decided) that we needed to enter another show, so I entered Lansing, and the first week of December, off Joce, Amber (my niece) and I went, to spend the weekend in Lansing and show at MSU. R couldn't make it, and I was panicking about grooming, so luckily one of the other Clumber handler's gave me some tips Sat after we showed...Thank you Kassie...you rock!!
Once again Joce went reserve both days...of course there were only two bitches there...LOL...but on Sunday the judge did have some very nice things to say about both of our dogs!!! Amber and I had fun...I think Joce did too, as she got to sleep on the beds with Amber and I, and she has officially "graduated" from being locked up every night in her crate, to being left out most nights...(Amber took some pictures on Sat....here they are)

Me stacking Joce....getting a little better  :-)

Going around...she keeps her tail nicely up

A little distracted...so much to see for a puppy

So I really want to show her at the end of Jan. but I do not think I will be able to. I am now waiting to see if I will have any funds then...if so then I will enter her, as I think she will do well, and there is a Puppy Best in Show there, and I think we might have some chance...it would be fun, even though it is no points!!! I have officially been bit by the show bug, like my mother before me (to bad I'm not married to someone wealthy enough to pay for it...LOL). I hope I can continue showing her!!!
Here she is after a long weekend of shows....this is how she relaxes when we get home!!

I'm so tired...and your so comfy

Aww...not another picture!! Ok..I'm cute!!