Colkeririn's Sunlight (Kamba) and Colkeririn Indigo Lightly at Lonaza (Lana) had a fabulous day at W.E.L.K.S. 2015 on Saturday, 25th April.  The sun managed to keep shining on our youngsters who both showed their way to excellent placements under Breed Specialist Liz Storey (Kiromol).   Kamba won the 9-strong Limit Class and went on to win the Reserve Dog Challenge Certificate - his second RDCC in two consecutive championship shows for him (we didn't get to Hound Assoc Scotland) and Lana placed 2nd in her well stocked Limit Class, placing behind the day's BCC winner.  Here's Lana standing for her judge's critique - we are so proud of her and Jane.

     

Kamba's show career since leaving the Junior Class has been a real thrilling journey.  Still at only 21 months, this is Kamba's 4th class win and 2nd RDCC under Breed Specialists at Championship Show level (in only 8 Champ Shows we've attended - where he's placed in the cards at every show):

Gillian Mitchelson (Voortrekker) 1st PGD Hound Assoc 2014

Sue Campbell (Nyassa) 1st PGD LKA 2014

Gill Lawless (Faahac) 1st PGD and RDCC Crufts 2015

Liz Storey (Kiromol) 1st Limit and RDCC WELKS 2015.  

Under 2 more Breed Specialists he's been placed 2nd:

Gill Hutcheson (Gabisa) 2nd PGD Bournemouth 2014

Charlotte Strickland (Voortrekker) 2nd PGD Richmond 2014.  

We are so grateful this first class group of ladies with so much combined experience and knowledge of our breed appreciate Kamba, so much thanks for keeping us smiling on our journey!  Although we can't attend every Championship Show in the year, we are looking forward to what has started out to be a really exciting 2015 for us!   

Colkeririn Rhodesian Ridgebacks are raw fed dogs.  We have recently discovered a fabulous source of Coconut Oil which we supplement our dogs' diets with, by adding a tablespoon to their morning feed.   We enjoyed recently meeting Garry Stiven, CEO at Coconoil.co.uk, and are thrilled to bits to be included in Garry's company website in a recent blog entitled "Coconuts for Canines".  

We highly recommend this product - read all about it's health benefits at: http://www.coconoil.co.uk/blog/

Our Crufts 2015 experience keeps on giving! We are thrilled to be able to share our two fabulous critiques for Rhodesian Ridgeback litter mates Kamba (Reserve CC) and Lana (2nd Place Yearling Bitch).  Our breed specialist judge Gill Lawless (Faahac) created not just a magical day at the NEC for what seems like her entire Rhodesian Ridgeback entry, but has also delivered a beautifully, comprehensively and throughly written set of critiques which have most certainly put smiles on our faces!  

We have picked this photo by Lena Piehl as an excellent one to look at as you read Kamba's critique, we can easily follow Gill's description as she considers his form:

And here's Lana's:

CRUFTS 2015 - What a day for Colkeririn!! (Show ring photos by kind permission of Lena Piehl)

The world's largest dog show attracts the biggest breed entry of our year at Championship Show level.   With visitors in attendance from all over the globe, we wanted to step into Breed Specialist Gill Lawless (Faahac)'s ring in the best condition we could, so in January ramped up our training to ensure we were all in tip top shape!

Although Colby qualified, we decided to focus on Kamba and Rio for Crufts 2015.  Kamba was first off the benches and gaited confidently into the ring to take his place in the 16 strong Post Graduate Class, he demonstrated his form enough to take the class and win our first ever Crufts red ribbon! (Rio won a RBCC in 2012 as the 2nd placed bitch in Open Class).  A short time later Kamba was back in the ring for the Dog Challenge.  

Standing amongst some truly magnificent dogs and soaking up the wonderful atmosphere which surrounded our ring was a magical feeling enough, but when Gill walked up to us and asked for a down and back to assess his movement one more time we felt elated.  Kamba rose to the occasion and gaited enthusiastically with his powerful reach and drive, we stood back in line and watched carefully as Gill considered her line up.  She awarded her DCC to her Open Dog class winner, a handsome dog from The Netherlands, and then to our absolute delight awarded the Reserve Dog CC to Kamba.  Gaining a Kennel Club Stud Book number under a breed specialist of Gill's calibre at Crufts just doesn't come any better!

Rio was the very next class of the day and amongst all the excitement we were both a little over exuberant and after flying round the ring were delighted to be awarded 3rd Place in Veteran Bitch behind two spectacular Grand Dames who we've stood alongside in the ring for several years now.  

Our beautiful Lana who we co-own with Jane Hawkins and John Smith was next up in Yearling Bitch and with tears in my eyes as I watched Jane and Lana standing to perfection, let out a shriek of excitement when they were awarded 2nd Place in a 12-strong class.  Not only that, Kamba and Lana's litter brother had also won 2nd Place in the Yearling dog class earlier that morning, so all in all the pops just couldn't stay in the bottles any longer!  We enjoyed a toast with friends from far and wide to our fabulous dogs, to Indie (at home) whos babies had won a 1st, RDCC, and two 2nd places, to Rio on teaching Kamba how to take it all in his stride, and to the great success of a fabulous day!  Congratulations to all who qualified, placed and won top honours on the day and thanks and gratitude to our judge Gill Lawless for her impeccable ring management and manner with our dogs.