View from the Top

However brief this brag might be I'm still going to brag it because it's not likely to occur again in my lifetime. Breed rankings change weekend to weekend with different dogs winning and losing at the whim of the judges. But this weekend, on this day, I can say that the #1 Ridgebacks in both Canda and the US were bred by or out of Invictus dogs.

In Canada BPIS Can. Ch. Charisma's Mischief Managed w/ Coso is currently the #1 Ridgeback with the most all breed points obtained by a Ridgeback in Canada. That is of course shows to date and subject to change. Isn't everything? Atlas is professionally presented by Kim Cowie and was actually bred by Charisma Ridgebacks but Charisma and I spent a lot of time deciding who was the best sire for Can. Ch. Invictus One Magic Christmas (Karma) and aren't we glad we chose Argos? Atlas is following in his sire's footsteps with his wins and rankings at a young age - he just gets better and better.

And in the USA who else is there but Zero? With his wins last weekend he is now ranked as the #1 Ridgeback in the USA - again subject to change (you knew that was coming). Always presented to perfection by Juliet, he was bred by me and is co-owned with Erin at Aegis. None of this is new information so instead of my yammering on about the now famous Zero, let's just look at how awesome he is and how awesome Juliet's smile is.

And that is that. Next weekend I will probably have to eat my words but for now I can say that being associated with the two top Ridgebacks in the country is humbling. I don't have an iota of control over the dogs themselves, am no part in the decisions made regarding where and when they show, and have no control over whether they win or lose. What I do have is good foundation stock, great people to work with, the ability to choose promising puppies, I can see the pros and cons in potential breedings and lend advice and opinions based on a sound history in purebred dogs. It's not really that much but it has served me well so far.

Make no mistake. These dogs are not accidents. My own breedings and any others directly out of Invictus-bred dogs are based on a solid groundwork of foundation stock whose genetics are as sound as their offspring. The pedigrees behind these dogs were developed by some of the best Ridgeback breeders in the United States and I do not need to be reminded that I stand on the shoulders of giants. I cannot allow myself to take credit for just one or two generations of breeding; however, both Zero and Atlas were planned with these results in mind and that planning was only possible because of their pedigrees. A thousand thank you's to Erin who will always be the best Ridgeback mentor ever - no question.