Plan 9 From Outer Space

Despite the fact that I have my own dogs I seem to have been blogging a lot about other people's dogs and that trend isn't going to stop today. I like to write about how the extended Invictus family is doing across the continent because it shows now only how awesome the dogs are but also how everyone who has one of my 'babies' also becomes part of a family of sorts which spans provincial, international and state lines.

Last weekend Luke, who now lives in Newfoundland with that naughty puppy Quinn from Coso Ridgebacks (and his BFF Dallas who is from an Ontario breeder), was at the last show of the year for Atlantic Canada. There is now a 5 month stretch where there are no shows at all and it's a good time to do some training, enjoy the holidays and let those adolescent dogs mature a bit more. Luke was the only Ridgeback entered, he only ever is, and in order to get anymore points he'd have to place in group. We've always known this would need to be the case with Luke since he would be the only Ridgeback showing on The Rock.

(Luke at 10 months) 

There are 4 shows held over 2 days which means 4 chances at points. He went into the show with 6 points and only needed 4 more to finish his Championship. Stephanie gave him a good long break from the last shows and he went into the ring fresh and ready for action. The point system for placing in group is a little different than in the breed ring - how many other breeds entered versus how many of the same breed entered - so with an entry of 6 breeds total Luke just needed to place in group with at least 5 to show up. In the first show there were 2 breeds missing so despite his best effort he didn't get any points but in the afternoon he won a 4th in the group and was on 7 points.

(Luke in the group at 10 months)

The next day Luke was a super star in the ring and pulled off two second placings in the Hound group and yet ... it still wasn't enough with a dog absent again. Luke will certainly be Leeloo and Raimi's first Canadian Champion but with only one point to go he will have to wait until Spring! It's the dreaded 9 point curse where you are so close but so far away from being able to call your dog a Champion. So now Luke has all winter to grow up a bit more and in the Spring I am confident he will be able to get that elusive group win I know Stephanie is gunning for! It's neat to see how he's bodied up in the photos ... just wait until he's 2 and a half!

(Luke in August 2012 at 14 months)