Eve wins the Toy Group in Pleasant Point!

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A bit late with this blog as we've have a crazy busy week, but we can't not celebrate the amazing results we got at the South Canterbury Kennel Society shows in Pleasant Point.

We had Galinda and Olivia entered this weekend. but the Kitaco Sorority decided to all sync up and we have 3 girls in season, so of course, Elphaba decided to join the fun and had her first season, too! We left the girls at home and showed a reduced team, who did not let us down.

The day started early with damp grass that the babies found quite daunting, but they all did very well in Show 1 with Eve (Kitaco Fat Bottomed Girl) taking Best of Breed, Best Bitch CC and Best Junior of Breed.

Steve (Kitaco Etienne of Navarre) was back in the ring after having a few months break to get over his T-Rex phase and proved to be model of good behaviour, taking Reserve Best of Breed, the Best Dog CC and Best Open of Breed.

Parker (Kitaco The Muffin Man), whose ability (and determination) to escape confinement of any kind means we can no longer travel to shows with the Chihuahua-sized pens, but have to bring the big, heavy tall pens designed for much larger dogs, did very well, too. He took the Reserve Dog CC and Best Baby Puppy of Breed. This was his last weekend as a Baby Puppy so now the fun starts.

Then Ben (CIB NZ Ch Kitaco Ben De La Crème) made his debut in the Neuter Class where he won Best Neuter of Breed and Reserve Best Neuter of Group, coming second to the Cav who went on to win her Supreme Neuter Champion title, so there was no shame at all in that second place.

Our Smooth Coat babies made their debut this weekend, too. Big sister Olivia was at home because of her "delicate" condition, leaving little Dougie and Tina to carry the flag for Team Kitaco Smoothies.

And didn't they do well! Despite the high wet grass, Dougie (Kitaco Bad to the Bone) took Best of Breed, the Best Dog CC and Best Baby of Breed to the cheers of everyone watching when he finally took enough consecutive steps for the Judge to see him gaiting. Little sister, Tina (Kitaco Whiptail) did just as well, taking Reserve Best of Breed, Best Bitch and Best Baby (Bitch) of Breed.

By the time Show 2 started, the sun was shining, the grass was dry and the dogs were raring to go. Tash showed Eve like a pro and not only took the Best of Breed, Bitch CC and Best Junior of Breed, but then went on to win the Best in Group and Junior in Group as well! We are so thrilled with Tash and Eve. They make a great Team and there's no stopping them now.

Steve took Reserve Best of Breed, the Best Dog CC and Best Open of Breed again, Parker won Reserve Dog CC and Best Baby Puppy of Breed and Ben repeated his Best Neuter of Breed and Reserve Best Neuter of Group win.

Our Smooth Coat babies did so well, with Dougie taking Best of Breed again, the Best Dog CC and Best Baby of Breed and Tina winning Reserve Best of Breed, Best Bitch and Best Baby (Bitch) of Breed.

We were all set to come back on Sunday and do it all again until we saw the weather forecast. It would be an understatement to say that springtime weather in New Zealand is "changeable". It's actually a little bit psychotic! We sat there in 20' sunshine with not a cloud in the sky, looking at weather warnings predicting high winds, rain and even snow,

Seriously. Snow.

We dediced, as a precaution, to pack down the gazebos. They were predicting high winds and rain and at the very least Packing up in the rain on Sunday would be no fun and it's awful when you have to pack the gazebos wet. A nightmare if it's windy.

Turned out to be a wise decision. We were woken at 5 am in the motel to the sound of bucketing rain driven by gale force winds, temperatures barely above zero and people camped at the grounds posting images on social media of the what they were describing as a "gazebo graveyard". We decided there was no way we could put the Chihuahuas, particulalry the babies, through that (bet the labradors loved it though), so we made the call to scratch the whole team and head home.

Hats off to those who stayed and who absolutely earned their wins. Nothing stops a dog show in NZ (well, not the weather, at any rate. Toxic dust and COVID will do it though) and these guys soldiered on despite the challenging conditions. Kiwis are a tough breed, indeed.

And yes, by the time we got home, it was snowing. In September.

Thanks to the South Canterbury Kennel Society, the judges and the stewards who really earned their keep and ran some great shows.

Special thanks to Tash and Sam who helped us schelp all our stuff in and out of the motel, and pack up the gazebos. We would not have survived without them.