Foxbarton Taittinger JW ~ IRCC (Blaze)

Sh. Ch. Caristan Moet Chandon JW x Foxbarton Lady In Waiting JW CDex
D.O.B. 31.8.2007 ~ KC Stud Book Number 0946CT
Genetically Normal for CEA/CH and CL

Blaze at 8 months

Reserve Challenge Certificate - City of Birmingham Championship Show 2008
JUNIOR WARRANT AT 8 MONTHS OF AGE
Qualified for Crufts for life
Qualified for Puppy of The Year 2008 & Border Collie of The Year 2008

Blaze is my Fizz's baby brother, born after a repeat mating of Moet with my Bliss. The Hawker family fell in love with him before he opened his eyes and he lives with Paul and Val and their two daughters and is the light of their life.

The Hawkers live quite nearby Foxbarton, so I often met Blaze at training classes and as he grew on, I soon offered to show him, just hoping to get him qualified for Crufts for them, for a bit of fun. Blaze did them proud, winning the first Championship Class he went in, at just 6 months old, under judge Eric Broadhurst, and he hasn't looked back:

1st Minor Puppy Dog & Res Best Puppy Dog In Show - Border Collie Club of Great Britain Ch Show 2008
1st Puppy Dog & Res Best Puppy Dog In Show - Southern Border Collie Club Ch Show 2008
1st Minor Puppy Dog & 1st Puppy Dog - WELKS Ch Show 2008
1st Minor Puppy Dog, 1st Puppy Dog and
BEST PUPPY IN SHOW ~ East Anglian Border Collie Club Ch Show 2008
1st Puppy Dog - National Dog Show 2008
1st Maiden Dog - Southern Counties Ch Show 2008
1st Puppy Dog & BEST PUPPY DOG - Three Counties Ch Show 2008
1st Puppy Dog - Windsor 2008
1st Graduate Dog - South Wales Championship Show 2008
1st Puppy Dog & 1st Junior Dog - Bournemouth Championship Show 2008
1st Puppy Dog & 1st Graduate Dog - City of Birmingham Championship Show 2008

BEST PUPPY IN SHOW - Kensington Canine Society 2008

I'm very grateful to Paul and Val for letting me handle their gorgeous boy in the ring - I think Val's got hooked on dog shows! She takes Blaze to Companion Obedience classes at Cobham Dog Training Club, where all my girls went and he's following in the Foxbarton tradition, getting Grade A in both his Beginners and Intermediate end of term tests, and also both times taking the red rosette for 1st place for top marks too.

At Sussex Pet Rescue CD Show, Val handled Blaze to pass his Kennel Club Good Citizens Bronze Award, and I showed him - he won the Any Variety Puppy Class (22 puppies) to go Best Puppy In Show, so beauty and brains too! Then at 9 months, Blaze sailed through his Silver KC Good Citizen's Test. Also at 9 months, Blaze went Best Of Breed at Thames Valley Show. Nina Rowlands judged and wrote him a glowing critique in the dog press: "One of the most fabulous Border Collies I have ever had the pleasure of judging, every inch a male. The most keen, alert expression, skull fairly broad and equal in length to foreface, ample stop, beautiful dark eye, correct earset with ears carried semi-erect. Strong muzzle and correct scissor bite, muscular neck, very well laid shoulders. Ideal size for a male, with good substance, deep ribcage, in excellent hard condition, so well muscled, so soundly constructed, movement was an absolute pleasure to watch. Very "fit for function". Best of Breed, Best Puppy."

Blaze won his second Best of Breed, although still a puppy, at Kensington Canine Society, at 11 months. He went on to win the Pastoral Puppy Group and the Adult Group and finally, under the Best In Show judge, Patricia Clayton, took Best Puppy In Show.

On 30th August 2008, Blaze entered his last show as a puppy and had a great day - he won not only the Puppy Dog Class and the Graduate Dog Class, but took the Reserve Challenge Certificate (96 dogs entered) at the City of Birmingham Championship Show, under judge Robin Newhouse. The RCC made him automatically Best Puppy Dog, and after the bitches were judged, he challenged the Best Puppy Bitch and was duly declared Best Puppy In Breed. What a wonderful first 6 months in the ring, and I have had so much fun showing him for Val and Paul, who are absolutely delighted with Blaze as their family dog, but also with all his prodigious success. I should add that his RCC also qualifies him for Border Collie of The Year 2008, the icing on the cake!

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Pedigree of Foxbarton Taittinger JW