Breed history made

I will expand on the past weekend, fabulous as it was, in a day or two. Written by Vickie, here’s a synopsis:

At the shows this past weekend in Lake Elmo, MN, breed history was made.  One of the Gompa bitches (Payton) achieved her CH title with back-to-back-to-back 5-point majors.  Another of the Gompa dogs (Landin) took Best in Sweepstakes and a 5-point major. 
Payton is sired by Kunza Rishi. Rishi’s half-brother – Kunza Danba – sired Landin.

Patience, Persistence and Gratitude..the Ella and Danba puppies

The Tibetan word for patience – Zopa. For persistence – Nan Tan. And gratitude – Drin Lan. On so many levels, those are key factors in regards to this litter. Ergo, their names. We call them Zopa, Tanner and Landin.

How ’bout a slideshow?

PARENTS GRANDPARENTS GREAT GRANDPARENTS GREAT GREAT GRANDPARENTS
Kunza Danba Gompa Lotus Kham ma Dharmapala Lotus Frodo Dharmapala Nyima
Dharmapala Raji
Dharmapala Lotus Gawa Dharmapala Drepung
Dharmapala Tamdin
Gompa Kunza Chandra Dharmapala Panchen Dharmapala Tchang
Dharmapala Phama
Dharmapala Garma Dharmapala Taschi-Deleg
Dharmapala Gulip
Grand Champion FFT Melou “Well Said” CL1-R Champion FFT Dancin’ After Midnight ROM Champion Whisbourne Sleep Walker Int.Nord. Champion Whisborne Hair Apparent
Whisborne Heart in Motion
Champion Fleetfire Timbers’ U Gotta Dance ROM Champion Fleetfire U Got That Right
Champion Timbers’ Fleetfire Last Dance
Champion FFT All Said n’ Done ROM Champion Brooksbjur Abba Ka Dab Ra Champion Bhutan’s Sim Balah
Brooksbjur Heavenly Bliss
Champion Timbers’ She Tsabo Shot O’Tequila ROM Champion Ha-Lee’s Tequila on the Rocks
She Tsabo Timbers’ Chianti ROM

 


A merry twinkle

A merry twinkle, I saw her grandfather in her eyes this past week. Eve…if you will…has been here a month.

Sprite had a sense of humor. The grandfather of her intended mate was much too serious to twinkle. Drepung was dignified. He took watching – watching out for his pack, watching the day go by – seriously. From the front of the Volvo between Ceese and Mac, he watched out the front window coming ‘cross country, delivered with nine of his tribe to my Rocky Mountain home over ten years ago.

He was my dog, Drepung. He’s been gone almost a year, dying the same way he lived. With dignity. He had not bonded to anyone back east, so I was told. He was not a cuddly dog which was, perhaps, the reason why. I admired him from the time we met. His quiet, powerful presence. He was with me in St. Louis when I first presented the Gompa dogs to members of the American Lhasa Apso Club. I almost didn’t take him with me, evidenced by his lack of a long hair on top of his head in those photos.

That was yesterday. And yesterday’s gone. Over ten years have passed. Where on earth does time go?! My, how that project evolved over those ten+ years. I did the best I could. That’s all one can ask.

Two weeks ago Sarah flew to Denver to pick up Zen. During our conversation she asked about Zen’s attributes. Mid list I choked up. And told her when I look at Zen I see her ancestors. The tail females, Hattie, Danielle, Summer, Tommy, Bell and Jelly Bean, all Champions – a handful in the 120+ Champions over the years – and most Register of Merits. What I couldn’t express – and wouldn’t express with someone I’d just met – was sending Zen onward to her forever home was much more than…that.

Putting the kennel dogs out one morning this past week it hit me. The transition really is happening. Five females ran to the gate to the outer dog yard, four Gompas and one FFT. Norma Jean – FFT Purple Marble – is the only intact FFT female in the kennel. OMG!! I sure as $h!t better have meant it! I took note of the males. Eight males; two neutered, two FFT (father and son), three Gompas and one Tibetan import. Yep, I sure as $h!t better have meant it!

Frank Sinatra’s I Did It My Way just popped into my head. I’ll try not to get sidetracked because there’s at least one story I can tell you about that song.

And now the end is near
And so I face the final curtain
My friend I’ll say it clear
I’ll state my case of which I’m certain

I’ve lived a life that’s full
I traveled each and every highway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way

Regrets I’ve had a few
But then again too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption

I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way

Yes there were times I’m sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out, I faced it all
And I stood tall and did it my way

I’ve loved, I’ve laughed and cried
I’ve had my fill, my share of losing
And now as tears subside
I find it all so amusing

To think I did all that
And may I say not in a shy way
Oh no, oh no, not me
I did it my way

For what is a man what has he got
If not himself then he has not
To say the things he truly feels
And not the words of one who kneels
The record shows I took the blows
And did it my way

Yes it was my way

Yep, it was. My way. Rebel with a cause. Or two. I saw them through. The record shows.

The final curtain…sounds like I’m done. Ah! Not quite yet! Eve? Grand Champion FFT Melou’s “Well Said” is her name. Ella is here to be bred to Kunza Tigle. This is a first – FFT x Gompa dog. How fitting that she also has an agility title or two! This upcoming breeding represents a fusion, a fusion of past work and successes, current learning and a new path for the future.


Transition

Transition. The word has been in my head lately. Several friends commented – to me, not on the blog – about my End of an Era post, which followed Julie’s Saying Goodbye. Kathy thought End of an Era sounded like a final post for the blog. Vickie mentioned, “how does one comment on that post?” Perhaps Transition would have been a better title.

Transition; movement, passage, change from one position, subject, stage to another. I’ve been in a personal transition the past several years. Small transitions, but changes just the same. Adding another day to my work week really interferes with my creativity. Words used to come pouring out of my head. My fingers couldn’t wait to tap, tap, tap. Up by 4:30, coffee in hand, the keyboard lured me into the library. Fatigue seems to silence my fingers.

Other transitions pop into my head. Or are released from my head. Transition within the Gompa dog breeding program. Transition within my son’s life. My garden is in a perpetual state of transition, which is true of all things growing.

End of one era, beginning of another. We’d been talking about moving down a different path for years, a path with new challenges, something new to learn. Julie began her Judge’s Path some years ago. The Gompas have been my path for a decade, delivered to me August 31, 2001. While we share those paths with each other, it’s the ‘FFT Challenge’ path we’re walking together.

A couple three years ago we challenged each other to earn a performance title on one of our retired Champion. Julie chose a Connor daughter called Lily – Ch. Timbers’ She Tsabo Confidentially Yours. I chose Edie, a Connor granddaughter – Ch. FFT Carpe Diem RN. Note the RN at the end of Edie’s title. 🙂

Melissa upped the ante when she challenged us to have a dog ready to run agility at the upcoming ALAC National Specialty in October. Challenge accepted! Three of my last five FFT dogs have been in agility training for a year and a half. Julie has been working with Lily and Fernando for as long, along with her Gompa dog Rishi.

Looking at the list of agility FFT dogs (and one Gompa) – in training or in the ring – it seems appropriate that Victoria’s son Roman is on the list. Roman (and Mary). Lily (and Julie). Edie (and Debby). Rumor (and Judy). Fernando (and Julie). Rishi (and Julie). Elliot (and Debby). Chloe (and Ginny). Norma Jean (and Debby). And while we don’t deserve the credit, I’ll add Melissa’s dogs from FFT lineage to the list. Josie. Ella. Myth. Victoria is behind the majority of these dogs. As breeders, what better testimony is there? What more could we ask? What better way to make the transition? Champions Gone Agile!

Here’s Julie and Lily – Ch. Timbers’ She Tsabo Confidentially Yours – running and qualifying in Novice Standard…

Ella – Grand Champion FFT Melou “Well Said” runs a nice serpentine…

Rishi – Kunza Rishi – graduates…


Happy Birthday dear Pony, Happy Birthday to you!

Susan reminded me…

Pony is going to be 10 on Saturday. I’ve promised her her very own latte…..:-)))))