It's been a busy show year for me. This weekend we headed to Tallinn double international show with our youngsters. Redheads Tarmo & Odessa were shown last time in junior class and Freya had just had her 2nd birthday so she was able to gain Estonian cac for her championship. I had entered Tarmo to junior class on Saturday and intermediate class on Sunday.

On Saturday Mr Alessandro Zeppi from Italy was judging. Tarmo (S. Sea'n Is Believin') went BOB-junior finishing his Est JCh title, Odessa (S. Sea The Stars Over Adunaic) was BOS-junior, she finished her C.I.B.-junior title by gaining the last junior CACIB needed. And Freya napped another CACIB plus cac that crowned to to Est Ch.

On Sunday the judge was Mr Andrzej Stepinski from Poland. Tarmo gained res-CACIB that turns into CACIB, and Freya got yet another CACIB. Odessa excellent without cq, the judge wanted to see better front movement but I don't blame the judge nor the dog, because the floor was awfully slippery. Some dogs survived better than others, and it must have been difficult to try to judge any movement there.

So it was a very nice ending. Freya just turned two years a few weeks ago and she has got five CACIBs, championships in Finland, Sweden, Estonia and Latvia to her credit this year. Now we all need a break!

Pictured left C.I.B.-J Fi, Ee, Lv, Lt JCh TlnJW-23 BaltJW-23 Serene Sea'n Is Believin', owned by myself
and right C.I.B.-J Fi, Lt JCh BaltJW-23 Serene Sea The Stars Over Adunaic, owned by Päivi Honkapää

Oh yes. In May, Elliot finished his international championship. At first, it was the only goal for this year with him. But he had some nice success along the summer, so here we are, showing every now and then until the end of this year. Group win and several placements, Baltic Winner title, Swedish championship to name some.
Elliot in Finnish Kennel Club's database here.

 Where to start... I realise I should update more often.
Not exactly summer, but my show year started on our main specialty show in March. Long time breed specialist Michael Hammerich from Truly Yours fame, Denmark, was judging. We had a huge entry of 50.
The star of the day was Elliot, Ch Serene Stargazer, who ended up 2nd best male after Sanna's visiting star.
Meri's young son Marlon, Serene Seagram's Seven Crown, surprised us all by being 3rd best male with CC. Marlon was also BOB-junior. Little Elmo (Serene Streamline), Elliot's barely 6 months old son, was BOS-puppy with a beautiful critique. Also Kieran and Odessa got excellent, so a very good day for us!
Pictured below left daddy Elliot (photo Päivi Honkapää) and right son Elmo (photo Nanna Salmela)

Elliot's dam Iris has been shown a couple of times before her final retirement. Redhead juniors Tarmo & Odessa have been out  with nice results as well. Below left & middle Iris the veteran (Ch Madiroc's She's Somethin For Serene), right Odessa (Serene Sea The Stars Over Adunaic)

It was a great show year even we did not show that much at least in Finland. In our breed club's listing 8 best shows are taken into the counting. Well, none of my dogs had 8 shows! Still they were placed nicely:

Serene Sunflower "Freya" #3 puppy, #2 black female (competed in adult classes only from September)
Ch Serene Stargazer "Elliot" #3 black male (only 5 shows in Finland 2022)
Ch Serene Beyond My Wildest Dreams #3 black female (competed only from May till July)
Ch Serene Secrets N'Dreams #6 black male (only 3 shows)
Serene Sunshine of Your Love #6 black female (only 5 shows)
also blond siblings Serene Sea The Stars Over Adunaic and Serene Sea'n Is Believin' were listed with their single show results. We will for sure hear more of them in 2023!

This summer I was busy at dog shows. Showing mostly Mini (and her brother a little bit) in Finland because she will return to Denmark after her puppies, and two road trips abroad. First, to Lithuania and Latvia with  very nice keeshond people, and after that, a longer trip to Europe with my two grown-up children and four dogs. Also some results from puppy byers. So, during the summer our dogs achieved:
* Serene Stargazer "Elliot" 
5x BOB, BIG-1, BIG-3, 4x BOS, CACIBs in Lithuania (2), Hungary (3) and Austria (2), championships in Hungary, Estonia, Finland, Lithuania
2nd best male in our main specialty show
* Serene Beyond My Wildest Dreams "Mini"
4x BOB, 7x BOS, CACIBs in Lithuania (2), Hungary (res-CACIB turns to CACIB after Meri), Austria (2), championships in Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary and Estonia
* Serene Sunflower "Freya"
4x BOB-puppy (including our main specialty show), BIG-2-puppy
2x BOB, BIG-3, 8x BOB-junior, junior championships in Lithuania, Hungary and Estonia
* Adunaic Seven Serene Seas "Meri"
shown only in Hungary less than 3 months after her litter was born: 1x BOB, 3x CACIB, Hungarian championship, new C.I.B.
* Serene Secrets N'Dreams "Urho"
Mini's litter brother was shown four times only and he finished his Finnish championship. Big congrats & Thank you Urho's owner Tarja Sillanaukee.
* Serene Sunshine Of Your Love "Lempi"
finished her Finnish Junior Championship with her owner Pirita Sorsakivi with a group placement along the way. Congrats & Thank you!

It is not all about shows. I also participated blood tracking test with Saaga, Serene Carefree Cassandra, who gained 2nd price, 38 points in her very first test. Aaaand Elliot passed mental description test.

Meri got her babies a couple of days earlier than expected. Four fat boys and two girls were born April 25th. Meri seems to be an excellent mom, so my job is easy this time. Still cannot sleep, just watching the little ones.
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Merin pennut syntyivät maanantain ja tiistain välisenä yönä; neljä poikaa ja kaksi tyttöä. Pari punaisempaa ja loput erisävyisiä vaaleita. Pikkuiset kasvavat hyvin ja Meri hoivaa niitä varmoin ottein, niinpä minun osani on tällä kertaa helppo; saan vain ihailla sivusta.

Meri has been bred. See details on Puppy plan page.

During the summer I've been able to participate a few shows with our youngsters.
In Oulu July 10th we had two shows, both an INT show and our main speciality show.
In INT show under judge Jose Homem de Mello, Meri took her very first CACIB and little Elliot ended up to best male 3rd gaining res-CC
Serene Stargazer best male 3rd, res-CC
Serene Black Celebration exc 2, CQ
Adunaic Seven Serene Seas best female 3rd, CACIB
Serene Dreams Gone Wild best female 4th, res-CACIB

Later on the same day, Jouko Leiviskä was judging our main specialty.
My homebred buff youngster Mauno surprised us all by ending up to reserve best male and winning CC at his very first show. A reserve best female with res-CC to Meri.
Serene Dream Performer best male 2nd, CC
Adunaic Seven Serene Seas best female 2nd, res-CC
Elliot, Gahan and Zirka got vg this time.
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A couple of weeks later, July 24th we went to a group specialty show to Suonenjoki, where Tuula Savolainen judges americans. Meri had a nice birthday present: CC & BOB
Adunaic Seven Serene Seas best female, CC, BOB
Serene Carefree Cassandra, best female 2nd, res-CC
Serene Stargazer vg

Armi's three beautiful baby girls have left us, or not quite, the third one will leave tomorrow. The house is soon quiet again. Last moments of "puppy smell", cute plays that once in a while rise to a small fight. Following their adventures always gives so much fun and joy.  8 weeks pass really quickly.
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If someone's looking for a pretty black boy to show, my friend has one available. 6 weeks in picture, very nicely on his feet, great bone & substance, perfect bite and temperament. Carries chocolate.
Contact paivi.honkapaa "at" gmail.com

8 viikkoa meni taas siivillä - vastahan Armin pennut syntyivät ja nyt jo talo hiljenee pentumurinoista ja pikku kahinoista, kun leikki yltyy rajuksi. Vielä viimeisiä pennunhajun tuoksutteluita, sillä huomenna lähtee viimeinen kolmesta ihanasta tytöstä.

Ystäväni puolesta postaan kuvan hänen 6-viikkoisesta mustasta komistuksestaan, joka on vielä vailla näyttelyistäkin kiinnostunutta kotia. "Paavo" on tasapainoinen, hyvin jaloillaan oleva tosi reipas pentu. Yhteydenotot email paivi.honkapaa "at" gmail.com

What an extraordinary year it has been! Yes, everyone knows why.
Very few dog shows, still some nice wins. Two beautiful litters in summer.
Armi's singleton boy Gahan, Serene Black Celebration, participated in a few shows during the year. Four shows altogether, two CC's, one res-CC and CQ in our huge specialty show in November. 
Meri, Adunaic Seven Serene Seas, my wild redneck, also got her first CC in her only show in Finland. 
Littermates Nila and Sauli did well in August, the first time out this year. In only two weeks Nila, Serene Moonlight Shardow, gained three more CACIBs to her credit while her litter brother Sauli, Serene Lightning Strike, finished his Int Ch with style in Estonia - winning Group 1st under well respected breeder judge Patricia Nemirovsky de Alsina from Argentina. Now Sauli enjoys his life in short coat already.
Pictures below from left: Gahan, Meri, Nila and Sauli.

​My queen Armi, Serene Stairway To Heaven, also participated in one show after two years break. She ended up Best female 3rd in our specialty show in November among big entry. Two litter brothers from my last summer's litter, just 5 months old, also debuted in our specialty show. Both got a very nice experience, behaved nicely and got HP. Pictures from our specialty show by Outi Heikkinen (below; from left Armi, Mauno and Urho).