Sisu Catahoulas

11/05/2025

The Fall All-American Bulldog Club show was one for the history books.

Showing just one show all weekend Trek picked up the final win he needed for his Emerald Grand Champion title. As far as I know this makes him the first Catahoula with both a UKC gemstone Grand Champion conformation title and a UKC Weight Pull Grand Champion title—a designation he'd get to keep for a whopping three days until sister Drama finished her UGWPCH on Sunday. (I incorrectly dated all the photos October 12, when the ARBIS and new EGCH were from the 9th. Oops).

To the best of my knowledge Drama is the third Catahoula and the first female Catahoula to earn the UGWPCH title.

Along the way Trek picked up his 12th Total Dog award and two Most Weight Pulled Per Pound (Veteran) awards. Drama picked up her 24th Total Dog award, three MWPPV awards, and two MWPP awards. This is a nice bookend for her career—Drama finished her UGWPCH with a MWPP as she did when she finished her UWP years ago.

These accomplishments retire Drama from UKC weight pull and Trek from the UKC show ring. Each dog has one more UKC title I'd like to finish before they retire from UKC (unless, of course, we get a chance at snow points, then that's fair game).

MWPP MWPPV RBVIS RACEM UWPS AP8 VPE UGWPCH EGCH Sisu’s Trekker, SPOT-ON, 12x UKC Total Dog

MWPP MWPPV BIS RBIS RBIMBS ABIS ARBIS BVIS RBVIS CHBCD HOP RUSH RACES UWPS AP6 VPE UGWPCH ASGCH RGCH Sisu’s Drama Queen, NCD, LAM50, SPOT-ON, 24x UKC Total Dog

(MWPP MWPPV BVIS CH of TD-CH AP2 VPA UWPO CAX UWPCHX GRCH J Cross’ Currahee, WPSGRCH, 4x UKC Total Dog x BVIS RBVIS MWPP MWPPV UWPO VPA AP5 RO1 UWPCHX GRCH J Cross’ Halo, RATO, SPOT-ON, 7x UKC Total Dog)

11/04/2025

Playing more catch up on event results for the crew.

We made an 11 state loop to hit the UKC Catahoula Owners, Breeders and Research Association National Breed Specialty in Athens, TN and the NALC-MS fall show.

On the Friday of our trip we hit the UKC National Specialty in the morning with Asta in the Grand class and Drama showing in Altered Grand. Neither of my girls won, but we enjoyed visiting with everyone.

We then got back on the road right away and hot-footed it down to Mississippi for the NALC fall show. None of the dogs were entered in Treeing in part because the drive time between the UKC show and NALC was going to cut it very close.

Drama had a bit of an off weekend and didn't have her finest bays, but big brother Trek did great and got himself a 2nd place in one-dog in a three-way tie one point behind first place. Asta's B-Bay debut got postponed due to some unforseeable circumstances, but lit up and looked good in practice. I really look forward to running her soon.

In the show ring three of the four dogs that showed (Baldr stayed home and Drama can no longer show in NALC) we came home with:

Blaze tied for 3rd in Year and Older Females (Never Had a Litter)
Strider 3rd in Year and Older Males
Trek 4th in Senior Males

We got to visit with friends and have only a couple-three minor mishaps along the way. Overall it was a good trip and the next one will hopefully be sooner rather than later.

10/27/2025

I'm going backward for event brags for the last three weekends.

This weekend took us to St Johns, MI and the Playmaker's Ghostly Gallop at Uncle John's Cider Mill.

Once again we didn't win, but we finished and had a good time. As you can see by the results it was a big crowd. Drama once again was a rock star with clean passing and followed voice commands at turns and when overtaking or yielding to other racers.

This wasn't a personal best (that one was about 7 months ago with analog timing and was 1 minute 4.9 seconds faster), but even just looking at this one (my fastest chip timed race to date) we've made a huge improvement from a year ago.

I have two more 5k races with Drama to finish her North American Canicross "Advanced 5K Distance Dog" title (ACD). I'd like to pick up two more 10K races to get her Novice 10K Distance Dog (NCDD) title, but at her age and the rarity of dog-friendly 10K races that may not happen. But, at 9 years old she's still doing great.

The plan is to wind her down and just do the mileage titles alongside brother Trek while getting ready for me to race her daughter Asta next year and after.

10/05/2025

We had a solid long weekend of eight shows at the Illinois Toy Fox Terrier Association shows in Peoria, IL

I have some win pics, but I'm going to do the quick rundown.

Drama unfortunately didn't have quite enough competition for wins toward her Altered Diamond Grand Champion title, but she still came home with three Altered BIS and four Altered RBIS awards. She also won Best Veteran in Show five times and Reserve once.

Meanwhile, Asta took a break from being a menace to get five Breed wins with two Group 4s, a Group 2, and a Group win. She earned her Emerald Grand Champion title and started earning wins toward her Ruby title.

Trek picked up a full leg toward his Emerald Grand Champion as well as a Group 2 and Group 4 win.

Not to be left out, Baldr picked up his first Group win.

It's was a long haul, but worth it.

MWPP MWPPV BIS RBIS RBIMBS ABIS ARBIS BVIS RBVIS CHBCD HOP RUSH RACES UWPS AP6 VPE UWPCHX ASGCH RGCH Sisu’s Drama Queen, NCD, LAM50, SPOT-ON, 23x Total Dog

MWPP RBVIS RACEM UWPS AP7 VPE UGWPCH GRCH Sisu’s Trekker, SPOT-ON, 11x Total Dog

HOP RACEA EGCH Sisu’s North Star, 3x Total Dog

MWPP AP VPN RUSH RACEE UWPCH EGCH Warrior River’s Baldr, SPOT-ON, 11x Total Dog

09/30/2025

A few weekends ago Drama and I finished our third 10k trail race at the Peace Ranch Wilderness 5k/10k near Traverse City. The trail was well marked and the organizers did a fantastic job keeping track of the runners. Volunteers rang cowbells at each mile mark and had several people ringing sleigh bells as we all finished.

At the start Drama was excited to run and another racer commented that she deserved an award for being the most excited to start. When she heard the sleigh bells and cheering as we got close to the finish line she lit up. A shout of "Let's go, Drama! WORK! WORK! WORK!" and she picked up the pace for a strong finish.

As usual, Drama needs a faster runner—she hits her all day trot at about as fast as I can hustle. We are unlikely to win a race, but we do finish. And we've spent time together doing something fun.

This race finished her North American Canicross (NACC) Champion Bronze Canicross Dog. (CHBCD). This is a big achievement for us. This title requires 50 canicross miles, three 10k trail races, and a novice title in any distance class (five trail races in that distance class—in our case it was the NCD/Novice 5k Canicross Dog title).

It's so nice that even as she creeps toward full retirement she can still get out and do things.

MWPP MWPPV BIS RBIS RBIMBS ABIS ARBIS BVIS RBVIS CHBCD HOP RUSH RACES UWPS AP6 VPE UWPCHX ASGCH RGCH Sisu’s Drama Queen, NCD, LAM50, SPOT-ON 23x Total Dog

09/23/2025

Miss Asta took a day off from catching woodland creatures and had a really good time at the Michigan American Pit Bull Terrier Club show on September 14 under honorable judges Lora Luce and David Arthur. She won the Herding Group in both shows and picked up another leg toward her Emerald Grand Champion title. I'm so pleased with how this little svartálf is turning out.

HOP RACEA GRCH Sisu's North Star

08/17/2025

Today Drama and I finished the Tails and Trails 5k hosted by Oakland County Parks at Independence Oaks. We didn't get a personal best, but that wasn't unexpected after yesterday's (mis) adventure.

Drama made friends with a few people and generally had a good time. Of all the things, she sure does like racing.

I also picked out from my collection the BibBoards that summed up this weekend's races.

08/16/2025

I took Drama out for a 10K trail race.

I joke that I'm always racing for last place.

Today it wasn't a joke. The trail crew got a little excited and pulled trail markers during the race. I got off course and only realized when I looped back to the three mile marker when I should have been about done. A race official got me in the right direction and we were able to finish with only about 2 extra miles. So whatever my official time is it's not at all accurate.

But we did finish, so just one more 10K trail race and Drama will have her North American Canicross Bronze Champion. She'll be nine years old in ten days. Also she got an ice cream on the way home because she worked hard and deserved it.

08/09/2025

Top Ten updated through about the middle of the year, so there's still plenty of time for things to change. That said, I'm still happy with how my little menace has done so far this year.

So much for "I'm not going to show much this year. Just some performance stuff."

Fitting that's she's currently #2 because she is a little 💩.

08/07/2025

Jo at Minuteman asked if Michelle (Dawson Hollow), Mari (Stand Rock), and I had a pact to not share our wins from last month because we all took a minute to brag.

No, I'm just behind. Last one to get with the program.

We got together at the All-American Bulldog Club show in Shipshewana, IN. We each brought a couple of dogs and helped each other out over a fun, but busy, weekend. Each dog went home with a little piece of the pie and made progress on titles.

For my crew:

Trek and Drama both struggled a bit in weight pull, but both also got some placements and Qs. Trek came home with two Most Weight Pulled per Body Pound (Veteran) awards as well. I believe both ticked up a number in their Advanced Puller count.

Drama finished her Precision Coursing RUSH title (Dash format). She and Asta both earned their Steeplechase HOP titles. Drama had a mishap trying to follow the trash rabbit under the hurdle like she would go under a fence or the brush at home. Thankfully she only hurt her pride. Asta started working on her LEAP title before she decided jumping the barricade fence was more fun than chasing trash rabbits. For sanity we're probably done with the trash rabbit game for her.

In the show ring Drama got skunked in both Veteran and Altered. We'll get 'em next time.

Asta really shined, winning the Grand Champion Class and Best of Breed in five shows and Reserve Grand Champion in the other three. In one show Asta's uncle Trek won Res GRCH behind her. This got Asta a total of 2.5 legs of the 5 needed for her Emerald Grand Champion title as well as a good handful of Top Ten points.

Trek and Asta both qualified for the UKC Total Dog Invitational. This was Asta's 1st (and 2nd and 3rd) Total Dog Award and Trek's 11th.

I'm really pleased that my youngster is coming along well and my veterans are still holding their own.

There, all caught up before a few more events over the next few weeks and months.

MWPP MWPPV BIS RBIS RBIMBS ABIS ARBIS BVIS RBVIS HOP RUSH RACES UWPS AP6 VPE UWPCHX ASGCH RGCH Sisu’s Drama Queen, NCD, LAM50, SPOT-ON, 23x UKC Total Dog "Drama" (Ranger x Halo)

MWPP RBVIS RACEM UWPS AP8 VPE UGWPCH GRCH Sisu’s Trekker, SPOT-ON, 11x UKC Total Dog "Trek" (Ranger x Halo)

HOP RACEA GRCH Sisu's North Star, 3x UKC Total Dog "Asta" (Oslo x Drama)

08/07/2025

I'm WAY behind on posting any of our accomplishments of late.

Back in June I took Trek, Drama, Asta, and Strider to UKC Premier.

Trek and Drama competed in weight pull, with both earning points and class placements. Trek won his weight class a couple of times, too. Drama is inching toward her UGWPCH and retirement. Trek, having been out of commission due to a long series of injuries and illnesses, is finally getting back on the track and working toward his UEWPCH and retirement.

Drama won Best in Show Veteran in the United LCLD breed specialty. Strider won the Champion class. Drama also placed second in the Hip Certified non-licensed exhibition class.

Sweet little Asta, the world's rottenist puppy, showed well. She showed in Top Ten, though she came away empty-pawed. It was really nice taking the third consecutive generation in the ring (Ranger and Halo, Drama, and now Asta). She then showed in the three regular shows and placed Reserve Grand Champion in a class of nine dogs. Not bad for only 13.5 months old. She also got qualifying runs in Precision Coursing and earned both her Novice (RACEN) and Advanced (RACEA) titles. RACEA GRCH Sisu's North Star.

RACEM UWPS AP7 VPE UGWPCH GRCH Sisu’s Trekker, SPOT-ON, 10x UKC Total Dog

HOP RUSH RACES UWPS AP5 VPE UWPCHX ASGCH RGCH Sisu’s Drama Queen, NCD, LAM50, SPOT-ON, 23x UKC Total Dog

RACEA GRCH Sisu's North Star

CH Sisu's Strider

08/01/2025