Collies of Wych

10/06/2024

This little cutie isn't mine--I'm just getting her to weaning for her people. She's a singleton, momma didn't have milk, and her humans were already caring for a huge litter born two days before she was. So, she and Momma came to my house. Meet PhoebeBibiBaby (yeah, say that fast three times). We started on rice gruel today and her opinion is "WHERE HAS THIS BEEN ALL MY LIFE?"

10/06/2024

Gherkin's (Kaymann's Just Gherkin On It--co-bred and co-owned with Kayla McMann) official show win photo. I am humbled and blessed to be this beautiful young dog's co-owner. Kayla didn't have to leave me on him, but she did and I am so grateful.

09/06/2024

I get to live vicariously and brag...
In Canada at the Canadian Collie Nationals, this happened:
Satin and two of her baby boys did great. Satin is now Canadian champion AM CH Wych N Mar Jo’s Chasing Ribbons as she was Winners and Best of Winners;
Rye - Kaymann’s I’m a big Dill (co-bred by me and Kayla McMann and owned by Kayla) was best baby puppy smooth and was 2nd in sweeps to his brother;
Gherkin - Kaymann’s Just Gherkin On it, was a little super star as Gavin (Kayla's son) took him in and won best baby puppy rough and best baby puppy in specialty!
Thank you to both Susan Bertrand and Cheryl Ellis for the nods.

15/05/2024

Sugar got mail!

07/05/2024

A Tale of Two Dog Shows

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times...wait. Someone already wrote that. Let's start this over...

So, I was at a specialty show weekend in Iowa this past weekend. I am continually impressed with the club(s) hosting this weekend and strongly recommend attending. Exhibitors are treated like royalty, fed incredible food, and made to feel like family. This weekend is on my list of shows that I will attend if it is at all possible.

However--and this is a "me problem"--I allowed another exhibitor to make me feel less than...less than enough, less than good enough, less than accomplished, less than everything...As I said, that's a "me problem." I allowed it, for whatever reasons I allowed it and (sadly) still do allow it. 40+ years in this breed and in this sport and I still hear the insidious whispers of "you're not enough."

This got me thinking on that long drive home from the Central Iowa Collie Club shows. I live in TN, now, and I much prefer showing "down here." We have the same judges. In most regions, we need the same number of dogs for a major. We have animals that are competitive on a national level. The BIG difference though is the attitude of the exhibitors.

Weekend before last, I was at shows in Franklin, TN. Everyone entered in collies that weekend helped each other. We cheered for each other. My own Bred By smooth girl was handed off no less than three times at one show...shown by me in the class, handed off for winner's (which she won), and handed off a THIRD time for Variety. When the smooth boy who needed only a single to finish his championship won, EVERYONE cheered. When the rough girl who had been standing at 14 points for over 2 months earned that elusive last point, not only did EVERYONE cheer, some happy tears were shed for the owner. The rough boy who needed only one point to finish garnered it and all the collie people at ringside congratulated his breeder/owner and were happy for her.

The weekend before that, I was showing at Clarksville, TN. There were majors in both rough and smooth girls. We helped each other get our girls in the ring and we offered genuine congratulations to the winners.

"Down here" we all want to win as much as the next guy. We work just as hard to train and exhibit those show dogs. We put in just as many hours, log just as many miles, pay the same entry fees. We just understand that no matter how bad you want it, you're not going to win every single time. Doesn't matter if you're showing the number one ranked dog in the country or just starting a baby out, no one is going to win every time, all the time. "Down here" we also understand that being genuinely happy for your fellow exhibitor helps soften the blow of losing--because when they lose, if you've been honest and genuine in congratulating them, they'll be just as gracious when you win. If they're not, that's a "them problem."

It really doesn't cost anything to smile and say, "Congratulations" to the winners in the ring. If it is too much of an effort, we also understand that and we can smile and say "Well, bless your heart."

23/04/2024

So, now the question is this: Sugar is entered at the shows in Franklin, TN this coming weekend. Because she's in BBE, I can't leave her in the classes knowing she's finished. Do I leave her home or move her up?

23/04/2024

While I was at one show weekend when Sugar was a baby, Jacque went to a different show. I completely and totally forgot that Jacque went to a different show way back in January of 2019. (One of the very few times we went separate ways for shows...) Anyway, if I don't show 'em, I don't remember if a certain dog has won points. Before Saturday, under Fred Bassett, Sugar went in with 12 points, not 10. Jackson wasn't her first time to play show dog. I was mistaken. OOPS...
Anyway, if I'm correct, Sugar finished on Saturday under Mr. Bassett. Allow me to introduce CHAMPION Mar-Jo N Wych With Sugar On It.

23/04/2024

Sugar is once more feigning ignorance of the memo that she was meant to be point fodder...WB/BOW/BOV from the classes under Fred Bassett to bring her point total to 14. (I hate being in the 14 Point Club...it can sometimes take forever to get out of that club!)

10/04/2024

Hey, Jacque…
Collie Club of America was back in Peoria this year. Same ol’ cluster you know what to unload and load up and just like the last time, the weather was crappy. Not that it mattered because I was in the building by 6:30 AM and didn’t get out of the building until well after 7 or 8 PM. Just like old times. Only it wasn’t just like old times. It was a lot of memories I kept trying to push away.
I tried to avoid the restrooms on the side of the building where we had been set up that last time. The only time I went to those restrooms, I saw Whiskey and Elvis and Lindsey standing on the ex-pens. And Vander and Daisey looking thoroughly disgusted with the antics of the “children.” Sharon Mayes’s vendor space was about the exact same spot as your vendor booth was in 2019. Fitting, isn’t it, that the CCA put another feisty, tough, vertically challenged person in that space? Just as you did, Sharon bought a lot of my leads to resell at the National.
You would have been very proud of our little Lavender. She was one of a very few that Marcy came back to look at one last time before cutting her. I’ll probably find Marcy somewhere else to show Lavender to, again. And, Lavender showed her heart out.
I showed Peanut for Deb Weadle. Peanut is a repeat on Maumee and Mister. Peanut won the open class and then was awarded Reserve. Her official win photo says “New Champion” on it. I also showed a lovely rough sable boy for Sharon—his name is TJ and he’s very sound. He’s also a goofball, just the way we like them.
I miss you. I just wanted to let you know how the Nationals went.

25/03/2024

You'd think I'd learn NOT to enter a dog just to guarantee points. Sugar may have read the memo but she opted to ignore it. She came home from Jackson with two HUGE 5 point majors.

18/03/2024

Cleaning out images on my phone and came across this gem--both these boys are gone now to wait at the Rainbow Bridge. Miss them both.
The blue is Ch. Wyldwood's Regimental Drummer (unfinished at the time of the photo). The tri is GCh. Bandor's the Wyching Hour

14/03/2024

UPDATE TO THE UPDATE;
It seems that Gilbert is not being returned. I have no idea what is happening, other than it seems there is a FB battle royale.

UPDATE: Silver's breeder has come forward and is taking him home. No idea how he ended up in rescue--and honestly, not sure that matters at the moment. What matters is Gilbert (Silver's actual name) is going home. Kudos to Tri State Collie Rescue for working with Gilbert's breeder.

I have no idea who Silver's breeders are, but he looks amazingly well-bred. If you're looking for that quiet, well-behaved senior smooth, here he is in all his grey muzzled glory.
Contact Tri State Collie Rescue for more information.

11/03/2024

Okay--let's break the Franklin shows down...Chrome (Wyldwood's Koda Chrome) has now joined the 14 points club. She just needs One. Stinking. Point to finish her championship. Chrome is dearly loved and bred by Tenna Perry and Cat Perry. I'm the lucky one who gets to show this little dynamo.
Madison (Wyldwood's Midnight at the Oaisis)--little Miss Maddie--what can I say about this brat? Other than now she is major pointed (five great big points, to be exact) awarded to her under breeder- judge Sulie Greendale Paveza. Maddie is co-owned and co-bred by me, Tenna Perry, and Lynne Foster. Maddie is from the "miracle" litter and continues on the legacy of her sire, grandsire, and dam.
Lastly, and most certainly not least, is Miss Chai--Ceilidh's A Little Too Spicy. Oh, wait...that's wrong. Add a big CHAMPION title to Chai's name. Chai was from the last little that Jacque and I co-bred before Jacque passed with Covid. A few days after Jacque passed and a few days before Sugar was due to have her puppies, our wonderful friend Micha "Micki" Elliott called me and said she was coming to get Sugar, that she would whelp her for me. I was grateful and relieved--because I was certainly not in the proper head space to whelp and raise puppies. When the litter was about three days old, Micki told me there was a beautiful little sable merle smooth girl in the litter that Kilah (Micki's grand daughter) just loved. I remember I said if Kilah wanted her, they could have her. (Truly, it was one less puppy I needed to worry about placing.) That beautiful little three day old puppy has now grown up to fulfill every bit of the promise Kilah, myself, and Micki have seen in her.
Y'all think it's just words when I say I let my best ones go...

19/02/2024

I keep saying I let my best ones go--please meet Lily (the tri girl formerly known as Splash). Lily is sired by GCH Chrysalis Just Call Me Mister. Her mother is Ch. Wych N Mar-Jo's Etched with Frostfire.
Lily's first show weekend EVER garnered her 10 points, both her majors, and even a BOS. Way to go, Rose and Lily! (Thank you, Rose, for the picture.)

18/02/2024

I keep saying I place my best ones. Had he stayed, yeah, he could be a champion now. But he's doing do much more as a C-PTSD service dog.
Happy gotcha day, Koby.

22/01/2024

Polar (Ch. Mar-Jo's Polar Express) has been retired for about 8 months now to a wonderful companion home. Being a couch potato was fun--for a while--but his Hoomans thought he needed a job perfectly suited to his unique skill sets. Today, he made his first therapy visit to patients at a local hospital. Needless to say, Polar exceled at being a therapy dog and the people he visited were so happy to see him.
I'm proud of every dog that has ever started life here. I'm proud of the show dogs. I'm proud of the amazing companion dogs. But, the dogs who become service dogs or therapy dogs...there is a special place in my heart and I believe in heaven for those dogs.

17/01/2024

Just one of the leads available over at Wycked Show Leads.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=388232200410213&set=a.173254555241313

SOLD SOLD SOLD
"...what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?..."

In another life, I'm a historical romance author and I spend more time researching than I do writing. Victorian society was filled with symbolism and the society a brilliant author built into her magical world was based on Victorian society. Asphodel is a type of lily (did someone say Lily?) and to the Victorians that flower meant "my regrets follow you to the grave." An infusion of wormwood is also known as absinthe--but wormwood also symbolizes bitter sorrow.

Dude--just come out and say you're sorry...

For the fans of Harry Potter and/or Snape...
$85 plus $10 for shipping to the US. International shipping is more.

15/01/2024

Polar has been retired for about 8 months now to a couch of his own. His new family spoils him well into the rotten category and I'm here for every bit of it. A home, a couch, a warm coat on those cold, snowy nights...even if Polar hits the threshold and says "Nope. Not going out in that..."
(Video used with permission)

17/12/2023

Satin's co-owner in Canada sent me this image. Satin only needs a few points to become a Canadian champion. Honest, I do let my best ones go...

11/08/2023

I place my best ones...
AM Ch Wych N Mar-Jo’s Chasing Ribbons - Satin
This latest win brings Satin to #8 in Canada
BY Am GCH Ceilidh's Legends Of The Fall x Mar-Jo N Wych With Sugar On It
Bred By Lynda Cox and Jacque Bailey
Owned by Lynda Cox and Kayla McMann