Wenrick Kennels Reg'd

We left Sudbury at 8:00 pm on Tuesday evening for the long overnight non stop drive to New York City with a mini van load of dogs. We picked up Jenny McClintock in St Catherines at 1:30 am and continued our journey. The drive down was uneventful and we arrived at 11:00 am Wednesday after several pit stops for dog exercising, coffee and shopping.

We checked into the Hotel Pennsylvania, across from Madison Square Gardens, got settled, had a well deserved nap and got up at 4:00 pm to shower and help unload our daughter Jody's truck and get her checked in. We greeted Pasquali Romanelli and Rosana Corsini, along with "Pucci" Maldini from Italy. Wendy Howard from Newfoundland arrived at 7:00 pm and the plot was now set for an exciting week in New York. We all went to dinner at a steak house in Madison Square Gardens as 'Pucci' had a dream of devouring a real 'New York' steak. A great time was had by all and the steak was awesome and cooked to perfection. We retired for a well deserved sleep having been up for 36 hours.

We had a restful night sleep and spent the morning doing some quick shopping. Wendy, Jenny, Pasquali and Rosana were scheduled to groom dogs all afternoon. Richard, Wendy H., Pat Martello and ‘Pucci ventured out to do an overview of the 9 floors of shopping at Macy’s 1 block from the hotel and then 10 blocks north to Times Square for more shopping, lunch at Ollie’s Restaurant (best noodle soup in NY) and to purchase 1/2 price theatre tickets for a Broadway Play. Wendy Howard was quite excited...almost a whole floor of purses...she had ‘died and gone to heaven’. She was most impressed with the hustle and bustle of the New York streets and when we reached Times Square she was in love with ‘New York’.

At 3:00 pm each day the NY Theatre Development Fund has available all unsold tickets for the day’s various performances. We were able to get tickets for Mama Mia from a selection of excellent offerings including The Producers, Phantom, Beauty & The Beast, Chicago, Fiddler on the Roof , just to name a few.

As more and more friends and fellow breeders began to invade New York the day was filled with chance meetings and greeting with old and new acquaintances at the various haunts in Manhattan. We took a cab up to Time square for a quick dinner and the Theatre. We went to John’s Pizzeria for some authentic New York pizza baked in a wood brick oven....delicious...then on to the beautiful Wintergarden theatre for the evening performance of Mama Mia. A large as New York is we ran into fellow Shih Tzu breeder Kim Kroeplin and our veterinarian Dr. Sheena McKeegan from our hometown who were also attending the play. Mama Mia is a musical comedy featuring the songs of ABBA...."Mama Mia...here we go again".....a great evening of fun and entertainment. Pat Martello and Wendy P. may need to be separated as the two are becoming quite unruly when out together......they were having way tooooo much fun and could have had us ejected from the theatre with their antics during intermission.

We did the 10 block walk back to the hotel enjoying the people, sounds and smells of New York City. Laid our weary heads on well appreciated pillows in our comfy rooms humming the music from the play..."Mama Mia...here we go again".....tomorrow is the first show at the Progressive Toy Dog Club.

We woke up refreshed and ready for the first day of showing. The girls were busy brushing dogs and getting ready for the 2:45 pm start of judging. Richard had booked a spa treatment and was off for his 2 hour revitalizing of his old aching bones and muscles. It was a combination body scrub and massage. After an enjoyable 30 minutes of steam room, hot tub and scrub it was off to the masseuse. The young Korean girl stretched and rubbed Richard back into shape with an amazing combination of hands and feet as she coaxed his body back into shape. Richard returned quite refreshed and thankful for the pleasant ordeal.

Vicki Abbott was today’s judge and the show was held in the Hotel Pennsylvania that we were staying in....very convenient. And the results were......

6-9 Dogs
1st Charing Cross Time To Kill
2nd Souyen’s Take A Chance

9-12 Dogs
1st Mai-lyn’s Venture With Aiko
2nd Galix Merlino
3rd Mai-lyn’s Puttin On The Ritz

12-18 Dogs
1st Souyen’s Derek Decheid

Open Dogs
1st Cheina Doll’s Gucci
2nd Wafer’s Madison Avenue
3rd Winterholme’s Man To Man Talk

Winners Dog
Charing Cross Time To Kill

Resreve Dog
Mai-Lyn’s Venture With Aiko

6-9 Bitches
1st Charing Cross Shen Wah Poppycock
2nd Purple Jades Unforgettable
3rd Souyen’s Divine Setting
4th Souyen’s Take A Risk

9-12 Month Bitches
1st August Moon’s Heart And Soul
2nd Lady Wenrick Di Casa Corsini
3rd Beijing’s Sophie’s Choice

12-18 month Bitches
1st Sokol Letset’s Girl Talk
2nd Souyen’s Victoria Secret

Bred By Bitches
1st Souyen’s Secret Setting

Open Bitches
1st Rupert’s A Touch Of Wenrick
2nd Purple JAde’s Without Malice
3rd Dejavu-Savvy Suddendly Sydney
4th Ying’s The Simple Life

Best Of Breed & Group 3rd at the Progressive Toy Specialty
Ch Hallmark’s Jolei Jezebel

After judging we returned to the room, got the dogs settled in and off to dinner and yet another Broadway play. We had dinner at La Vigna in the New Yorker Hotel...great scallops, veal parmegiana and yet another great place for New York steaks. We enjoyed a brisk walk up to see the play "Chicago"...great musical enjoyed by all...."He had it coming...He had it coming"....The walk back to the hotel passes through the main fashion district which is sprawling with bargains galore in all genre of clothing. We went to bed early to get a start on the next day of adventure.

More dogs to bath and get ready for the days specialty which again is located in the Hotel Pennsylvania which is beginning to fill up with the Westminster crowd and is the center of activity as it is located right across the street from Madison Square Gardens.

Metropolitan Shih Tzu Fanciers

Sweepstakes- Judge- Mr. Carl E Gomes
6-9 Dogs
1st Purple Jade’s Make Wave At Angelicas
2nd Souyen’s Take A Chance On Me
3rd Charing Cross Time To Kill
9-12 Dogs
1st Hansuti’s Chosen To Lead
2nd Galix Merlino
3rd Mai-Lyn’s Venture With Aiko
4th Mai-Lyn’s Pandamonium
12-18 Dogs
1st Eastwyck’s Ring Of Fire
2nd Winterholme’s Man To Man Talk
3rd Souyen’s Derek Decheid
6-9 Bitches
1st Hallmark’s Jolei I Love Lucy
2nd Souyen’s Take A Risk
3rd Ultra’s Playin On Broadway
4th Ista’s Beach Party
9-12 Bitches
August Moon Heart & Soul
2nd Ista’s Truth Or Dare
3rd Beijing’s Sophie’s Choice
4th Lady Wenrick di Casa Corsini
12-18 Bitches
1st Souyen’s Secret Setting
2nd Ying’s The Simple Life
3rd Souyen’s Victoria Secret
4th Dejavu-Savvy Suddenly Sydney

Best In Sweeps- August Moon Heart & Soul
Best Opposite- Hansuti’s Chosen To Lead

Regular Classes Judge Norm Patton

6-9 Dogs
1st Charing Cross Time To Kill
2nd Purple Jade’s Make Wave At Angelicas
3rd Souyen’s Take A Chance On Me

9-12 Dogs
1st Mai-Lyn’s Venture With Aiko
2rd Galix Merlino
3rd Hansuti’s Chosen To Lead

American Bred
1st Mai-lyn’s Pandamonium
2nd Moss-Spring Hot Pursuit

Open Dogs
1st Cheini Doll’s Gucci
2nd Eastwyck’s Ring Of Fire
3rd Winterholme’s Man To Man Talk
4th Wafer’s Madison Avenue

Winners Dog- Mai-Lyn’s Venture With Aiko
Reserve Dog- Cheina Doll’s Gucci

6-9 Bitches
1st Hallmark Jolei I Love Lucy
2nd Ultra’s Playin On Broadway
3rd Souyen’s Take A Risk
4th Ista’s Beach Party

9-12 Bitches
1st August Moon Heart And Soul
2nd Lady wenrick di Casa Corsini
3rd Beijing’s Sophie’s Choice
4th Ista’s Truth Or Dare

Bred By Bitches
1st Ultra’s Just For Spite
2nd Souyen’s Secret Setting
3rd Shantung’s Laura Ashley

Open Bitches
1st Sokol Letset’s Girl Talk
2nd Ying’s The Simple Life
3rd Ruperts A Touch Of Wenrick
4th Purple Jade’s Without Malice

Winners Bitch- Sokol Letset’s Girl Talk
Reserve- August Moon Heart And Soul

Best Of Breed- Ch Hallmark Jolei Jezebell
Best Opposite - Ch Chantilly’s Romance At Wenrick
Best Of Winners- Sokol Letset’s Girl Talk
Best Puppy- August Moon Heart And Soul
Awards Of Merit- Ch Ista’s Superstitious, Ch Souyen’s Super Trooper, Ch Bar-Lars Maybe It Could Be

After judging we were off to the La Vigna restaurant with Pat Keen and Wagner Fernandez for a repeat performance of the day before's excellent cuisine. Jody, Jenny and Wendy Howard were getting dressed in their finery for the Have A Heart Bash at the famous Plaza Hotel before joining us back at the Hotel Pennsylvania....Tonight was the Eukanuba party held on the top floor of our hotel. The event is open to all and is well attended, as it is a great time to unwind. For the admission price of $20 you are treated to an evening of free food and beverages as well as dancing to a live band. This 'don't miss' event is a must for anyone coming to the 'Garden". We had an awesome time and indulged ourselves toooooo well and finally laid our heads to rest at 1:30 am knowing we had to be packed and ready for the drive over to New Jersey for tomorrow's specialty at 7:00 am.

At 7:00 am we boarded the "Jody Shuttle" for the 40 minute drive over to New Jersey for the specialty. On board her cube truck were Wendy, Richard & Jody Paquette, Jenny McClintock, Wendy Howard, Mandy Carlson, Pat Martello & her assistant Courtney, Wagner Fernandez, Pucci Maldini, Pasquali Romanelli and Rosana Corsini along with 22 Shih Tzu. We must have looked like a gypsy caravan as we unloaded at the Holiday Inn as the never ending group disembarked from the vehicle.

Shih Tzu Club Of Northern New Jersey

Regular Classes- Judge Marjorie Tuff

6-9 Dogs
1st Charing Cross Time To Kill
2nd Purple Jade Make Wave At Angelicas
3rd Nikita's Sun Of The Vampire

9-12 Dogs
1st Hansuti's Chosen To Lead
2nd Daw-Anka's Bojangles
3rd Galix Merlino
4th R-Magic Born To Be Wild Bei Jing

12-18
1st Souyen's Derek Decheid

Bred By
1st Elan Super Trouper
2nd Wen Dee Beys Booker Remix

American Bred
1st Mai-Lyn's Pandamonium
2nd Moss-Spring Hot Pursuit

Open Dogs
1st Eastwyck's Ring Of Fire
2nd Winterholme's Man To Man Talk
3rd Cheina Dolls Gucci
4th Shantung's Tommy H

Winners Dog Eastwyck's Ring Of Fire
Reserve Dog Mai-Lyn's Pandamonium

6-9 Bitches
1st Charing Cross Shen Wah Poppycock
2nd Souyen's Divine Setting
3rd Ultra's Playin' On Broadway
4th Ista's Beach Party

9-12 Bitches
1st Ista's Truth Or Dare
2nd Lady Wenrick Di Casa Corsini
3rd Bei-Jing Sophie's Choice
4th Hamlet's Just A Pearl

12-18 Bitches
1st Elan Playin' The Lead
2nd Taipan's Can't Deny It
3rd Souyen's Victoria Secret
4th Wenrick's Legally Blonde

Bred By Bitches
1st Wenrick's Hollywood Mistress
2nd Souyen's Secret Setting
3rd Willow Country Cassidy
4th Shantung's Laura Ashley

Am Bred
1st Hi-Kris Farm Demitasse

Open
1st Ruperts A Touch Of Wenrick
2nd Souyen's Setting The Fashion
3rd Krissy's Ring Of Dreams
4th For Sarah Shelter Blue

Winners Birch- Ruperts A Touch Of Wenrick
Reserve Bitch- Charing Cross Shen Wah Poppycock

Best Breed- Ch Hallmark Jolei Jezebel
Best Opposite-Ch Jasaha-Nikita's The Vampire

Award Of Merit- Ch Ista's Superstition
Ch Souyen's Super Trooper

Best Of Winners- Ruperts A Touch Of Wenrick

Best Puppy- Hansuti's Chosen To Lead

Best Bred By- Elan Super Trouper

Best Stud Dog- Ch Wenrick's Hollywood Hit

The New Jersey Specialty is a well run event and the members are to be congratulated for a job well done...Congratulations to all the winners including both Winners Dog and Bitch and Best Puppy from our group. The Fishers provided a bottle of wine to celebrate their Winners Dog win with Pat Martello which was enjoyed on the trip back to Manhattan which seemed to go quite quickly...nothing like winning to lift the spirits and make the trip home go quickly. We unloaded our menagerie in front of the Hotel Pennsylvania to the gawking of the locals as they passed by.

We had to settle the dogs in and get ready for yet another night of partying. Jody and her crew were off to the Purina Hospitality night before joining us at the 'Invitation Only' evening at Mrs. Dorothy Cherry's in her apartment/condo on Central Park Avenue overlooking Central Park. We had a chance to view the spectacular art display by Christo and Jeanne Claude called "The Gates". It comprised 7,500 gates draped in saffon coloured fabric and span the 23 miles of footpaths in the park. Then across the street to the exclusive party hosted by Dorothy Cherry. It was fun to indulge in the company of the many invited guests as we enjoyed a quaint evening of conversation and catered gourmet food. Wendy Howard, Pat Martello and ourselves were quite impressed with the lavish rooms and excellent view of the park. We enjoyed the company of many of our friends and fellow dog enthusiasts including fellow Canadians Barbara Innes, Jack Ireland, Sandra Lex and Marilyn O.Neill. Yet another perfect day as we passed well know sites as the Trump Tower, Radio City Music Hall, The David Letterman Theater, Times Square and The Empire State Building on our way back to the hotel.

Day 6

The excitement from the previous days was nothing in comparison to walking in to the crowded Madison Square Gardens for the 129th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. This "Champions Only" event has become one of the most important and prestigious dog shows in the world. Wendy, Jody and Jenny were busy getting the dogs ready for the afternoon judging and Wendy H. and Richard enjoyed wandering around the vast building watching other breeds being judged and enjoying the shopping at the multitude of vendors booths at the "Garden". You must tolerate the atmosphere of being jostled about in the overcrowded venue which could take 15 minutes to move only a few feet amongst the spectators, exhibitors and dogs in the popular benching areas. At ringside you need to get there hours ahead of time for a good seat or a view in the 3 to 6 deep gallery at each ring.

Breed results for Shih Tzu can be found at http://www.westminsterkennelclub.org/2005/results/breed/shihtzu.html along with photos of the Best Of Breed and Best Opposite winners, a video of the breed judging and a listing of all the dogs entered. The Judge was Luc Boileau and he chose Ch Hallmark's Jolei Jezebel handled by Luke Ehrict for Best Of Breed, Ch Wenrick's Doll Collection, handled by Wendy for Best Opposite Sex. The Awards of Merit went to Ch Chantilly's Romance At Wenrick, handled by Many Carlson and Ch Ming Dynasty's MoonStruck handled by Mark Iseki.

We enjoyed a quick dinner at Lindy's in the Hotel Pennsylvania and headed over to the "Garden" to watch the group judging. Working, Terriers, Toys and Non Sporting would be judged tonight. We stayed till after the Toy group and headed back to our room to settle the dogs and watch the last group of the day on television before retiring for the night. You must attend to truly savour the atmosphere of this great event.

Day 7

Our plans for sightseeing including the Empire State Building, Ground Zero and the Statue of Liberty evaporated quickly as we realized we had to bath out and brush several dogs whose coats were getting ahead of us.....we had to appease Wendy P. with her 'dogs come first attitude'....I guess the dedication pays off....she did get a lot of compliments for her dogs over the weekend. Wendy H. and Richard went over to the Empire State Building but returned later with just a quick visit as the queue to go to the top was hours long. The weather in New York was a balmy 52 F degrees and felt like late spring rather than winter and the sunny day had New York filled with tourists enjoying the unseasonably warm weather. Speaking of weather we were enjoying the warmest Westminster ever with only a small shower on Monday evening to spoil a rather perfect week of weather.

By 1:30 pm the grooming was done and we made a quick trip over to the Garden to watch a few breeds and then took the subway to "Ground Zero" with Wendy H. Jenny McClintock, Pasquali and Rosana in tow. From there we walked through Battery Park where we could see the Statue of Liberty and over to Chinatown for more shopping. Jenny was on a definite 'shopping high' as she bartered with the shop owners for the best deals. When you see her in her matching 'Oriental Jacket' and purse, you will know where they came from.

Our final evening was another command performance to the Steak House in the Garden where "Pucci' insisted we go as his treat for taking such good care of his Ch Showcase Aiko dog that Jody and Jenny had finished in the US and Canada last summer. Another fantastic meal, company and camaraderie. We then went back to the dog show to watch the final nights judging including Best In Show. The dogs in the BIS lineup were truly a sight to behold and the teamwork and showmanship of each and every dog was awesome.....We returned to our room with a bit of sadness, knowing this was to be our last night of an exciting week in New York city.

Day 8

We were up early the next morning and said our good byes to everyone and got on the road at 8:00 am for the long journey home. We stopped at Pat Martello's to see her 5 'Brooke" puppies and at Jenny's to see her 5 "Colin" puppies. We arrived home at 11:00 pm that night after an exhausting but yet another fantastic trip.