Freighter is a new AKC Champion. He earned his Championship going Winners Dog and Best of Opposite Sex at the Michigan Winter Dog Classic show in Novi Michigan.
Michigan is a tough state to compete with a Chesapeake Bay Retriever because there are so many nice Chessies here. Freighter was all owner handled to his championship and was shown in the Open Class for all but one of his points which meant that he had to compete against professional handlers at times. He also took most of hunt test season and all of hunting season off from the show ring so he had limited showings. In fact he was only shown two times since last June.
Now that his CH is out of the way we can concentrate on his field work and hubby will enter him from time to time as a Special, but that will be more for fun.
Here are some pictures from the show:
First Freighter is stacked so that the Judge can look at his silhouette standing away from him.
Then the Judge asks his handler (in this case it is hubby) to take him around the ring so that she can observe his gait and see how he moves.
Next the Judge checks the dog’s bite and put her hands on the dog to check his structure.
Once the Judge finished examining Freighter’s structure, she had him do a Down And Back. The Down and Back allows the Judge to see how the dog moves going away and coming towards her.
On Saturday there were two dogs entered in Open Class and Freighter won the class but only took Reserve Winners Dog. On Sunday he was the only dog in Open Class so he advanced to the Winners Dog competition.
Saturday I was sitting off to the side. Here is a photo of Freighter’s Down and Back from Saturday.
For the Winners Dog Competition the Judge is comparing all of the dogs who have won their classes. Depending on what she wants to compare again she may have the dogs go around the ring again, repeat the Down and Back and check their structure again.
Decision time…
Freighter advanced to the Best Of Breed Competition.
There were several female Specials (dogs that already have their Championship) and no male Specials so Freighter also received Best Of Opposite Sex.
Freighter is now CH SRR’s Northern Gales Of November SH.
Congratulations to all of the other winners!
HUGE CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So happy!!!!! Well done Freighter!
DakotasDen
CONGRATULATIONS!!! I always knew Freighter would make it big! I love that photo of him stacked, paying such close attention to his handler. Well done!!!! 😀
Congrats Freighter!!!! You are a Champion that’s for sure!!! and it’s a pleasure to watch you in the ring… hypothetically you are now qualified for crufts, right?
Fabulous! Congratulations to Freighter and your husband. Well earned and deserved, and I am so happy that Freighter is owner handled. I think that makes his championship extra special!
Freighter!! Congratulations, buddy!! Mom says she remembers when you were a tiny puppy and now you’re a big champion!! That’s awesome!!
-Otto
Congratulations! I’m so excited for you! What an accomplishment doing it owner/handler. I don’t think many people realize how hard that is these days! I would love to get Leroy back in the ring one of these days as a Special just for fun, but I know that’s not likely.
Amen! Freighter looked just fine, he always (now) seems to enjoy being presented! Hubby could pass for a processional handler. Thanks for the great photos of the breed judging. Mid Winter did a long tape, but I could only find the Sporting Group, not Chessies alone.
This was a grand accomplishment!!! Hope everyone had a special treat for the efforts of the weekend!
Job well done! I know how hard Hubby worked with Freighter to earn this, I think it’s so impressive that it was all done by an ‘amateur’! Way to go.
Wow, well done! Brilliant news!
We always knew you were a champ, Freighter!
Congratulations!!! I just love this! I’m so excited for you and all the work you’ve been doing with your dogs.
Good boy, Freighter! We knew you had it in you! Owner handled. Very nice!
This is just so awesome and what makes it so perfect is that Jim did it all! Way to go guys, huge congrats to all!
Congratulations, Freighter!!!
Looking good, Freighter! What a great job by your hubby…congratulations to all of you!!
WOOHOO!!!!! HUGE congrats on that accomplishment. And trying to do the same with Tucker I know what hard work getting that CH really is!
Congratulations Freighter!! That is certainly something to be super proud of accomplishing. Would it be okay if we borrowed a photo and made Freighter our “Sports Story” for next week’s BFTB News? We will link back to this story and give you photo credit.
Thank you and yes of course feel free to use whichever photo or photos you need. I can’t wait to read the report!
Oh yay!!!!! Congrats!!!
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
Awesome! Congratulations, Freighter! 🙂
Congratulations Freighter!