December 2008

 

JacKat's Farm would like to wish each and everyone a wonderful holiday season. 

 

First and foremost... FAMILY, which becomes more precious as years go by.  We have had the opportunity to help a special family this year and it has brought us many memorable moments.  The little girl "Crash" in the red outfit has been such a joy to live with and has now become my mascot for JacKat's Farm.  Look for "Crash Stories" in the future.  I had to reassure her that Santa knew where she moved to!  Yes, yes, yes, the dogs are family!!

 

FRIENDS.... well, I really don't know what I would do without them!Goes without saying that there are too many to mention by name, but I know that you all know who you are and I thank you for putting up with me yet another year.

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  I look forward to the future escapades with all of you.

WoW....What an unbelievable day in the field on Sunday!!

 

We went out with most of the usual crew on a cold but beautiful day.  Right off the bat Rowan was in on a hog and I was able to go get Elizabeth out for some great "101 hog schooling."  So far so good! 

 

As we were going along through a nicely wooded area by a creek, all three of the more seasoned dogs immediately wanted into the same hole, at the same time, and it was all Jill could do to hold them back.  Wellington drew the long straw and was in, and it wasn't but a few seconds before he was working.  AND I might add.. working hard!  I still can hear the sounds coming out of that hole.

 

After a lot of pushing, he settled enough to locate and the dig started.  When we broke through he was baying towards an area we couldn't get a visual on so we pulled him out and sent him back in through the original hole.  Man, I am so impressed with that dog!

 

When we sent him back in, little did we know that there were FOUR, yes, FOUR coons in there!!  That dog just went right back to working his fool head off.  Lisa had to pull one coon out and then he was working the next.  That one bolted and then he was working the next.  It was the most unbelievable site to see.  Then he finally got to the last one and we scruffed him out and took a picture.  That coon was so cute, he put both of his hands over his face like he was trying to hide.

 

All four coons are fine, and live to be hunted another day although I don't think I'll ever be able to witness such a hunt again.  Some days are way, way better than others.

 

April 29th 2008

 

I have a feeling that there will be one more shining star in the sky tonight.

 

One of the brightest lights in my life has left this world today to chase angels in heaven.

 

She was (still is) a once in a life time individual to have.  I do not expect to ever have another spark so shockingly alive.  Words alone can not explain or express her unique personality.

 

How could I expect to be able to have such a free spirit with me here longer than her three years?  She is of a higher degree..... allowing me the opportunity to embrace her and love her; she has other work to do now.

 

Carly, there are so many of us mere mortals who loved you so; thank you for granting us the chance to see and experience something exceptional in your unconditional love.

 

In memory of our "California girl Carly"  Sow's Ear Divine Justice (she was DIVINE)

As I am writing this, I am still in complete amazement at just what did happen on that cold, rainy, sleety, miserable day out hunting.  I was told that these were the best kind of days to hunt as everybody would "be home."   Sounded like a good thing for all of us to do too, but this group of people are tenacious.  Geez... when your out with them, you are OUT WITH THEM permanetly, like in sun up to sun down. 

 

 Anyway, we had a good start;  Shannon's little bitch, Limit, earned her Bronze on a very feisty raccoon!  Man, what a dig that was.  That coon definetly was not having a good day.  We watched him climb up a huge tree and disappear only to hear that he probably woke someone else up in there and they did not think highly of his visit!

 

Continuing on.... we ended up walking the tree line and Lisa spotted a few holes in the middle of the adjoining field so we went over to check it out.  When we got there the dogs were pretty excited about it and while they were poking around, Heath and I spotted a huge kick back not far and we started walking to that.

 

Rowan committed to the set and entered and before to long we heard her baying.  I heard Lisa smack her hands together and say, "YES!", someone else said "sweet" and I knew then that Mr. Fox was home and found out a little later that he really didn't want to leave home.  They said that what was happening down there was the "ole Mexican standoff" and I am very thankful that I didn't know just what that was then, but I do now!!!!  It's a whole lot of tugging back and forth with each others head in their mouths, or something like that. 

 

Rowan earned her NHC to Red Fox!  After, almost digging right to him, he finally bolted, giving us very dirty looks over his shoulder as he went.

 

My permanent graditude goes to:  Lisa Drinkwater, Heath Ogburn, Jill Goodman and Shannon Osby for a day that I will never, ever, forget.  I'm glad we didn't stay home.

Thank God that sitting out one year didn't seem to dim Rowan's memory of hunting!  Man.... we had just started that morning and she went into a hole before I could even get past the thicket.  Good thing Jim Eslinger saw where she went or I would still be there trying to locate her!

 

She started baying quickly and we waited to see if she could bolt it before beginning to dig to her.  When it looked like that wasn't happening we located her and started the 3 and 1/2 foot hole to find her still with her quarry after fifty minutes and really none the worse for wear.  Talk about dry, hard dirt!!  We had to get "big Bertha" out for the job, which is another long story, of and in itself!  So glad that I am able to bring some comic relief to the scene.

 

Thank you so much Jim, Lisa Drinkwater and Shannon Osby for all that you did for Rowan and I.  Also, a super big thanks to Casey Eslinger for calmly assuring me that my new dogs on the ground wouldn't run away.  I'm very impressed with your knowledge in the field.

My dearest Mother died.  There.. it is out.  Don't know how to say it any other way.  Feels so weird just to write those words.  Even stranger when I go so far as to pick up the phone to call her ( we did that most every day) and realize that I don't have her phone number any more.

 

And that is how it went when the JacKat's Farm clan went up to the Mason-Dixon trial.  Wanted to call and tell her that we did very well at the show.  That her precious Great Granddaughter went first place in her Child Handler class and it was only the second time she had ever participated!!  How she went all the way out into the middle of the field and did the high five dance with herself.  She was so incredibly happy and thought that she was by herself out there celebrating but I was watching her. 

 

Also, that one of our puppies, that is now an adult, won Reserve Open Terrier that same day.  A puppy that she had taken care of many times as she had always been my "back up" for help with all the dogs.  She sure would have been proud of Jackat's Simi who is co-owned with my future daughter in law, Suzanne Young.

 

So, now trying to pick up the pieces and move on.  Everything is different.  Still working it out.

 

 In memory of:  BILLIE JEAN ARMBRESTER

DelMarVa is always a fun trial for us to go to and this year was the best ever because my granddaughter, Alexis,  was showing for the very first time in Child Handler Class!!  She placed 1st both days in a huge one child class!!  Thank you to both judges, Terri and Desi, for being nice to her.  She had a blast.

 

Jackat's Simi had a great day on Sunday grabbing a Reserve Best Puppy Racing ribbon and in conformation she was Puppy Champion under Desi Mackin.  Geez, I don't think Patrick and Suzanne have come back to earth even yet!

 

MOVIN' ON UP!!

 

Rowan placed 3rd in this year's National's "Bred By Exhibitor Bitch" huge class...up from 5th last year in that same class!  Guess two years from now will be the charm hey?

 

Jackat's Simi placed 4th in her 9 -12 month under rough/broken class and we don't think that was a bad way for her to end her puppy career and move onto the adult division.  Remember... she was born on the day after Nationals last year! 

 

Morgan and I even managed at squeak a 6th place ribbon in obedience class even though the wind was blowing tents right past us ( I think I saw Dorothy and ToTo fly by too) and racing was going on and did I mention that he is an un-neutered male stud dog????  I think I am happier this year than the year he took 1st place in obedience!
 

The first trial given by the Virginia Jack Russell Club on July 4th weekend turned out very nice with a large crowd.  Carly won her under, rough/broken Class, Rowan won her Bred By Class and went on to win Reserve Best Open Bitch, and Simi won her puppy class and went on to win Reserve Best Puppy Bitch under Barre Wade on Saturday.  It was a real good day for the Jackat's gang.

Looking forward to our early August litter by Clinique and Morgan!

April 2006

Morgan and Ridley were ever the proud parents when they saw their puppies decorating the Jackat's Farm tent at the Mason-Dixon trial last weekend.

 

Jackat's Simi won her 6-9 month Bitch Puppy Class and then went Reserve Best Bitch Puppy and then went on to win Reserve Puppy Conformation on Saturday under Greg Mousley.  On Sunday, under Terri Evans, she won her same class and then went on to win Reserve Best Bitch Puppy.  I swear I saw Morgan and Ridley doing high five paws in their x-pen!!

 

Jackat's Hooligan wasn't going to let her sister have all the fun at this trial as she went Reserve Puppy Racing Champion in the tall division.  She also was 1st place in her g-t-g class and 1st place in the Top Gun  oval course over all puppies on Sunday and this was her first time ever!  Just where in the world did those legs come from??

 

Another wonderful class for a breeder to win is the Bred By Exhibitor Class and Jackat's Rowan did just that on Saturday.

 

Clinique and Carly ( aka Bonus Bitch, aka Sow's Ear Divine Justice ) picked up g-t-g ribbons too, so, not a bad trial for the Jackat's clan.

On the Monday after Nationals we all went hunting, much to the dismay of one skunk and two groundhogs!!

 

There were so many holes and dogs popping in and out of them,  that only Elizabeth saw the skunk bolt the hole.  She caught up with him though, and now we all have one less skunk to deal with.

 

Morgan and Rowan were able to get into a hole and play tug of war with the ground hog, with Bear being on the other end.  Poor Bear, he got a face whipping but was a happy camper.  He is the king of hunting!

 

As for Nationals, Rowan was fifth in her Bred By Exhibitor Class and we were thrilled with that.