In May of 2008 our little female westie "Haley"  (Stage Stop's Bessita)  began her show career. She traveled with Tina Watson to Pomona for her first show and was handled by Gabe Rangel.  She was 18 months old at that show and she won her first championship points that weekend.  She continued to travel back and forth from Ramona to Rialto to be professionally groomed by Gabe's staff and then showed again the next month in the Antelope Valley area.  She won WB (winner's bitch, best female westie in regular classes) and was BOS (Best Opposite Sex to the Best of the Breed ) on one of the days meaning that she was ranked above an already finished female Champion westie.  It became clear that she should live with Gabe for awhile and travel with him.  Gabe travels to many shows throughout the year and handles a variety of dog breeds (mostly terriers) and he currently handles the #1 ranked Sealyham terrier.   Haley continued to win as she traveled with Gabe to Chula Vista, Ventura County, Conejo, Lompoc, Richmond, South Bay, and Lake County in Northern California.  She now has all of her required AKC Championship points except for her majors.  Each dog to complete it's championship must acquire at least 2  major show wins worth 3 points each under different judges.  For a westie female in CA that requires a win over at least 6 other bitches in one show, and it is difficult to find shows of that size.  The only other way for her to win a major is if she is awarded Best of Winners, that is the best male westie at the show judged against the best female in the show.  If Haley were ranked above the best male westie in regular classes and there were at least 5 male dogs in that show then she would acquire a major win.  Haley is currently entered for her next shows at the Coyote Classic in Arizona on the weekend of Nov. 14th 2008.  We are of course hopeful for a large turnout of westies in AZ!

       My primary goal in all of this showing is to bring the best of westie bloodlines into our kennel to produce the most beautiful, healthy and best tempered westies possible.  We have already brought in some of the best as you can see if you examine the pedigrees of our 2 stud dogs.   Spencer  (Whitefire's Running with the Wind) represents some of the best westies available on the East Coast  and Duende (Stage Stop's Chico) who is a littermate of Haley, represents some of the best show westies internationally.  CH Alborada Duende  (the sire of Haley and Duende) has multiple international Championships and was judged Winner's Dog over 54 other male westies at the National West Highland White Terrier Specialty show in 2006.