Cardigan Magnet

Oliver has taken a liking to my friend Jamie. For some reason a few months ago on one of her visits, he decided he really liked her. And he sits on her lap when she comes to visit. The entire time. What a traitor! Last night Libby and Jamie came over and Oliver sat on both of their laps and I think he finally felt sorry for me so he sat on mine briefly.

Anyway when Jamie and Libby first got there I was checking my blogs (yet!) so they sat on the couches...See what happened below:
Jamie had all the girls lined up on the couch Zoe, Sadie and Ell. I had to race to find my camera without disturbing them.
Jamie then lifted Justice onto the couch and Oliver got jealous! My mom had to try and find where I left the camera without them getting up!
In a matter of seconds my mom took 5 or 6 photos of them before Justice got bored and squirmed off! Its rare that they sit with me as they are usually all playing. Apparently they are just content to sit with her. Interesting......

What have I done!

I just entered Sadie in Rally Novice at the National. This ought to be fun! LOL

So Sadie is entered in six 'classes', Oliver in two, Justice in two and I am getting Zoe and Ell CERF'ed again while down there. I haven't even entered any of them in the herding trials yet, and I still have until April 2nd to enter the Three Trails Specialty the Sunday after the National. I also ordered a catalog, a microfiber bag with goodies, an Annual Banquet Dinner Ticket and that's all this body can afford right now! Spending so much at one time is mind boggling. I like it when its every weekend.....I tend to forget how much I really spend on these buggers :)

Oh but its worth it!

We are going to have FUN!

Fleeces

I've always been told its a good idea to have some wine while skirting fleeces and talking on the phone to friends! So thanks to JoAnne Beashau of Beaszak Cardigans for the Green Apple Riesling and for the chat on the phone! Also Barb P, Wanda and MissE for the conversations too! I got most of the sold fleeces skirted/monkey picked and ready for shipping. I also got around to doing my OWN fleeces I wanted to keep and having them sent in to Wooly Knob Fiber Mill for roving. Just in time too as the fleeces on the girls will need to come off soon. I'm hoping to purchase sheep suits finally for my crimpier fleeces (man do they ever suck in the VM!) and buy their mineral for the year with it. Thank goodness for the 2nd selling point of Shetlands and BFLs!
This photo is of a ewe, FirthofFith Sikkem Temi that I sold last summer. She was a beautiful moorit with a pretty breed type. She had a moonspot on her shoulder and you can see it in the photo above.
Her half sister WhitePine Twix (on the mother's side) has a small moonspot on her hip that I noticed too while I was skirting her fleece for her new owner!
My white ewe RYL Rachildas. Her lambs are always am improvement on her but I love her bigger crimp! This fleece is also sold.
Beechtree Kershope's lamb fleece. GORGEOUS locks and luster! Of course its already sold! :)

Getting ready for the Nationals

Yup. it will be here before you know it! And i'm definitely crazy bringing all 5 Cardigans! :)

Let's see: Sunday we are doing the Herding Instinct Tests. I've talked to Dina Delsman and she thinks I should just enter the Herding Trial but they have no professional training......and I know Sadie and Oliver would 'hold' if I asked them to 'wait' but Ell, Zoe and Justice ....well...not so much :)

Monday and Tuesday I have Sadie entered in Open Jumpers with Weaves (she loves to RUN fast!) and Novice B Standard (she has one leg already). We have a 3 day trial in Fargo that closes March 2nd (hint hint Dawn!) so we may have a 'move up' sheet to fill up, but with my "handler errors" I won't get ahead of myself :)

Oliver is entered in Rally Advanced Novice A but I have no hopes for us....he does well on lead, but off lead....well we have six weeks to practice...and a rally trial in Fargo before that (if memory serves me right!) So who knows what will happen! The important thing is that we are doing something together whether we qualify or not...and it'll be fun to get in the ring with him again.

Justice will be entered in the breed classes and my mentors (Barb and JoAnne) and I have decided to not enter Ell or Zoe in the breed classes as Ell is maturing and Zoe just needs a major, which I know we will not get at the National! :) They will be along for breeders to go over and critique. There is no better way to learn different views of opinions than have other Cardi people go over my dogs!

Mitcham is supposed to come along per Sarah's demands, but I don't think there will be enough room in the vehicle! I swear I'll try to bring him!

Add into that all the grooming needs (crates, tables, totes) and xpens, hotel necessities, coolers, suitcases, blankets, pillow.....*sigh* i'm tired just thinking about it all. I think I need a huge commercial VAN now...I didn't say that three letter word did I? Gross....me in a v**. What has the world come to?

Looking for a good home

Aren't these guys just the cutest?!! Its time for Shocker and Annie to find a new home that can spend more time with them that they deserve! They are the sweetest horses that just need time spent on them. At this point I'm willing to let them go on a "Best Offer". Please inquire.

Vaccinating sheep

So I had my dad help me vaccinate sheep. Poor vaccine burns sometimes. I gave everyone their first shot today and will booster and the soon to be yearlings in about a month.

I was curious as to who might vaccinate their sheep and why they do or do not do it. Also, where do you give the vaccine, the brand of the vaccine and why again to both of those questions?

I didn't have enough for all of them so have to go and get more at Mills Fleet Farm when I'm in Fargo again on Thursday for dog class.

I also need to get fleece samples taken and sent out. Collecting from all the sheep....8 BFLs, 8 Shetland rams, 11 yearling Shetlands, 23 mature Shetland ewes......no wonder my dad doesn't want to help...he has to hold them all.

The most fun is when my dad has the ewes sitting in his lap for hoof trimming. Most of them turn and stare right into his eye and he always says "tell Santa what you want for Christmas" I tell them I want ewe lambs, and they usually tell him (in his best sheep voice) that they want more hay and less hoof trimming. My dad is a nut. Guess that is where I get it from

Perth Aberdeen Sale

This past weekend was the Perth Aberdeen Annual Spring Sale. The highest selling Simmental bull was sold for 16,000 pound (nearly $22,900) His photo is above. Perth is one of the highest attended Simmental sales in the UK.

bull sale

Remember this guy? He was my first pick at my friends bull sale. Well he sold for $4100. Slightly out of my price range (ok a lot!) As you can see the Registered Simmental are still in high demand...all 80 of his bulls sold for an average of $2800. There have been sale after sale after sale in North Dakota and Minnesota this month and all sales have had nice averages for their bull sales. I did happen to get a bull for about half the price of the boy pictured about with almost the same EPDs *expected progeny data* just not the blaze face or size/build of this guy. It could be worse....I could not have a bull :)

Maybe next time I'll find my perfect boy! Hey you can't have everything right?

Now if the commercial prices would go back up to where they were a year or so ago....that would be nice!

I believe

A Birth Certificate shows that we were born

A Death Certificate shows that we died

Pictures show that we lived!

Have a seat . . . Relax . . . And read this slowly....

I Believe...

That just because two people argue,

It doesn't mean they don't love each other.
And just because they don't argue,
It doesn't mean they do love each other.

I Believe...
That we don't have to change friends if
We understand that friends change.

I Believe...
That no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I Believe...
That you can do something in an instant
That will give you heartache for life.

I Believe...
That it's taking me a long time
To become the person I want to be.

I Believe...
That you should always leave loved ones with
Loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I Believe...
That you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I Believe...
That we are responsible for what
We do, no matter how we feel.

I Believe...
That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I Believe...
That heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I Believe...
That money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I Believe...
That my best friend and I, can do anything, or nothing and have the best time.

I Believe...
That sometimes the people you expect to kick you When you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.

I Believe...
That sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry,
But that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I Believe...
That maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had
And what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I Believe...
That it isn't always enough, to be forgiven by others.

Sometimes, you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I Believe...
That no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I Believe...
That our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are,
But, we are responsible for who we become.

I Believe...
That you shouldn't be so eager to find
Out a secret. It could change your life Forever.

I Believe...
Two people can look at the exact same
Thing and see something totally different.

I Believe...
That your life can be changed in a matter of
Hours by people who don't even know you.

I Believe...
That even when you think you have no more to give, when
A friend cries out to you - you will find the strength to help.

I Believe...
That credentials on the wall do not make you a decent human being.

I Believe...
That the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

I Believe...
That you should send this to all of the people that you believe in, I just did.

'The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
They just make the most of everything.

Thank you God for all the wonderful people who help us throughout the journey of life..

May Angels guard you and guide you!!!!

Thanks Yolanda for the email!

New Ewes

I had talked with Lori Stephanson from Sommarang Farm in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin at the last Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival last September in Jefferson, WI. I soon found out that Lori was also breeding towards UK genetics in Shetlands with fine, crimpy fleeces of moderate weight/size. She tried luring me to her farm that weekend but I resisted like a good boy and politely declined. Well I found her website and found some interesting ewes available for sale. I did some pedigree search and found that several were somewhat related with a few similiar lines, but had several nice lines that I didn't have in my flock yet. I asked her to take fleece samples from last rib, mid side and she sent them to me and I sent them to YoCom-McColl. We split the cost and waited for the results.

Two ewes struck my fancy for both conformation and fleece and I was pleasantly surprised by their microns for two year olds. Definitely something I can work with. And since I sold three ewes recently, this was going to work!
The spotted ewe with a gorgeous crimpy, single coated fleece is Sommarang Emerald who is out of Underhill Bandit (son of Bartok the F1 Minder ram) and Sommarang Comfrey (who is line bred back on Greyling). Her micron as a two year old is AFD 26.6, SD 7.5, CV 28. Her histogram showed lots of potential and I'm already giddy over what kind of crazy spots will come from her when she is bred to my Jazz (F1 Jericho) who is a spotted katmoget!

The grey katmoget with an equally crimpy, single coated fleece is Sommarang Eva who is also out of Underhill Bandit but out of V Creek Snowflake (she goes back to Minder as well as Greyling) and is the great granddaughter of Wintersky Alafair who Stephen Rouse now has. Her micron as a two year old is AFD 26.3, SD 5.1, CV 19.4. She is of course the nicer ewe fleece wise and she also carries spots. Corinne, I see two nice girls that are begging to be Mr. Spot's girlfriends! :)

I was finally able to pick up the two from Lori on my way back from Michigan where Rayna and I got a few Shetlands for improving our flocks. I only ran away with one ewe, ShelteringPines Nirvana. She is a horned grey katmoget out of Underhill Thelonius Monk and ShelteringPines Modron (who Rayna now has). Nirvana carries spots and could carry modified. She is also loaded with UK genetics. Her micron was as a yearling AFD 27.3, SD 6.4, CV 22.3. All three will be done again this coming week. See Nirvana below!

Char Epsley of Cormo fame had purchased this white BFL lamb named Monrovia (aka Ears) from Stephen last fall. She decided she really didn't want her anymore as she was bullying the Cormos! She may be bred to a Cormo ram so Char just asked for the lambs back. Its quite a deal!
Not to be outdone by Char, Stephen offered me this amazing colored ewe lamb (now both are almost yearlings) that has this amazing silver tone to the natural colored fleece. Both ewes are quite fine with a silky texture and amazing density and purling. This natural colored ewe, Nubia, is open as Stephen didn't breed his ewe lambs last fall.

A Normal and Mild day ;)

Oliver had his results come back last Friday from OFA for his hips and elbows. First let me show you what his report of his Preliminary Hip Exam was.


Now here is his Official report. He was still MILD for HD in his hips. Notice this time there is no shallow acetabula this time around. How could that just go away?

I also did his elbows just to see what would happen and his were "Normal"

I originally wanted to review his hips at 2 years of age to see if they were truly getting worse or staying the same. This obviously shows that there was not much difference in OFA's decision to call him MILD, and I'm OK with that. It just surprised me that Oliver's Chiropractic/Acupuncture vet said his hips didn't appear to be abnormal for Cardigans when he xrayed his spine, but also realize he did not have his hips stretched in the OFA manner either. It doesn't change my thoughts on Oliver but am glad to see that he more than likely will not get 'worse'. There also was no 'flattening' of the femur head in his xrays, which was there in his preliminary xrays.

Doggie Health Update!

I had Zoe and Ell have their Cardiac exams, as well as their exams for Patellas. I'm happy to report that both girls were normal in both instances!! OFA registrations have been sent in as well!

To recap:

Bendi Ebonwald Smthing 2 Prove "Zoe" is now:
CERF Normal
PRA Clear
Patellas Normal
Thyroid Normal
DM Carrier
Cardiac Normal

We didn't do her prelims for Hips/Elbows as I didn't think of it at the time, so we'll just wait two more months until she's two. It will be here before you know it!

Merrymoon Ebonwald I'm a Q T "Ell" is now:
CERF Normal
PRA Clear
Patellas Normal
Thyroid Normal
DM Carrier
Cardiac Normal
Prelim Hips - Good
Prelim Elbows - Normal

I believe these are the tests that are available for Cardigans. If anyone knows of others do let me know! Many thanks to those on the 'list' for pooling our combined knowledge and teaching each other what we didn't know, to come up with what we feel as a group is important for breed improvement and preservation.

For those that SAY they test their dogs for all known issues or say they have all their health clearances; I just SHOWED you I did. The old saying goes "Actions speak louder than words" fits here. And I will be testing my spayed/neutered dogs for these as well. Some may think its wasting money to test your 'pet' dogs but these diseases/issues will affect them the same as those that are intact and may be used for breeding. Its also great for pedigree research when looking at health issues in a pedigree line. Vertical pedigrees give you a much different picture than a standard one! You can only learn from what you are willing to do/try/read/see/hear.

Da Boys

My almost two year old rams. Both are from UK frozen semen. Jazz is on the left and he is the spotted gray katmoget F1 Jericho. Barish is on the right and he is the scurred gray katmoget F1 Timothy. Barish last year rooed his entire neck last year and most of his body before we were able to shear. As you can see he is already rooing in the neck. Both boys are more than likely homozygous black, as no moorit based lambs were born last year to moorit ewes (or ewe that carried moorit) Barish "MAY" be available this year depending on offspring. I have a yearling black small scurred ram Romeo out of him and my white ewe Rahu, that is just amazing, so he may have been replaced by his son! Micron reports pending

The British are coming! The British are coming!

Sorry I couldn't resist the title :)



This bull is Corskie Radium, a handsome lad, whose frozen swimmers are headed to the USA. Many thanks to Penny Lally for her help in this exciting endeavor!
* First Time Radium Hits bullseye! Radium beats all comers to win Supreme Interbreed Beef Championship at the Devon County Show 2006.
* Corskie Radium won Supreme Breed Champion in the British Simmental Class at the Royal Cornwall Show in 2006.
* Senior Champion Perth Scotland 2006.

Also a possibility for import is this fellow



This fellow is Dirnaean Salvador, another striking boy! Stay tuned as details are worked out and confirmed!

Another one pending is this guy:

Wroxall Texas. More info coming soon!

Worldess Wednesday

Norwegian Tumbler

These photos are from a show in Germany this past winter. They are all of the same breed of pigeon, the Norwegian Tumbler. I've tried importing them several times but unfortunately have not been able to get them out of Europe for various reasons.

Red Self

Another Red Self

White

Black Self
One of my favorite breeds of pigeons.

Pre-Congress Tour 2008

A few leaked photos from the Pre-Congress Tour 2008. The link with ALL the photos can be found here http://www.kilbridefarm.co.uk/html/congress.html

I did want to show you the type of Simmental that the UK is raising and what I will be importing hopefully this year (Frozen semen of course).

Red Cow

Yellow Bull (both yellows and red come in light and dark phases as well)

Babysitting the calves

Prospective yearling bulls

A few great links about Shetlands, from Shetland

http://www.shetland-wool-brokers.zetnet.co.uk//sheep1.htm

http://www.shetland-wool-brokers.zetnet.co.uk//sheep.htm

Bred Ewes

It was so nice out today I had to take some photos of the "ladies in waiting". Not everyone was as excited for photos as others were ;)

left to right (front row) RYL Rachildas, Sheltering Pines Snow Cloud (are you paying attention Suzanne?!) Underhill Peep. Back row is Wintersky Layla, BonoCreek Lavender Brown, FirthofFifth Evidence of Autumn, Justalit'l Black Lambo, Justalit'l Chloe, River Oaks Eliza. I think I got everyone!
The moorit in front is Underhill Ulla, who is bred to Shirehill Minder, Justalit'l Black Lambo is bred to Heights Orion, the mioget is WinterSky Layla (F1 Orion) bred to Wintertime Jazz (F1 Jericho) and the gulmoget is FirthofFifth Taika who is bred to FirthofFifth Barish (F1 Timothy)
Hmm..let's see...Layla, Chloe, Peep (with the neck that is still rooing), the Smirslet is Sheltering Pines Fleur de Lis who is bred to Jazz, and then Ulla and Eliza again.

Clockwise from top left, Justalit'l Shasta who is bred to Campaign Timothy, RYL Rachildas who is bred to Heights Orion, Minwawe Sterling (Sedalia's mom.....this photo was for Rich LOL) who is bred to Jazz again and WhitePine Twix who is out of the mioget FirthofFifth Don Telmo Bourbon and Love-E-Ewe Cleo. She is bred to Jazz also.
Here's my shaela girl WhitePine Skor who was also out of Bourbon and the late FirthofFifth Assam Meleng who was also shaela. Meleng was my softest ewe that I lost to bloat this past summer. Skor is just as soft and I think an improvement on her mom. She was bred to Barish in hopes of a polled boy that is modifed!
FirthofFifth Booto (F1 Timothy and Barish's twin sister). Booto is bred to Heights Orion. Lambs will be 76.5% UK. She's the one who pushes ME out of the way when I bring in the hay,but then try to pet her and she runs away. What a flirt.

Friends

You would think I'd never run out of animal fodder for the blog but I can't seem to find anything exciting to talk about this morning. So I'm going to post photos of some of my most favorite 'non-animal' friends a.k.a. College and High School friends. You know.....the ones who think I'm crazy for having all these animals and living on a farm ;) You might know a few even ;) Some have been brave enough to come with to dogs shows, pigeon shows, or sheep shows.

Some of my friends from the dorms second year. I'm still great friends with them! L to R Miranda, Jake, Kari, me and Allison. Kari lives near the Jefferson, WI sheep show so I stayed with her and her hubby there last year.

This one is dated but shows my three best high school lady friends with me. L to R Me, Belle, Lisa and Erin. We are all still great friends. Belle lives in Indianapolis and I stay with her on my way to Louisville for my pigeon show.

What was the last "fargo" crew I had....most have moved away but I still see them every chance I get. Erica, Missy, Jess, myself and Josh.
Four of my best friends. Missy, Rory, Briony and "Wush" (Scott). Wush I met at work, Missy was my sister's best friend and now mine, and then B and Rory I met at college.
Myself with Kjirsten and Bjorn. I lived with Bjorn in the dorms (one of four other guys that shared a three bedroom 'suite') and Kj also lived with me here on the farm on her pharmacy rotation. They dated most of college and got married and just last week had their first baby, a girl name Vega Isabel. I stay with them in Burnsville, MN when I have any type of dog show or agility trial to attend. We also ride our Harley Motorcycles every chance we get together.

My sister and I. Best buds.
My two favorite lady cousins. Emily and Andrea. Emily is my sister's age and lived with me for a year in Fargo during college. Andrea is two weeks younger than me and we've been great friends our whole lives. I consider them immediate family, as I do my entire dad's side (Hi Auntie Paula!)
There is no one with more knowledge and humor than my Grandpa. He is 83 this year and still helps out on the farm on a daily basis. If he wasn't around, things would be very difficult for my dad and I to handle alone. He is an amazing person with so much history on the farm. He also takes me to lunch once in awhile and I don't complain! :)
My friend Kim who now lives in Denver. She and Briony were dorm mates for two years and we get together every chance we get. She actually WAS raised on a farm so understands what I'm doing, she just thinks its crazy I have so many hobbies.

Here is a better photos of Bjorn and KJ. They are with myself, Eic (who I met in the dorms) and Jake (also met in the dorms). I do believe this photo was taken around 3am and we had been drinking heavily. Bjorn and Kj brought me Taco Bell (a favorite drunk food of mine) and when I opened up the package and saw what it was I wept. Seriously I did. that's how much I love Taco Bell! Ok...DID like Taco Bell! Ignore my cousin's bunny ears in the back LOL

This is Dennis. Another suite mate of mine that went to HS with Bjorn and they lived together. Every photo I have of him is not G rated so this was the only one I had. For those who like to laugh I 'can' send you those other photos privately LOL.
Shannon and I. She moved to California and does hair/make up for a lot of big stars. I visited her when I was out there for the National Pigeon Association National show. I miss her a lot!
A great photo of I think the first party Rayna came to of mine? We met 'online' when she was looking for pigeons. Her mom and her came out to see them and we hit it off and have been great pals ever since!

I think I got everyone. lol

They always called me the Social butterfly and that is of course true. I have friends from all walks of life and I typically trust and like someone completely until they prove themselves unfit to do so. I used to see all of these people on a quite regular basis but as life speeds up and passes us all by, it gets harder and harder to see them. Although i'm very proud I still know exactly what they all do, where they live, when the last time they went 'out' and we talk regularly on the phone...or text. :) I have a great circle of GREAT friends. I wouldn't have it any other way!