2009
April 2009
February & March 2009
It's another very cold January, luckily we have newborn puppies to spend all this indoor time with.  Moxie gave birth to her first litter on Tuesday January 13, 2009.  Colby is the proud sire of 5 girls and 3 boys!  Mama and babies are doing fine...
If you refer to                                                             you will see what we have been up to in February and March.  The puppies have been a wonderful distraction from the long cold winter. 
April will be a refresher month for the spring dog shows we plan to attend, also refresher on bird manners and skills, hunting season is always around the corner...
January 2009
May 2009
The first weekend in May, Gage & Reese & rescue Gump headed to Melissa's and hooked up for a Motorhome Trip to Jefferson City, Wis. for three days of dog shows.  On Saturday Gage took Winners Dog for a 5 point major, and he took Best Bred By Exhibitor Vizsla, then on to a Group 4.  Reese went Reserve Winners bitch under the same judge Majorie Martorella, whom will be judging the VCA 2010 Nationals.  Both Gage and Reese need one major to finish their Champion Titles.  Sister Tempe took Best in Puppy Sweepstakes on Sunday at the Central Wisconsin Vizsla Club Specialty Show, a huge Congratulations to Melissa and Tempe, we are so proud!

Gump did really good on his first trip, he loved all the people and got along well with our dogs, he loves the young females who want to play, he wants to play so badly but can't for a while till his hip surgery heals up.  Fun was had by all!

Unfortunately we can't make it to the first TCVC Specialty in St Peter but hope to go to Fargo for a couple of days, and then on to Jordan, MN in June for the TCVC 2nd Specialty show. 
On Mother's day we got a call from Kasey and Travis in Portland, OR just to say Hi and let us know how great their 14 year old male Vizsla Raider is doing.  Raider is Batman and Lydia's brother, of course we lost Batman last winter in late '08, so it was good news to find out that Raider is doing so very well.  Whew, I'm always wondering about the older kids and how they are doing, make sure to share some Vizsla stories with us once in a while, we certainly loved hearing from Kasey!
June 2009
June has been a busy month:  On Sunday May 31st we drove to Fargo early to show Gage and Reese and they made us proud!  They both finished their Show Championship under breeder Judge Pluis Davern from CA.  They shall now be known as Champion Jakra's Engaging Temptation and Champion Jakra's Irresistible Blonde. 


June 5th, 6th & 7th was Jordan,MN with Moxie and Turner.  Friday was the TCVC Specialty, we didn't win the points, but I was very pleased with Moxie and Turner's return to the show ring.  Sat. Moxie took Reserve to a very nice bitch, it's so much fun to show Moxie, such a pleasure.  Turner stood like a rock in a stack, gaited with huge side gait, a little more control and look out for Turner...by Sunday he was winning the Bred by Class with tough competition. 


June 27th & 28th will bring us to Vermillon SD for the Sioux Valley Kennel Club's shows:  On Sunday June 28th under a wonderfully pleasant  Veterinarian Judge Dr. John Reeve-Newson DVM both Moxie and Turner were back into show "mode" and Turner took Winners Dog for a 3 point major win with tough competition and Moxie took another Reserve to a major.  I was very happy with the attitude of all my dogs in the show ring, they are having fun, almost as much as running in the field.


CH Jakra's Engaging Temptation  "Gage"
CH Jakra's Irresistible Blonde   "Reese"
Just beyond our front yard is 9 acres of pond about 7 feet deep.  In June we are entertained by the local Giant Canadian Geese and their young Goslings.  They litterally "mow" down our front lawn and leave the fertilizer behind...once the young are raised the grass comes back thick and rich.  The dogs love to swim after them, amazing to watch all the adult Geese will swim between the dogs and the babies, and have no problem keeping clear of the dogs teasing them. 
Turner
July 2009
I'm pleased to be taking the month of July off from any dog shows.  We had our usual 4th of July Blast OFF with the menu headlined with racks of Smoked Baby Back Ribs, YUM!  The dogs do great with the fireworks and the numerous severe thunderstorms we have had this year.  An added feature to the 4th was Trigger coming by, whom belongs to Garrett and Jacy Rock from Colorado.  They were heading to Minnesota to see family so we took a couple of photos of this Moxie/Colby boy.  For just under 6 months we think he is developing very well and looking like a competitive rival to show, I hope to get a chance to show him or his cute owners  learn how! 
Trigger   5.5 months old    (Moxie/Colby puppy)
August 2009
Very exciting NEWS...Young 6 month old Rowan has been out 2 weekends resulting in a 2 pt. win and a 3 point major in Albert Lea, MN.  Tough competition in our area as well!!  His owner Jesi, Melissa and I are all very proud of this youngster!!  Congrats to Jesi and handler Melissa (Dad Colby's owner) for doing a super job!

Rowan takes a Puppy Sporting Group 1 on Saturday August 8th and Best of Breed on Sunday August 9th from the Puppy Class!!!  Wow...
August 8th & 9th in MN:  "Rowan"  Jakra's Poised For Mischief   taking a 3 point major and a Puppy Sporting Group 1.  Following day he goes Best Of Breed!   Owner:  Jesi Foster   Handler:  Melissa Lembke (Sire Colby's owner)    Rowan is a Moxie/Colby son.
Rowan's first points in LaCrosse, WI on August 1st, 2009.  Owner: Jesi Foster
Handler:  Melissa Lembke (Sire Colby's "MOM")
Flash!
Flash!
"Gracie"  Jakra's Poised For High Society took Winners Bitch for a 5 pt. Major Win at the Puget Sound Vizsla Club Specialty!!!

Gracie is a Moxie/Colby daughter she is 7 months old. 

Uncle "Rowdy" BISS CH Panacea's Rawhide took the BEST OF BREED Honors at the Puget Sound Vizsla Club Specialty!!  He is a son of Glory (Vivienne/Traitor) and Strike (our Wyatt's nephew)  Congrats to ALL!!!
Flash!
August has been good to Jakra Vizslas!! 

Turner & Moxie went to the big St Croix Valley Shows in Lake Elmo, MN on the 22nd & 23rd with wonderful results! 
Sat. 8/22: Turner goes Winners Dog from Bred By for a 3pt major.
                Moxie takes an exciting Winners Bitch for a 3 pt major, and tops it by going Best of Winners!

Sun. 8/23:  Turners does back to back 3 PT. Majors and Best of Winners.
  Moxie took 1st in Open again, but another lovely bitch took the points.
Flash!
Gracie Winners Bitch 5 pt major at the Puget Sound Vizsla Club Specialty Show
Rowdy takes Best of Breed at the Puget Sound Vizsla Club Specialty!!
September 2009
This past weekend we went to the only show we have scheduled for September and that was Rochester, MN on Sept. 12th and 13th.
Sunday was a great day, Turner went Winners Dog for his 4th Major, he needs 2 single points to finish his Championship.  Again Moxie took Winners Bitch and Best of Winners over Turner to pick up her second major!  We smiled all the way home.  It didn't hurt to stay with one of our new puppy owners, it was a fabulous girls weekend!!
Moxie 3 pt. Major
More news from the North West...Gracie a Moxie/Colby daughter took another 2 pt win this past weekend out it Washington!  Yeah Gracie!
Left, we have Cosmo on the last weekend in September for the Duck Hunting Opener.  The weather wasn't too bad yet, and Cosmo did a fine job retrieving the ducks through the decoys.  Anytime Cosmo gets a chance to go with "Dad" he's a happy camper.
October 2009
Fall is rolling in fast, we have had a couple of light snows already, and much rain.  For those out of state pheasant hunters coming in early in the season good luck, with all the moisture very few crops are out and there is too much cover for birds.  Later season hunting in November will be the best. 

We are very busy this month with Jak going hunting and Deb's trip to Nationals and our local Sioux Falls Dog Show.  Stay tuned....
Left is Woody freshing his field skills prior to the Minnesota Pheasant opener.  He is a lovely boy out of Vivienne and Traitor (brother to Cosmo, Shelby, Cash and Glory).   Owner by Pete & Jenny Otterness, photo collage by Lois Almendinger. 
Saturday October 24th at the Sioux Empire Kennel Club Shows right here in Sioux Falls, our lovely Turner becomes Champion Jakra's Irresistible Pivot.  It was perfect!  Greer's 2nd Champion out of her only litter, she gave me two wonderful pups to move on with, thank you Greer & Cosmo.

Sunday October 25th Moxie takes another Reserve Winners bitch in Sioux Falls and we quickly go home to pack and leave for Nationals.  We are on the road to Albert Lea, MN by noon with Reese, Brinklee and our rescue boy Gump who we fondly call TCVC's Saving Private Gump.  A couple of hours later I meet Karen Coffee, Joanne Russo, Jesi Foster and Jeff Lembke in Albert Lea, MN for some dog exchanges. 

Karen Coffee entrusts me with her boy "Stretch" CH Barben's Strong Coffee MH with me for the trip to Charlotte, NC.  Then we unload Mr. Gump for Joanne Russo, he is such a blast and doesn't even realize he is slightly handicapped with severe hip dysplasia.  To know Gump is to "just say no to limitations" he is determined to do it all!  Gump's tail NEVER stops wagging!  I cannot  THANK Karen Coffee enough for being Gump's case worker and finding Joanne.  Thanks to Joanne for her big heart and love for the Vizsla and providing Gump with forever home, he was a happy joyful boy while we rehabbed him. 

Next we loaded up Rowan (Moxie/Colby son) who we entered in both Sweeps and  9 to 10 month classes.   Jesi missed her boy Rowan for the week, but he had a blast and showed beautifully for Melissa.  It was exciting sitting outside the ring watching Melissa and Rowan glide around the ring.  I was beaming when Rowan placed in both his classes amongst some serious competition, lovely dogs.  Rowan placed 4th in Puppy Sweepstakes and 3rd in the 9 to 12 months Puppy Dogs and him being a couple of months younger than most of the dogs, he was a stand out! 

Jeff arrived with Cagney and Avery was there to help her Daddy.  Cagney is so easy, happy to go with, I never knew I had dogs in the van for 30 hours.  We arrived around 6 pm in Charlottte on Monday 10-26.  Melissa was already  there via Las Vegas and a grueling PharmD weekend, hence began a fast paced but fun week.  Everyone is already looking forward to the 2010 VCA Nationals celebrating 50 years!

Results from Nationals:

Karen Coffee and CH Barben's Strong Coffee MH won the prestigous "ALL STAR REVIEW"!!  It was so exciting, Melissa and I we're so thrilled when Karen won, Karen jumpped up and down like a little bitty kid and then Stretch started, talk about dogs and owners being a like, too funny, we were giggling just watching the two of them in the Winners Circle!  Absolutely AWESOME win for Karen and Stretch!!!

Rowan placed in both his classes!!

Cagney made cuts in Sweeps and Regular Classes.

Reese made a cut in the Specials Ring.  Reese and Brinklee had their eye exams done at Nationals and passed CERF with flying colors.
November 2009
Jak left for a week long SD Pheasant Hunt the first week of November.  He always brings 6 of our dogs, he can hunt a fresh brace daily and for differing situations.  Our friend and relatives from Utah join him and have a blast with their bird dogs too.
Great News!  Tempe finished her Show Championship on Sat. November 21st going Best of Winners for 2 pts. making Cosmo's 4th Champion and Gidget's 3rd Champion from her litter by Cosmo.  Tempe is now CH Jakra N Panacea's Mutual Temptation we are so very proud of Melissa, Tempe and Lembke family for providing such a lovely home for Tempe, she is well loved.
Gidget '09
Moxie '09
December 2009
December started out quiet around here, Jak left on Nov. 30th heading to Texas with 3 of the dogs to pick up a RV and then tkook it hunting in OK & KS for 2 weeks.  I told my friends I was on Vacation!!  They spend 5 days hunting in OK, not many birds and moved on to KS and had good luck getting into several covies of Bobwhites everyday.  The dogs had a blast, coming home much thinner and very tired, they rested very peacefully. 

Good luck to all in 2010!
The gorgeous Rowan shown here with Melissa (lovely in pink) and Judge Michele Billings at the 2009 Nationals in North Carolina.  Taking a 3rd place in his 9 to 12 month puppy class, he was a standout!!  Thanks to owner Jesi for all her hard efforts in training Rowan and for trusting Melissa and I to take him to the VCA Nationals.