Good news and bad news

First the bad news......our beloved Fergus passed away quietly in his sleep two days ago.
Fergus (CH. marksbury Thankful at Farlap ShCM) was a one in a million dog. Firstly he was 100% a gentleman. he never had a quarrel in his life and always behaved perfectly....well apart from when he peed in the judges handbag at Crufts, but we are prepared to overlook that!
He came to us originally because his frst home didnt work out, and it was love at first sight. I had never liked red hounds until he arrived, and he changed everything. Aprt from being a real gent at home and a pleasure to live with, he was also successful in the show ring and as an influential sire. We only allowed him to sire two litters, and his first litter produced the top winning bloodhound bitch Ch Marksburt Wistful who famously won the hound group at Crufts. however for me his finest moment was winning BOB himself at Crufts in 2006, specially as some American hound had come over to compete and had had a huge amount of hype from the television and press as to how it was "unbeatable". Fergus proved them wrong!!!   After that win, the American kennel Club gave me a lifesized cardboard cut out of the American dog to keep as a souvenir, (I guess they didnt want to take it back to the USA with them after Crufts was over) and everytime Fergus came into my office where the cut-out lives, he would cock his leg against it in complete defiance!! he certainly had a great sense of humour!

Fergus also enjoyed trialling and we had many happy hours hunting the clean boot. His GGG Grandchildren are now following in his foot steps and we hope they will make him proud. He was also the first, and I believe the only bloodhound to ever achieve a Show Certificate of merit (ShCM).

On the plus side of the week, we had this lovely photo from Winnies owners showing how she has started her tracking career up in Scotland already, plus,

Kitty Killian from the well known Hungarian Bloodhound and Australian shepherd  kennel  AGRIA DRAGON has arrived here for her second year with us, and will be helping with the handling for the summer shows.