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We
noticed a change in her
enthusiasm level as well
as a comradery
developing between
handler and exhibit and
this was no
more
apparent than when she
went Winners Bitch at
the National Specialty
under Charlotte
Patterson to finish her
championship.
Not to be outdone
by all the hoopla
surrounding this
momentous win, both
Tallulah and Gia joined
the others
specials in the ring for
the inaugural Sunshine
State Papillon Club
Specialty.
There was an air
about this team that
spectators
could see as they
sparkled in the ring
during their performance
and were awarded Best In
Specialty Show under
Carol Williams
over 183 other exhibits.
This was a quite
a feat for 2 year old
Tully and her teammate,
13 year old Gia !
The rest of the year was
spent with this duo
becoming more in tune
with one another and the
wins followed. Gia and Tully
amassed some very
impressive victories to
close out the year
including going Best of
Opposite Sex at the
Progressive Toy
Club, both Northeast
Regional Specialties
only to culminate that
weekend with the same
win at the Westminster
Kennel Club.
They continued
their winning ways into
the spring of 2005 and
wound up defeating 35
other bitch specials
under Sandra Goose
Allen en route to
winning Best of Opposite
Sex for a very
prestigious win at the
PCA National Specialty.
As poignant as
these
wins were, we felt these
two were destined for so
much more together.
On
a typical summer Sunday
morning, we embarked on
a trip to the Twin
Brooks Kennel Club in
New Jersey. It was a hot day
on July 17, 2005 but
fortunately this show
was being held indoors
at the Mennen Sports
Arena so we all figured
it would be a lot
easier to keep cool.
Tully showed
wonderfully in the breed
under Forrest W. McCoy
and was awarded Best of
Breed.
She seemed to be
very much at ease on
this day and there was a
lot of time between the
breed and group judging
so we all
decided to get a bite to
eat at Friendly’s.
We all enjoyed
our lunch immensely,
even Tallulah, who was
seen emptying a
dish
of soft serve vanilla
ice cream.
This is one of
her very favorite treats
and, as usual, she
devoured it!
We came back to
the
show grounds and got
prepared for the Toy
Group.
Tallulah and Gia were
ready for judging and
were among some
formidable competition.
All the while
they were in the ring,
it
was difficult not to
watch them as they were
so synchronized.
The team of two
moved as one as each
knew the other’s
responsibility.
It was like
watching Fred Astaire
and Ginger Rogers on the
dance floor as these two
were so much in unison.
At the end of the
group, Jacqueline M.
Rayner had pulled Gia
out at the front of the
line and took her, along
with four other
teams around once more
and pointed to the
Papillon and awarded
them the Group.
For as exuberant
as her mother and father
were outside the ring,
14 year old Gia came out
of the ring as calm and
cool as always and could
be heard saying that she
and
Tully weren’t finished
as they had to prepare
for Best In Show.
There were 6 great dogs
in the ring along with
Tallulah that afternoon,
including a lovely
Standard Poodle who was
the
#1
Non-Sporting dogs in the
country.
When it came time
for Tallulah to be
examined, there were
lots of photos being
taken
as Gia and Tully had
never been in the Best
In Show ring before and
who would know if they
ever would be again.
They were
the last team to be
examined but the crowd
was wowed by a flawless
performance by this
young pair.
Forrest W.
McCoy
looked down the line at
these 7 Group winners
and took them all around
one at a time for a
final look at his
lineup.
He came
walking over with his
huge red, white and blue
ribbon, looked at the
back of the line and
pointed, while saying,
let me have the
Pap.
The crowd
erupted, along with so
many friends and the
proud parents.
These two who had
come together a little
more
than a year ago had done
the impossible; they had
been awarded All Breed
Best In Show.
Tully had become
only the 6th
female Papillon in the
history of the breed to
receive this illustrious
award and Gia had become
the youngest handler in
the
history of the breed to
attain a Best In Show on
this day.
Standing in the
middle of the ring were
two very special young
ladies
who would send so many
home that day with goose
bumps, including Gia’s
mother and father, who
were honored and
privileged
to have witnessed this
unforgettable moment.
Their hard work and
perseverance had
culminated in a win so
many dream of and so few
achieve.
They would finish
the year
with another Best In
Specialty Show win, 8
Group 1’s, 10 Group
2’s, 9 Group 3’s and
3 Group 4’s. Not satisfied with these
fantastic wins, the team
would go on to win the
Silver Butterfly Award
‘05, given to the #1
Papillon Bitch all
systems for the
year, ’04 and ‘05.
So many wonderful
wins for such an
incredible team and all
this while being
owner/handled by such
a
gracious young lady.
Gia and Tully are
not only fierce
competitors; they are
winners and forever
friends.
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