NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS
This year has seen the passing of some lovely Buhunds adored by their owners and who have also left their mark on the breed in various ways. I am also very touched to have had the honour of having the obituaries for these dogs in these breed notes. This week the obituary is for Ch/AKC Ch Visions Dino of Trollheimen(Imp US) (Caspar) who was born on 11th May 2007, by Trollheimen’s Oslo Fjord x Trollheimen’s Reba Rocks and was bred by D & J Bannon . The obituary is written by Debbie Penniston- Fleming.
“I had originally started talking to Brenda Solomon from Colorado many years ago and had sent her out a bitch puppy on condition that she sent me a bitch back to expand the gene pool. A throw away comment when we were making plans for the bitch to come to the UK, ‘was would I like to borrow her top winning male Caspar and try to gain his UK title.’ In fairness I was not that keen, the farm was getting busier, and my dog activities were getting squeezed out as I tried to be career woman, Mum, business owner and wife. However very quickly I found myself doing an overnighter to Heathrow to collect two dogs. On telling myself I was insane and how would they fit into farm life, I was amazed when the doors burst open, and a very handsome male bounded up to me. My first thought was wow, he is good enough to win groups.
He arrived home and was the perfect dog, he was obedient, not bothered by sheep but would spend hours running up and down the fence at the pig field and shout insults at them. He liked Findlay (my young son) and enjoyed the responsibility at shows of looking after this youngster, but he bonded with me like glue.
His first show was SKC, and he took BOB under Zena Thorn-Andrews. He then threw his coat and took a while to find his feet. His third CC was at Crufts from the late Gail Hussey, an emotional day with Brenda in tears, realising her lifetime achievement to get a dog to Crufts.
Caspar was no stranger to the limelight; he was BOS at Westminster, and I believe the first American Champion as the breed only got tickets in 2009. Bred by D & J Bannon he was pick male and spotted by Elsie Turner who in turn sold him to Brenda.
Caspar was never campaigned; I just did not have the time. He won his second CC at Driffield under Shelly Franks in 2012 and then the group under Peter Radley, and I had to go cap in hand to my Inspector and grovel for time off on the Sunday to be able to return for BIS. It was granted but only if I did the first half of my early shift! He won ten CCs and three reserves including BOB Crufts 13,14, and 15. In his last two years in the ring he attended just six shows but collected 5 BOB’s.
He was used at stud in the UK just 6 times and produced some beautiful offspring, my original plan was to mate him to my own Ch Ailort Hidden Gem, but she developed a pyometra and was spayed. Mated to her sister Margaret Garvie’s Ch Ailort Just Jinks the combination produced three champions and mated to Di Stirling’s Arnscroft Di Sing on Ice (Tusk) the pair produced 3 Champions from one litter, one of these Arnscroft Di To Be A Sailor beat Caspar when he took his first CC from puppy. Another litter with Ice produced another Champion, and several offspring won CCs and RCCs.
He had been with me nine months when I got the phone call that I was dreading. Brenda had been made an offer from a foreign kennel to sell Caspar and she wanted my opinion. On hearing the emotion in my voice, she said that she recognised that the best place for the dog was with me and would I be interested in keeping him? Would I?? Caspar went into joint names with my friend Pat Williams, and I was so proud to see Pat doing the lap of honour at Crufts the following year. Brenda died suddenly the following year from an aneurism which shocked her friends and family. I can never thank her enough for the gift of friendship and my Caspar dog.
Yes, he was a great show dog and has left behind some excellent progeny, but he was first and foremost a family dog who took his duties seriously, and over the years he remembered the roots of his breed and took part in several sheep gatherings in the hills above Lochlomond with my husband John. The house feels very empty without him”.
Debbie stayed with us the night after she picked up Caspar from London Airport and I think ‘wow’ is an understatement when I first saw him.
Stay safe everyone.
Margaret Deuchar. margaretdeuchar@gmail.com
The views expressed in Margaret’s Breed Notes are hers and hers alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Norwegian Buhund Club of the UK.