Please forgive this mass letter.  I just really want to get a response out to everyone!  This letter is also for some of my friends who have no idea that I was even in NYC at the Garden. 

Thank you all for the kind words, the calls and flowers.  We were the under dog so to speak and had not even showed Storm for over a year as we have been devoting our funds to finishing the remodel of our home.  Scott was not able to attend the show due to a promotion at work as the Chief Pilot flying News for NBC channel 4.  They are in the middle of sweeps and could not spare him. 

So my dear friend Lorraine Leach took care of booking our flight and hotel just a few days prior to the show and Sally Davis was able to come with me for emotional support, I just hate to go anywhere alone.  I could not have done it without her.  (Thank you Sally!) 

We did not hire the handler Lori Finner, until we arrived on Monday as I could not get her on the phone all week.  So we hoped she would be available. They worked great together right from the start.  With no time to get aquatinted they just went into the ring and got to work. I had flown to SFO to see Kody show and Sally had hired Lori to show Kody at the Cow Palace, and I was so impressed with her skill I knew she would do great with Stormy. 

Right from the start the Judge liked Stormy and moved him to the front.  Well, this was it for me!  I thought I might hyper ventilate.  At this point I was done, I had gotten all I had come for, we could go home knowing we has showed well.  After the second cut, I looked at Sally and with wide eyes saying "Oh my God do you see what is happening?  After this it was just a blur. I really went blank and could not even tell  you who else made the cut or did what or who was even in the ring.  All I know is my dog looked like he might win BOB at Westminster over all of these stunning Champions! 

We screamed our heads off which is the only thing Jim Polk said he could hear.  He couldn't find us in the crowd but he heard us.  Everyone around us was cheering and laughing with us. I egged on everyone around us to shout and clap for Storm. It was such a thrill.  Thank you so much to all the other competitors who also had such stunning, worthy dogs.  I am shocked and humbled to even be in the same ring as you all.  I am crying as I write this as I have dreamed of this day sense I was just a little girl of 5 and saw my first dog show on TV.  I was so thrilled to see Stormy's face on the big screen TV at the Garden.  Wow, what a rush. 

The day after the show as I walked Stormy at 6am, people on the street stopped me saying "hey that's the dog that was in the show last night! We saw him on TV! They flocked around him and true to his nature loved every minute of it. Storm is such a neat dog to own.  I'm really glad the judge liked him.  Storm has never received a reserve in AKC.  You either love him or hate him,  & WE LOVE HIM! 

On the bench, Storm was such a ham, he wanted to be in the middle of the isle getting hugs and pats and giving kisses.  By the time we got back home to Long Beach he was pooped and hungry.  He didn't eat much during the trip as he was just to excited. 

Once again, thank you for all of your kind wishes.  This has been the high point of our showing.  As I told Leon Getz last week, "All I want to do is just have a nice showing and make the cut". We really exceeded my expectations!  I feel very undeserving and hope I don't get a call telling me it was a dream and the real winner is........ 

Woof Woof 

Karen & Scott Ritter