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In Memory Of Tessie
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AUSTRALIAN GRAND CHAMPION LESADRET ZIBETTE ET "TESSIE" THIS PAGE IS DEDICATED TO MY VERY SPECIAL FRIEND. 18/11/1994 - 17/12/2001 SHE WAS THE DAUGHTER OF MY VERY FIRST MALINOIS "RAHNEE" (CH ROADSEND AMBER LIGHTS) AND "MOUCHETTE" (CH WEEDRAM M COPPER COIN ET) WHO AT THE TIME BELONGED TO SOMEONE ELSE. TESSIE WAS MY STUD PAYMENT FOR THE USE OF "RAHNEE" I HAD VISITED THE PUPS SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THEY WERE OLD ENOUGH TO LEAVE. ON THE DAY I WAS ABLE TO TAKE MY PUP HOME I SPENT WHAT SEEMED FOREVER TRYING TO PICK MY PUP. I HAD 3 GIRLS TO CHOOSE FROM AND RULED 1 OUT STRAIGHT AWAY. I WAS LEFT WITH 2 THAT LOOKED SO MUCH ALIKE. ONE JUMPED ALL OVER ME AND THE OTHER DIDN'T WANT TO BE TOUCHED. EVERY TIME I PICKED HER UP SHE WOULD SQUIRM TO GET DOWN AND GO LAY AWAY FROM US. THERE WAS JUST SOMETHING ABOUT THIS PUP THAT KEPT ME GOING BACK TO HER. IN THE END I DECIDED THAT I WOULD NOT BE HAPPY UNLESS I TOOK HER. SHE WOULD JUST HAVE TO LEARN TO LIKE US! AND SO THE LOVE AFFAIR BEGAN!! FROM THE MINUTE I TOOK HER WITH ME SHE BECAME MY BEST FRIEND, FOLLOWING ME EVERYWHERE AND BEING MY CONSTANT COMPANION. NEVER DID I DREAM THAT SHE WOULD TAKE ME ON THE WONDERFUL JOURNEY SHE DID. TESSIE WAS A REAL SHOW GIRL, LOVING TO MEET ALL THESE NEW PEOPLE AT THE SHOWS. THOUGH STANDING WAS AN EFFORT AT FIRST, AND KEEPING 4 FEET ON THE GROUND........... WELL YOU KNOW WHAT BELGIANS ARE LIKE! BY THE TIME SHE REACHED 6 MONTHS AND INTO MINOR PUPPY CLASS WE BOTH HAD IT "DOWN PAT". SHE STOOD WITHOUT HAVING TO BE STACKED AND FLOATED AROUND THE RING WITH SUCH EASE! SHE REALLY DIDN'T NEED ME AT THE OTHER END OF THE LEAD BUT IT WAS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO BE THERE. SHE REACHED HER AUST CH TITLE AT 9 MTHS AND 2 DAYS, ALREADY HAVING ACHIEVED CHAMPION PUPPY IN GROUP AND SEVERAL MINOR PUPPY IN GROUP AWARDS AND A MINOR PUPPY IN SHOW AT THE NSW BELGIAN SPECIALTY SHOW. A HUGE ACHIEVEMENT FOR SUCH A YOUNG DOG AND RARE BREED THAT IS NOT OFTEN LOOKED AT. (ESPECIALLY BACK THEN) THE EXCELLENT CRITIQUES AND COMMENTS FROM JUDGES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD CONTINUED HER WHOLE LIFE. UNFORTUNATELY DUE TO FAMILY COMMITMENTS I WAS UNABLE TO TRAVEL INTERSTATE AS OFTEN AS I WOULD HAVE LIKED WITH HER... HER OBEDIENCE WAS EXCELLENT AND WAS OFTEN USED AS THE EXAMPLE AT CLASSES. UNFORTUNATELY I DIDN'T REALLY START TO PERSUE THIS DISCIPLINE UNTIL MUCH LATER. SHE LOVED AGILITY AND DID A BIT OF LURE COURSING. AS WE ALWAYS LIVED ON ACREAGE AND USUALLY WHERE THERE WAS CATTLE SHE HAD MANY OPPORTUNITIES TO PRACTICE HER HERDING SKILLS. EVEN WHEN SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE SO! IT WAS FANTASTIC WATCHING HER ROUND UP 20 HEAD OF CATTLE AND MOVE THEM FROM ONE PADDOCK TO THE OTHER. SHE LOOKED THE REAL PROFESSIONAL EVEN THOUGH SHE'D HAD NO LESSONS. TESSIE LOVED THE ATMOSPHERE AT THE BRISBANE ROYAL, THAT WAS HER SHOW! SHE WON BEST OF BREED THERE 5 TIMES. A RECORD I'M EXTREMELY PROUD OF! EASTER SHOWS 2001 SAW HER GAIN THE FINAL POINTS NEEDED TO BE AWARDED AUSTRALIA'S FIRST GRAND CHAMPION MALINOIS! IT WAS A MOMENT I WILL NEVER FORGET AND WILL CHERISH FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. SADLY THOUGH MY GIRL WAS TAKEN FROM ME SUDDENLY LATER THAT YEAR. ON MY BIRTHDAY OF ALL DAYS! SHE HAS LEFT A HUGE GAP IN MY LIFE THAT NONE WILL EVER FILL. THERE WILL ONLY EVER BE ONE "TESSIE" REST IN PEACE MY BEAUTIFUL GIRL WE WILL MEET AGAIN AT THE RAINBOW BRIDGE |
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