Myra Thomas-Rhodes's Blog (121)

The two Western Classic shows have just been held on the first weekend in March. Because our temperatures are still fairly high at this time of the year, these are night shows, sometimes judging through until 1am in the morning!!

The second evening should have been judged by Mrs M. Dekaristou from Greece, but she had to withdraw owing to illness, and was replaced by Mr P Kersey from NZ. His Best of Breed Irish went to young Finoo, Amhurst HejHej Finoo (AI), with Reserve Bitch CC going…

Another week of travelling to and from Toodyay, to see Dr Phil - this time with Lupin,   Copper's That's It That's Me (Imp.Swd).

Lupin has been inseminated with imported frozen semen from.....the gorgeous Balbriggan Royal Rebel (UK). This semen hasn't travelled so well, so we are going to need a lot of luck, BUT  ........   it all happened on St Patrick's Day, a good omen in itself, and with Dr Phil's  expertise and the beautiful Lupelina, I am thinking positively. Even just one…

After a few trips to and fro country Toodyay for blood tests, yesterday was the day for inseminating Amhurst Ballyguerin with Shenanagin Scholar with Braidmount JW (UK).

So....here's hoping, after everyone's hard work in helping Struan come to Australia, that Dr Phil can work his magic, as he has done before, with the Lupelina and Asqaya babies, from Swedish Copper's Prat Bubbla semen.

Exciting times ahead, and everything crossed.…

These last few weeks have been so very difficult for so many people, what with the terrible floods in Queensland, which continued south, in to other states of Australia.Even Tasmania had flooding. Then the incredible cyclone, which annhilated towns like Tully, just adding to Queensland's misery. On the Western side of the country, Carnarvon has twice flooded, and cyclones have damaged places like Karratha. Freak weather and storms tore through two towns just 40 minutes from Perth, tearing…

After many months of organising, studying photos and pedigrees, and a trip to England and Sweden, the end result of frozen semen ,from three dogs, has finally been achieved.

Yesterday, Dr Phil and myself visited Quarantine in Perth, to have the consignment cleared, and this morning I drove the "gold," up to country Toodyay, to reside at Dr Phil's Veterinary clinic, until we reach the next stage.

One very special dog indeed, wasn't available at the time, so here's hoping at a…

Happily, we have had our lives turned upside down, with a ball of orange belton joy, who we have named "Hattie," short for "Hattitude!" Special thanks to Jo and Matt in New Zealand, and a page will be dedicated to Hattie, just as soon as the photographs permit.

For Now, though, some photos of our past English Setters, including our gorgeous tri colour, Suntop Shining Berry Imp UK) and the beautiful International Sh Ch Suntop Winterbreeze, a…

Well, the Lupelinas have turned one year old, already. I cannot believe where the time and all the initial excitement has gone, but the youngsters continue to grow superbly and give so much joy to us all.

Thankyou to John and Norma for baking the wonderful birthday cake, supplying hats and organising me! We celebrated in style with Derry, Finoo, Tully, Gillou and Ballad, as well as Mama Lupin, who I might add, ate the lion's share of the cake - deservedly so! The grown-ups celebrated…

I want to show you all our beautiful road, a quiet "No Through" road, with only eight homes on it Our council, Mundaring Shire, Perth, Western Australia, want to widen and bitumise this road, at a cost of nearly half a million dollars to its ratepayers - a road length of only about 600 metres, effectively making it a "Rolls Royce" road to nowhere! All the residents…

Summer is on our doorstep, and the warmer weather heralds the awakening of the snakes and lizards.

The photos are of a Blue Tongue, or Bobtail Lizard, that the dogs found yesterday. I was alerted by their barking and dancing around it, making out they weren't scared, but jolly glad to come in when I called them! These lizards have no teeth, and their only form of defence is to try to frighten the "enemy" with their open mouth and blue tongue. They move quite slowly, and sadly, with…

As you may have noticed from Camilla's blog a few weeks ago, Sven alias Copper's Amhurst Svenski on Ice, and his friend, Mork, alias Copper's Bukowski by Design, were "rescued" from the window of a Swedish Design shop, to travel home to the safety of Australian friends. This family, living the high life on the bed at Amhurst, have graciously accepted the newcomers, in fact they were made particularly welcome by the Burberry Moose, as one of the photos shows. As with all the Setters and…

It is with much sadness, that I report the passing of Margaret Barnes, famous for her beautiful Suntop English Setters.

Margaret died on Friday morning,24th September,at home in her own bed,surrounded by all her objects,so familiar and dear to her. She was 89.The funeral is taking place, as I write this, and in true Margaret form, she asked that people be invited back to her home, after the service, for tea and cake.

The Suntop prefix was first registered to Margaret's mother…