DON’T IT ALWAYS SEEM TO GO, THAT YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU’VE GOT ‘TIL IT’S GONE.   Joni Mitchell.

 

Am/Can Ch. Richelieu’s Exeter D’Allante, U.D., P.T.  1990-2004

Exeter was born Sept 4, 1990.  He was part of a litter of 7.  He was immediately marked by everyone who saw the puppies as the pick of the litter.   He won his championship quickly with two sanctioned match Best in
Matches along the way.  He placed in his classes at his first nationals.  He was shown at national specialties from 1991 thru 1997, and in 1999.  He went select in ’93 (Michelle Billings), ’96 (breeder judge Sharon Redmer), and in 1999 (breeder judge Merrilyn Clark).

The two highlights of his career were earning his Utility obedience title and his performance at the 1999 national in the breed ring.

Exeter was my first and only U.D. dog.  He gave me everything he had to get the title.  We flunked 19 times before qualifying.  This is not unusual in utility A.  Recently at Monroe, all 21 dogs failed on Saturday.  We gradually conquered each component of the utility process and when he did get his first leg under Harlowe Jahelka, he quickly finished  his title after that.

The 1999 national was without a doubt his finest moment.  He was judged by three different breeder judges.  He won the veteran sweeps under Judy Bradley.  He then won the veteran dog class under Barbara Krohn, who in
theory one would have thought would only put up the extreme import dogs we have seen in this breed.  He then went on to compete in Best of Breed.  The judge, Merrilyn Clark, who judged at Yakima in the early 1990’s, was dying of cancer, and willed herself to stay alive long enough to do this show.  She judged for the most part from a wheel chair and occasionally walked around the ring with assistance from her stewards.  She gave Exeter a select
and placed him within one dog of winning Best of Breed.  Merrilyn died two weeks later.  As the condolences have come in from around the United States, many people are commenting on what a magnificent performance he put in at this show.

In recent years, I tried to get a tracking title on him but I am afraid I waited until he was too old and after 3 failed attempts, I retired him.Exeter spent his final three years happily hanging out here at home.  His kidneys started to deteriorate last winter and so it was surprising to see him last this long.  He spent his last full day taking a nap with me in my bed.

When he was a young dog, Jane Murphy and I knew we had something special so we had him collected.  Hopefully , although he is gone, there will be more Exeter sons and daughters to come.

Richard Lewis