Date: Wednesday, September 22, 2010, 3:48 AM
It was with a heavy heart last week that I had to let go of my beloved “Kaydee”, CH Stelor’s Executive Decision JH. I remember holding Kaydee in my hands as a newborn and knowing she was “The One”. I watched her grow and blossom into the most beautiful bitch. I was so lucky to have her for 14 ½ years
She quickly became known as the “Fairy Princess”. As a puppy, she loved to pose like a high fashion model, particularly if there was a camera involved and she carefully weighed any request made of her…demands on her were dismissed out of hand….Her only "weakness" revolved around her “stick”, an 8” length of rubber hose. She would retrieve that thing as long as my arm lasted…and only by promising to throw it would she consider doing anything other than being beautiful. Except of course for the show ring. That she LOVED! Where else can everyone see how gorgeous you are and how elegantly you move? Princess-like, for sure….
I showed her as a baby at matches and once in a Puppy Sweepstakes. My face was a deeper shade of pink than the suit I was wearing, but we won that day and I didn’t die! Kaydee, however, preferred a younger set of legs so she could show off her reach and drive, so she auditioned and selected Melissa Foehrkolb who became Kaydee’s best friend. Melissa always presented her with love, respect and flair!
Melissa and Kaydee took their first plane ride—all the way to San Diego, California, with me. Kaydee won “Best Puppy in Sweepstakes" at the German Shorthaired Pointer National Specialty Show in 1997. Kaydee’s dad went BOB and we had just the greatest time! Two months after Nationals, I went on vacation. A careless dogsitter let Kaydee out the front door of my house—the backyard was fenced, but not the front yard, and Kaydee disappeared. She was missing for 2 days when I was finally called and I rushed home to find she had been sighted, but had been seen being hit by a car. Devastated, I frantically searched for her, and left my garage door open…hoping…. There I found her later that afternoon. She was scrawny, had brush burns on her legs and sides, and was really really
scared.
Afer recuperating from that calamity, Kaydee finished and won several breeds, but Melissa left the show scene to pursue other interests. Kaydee did go on with other handlers to win multiple specialty shows, multiple groups, and had multiple group placements over long career as a special.
Toward the end of her first career, a handler I was using left her home and her husband decided to take Kaydee for a walk 4 miles into Promised Land Park, a heavily wooded, tick-filled place in the middle of nowhere sort of in the Poconos. . He then played “stick” with her. Dogs have difficulty localizing sound and with the heavy cover Kaydee got lost. I can only imagine how frantic she was trying to find those people…running and running…I was devastated. For a week we searched for her with no success and a friend of mine went to the area and stayed a second week. Signs, inquires, etc. bore no fruit. No sightings. Nothing. Over two weeks after Kaydee was lost, we got a call from the Blind Association in Morristown,
NJ. The handler’s husband had used a collar from there on Kaydee and eventually the woman who lived in Rhode Island and who had found Kaydee wandering in the median strip of ROUTE 80 felt guilty…Initially she believed the tick-covered emaciated dog she picked up on I 80 was mistreated, but Kaydee was so well trained she finally realized maybe she was just lost and she called the Blind Association.
I cannot tell you how joyous that reunion was. Tears of happiness… and I promised her I would never let her go anywhere without me. And so after that very horrible experience, Kaydee did finally retire. She became the resident “Fairy Princess”, retrieving her “sticks” and posing and barking like a seal if she wasn’t by my side and the center of attention…
Eventually, Melissa called me to let me know she was back handling. We thought it would be fun to put Kaydee back in the ring selectively as we had so much fun when Kaydee was young. I will never forget the day I took Kaytee to the show at Howard County Fairgrounds where Melissa was to show her for the first time in years. Kaydee had been less than thrilled to get in the car, and I remember her walking into the building, moody and depressed, very nervous about what was coming next. I handed Melissa her lead, and there was no reaction at first…but then..you could see her eyes open wide and Kaydee realized…”It’s Melissa!!!!! It’s Melissa!” “It is MELISSA!!!!” as Kaydee spun and danced in glee there were tears, lots of tears that day…
Kaydee continued her winning ways with Melissa and had her final group placement as an 8 year old (after having two litters!) under respected Judge, the late Dr. Asa Mays. She beat the # 1 GSP to win the Breed and Kaydee was so thrilled to be in the Group ring at the front of the line, she did a twirl on the final go-round, forfeiting her certain group win, but still getting that lovely Group 3. It was always a joy to watch Kaydee with her breathtaking movement and ring presence…but with Melissa at the end of the lead….fabulous! And Melissa and Kaydee thrilled us also at the at the 2005 GSPCA National Specialty show where
Kaydee was "Best Veteran Bitch in Sweepstakes"
Kaydee was bred twice to CH Summertime’s Southern Reign CDX JH MX MXJ. She truly does live on through her puppies, grandpuppies and great grandpuppies… and I am so proud of the accomplishments of her get.
Her son, BISS CH Stelor's Final Decision, "Ramsey" went Best in Sweepstakes and BOS in Futurity at the 2004 GSPCA Nationals and has gone on to be a group winning, multiple specialty show winning dog. He sired Kaydee’s grandson, “Henley” , CH Seven Hills Wooed in Autumn, who was Winners’ Dog at the 2009 National Specialty Show.
Kaydee's daughter, CH Stelor's Remembered Reign JH RE, "Kaytee," went BOS in Futurity at the 2005 GSPCA National Specialty show and received an AOM at the GSPCA Nationals in Kentucky. Kaytee has a very successful specials career with multiple group and specialty wins as well as being in the TopTen.
CH Stelor’s Reign of Tara JH TD made GSP history as the first GSP to qualify in tracking at the GSPCA National Specialty as well as having multiple BOB and Specialty wins as well as multiple group placements.
CH Stelor’s Reign Me In JH, “Meadow”, has proved a super hunting dog, dam of 4 champions so far, and “Boss” of the Bach household.
CH Stelor’s Homesteader Reign was in the Top Twenty and also had many group placements. She has produced multiple Champions, as well as a Grand Champion.
Kaydee’s son CH Stelor’s Reign Beau, “Beau” finished at the GSA Specialties with back to back 5 point majors.
Another son, CH Stelor’s Hurricane Reign JH, “Jeb” finished by going WD at the Eastern Specialty Show at Somerset Hills.
CH Stelor’s Decision Maid, “Kat”, had a specialty win, going WB at the Nutmeg Specialty Show.
And my girl, Isabel, CH Stelor’s Witch Decision JH is the dam of the 2010 GSPCA Reserve Winners Dog, CH Stelor’s Chef and Benjamin’s wish. “Ripley” went on to win the specialty the day aftern the 2010 Nationals and finished on my birthday in June!
What a miracle it was to have Kaydee come back to me safely, not once, but twice. I have thanked God every day since she was lost the first time for keeping her safe and sending her back to me…there is so much that might not have been…I have been so fortunate to have Kaydee for 14 ½ years…she is missed so much…
Thanks to all of you who have appreciated my “Kitty Kat” through the years.
Dee Stelmach
Stelor, Reg. http://stelorgsp.com/chstelorsexecutivedecision.htm