Still hanging in there…
Ch. Bohem Go West of Arwen with handler Paul Lepiane
A couple of months after the last update [June 23, 2023], Ch. Bohem Go West of Arwen (“GoGo”) finished her title by going WB for another major and BOW at Santa Barbara Kennel Club 2023 (one of the few all-breed shows we still attend), at just 14 months old. GoGo is co-owned with Scott Mazer, who has graciously agreed to let her live for the time being at Bohem, where her playfulness and charm captivates everyone who meets her. She has a litter brother who's also a champion, Ch. Arwen Bohem Ex's and Oh's, owned by the co-breeder, Lisande Davis-Gigowski in Arizona. The other puppies in the litter went to non-show homes but are lovely as well. As mentioned earlier they are sired by the Polish import GCh. Heartthrob Arwen Idealist (son of the excellent show and brood bitch we sent to Europe in 2018, Ch. Bohem Molly Garrish) out of our Freddie. Both the bitch and the dog have placed in the Hound Group. However, after her third litter in 2024 their dam, as well as GoGo, were spayed — mainly so we wouldn't be tempted to breed one more litter from either …
Scott Mazer's brindle bitch, the multiple Group winner Ch. Go West Raining Glitter(“Raina”), stayed at Bohem for several weeks in order to get to know Paul Lepiane before he showed her at the Palm Springs shows 2023. They won Specialty BIS! Less than a month later, however, her sire GCh. (Gold) Counterpoint Painted by Bohem, SC, ROM (“Viggo”), who was a multiple SBIS winner and was BOS at the 2011 AWC National Specialty, died at 14 & ½ years. He was the sire of at least 21 champions in very few litters and will be much missed for his flawless temperament, not only by Scott (whose heart-dog he really was, although I was lucky enough to be his co-owner “on paper”).
I have previously refrained from mentioning the other losses we suffered in earlier years, but perhaps this is the space to mention that in June 2022 we lost GCh. Charlamar Sashays In White Linen (“Izzy,” by Ch. Bohem Just In Time, CR, ROM) the day before she turned 14 years old; according to some she was the most exquisite Bohem ever. And in 2019 we lost Ch. Arwen Glitterati of Bohem, JC (“Dazzle,” by SBIS Ch. Bohem Three Ring Circus), one of the nicest and most cheerful Whippets we ever had. She was only 12 & ½ years old when she died. I still miss them!
Our English import Eng. & Am. Ch. Palmik Strike It Right (“Lewis”) was visibly stressed by GoGo's antics and was allowed to get a new, more peaceful home with Bob and Bobbi Keller. (They bought their first Whippet from me more than 30 years ago and took wonderful care of her!). Lewis has not changed ownership but will most likely stay with the Kellers permanently. He likes it a lot there, and Bobbi writes: ”The thing about Lewis isn’t his siring abilities, but rather his charm, good manners & beauty. I do hope he passes these wonderful traits on to his offspring, but we love him for the true English Gentleman that he is.”
And so we move on to 2024 … The highlights — so far — have been the success of last year's puppies. Although born in November 2023, the three that have been shown so far have already won several points each: five of the 10 puppies went to show homes, but two haven't been shown yet. They were the third litter out of our SBIS and multiple Group winner GCh. Arwen Bohemian Rhapsody (“Freddie”), this one sired by another Lewis grandson, Sherry Hamilton's multiple SBIS winner GChB. Lishima's Fantastico. Because Sherry whelped and raised the puppies, it was decided to make her co-breeder of the litter. She did a wonderful job —Freddie and all the puppies love her!
Most successful has undeniably been Ch. Bohem N Lishima's Alluring (“Vixen”). I am pleased to co-own her with Libby de Mille of Taliesin Whippets, who has done extremely well with her. She got her first Group placement at 6 months and 2 days old, one of the youngest ever of the breed to go so high. Vixen finished her AKC championship at 9 months old, getting two 5-point majors, going BOW both times and BOB over five specials once. Then she went to Santa Barbara to be shown by my partner, Paul Lepiane, who showed her mother, grandfather Viggo and even his granddam Ch. Bohem C'est la Vie to BIS at Santa Barbara Kennel Club in 2005. (I handled all the above myself, too, but I can't do that anymore and just sit at ringside … I am very lucky to have Paul, who is an excellent handler. He also showed Vixen's sire to three Specialty BIS!)
Vixen at only 9 & ½ months of age won three BOB in a row (24-32 Whippets, 9-12 specials entered), was Group 3rd at both star-studded SBKC shows, was the ultimate victor of the “Sighthound Spectacular” (open to all Sighthounds who won BOB, BOW or BOW at either of the two SBKC shows), and was one of two littermates to win Best Hound in SBKC's prestigious Breeders Showcase … In the last competition Vixen was paired with her brother Bohem N Lishima's Triumphant, owned by Zia Jones, who has handled him beautifully to 10 points from the Puppy class, including BOW and even BOS over several male specials. He even has a TKN title already, plus the same cheerful and affectionate temperament as their parents and Vixen. His brother, Bohem N Lishima's Hypnotic, is owned by Barbara Wells in Arizona and has so far won 3 points from the Puppy class.
P.S: In early September 2024 we got an enthusiastic email from Monika Sepolowicz in Poland, owner of Ch. Bohem Molly Garrish (“Clara”). She reported that Clara — at six years of age and on a very hot day — won a champion class of 12 beautiful bitches and then got BOS to her own son (who then was Res. BIS!) from an entry of 106 Whippets at the FCI Central Euro Sighthound Show. Judge was Editha Newton of the famous Nevedith kennel in England. In Clara'a first litter (sired by the Swedish Ch. Wolf Tone Atlas; also Bohem breeding further back on both sides of his pedigree) there are six champions, with a seventh so far in a second litter. Her brothers Ch. Bohem Douglas Todd (also in Poland), GCh. Bohem Ben Evans and Ch. Bohem Stanley Wilkin (both in the U.S.) have not been shown recently, but Douglas Todd is the sire of at least 14 titled get in Europe.
P.P.S. Vixen won two Awards of Merit at specialties judged by breed specialist Mary Dukes and David Samuelson. It was fascinating to sit at ringside and see her repeatedly defeat much more mature, top winning bitches although she is not yet 11 months old!