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:: Saturday 26 April 2008 ::
Best of Breed
When I was a toddler my parents made a decision. I think at that stage the car of choice was an FJ Holden. They got in it and drove it to a kennel in Northeastern Victoria and when they drove back home they had Duffton Massimus Caius with them, the world's greatest and most maginificent specimen of black labradorhood ever. Well, my world, anyway.
They made the decision after some consideration. Should they purchase a Dalmatian or a Black Lab? Two books were bought, both hardbacks, both the same size. They addressed the merits and pitfalls of each breed (well, pitfalls for Dalmatians, but none for Black Labs, God's most perfect canine creature - do not argue.) The books lived on the shelf of the walnut antique Canterbury cabinet we used to house the small teevee.
Inside the Labrador book was a vision of perfection such as to be seared, seared into the memory.
I give you:
Whatstandwell Ballyduff Robin.
What a name. What a stance. Heroic.
And, money down, being a Labrador, he is hungry.
Pondering this memory I oiled the bolts of the internet engine and located, incredibile, his entire genealogy. Thankyou Google.
And here is an Italian site with a bunch of sensational champions including Whatstandwell Ballyduff Robin his good self. (Be warned, this site seems weirdly to have automatic bagpipe music just pipin' on through. I cannot get 'em to stop so 'mute' if like me you are allergic to that dreadful noise, pace Scots.)
The objective appreciation of physical canine perfection is a borderless thing and wog/non-wog thing.
Massi looked just like him.
Salute.
That is all.
UPDATE: It is a Blairvalanche. Yay. Welcome Blairites - do have a look round.
:: WB 7:16 pm [link+] ::
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