Suzanne Tharpe and CH OTCH Brisline Plum Perfect Unforgettable UDX9 OGM RA
7/13/2012. Natalie earns an OGM.
Natalie has achieved more than I ever could have dreamed. After earning the UD we started out wanting 1 OTCH point so we could participate in the NOI, Natalie has now qualified 5 times. In the beginning the points came slowly, and never consistently, but they kept coming over the years. We achieved the OTCH in October 2010, I still feel the thrill I felt winning Utility B at a show close to home with many friends, it was hard to believe even then. Natalie was the 2nd Airedale Terrier to earn an OTCH. Natalie was still young and AKC had created the OGM title in 2009, few dogs had achieved that title, and no terriers, it became my goal to earn the OGM. For nearly 2 years after achieving the OTCH we kept showing, some good, some less so. Frequently achieving scores that just missed the mark and not getting any OM points. Natalie was getting older but still healthy and happy, we kept showing and our goal kept getting closer. I’m sure many people thought I was crazy, I had two young dogs but still Natalie and I kept competing. We would flunk one day, get HC the next, flunk again, qualify again. It was not for the faint of heart. Then we needed only 3 more Utility points and 11 points total. We were at a Rottie Specialty show open to all breeds, it was Friday July 13th, the weather was cool, the outdoor location beautiful. Our judge was Nancy Simmons (pictured), Natalie qualified in Utility and friends told me she looked great, then we qualified in Open … just waiting for the scores. Utility finished first, we had a 194.5, good for 9 points but not the 11 points we needed to complete the OGM. Next came Open, when I heard the judge say 19… I was so excited, I knew it didn’t matter what number came next, we only needed one more point. I looked at Natalie with tears in my eyes, we had achieved our goal. Even now it still brings tears when I think about it. Natalie is the first Terrier to achieve this title, and of course the first Airedale Terrier. We have been in the ring together since before Natalie was a year old, showing in breed, we have travelled as far as Pennsylvania to attend our National Specialty, we have been to many places I might never have seen if it weren’t for dog shows. We have had a lot of fun and a lot of help and support along the way. I would especially like to thank Dee Dee and Billy Anderson for their help, and all my friends that cheered us on even if they thought we’d never make it – thank you. The journey has been wonderful and the memories are very special. The bond that grows while pursuing an advanced title creates a special and very rewarding relationship, and you learn so much along the way.