Benni (Ch Armahani Heliodorr Hulivili (AI) ET) and Rachael started their show year off with a BANG in Tasmania at the Western Tiers Kennel Club this weekend.

Over three shows Benni took home:
- 1 x Best in Group (Group 1st)
- 2 x Runner up Best in Group (Group 2nd)
- 3 x Best Aus Bred in Group

Thanks to the judges E Ryder (Qld), J Palmer (NSW) and C Stuart (NSW) for recognising Benni!

Yet again, a new year arrives, with lots of enthusiasm for new dreams and plans. But it’s always good to reflect on the year that was, and thank some of the people who made it special.
2018 for me was centred very much on my overseas holiday in the middle of the year. So there were no new pups, and with only Baby left of sporting age in my home, and her in rehab for most of the year, no sporting achievements.
We showed a little, but as always, not a huge amount. The highlight instead was travel, the making of new friends, the renewing of old, seeing some spectacular sights (and a few very lovely dogs), eating and drinking, and trying desperately to get rid of those extra kilos on return!

But the Armahani kids …. they didn’t take it quiet at all! Month after month they really blew me away with their achievements. We only have a fairly small breeding program, so it is purely because of some very amazing and dedicated owners, who love training and competing, that I get to bask in their glory. We really do punch well above our weight, and although not completed yet, it looks to have seen us well and truly in the DOL top 10 working dog breeders in the country for 2018.

Some special highlights for their 2018 achievements were:

TORTIK AND BENNI 🌟
Grand Ch Armahani Heliodorr Halu (AI) RA JC
Ch Armahani Heliodorr Hulivili (AI) ET

Our amazing litter brothers (Tortik handled by me mainly in Victoria and Benni by co-owner Rachael Holloway mainly in Tasmania) continued to …. well, amaze! Just when I think they have peaked they prove me very very wrong indeed.
Over the course of the year, between the two of them, they received several Best in Groups and Runner Up Best in Groups. Tortik took another Runner up in Specialty Show win, earned his Grand Championship, and was RUBOB at Sydney Royal. They shared some of our biggest challenges of the year, at the Border Challenge and Sunbury weekends. And they didn’t keep the achievements to the show ring. Tortik (aptly handled by co-owner Kateryna Yeap) earned his RN and RA titles in rally, and commenced his agility career with his first jumping quallie. While Benni earned his ET title. I think I can fairly safely say they are the biggest achieving litter brothers in our breed in Australia to date, and certainly aren’t finished yet.
🐻 
LOKI BEAR 🐻
Ch Armahani Jade Jyhla

Tortik’s handsome young son is shown by new exhibitor Nicole Wright in the Albury area, and this year, he earned his Australian Championship with her on the end of the lead, along with a raft of class in groups along the way. I stole him away for both specialties this year, and to my pride in NSW he was Best Limit in Show and taken down to the top 5 boys, and did even better six months later in Victoria with not only Best State Bred in Show but beating his dad and uncle for Reserve Dog Challenge. He really is one to watch.
💎 
LUMI AND SQUIGGLE 💎
Grand Ch Armahani Diamond Davvir (AI) CD RA ADX ADO JDX GD SPD ET WPD 
Ch & Neut Ch Armahani Diamond Dansut (AI) CCD RA AD JDX SD GD SPD HT ET JC WPD FMX

Our amazing Diamond kids, by far the most titled litter mates in the country, were clearly not prepared to go quietly into the night this year. Both continued in the agility rings, with Lumi (handled by Bianca Ralphs) earning his ADO, GD and SPD titles, and also doing some backpacking to gain his WPD title. And Squiggle (handled by Shell Gurney) earning her AD, JDX and GD titles, and FMX flyball title.
🦄 
LOLLY AND SLINKY 🦄
Ch Armahani Iolite Into (AI) ET WPD
Ch Armahani Iolite Ihana (AI) HT ET JC WPD

Clearly deciding that they were going to have to get their butts into gear if they weren’t to spend their whole life living in their mother's shadow, the two Iolite kids commenced their performance careers with Nixx Boyd and Shell Gurney. Both earned their WPD and ET titles, with Slinky also gaining her HT title in herding.
🐼 
LEEVI AND PIPER 🐼
Armahani Kunzite Kuutamo (AI) RA
Ch Armahani Kunzite Kruunu (AI)

It is no secret that I love love love the temperaments and work ethic of Baby’s kids. Piper earned her Championship title over the course of the year with Simone Dillon and started to learn some other skills. While Leevi completely blew my mind, with Nicole Wain, gaining his RN and RA titles in rally, and getting more than half way to his JD in agility. These two are not yet 2 years of age, and I think have amazing futures ahead of them.
❄️
 TAIJA AND DOLCE ❄️
Ch & Neut Ch Armahani Crystal Cuovgat
Ch Armahani Crystal Caibmat RE

If the Diamond kids weren’t anywhere near retirement, then our Crystals led the way. Just when we think they’ve deserved their life of couch surfing, they decide to have one last hurrah …. and then another … and then another! Taija stepped back into the show ring to earn her Neuter Championship, capping it off with Best Neuter in Show at our specialty toward the end of the year. While Dolce dusted off his rally paws, and with Shareen Chouffot, earned his final quallies for that elusive RE title.

Thank you to all the Armahani owners this year for such amazing achievements, and most of all for loving and building such great relationships with your dogs.
​
As for me, in 2019 I hope to continue some more showing with Tortik and Baby, if I’m lucky get out some of the younger kids who I don’t get to show as much. And (touching every bit of wood in the house) given our hard work has finally got her healthy enough … hope to see some of you in a nearby performance ring, sometime during the year, with my beautiful Baby on the end of the lead.