Who is Diva?
I confess that I stopped keeping track of Diva's Best of Breed and Best of Opposite Sex wins years ago. Though selectively shown, Diva's love for the ring has lead her to many, many wins.
Today, she is known as BOSS, BVIS Can/Am Ch. Wyndrunhr Airborne Of Course. She has produced Canadian champions in both of her first two litters, with puppies pointed already in the third and is dam to two BOSS winners.
Diva earned her Canadian title with a group win under RRCUS top twenty judge Michael Sosne at the tender age of 13 months going over US top ten dogs. In the US she finished with three five point majors.
While this little pack of dynamite is often overlooked by all breed judges, she is hard to ignore by those who know the breed well.
For a memory test that I'm sure to fail, the following are just some of her wins, not including all of her BOBs, BOSs and group wins and placements:
- #1 female Rhodesian Ridgeback in Canada 2002
- RRCC BOS winner a few months before qualifying as a veteran
- Multiple Best Brace in Show wins
- Multiple Best Brace in Specialty Show wins
- Aristocrat Hound Association Best Veteran In Specialty
- 2004 RRCUS 2nd Brood Matron in Specialty
- 2005 RRCC 1st Brood Matron in Specialty
- 2006 Aristocrat Hound Association 1st Brood Matron in Specialty
- 2006 RRCUS 1st Brood Matron in Specialty
- 2006 RRCUS Sweepstakes 3rd Veteran 7-9 class
- 2007 RRCC Best Brace in Specialty
- 2007 RRCC Best Brood Matron in Specialty
- ARRF Specialty BOS Sweepstakes winner
- ARRF Specialty BOW
- RWB Texas Regional Specialty
- Class placement at Orange Coast Specialty
- Dam to multiple Group One winners (some from puppy classes)
In 2004 at the Fort Worth show held in conjunction with the World Congress and RRCUS Nationals, Diva's three girls—Dazzle, Shando and Darla—placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respectively in the 12-18 puppy class. We had a flashback in Utah at the 2006 RRCUS sweeps when her 2005 daughters, Amara and Xena, placed first and second in the 12-15 classes, mimicking the 2004 wins of their older sisters.
(photo above: Diva winning 2nd place at the RRCUS Nationals in the Brood Bitch class under breeder-judge Barbara Sawyer-Brown of Kwetu kennels in Chicago)
My biggest joy at the 2006 RRCUS Nationals was showing Diva with her get Hawk, Shando and Dazzle and watch judge Frank DePaulo of Tahari kennels walk down the line doing the subtlest doubletake as he saw three of his top dogs from the classes fall in behind Diva. The quality of her get was undeniable and she sailed to first place.
It's true that showing a 24” “true” wheaten bitch can be a challenge in a breed dominated by big, red males. And yet, Diva has always known how to pour on the steam and keep up with the best on this continent.
Of Course Rhodesian Ridgebacks would be nothing without Diva. She has proven herself in the ring time and again both in Canada and in the US, but her true calling was as a dam. Her loving and untiring care of her puppies and strong genetic traits have repeatedly earned her brood bitch honours at specialties.
It is true that Diva is a remarkable bitch, but her profile cannot be written without mention of her one true love—Am/Can Ch Granby Little Big Man TDX. Bigs and Diva adored each other and he not only helped to preserve the traits in Diva I most wanted to maintain, but he added so much to his puppies with her—not the least of which was his steady, devoted and very “Ridgeback” temperament. Bigs was well loved by all of us at Of Course and his stamp of passing on outstanding fronts is a hallmark of his puppies. Much thanks to his breeder Wendy MacLean of Granby Kennels and his loving Person, Avril Hall of Beaubijou kennels. We will always love you, Biggy Boy!
It's been a difficult task trying to go through the more that 70 Rosettes that grace my halls to try and recall all the winning that Diva has accomplished. She has never let me down as a brood bitch, show dog or companion. She has kept me safe through many life changes and circumstances. She is the pulse at Of Course and has made an indelible mark on the breed in North America.
Above photo taken at eight years old--RRCC 2007
