It is fitting that Rider completed his championship at the Oklahoma City shows where he first got started. A year ago Rider and his Uncle Owyn provided a one-two punch, with Owyn taking the dog points (4 and 3 point majors) on Thurs and Fri followed by Rider taking 4 point majors on Saturday and Sunday, getting his first 8 points and both of his majors his first weekend out - at 6 months! On top of that Rider took 3rd place in the Puppy Group. Why the early success? Because he self stacks like a dream, moves beautifully with a level topline and has near-perfect construction! I said he was almost a copy of his Nationals winning Dad and I meant it! What sets him apart? His gorgeous tri-color markings, possibly an even more classic looking head, and, well, not much else since Oz was a near perfect Cardi. One thing that makes Rider very special to me is that his Grandma Gig was the second Cardi I ever owned. Gig had excellent qualities and produced very promising puppies but had trouble giving me decent hips, and I had to place a lot of dogs I would rather have kept. Rider's 6 mos x-ray looks pretty good. Thanks go to Jinnie Strickland for keeping Gig's flame alive in the form of daughter Lindy (OFA fair) to whom we took Oz to make this lovely boy. Jinnie points out that Rider is the first actual Arylan to Arylan breeding. I don't keep track of such things but would suggest that if it took me 9 years to have an Arylan/Arylan breeding then it's obvious that better Cardis - not personal glory - is my true aim because I could have done Arylan to Arylan in year 3 or 4. The above are 13 month photos. He's starting to get his adult chest but it's not quite there yet. Oh, one more thing, I LOVE Rider's temperamant. Absolutely love it.