On tour in America

In the fall 2003 we got a great opportunity to send Sebastian to compete in the US for a little while when our dear friend Anna Strömberg offered to take him to live with her in New York and this was just an offer we could not resist!

Everybody who knows Anna, knows also that noone could have taken better care of Sebastian during those 6 weeks than what she did.

I´m pretty sure that everybody in Afghans know this, but although Anna is born in Sweden she has been living in the States for over 10 years now, when in 1993 she moved to live with the Rechler's, the owners of the famous Grandeur-kennel in New York.

Both of us had met Anna many times in America. The first time was already in the summer 1999 when Meri was at a show in Houston, Texas and also Anna had flown there with Michael Canalizo and "Tryst" (Ch Tryst of Grandeur, the winningest Hound in the world of all times, who also won one of her 150 Best in Shows there...). Since then we started to stay in contact and Anna advised us in everything With Sebastian and Izabella right from the beginning.

In Anna's care Sebastian got most his points (except those final 5!) very quickly and also won a couple of Best of Breeds with group placements in a tough competition. The plan was to get Sebastian back home from the AHCA national as both of us had just started our studies at the university, but still wanted to take 2 weeks off and fly to New York to visit Anna - and of course to see the national.

The new American Champion with his friend Tony (Ch. Tribute of Grandeur) near Anna's house on Long Island.

I know that I will always remember those two weeks in America...we got to spend days in New York City, see so many places in the East coast and visit the famous Grandeur kennel (to see an article of the kennel, click here!) and pictures of the world's greatest Afghan art collection, click here)

The National itself was held in Warwick, Rhode Island, a couple of hours' drive up from New York. The judge for the class dogs was Mr. Ed Gilbert and if you ask me, it was one of Sebastian's best performances ever that day. Seeing him looking that great would almost have been enough, but at first he won the Open class..and finally was awarded Winner's Dog to win those 5 missing points and finish his American champion title..!!

Please enjoy the pictures below. I´m very happy that we got so many of them, as (at least to me!) so much of that day is still totally in a blur!! ;-))

Now Anna has Sebastian's Finnish son "Marcus" in New York, to see more of him, please visit his page too.

And here is his grandmother "Izzy", Am, Can Ch Xandali Isabeau of Boanne (top speciality winning bitch of all times) enjoying the parade of veterans






Anna and one of the Grandeur dogs she has shown, "Romeo".