Spring has hit at Rattlebridge. The flowers are blooming and the yard work is fast becoming all consuming. Cavaliers love to dig and ruin the flowers, but we are trickier than they!!!! Little by little, we have moved everything that can be vandalized by our Cavalier contingent to OUTSIDE the fenced in lawn areas. We have two new champions, our third black and tan champion, Ch. Rattlebridge Prada and Ch. Royal Companion Olympia, our lovely Dutch import. We have not yet updated our website to show their championships, but they and Ch. Rattlebridge Black Lace are now fully recognized as AKC champions. Black Lace has been bred to Harana Spencer Tracy, our exciting new import from England and Ch. Rattlebridge Prada has been bred to Ch. Fairoaks Navagator, co owned with his breeder my close friend, Chris Meager, and standing at stud at Rattlebridge for the next year. We look forward to wonderful puppies who can carry the Rattlebridge banner in the show ring, and most importantly as beloved pets. The American Cavalier National will be in Seattle this year and of course we will be represented with a few of our dogs in the show ring. Dr. Gene Stine, DVM, and Meredith will be making a presentation about the neurological disease, syringohydromelia being found in Cavaliers and other toy breeds. Meredith has been instrumental in getting the Ohio State University Veterinary Hospital to embark on a study of this disorder funded by donations from friends. After the National, Meredith will be traveling to England to judge Cavaliers and will be meeting with one of the top researchers of syringohydromelia while in England. Meanwhile, the very beautiful, Ch. Rattlebridge Adagio continues to win in the show ring and is presently number 1 all systems, just as he was for 2003. We are so proud of him and his young co owner, Sunni Dunn, for winning the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel of Greater Atlanta Spring Specialty for the second year in a row.

I am leaving to judge two Cavalierspecialties in New Zealand tomorrow (September 9/2003) and will not return until September 26, 2003. I will try to check email while I am gone, but it is difficult to keep up when traveling. I then leave on October 2 to judge in Bogata, Columbia, and will return on October 7. I will be jet lagging big time. Will miss my Cavaliers (husband also!!!).

Congratulations to Dieter Heymann and German Champion Rattlebridge Roses are Red (Ch. Pamedna Pedro Rosso x Ch. Rattlebridge Dutch Treat) on the completion of her German Kennel Club and German Cavalier Club championship!!! This is the second Rattlebridge European champion, the first being Ch. Rattlebridge Jacob.

BIS and BISS American and Canadian Champion Rattlebridge Adagio remains the number one Cavalier!!

It has been a very good summer!!! Rattlebridge congratulates Gio’s half sisters on their championships earned on the same weekend: Ch. Rattlebridge Spot On bred and owned by Rattlebridge and shown by Cindy Chandler and Ch. Rattlebridge Payback Roxian co bred by Meredith Johnson-Snyder and Roxy Hayes, owned by Rattlebridge and shown by Rachel Stanton. Can. BIS Ch. Rattlebridge The Scholar, owned by Judy and Bob Tschetter and bred and co owned by Rattlebridge on his two five point majors in the States shown by Shelly Hodgkinson. The wonderful 2002 Halloween litter of tricolors bred by Meredith Johnson-Snyder, Margaret Valentine, and Sunni Dunn; Rattlebridge Son of a Witch (both majors) co owned by Meredith Johnson-Snyder, Margaret Valentine and Cindy Chandler and shown by Cindy; Rattlebridge Trick or Treat (five point major) shown by Sunni Dunn; Rattlebridge Jack O’ Lantern (pointed) co owned and shown by Sherri Meyer; Rattlebridge Costume Party (both majors) co owned with Tami Doniere Byroads and shown by Tami. More majors: the black and tans from the puppy classes: Rattlebridge Rock and Roll shown by Sunni Dunn; Rattlebridge Black Lace co owned with Rachel Stanton and shown by Rachel; Rattlebridge Prada co owned with Sherri Meyer and shown by Sherri.