My knee surgery went well although I am still hobbling around. Between bad knees and a bad lower back, not to mention the bad shoulder courtesy of a diagreement with one of our horses, I am truly feeling elderly. However, good news always perks me up. German Ch. Rattlebridge Roses are Red just went Best in Show at the German Toy Dog Show! Rosie is on her way to being a European International Champion which will make two for us, the other being Am., Dutch, and International Ch. Rattlebridge Jacob. Not to be undone, Rattlebridge Harle-Quinn just completed his CD! His owner Lu Ann Rogers writes: “Quinn finished his CD yesterday at the Mahoning County trial! Do now it’s Rattlebridge Harle-Quinn Man NA NAJ CD. He spent 4-1/2 hours with me at the hospital today, starring in a program that we hold to introduce first year medical students to pet therapy. On Saturday we marched along with our (Love on a Leash) float in the Ravenna Balloon A-Fair parade. You would be very proud of him.” We am very proud of Quinn and of Lu Ann who is a marvelous trainer! LuAnn now has a black and tan puppy Rattlebridge Request the Best who hopefully will be shown in conformation. We are proud of all our dogs!

Meredith is going to be home for awhile for knee surgery and recuperation. She will also have to attend to a few lower back problems. She welcomes the time at home and the halt to a crazy schedule–time to recharge and enjoy the Cavaliers!!! She is working on revitalizing website section on health issues in the Cavalier with new information about mitral valve disease and syringomyelia or SM. We have several exciting puppies coming along as well as a few cuties who will need new homes. Congratulations to Bob and Judy Tschetter for finishing Ch. Rattlebridge Targee’ in good order. Congratulations to Penny Freberg for putting two back to back five point majors, first two times shown, on Rattlebridge Saranade. Congratulations to Tami Byroads for showing Rattlebridge Costume Party to several Bests of Breed and a group placement in very tough California competition. Way to go Tami and Party!! Congratulations to Lu Ann Rogers and her Quinn on his first two legs on his CD and agility titles! We welcome from England two new additions to Rattlebridge: the lovely ruby girl Harana Star Appeal and our own little Japinese Chin from the famous Homerbrent kennel. Yes, a Japanese Chin!! We are excited to show this little guy! Our friends Leanne Bertani and Sherri Meyer co own the Chin and Sherri will show him. Sherri is also co owning the very lovely blenheim girl, Rattlebridge Hit the Spot! (Pepsi)

I will be in England from June 10 through the 25th. I am judging Three Counties championship show. We are expecting puppies. If interested please contach me after June 25th. Meredith

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.