The Gypsy & Flash Years
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I decided to call this section "The Gypsy & Flash Years" because Gypsy and Flash both taught me
what I want to produce as a breeder. Gypsy and Flash had great structure and sound temperaments.
Gypsy was more successful in the Group ring and Flash was more successful in taking specialty wins.
Each dog had different strong points, but both were very successful against stiff competition.
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Ch. Codach's Lyrical Rebel Yell was bred to Ch. Twin Lakes Tar Baby and on September 27, 1983, a litter
of puppies was born. I forget how many puppies there were in the litter but I do remember that there
were far more females than males, something like 7 females and 2 males. Beverly Hanna called me and we
agreed to meet at a rest stop outside of Louisville, Kentucky. Beverly brought several female puppies.
After narrowing it down to 2 puppies, we were watching the last 2 play and romp around and Jennifer (who
was 2 years old) ran up. One of the puppies ran away from her and the other puppy ran to the toddler and
jumped up on her and gave her kisses. I then took home that puppy and she became Traverse Hill Gypsy
Woman ("Gypsy"). |
| At that time I was working at Teledyne Brown Engineering.
A fellow worker of mine, Bill Gruner, always seemed to be working early and late and did not have much
of a social life. One day when we were working on something, I noticed the time and told Bill that I had
to go to lunch to feed and walk my puppy. He was astounded that someone would actually go all the way
home to feed and walk a puppy. He went with me to see Gypsy. Gypsy greeted him the same way she did
everyone, with puppy joyfulness and lots of kisses. As we were heading back to work I told Bill that he
should get a dog that a dog would be a lot of companionship for him. Beverly had sold all of her pups by
that time, but Beverly StJohn Dunn in Martin, Tennessee had a litter that was available for sale. We
contacted Beverly and Bill purchased St. John's Proud Pathfinder ("Proud") from Beverly StJohn Dunn.
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| Bill went to a couple of shows with me and thoroughly
enjoyed himself. He eventually became my partner, co-owning many of the dogs that I had at that time.
It was good to have someone to help with the expenses of dog showing not to mention helping with the
driving. Bill Gruner and I were partners in Rockytop Black and Tans from 1984 through 1989.
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| I remember being in New York for the 1984 Specialty
circuit. Bill and I were gaiting Gypsy in the parking lot of the Westchester
Kennel club show and a lady stopped and turned to a friend and said, "My goodness, I never saw a coonhound
that could move like that!" That was the first (but not the last) time that someone would comment on
Gypsy's incredible movement! Gypsy became the standard that I measure movement against. One day I decided
to see just how fast Gypsy could trot. I took her out in my neighborhood and at the end of our block, there
was a long hill. I took Gypsy to the top of the hill. I ran down the hill as fast as I could run and
could not make Gypsy break out of a trot! |
| On April 7, 1984 her first time in the ring, Gypsy beat an older bitch for her first point! |
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| Traverse Hill Gypsy Woman | Cape Girardo Kennel Club | Judge: Stanley Petter handler: Bill Gruner |
April 7, 1984 |
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On September 30, 1984
Gypsy took WB and BOB under Frank Homeyer. She went on to take a Group II out of the classes.
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| Traverse Hill Gypsy Woman | Griffen Kennel Club | Judge: Frank Homeyer | September 30, 1984 |
| The New York Specialty Trip Gypsy took Winners Bitch at Rockland County KC on September 6, 1984 under Herman Fellton. She took Winners Bitch again on September 8, 1984 under Joseph Gregory. At the Westchester Kennel Club Show, the National Specialty, Gypsy took Best In Sweepstakes and Reserve Winners Bitch to Tess of Five Mile River. |
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Gypsy had such incredible reach and drive that I used to
line her up right behind the Saluki in the Group. Actually, there were not many Afghan Hounds or Salukis
that could outmove Gypsy. One time at the Huntsville Kennel Club show, I was lined up in my usual spot
and a lady came walking up with a bloodhound. She told me that she wanted to be in front of Gypsy. I
looked at her and told her that she could get behind us. She looked incredulous and said that there was
no way that Gypsy could outmove her bloodhound. I told her not to worry that we would not hold her up.
She threatened to run over us and I told her that she would have to catch us first. Well, on the second
time around the ring in an effort to make good her threat, she made the mistake of cutting a corner with
the intention of running us over and ran over the table that is used for the small dogs instead!
Gypsy won the Group that day! |
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| Ch. Traverse Hill Gypsy Woman | Huntsville Kennel Club | Judge: Rose Ellen Fetter | September 22, 1985 |
| 1985 Gypsy was shown as a special 36 times
1986 - Gypsy's Year Gypsy was shown as a special 40 times
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| Gypsy Group Placements |
| Date | Show | Judge | Placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 30, 1984 | Griffen Kennel Club | Frank Homeyer | Group II |
| September 22, 1985 | Huntsville Kennel Club | Rose Ellen Fetter | Group I |
| April 13, 1986 | Mason Dixon Kennel Club | Judith Fellton | Group III |
| April 20, 1986 | Birmingham Kennel Club | Tom Stevenson | Group I |
| May 3, 1986 | Classic City Kennel Club | Arlene Thompson | Group IV |
| June 1, 1986 | Mississippi Valley Kennel Club | Dr. R.D. Smith | Group IV |
| October 17, 1986 | Southeast Alabama Kennel Club | A.B. Lane | Group III |
| October 18, 1986 | Tallahassee Kennel Club | Arlene Thompson | Group I |
| November 22, 1986 | Steel City Kennel Club | Skolnick | Group I |
| November 23, 1986 | Lake Shore Kennel Club | Fred Young | Group IV |
| November 30, 1986 | Montgomery Kennel Club | Miss Dorothy Nickles | Group III |
| May 23, 1987 | Illinois Valley Kennel Club | Harold H. Schlintz | Group IV |
| Meanwhile, Beverly Hanna repeated the Tar Baby X Rebel breeding and since Gypsy was being successful beyond our wildest dreams, we decided to get a male puppy from her. On April 14, 1986, Traverse Hill Flashdance was born. Tar Baby again cooperated and had more males than females so we had several dogs to choose from. We chose a male puppy and took him home. |
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Flash was shown in the fall of 1985. Several of the judges told us that it would not be long before Flash would be beating Gypsy or Bear, whichever bitch we had entered in Best of Breed. As the National Specialty approached, Flash acquired all of his points except 6. He needed 1 major and a total of 6 points to finish. We entered Flash in the 9-12 month puppy class. Bill and I decided that except for taking the dogs back into the ring after they had won, that I would do the showing on all the dogs. Bill had shown Flash up to this point. |
| Traverse Hill Flashdance 1987 - AB&TCC Specialty Wins |
| Date | Show | Judge | Win |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2, 1987 | American Black & Tan Coonhound Club Independent National Specialty |
Michelle Billings | Winners Dog & Best of Winners Needed 1 point to finish |
| April 3, 1987 | Greater Orange Park Kennel Club | Mrs. Judy Doniere | Winners Dog Moved to BOB Class |
| April 4, 1987 | Ocala Kennel Club | J. Council Parker | Best of Breed |
| Herman Fellton | Group III | ||
| April 5, 1987 | Gainesville Kennel Club | Edmund Kauffman, Jr. | Best of Breed |
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| Ch. Traverse Hill Flashdance | Greater Ocala Kennel Club | Judge: J. Council Parker | April 4, 1987 |
| Having finished his championship at under one year of age, Flash went on to make his mark in the Group ring for the rest of 1987 and then... |
| Ch. Traverse Hill Flashdance 1988 - AB&TCC Specialty |
| Date | Show | Judge | Win |
|---|---|---|---|
| April, 1988 | Harrisburg Kennel Club | Al Treen | Best of Breed |
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| Ch. Traverse Hill Flashdance | Harrisburg Kennel Club | Judge: Al Treen | April, 1988 |
| Flash Group Placements |
| Date | Show | Judge | Placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 4, 1987 | Greater Ocala Kennel Club | Herman Fellton | Group III |
| May 30, 1987 | Edwardsville Kennel Club | Kent Delaney | Group IV |
| July 26, 1987 | Piedmont Kennel Club | Mrs. M. M. Gaugher | Group IV |
| September 19, 1987 | Chattanooga Kennel Club | Theodore Wurmser | Group IV |
| October 18, 1987 | Tallahassee Kennel Club | Raymond McNulty | Group IV |
| May 22, 1988 | Greater Kingsport Kennel Club | James White | Group IV |
| September 17, 1988 | Murfreesboro Kennel Club | Dr. John A. Reeve-Newson | Group II |
| 1989 - AB&TCC Specialty April 2, 1989 in conjunction with Chicago International Kennel Club Judge: Joe Gregory |
| wins by Flash, Flash kids and Rockytop |
| Win | Dog |
|---|---|
| Best of Breed | Ch. Traverse Hill Flashdance |
| Best of Opposite Sex | Ch. Rockytop Rockin' Robin Flash daughter |
| Winners Dog | Sandstone's Full Volume Flash son |
| Stud Dog | Ch. Traverse Hill Flashdance Get: Ch. Rockytop Rockin' Robin Sandstone's Full Volume |
| Veteran's Bitch | Ch. Rockytop Winnie The Pooh |
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| Ch. Traverse Hill Flashdance | Chicago International Kennel Club | Judge: Joseph Gregory | April 2, 1989 |
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