Ruger

Photos above taken at 12 weeks just prior to leaving Sweden

Ruger is the latest addition to our household and it certainly hasn't taken him long to settle in. He is co-owned with our very good friends, Mick Goulding and Dale Blinco (Riginal Rhodesian Ridgebacks) and Wendy Lam (Taiping Rhodesian Ridgebacks).

From the kennel of Veronica Thorén – Stockholm Kennel Club’s 2007 Breeder of the Year (All Breeds)

In 1996 Bearstar Diamond Willow (Demi) was exported to Sweden and forever changed the history of the breed in that country. Multiple Best in Shows at puppy level; multiple Best in Specialty Shows; record breaking show wins including multiple Best in Groups; Top Swedish RR Bitch 1998, 1999, 2000; Top Swedish RR 2001; all culminated in the top producing Australian-bred RR bitch of all time with 17 champions to her credit.

We are extremely proud and excited that Ruger is a double up on this RR legend - Int Nord Ch SV-97 NV-98 FinV-98-99-00 SvCh Bearstar Diamond Willow CV (ROM) being a great great grandson on both the paternal and maternal lines.

His sire Minos (Swedish Ch African Hunter's Amazing Baskervill) has a distinguished pedigree including many top quality dogs and finished his champion title soon after turning the required age of two years. On the day the litter was whelped Minos won a prestigious Best in Specialty Show-award from 240+ entries! Hopefully a sign of things to come from Ruger.

His dam Lexi (Swedish Ch Rex Ventors Limited Edition) from fairly limited showing, finished her title with four CCs and many lovely best bitch-placements including BOB and BOS-wins. The final CC was won at prestigious Swedish Winner show 2007 and thus Lexi made Rex Ventors' 33rd show champion and also gave mum Lacey (UK Import Nyassa Legacy) her CV-title (ROM).

Ruger’s exceptional bloodlines are matched by his exceptional structure and temperament.

Ruger arrived in Australia on 2 October and served his 30 days at Eastern Creek Quarantine in Sydney. We were fortunate in that we were visiting Sydney that weekend for a RR specialty and we were given approval for a very brief visit whilst there.

Shane & Ruger at their first meeting in quarantine the day after he arrived in Sydney.

Now that quarantine is finally over we look forward to Ruger making his mark in the Qld showrings and beyond.

We will be forever grateful to Veronica for entrusting this special boy to us and for allowing him to travel all this way and become part of our RR family. A very big thank you also to Richard and his family including Kean for looking after our special boy for
4 weeks until he left for Australia.

Whilst in quarantine Ruger was exercised each day by Darlene Price from Eastern Creek Dog Walks and we are very grateful to her for taking the time to allow our boy some freedom whilst awaiting his release. We would also like to thank Debbie Dunagan from Scandipet for the assistance in ensuring that Ruger arrived safely in Australia and for answering my non-stop questions. Thanks also to Ruger's carer whilst in quarantine, Zuzanna.

Rex Ventors Rare Edition (Imp Sweden)

"Ruger"

4 July 2008