Morningstar Pekingese

23/07/2024

Some photos of one of my favorite bi***es, US Champion Morningstar Pavlova, along with the cool ”fluffy” back story on how she got her name.

You probably know the name Pavlova as a dessert that comes from New Zealand or Australia. The dessert was actually named after the celebrated Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova, and so was my champion bitch who I called “Annie.”

Like Pavlova the dancer, my Pavlova was well built, feminine and glamorous. Pavlova the Pekingese also had a very pretty head and luckily won every time she went in the ring!🥰

I brought out Pavlova for her first show at about 7 or 8 months of age at a Pekingese club show where she won Best Puppy. She went on to major wins at Pekingese Specialty shows and got her title under UK judge, Mrs. Grace Godwin (Delwin).

Ch. Morningstar Pavlova is sired by All Breed BIS and National Specialty winning US Champion Morningstar Reverie x Morningstar Unforgettable (by BISS Champion Morningstar Renaissance x UK import Tirakau Slicker Than Most, who I brought over to America from England’s West Country) ✨❣️🇺🇸🇬🇧✨🩰 🎭

Besides Pavlova, I gave many Morningstars their names directly from the theatre, ballet, and music worlds.

That’s because I grew up performing on stage and professionally in numerous plays, ballets, musical theater and operas in New York City including Lincoln Center and elsewhere well before I got into dogs. So the theater world gave me a resource of performing arts dog names which you could say are like excess baggage I brought with me through my long journey through the dog world — connecting my love of Pekingese to great artists and their works that inspired me 🎭✨🎬

In case you’re wondering, Pavlova the Russian ballerina is probably best known for her ultra famous 4-minute signature solo known as “The Dying Swan” which she performed about 4,000 times all over the world. The short solo has been performed by world class ballerinas ever since Pavlova made it a big thing in the early 1900s.

Anna Pavlova also had her own touring company and was one of silent film star Charlie Chaplin’s girlfriends. Her celebrity was so captivating that even today her name found its way onto bottles of ladies’ perfume — and even men’s cologne.

The Russian ballerina was known simply as Pavlova, or as the British and Americans say, “pavh-LOH-vah.” In the ballet world we use the Russian pronunciation “PAHV-le-va” … with the accent on the first syllable, which is how I pronounce my bitch’s name.

I’ve always felt a certain connection to Pavlova the dancer, most of all because one of the British dancers in Pavlova’s world touring company, Muriel Stewart, who for decades was a teacher at The School of American Ballet in New York (training school for New York City Ballet) which is where I met her, is the person who literally pushed me to become a professional ballet dancer.

Miss Stewart knew a little bit about me and said (firmly grabbing my arm for emphasis), “They will just GRAB you!”— meaning, ballet directors, teachers and choreographers. And turns out she was right. I got nearly all of my professional dance training on full scholarships, made my professional stage debut dancing in musical theater, and was hired on a corps de ballet contract with Indianapolis Ballet Theatre before I ever thought I was ready!

Who knew that performing in ballets in Indianapolis (which is where Morningstar kennel was founded) and touring in “The Nutcracker” would lead to becoming enthralled with Pekingese and deeply involved in dogs? Well, it did for me.

But that’s the Pavlova connection! It points directly back to Pavlova’s company dancer, Miss Stewart, who led me to dance professionally. ✨🥂🍻 See photos for reference.

And here you go, one last dollop of mirengue — not-to-be missed, a 24-second clip on Instagram of American Ballet Theatre’s extraordinary principal dancer Cate Hurlin rehearsing for her upcoming solo of (Pavlova’s) “The Dying Swan.”

Pavlova lives on🥂🎼 (Unmute the volume button on bottom right of image to hear the musical accompaniment, Pavlova’s original French music from “Carnival of The Animals”), music by Camille Saint-Saëns: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9i3dfiAxeG/?igsh=dnYzaW9jdzF4cHg1

02/07/2024

This one, US Champion Morningstar Tradition (named after the famous number in “Fiddler On The Roof’) who I called “Marky,” was one of my “Dream Dogs," breeder-owned and handled by me. He was a multiple Toy Group winner and National Specialty winner in New York (where on the day he won his title he retired twenty-two sterling silver challenge trophies dating back to 1945 for a male winning Best of Winners from the Bred-By-Exhibitor class — at the National — which didn’t happen too often!! Hence, an accumulation of silver gong back to 1945). Tradition was the 11th consecutive generation of my breeding and handled by me to all his wins.🐾🐾 💟

US Ch MORNINGSTAR TRADITION, 1999
Litter brother to MORNINGSTAR ARABESQUE, dam of US Ch CHINAMOON SWEET SENSATION
Sire of US Chs MORNINGSTAR ALLEGIANCE, MORNINGSTAR ELYSIAN DREAM, MORNINGSTAR GIORGIO and of MORNINGSTAR CHARISMATIC (dam of US Ch MORNINGSTAR NIRVANA), MORNINGSTAR ROCKY MARVEL (sire of Can Ch KLERKS HOF REVERIE)

25/06/2024

A little bit of Pekingese history in America — and on to some Morningstar history.

This dog Champion Dan Lee Dragonseed (pictured handled by John Brown from the west coast in USA) was a top winner in the 1960s. He was bred, owned and handled by John Brown and then later owned by Michael Wolf in Pennsylvania who was also a professional handler and breeder of Pekingese and a number of other breeds. As you may know David Fitzpatrick was Wolf’s assistant early in his handling career.

Michael Wolf was quite knowledgeable about Pekingese, traveling many times to the UK in search of dogs, knew many prominent English breeders and their breeding in the 1960s and 70s, and for a period of time was in partnership with Mrs. Walter (Kay) Jeffords (photo in comments section) who was a successful American breeder/exhibitor of Pekingese with a kennel of over 100 Pekingese. After she dissolved her partnership with Mr. Wolf, Mrs. Jeffords continued to do a lot of winning at the shows in the Northeast including Pekingese Club of America and Westminster. Along with her husband, Mrs. Jeffords was also legendary in Thoroughbred race horses, most notably the Triple Crown winning War Admiral. She was Chairwoman of Belmont Ball and would entertain lavishly at her homes in Saratoga Springs, New York and New York City. After her death her son donated a painting of one of her champion Pekingese bi***es, Ch. Parti Girl of Chinatown (sired by UK/US Ch. Belknap Kalafrana Caspar), to the Pekingese Club of America which its Board of Directors in turn donated to The American Kennel Club in New York. Photo in comments section.

Michael Wolf stayed with me on a couple of occasions and handled some Morningstar dogs for one of his clients, Mrs. Jane Henderson, who had a lot of success in Terriers before owning and showing Pekingese.

For Mrs. Henderson, Wolf showed Champion Morningstar Metropolitan (25 Toy Group Firsts and 2 All Breed Best in Shows) and his son, Ch. Morningstar Aureole, also an All Breed Best in Show winner who won a Toy Group First from the classes breeder-owner-handled by me under All Breed judge, Mrs. Michele (Mike) Billings. Photos of both dogs in comments.

Morningstar Metropolitan and Morningstar Aureole sired litters and produced champions while in my kennel with Metropolitan becoming the first in a male tail line of 5 consecutive generations of All Breed Best in Show winning males — with the first four generations having Morningstar sires and dams. ✨✨✨✨✨

On the back of this photo is the text: “Judge Mrs. Beatrice Godsol awards Best-in-Show to Pekingese, Ch. Dan Lee Dragonseed, owned by Michael Wolf and handled by John Brown. Vicki Draves presenting trophy; Mrs. Albert E. Van Court presenting Col. E. E. Feguson Memorial Award.”

No show or year are mentioned, but Dragonseed was Top Winning Toy Dog in the U.S. 1968, and remained among the Top Four 1967-1970. He won 26 BIS during this time.

Mrs. Godsol, second from right, had judged BIS at Westminster in 1957. Ramona Van Court was also a multi-Group judge; has husband judged BIS at Westminster 1955.

Photo Joan Ludwig, indicating that the show was in California.

27/05/2024

This page is of course dedicated to the history of Morningstar Pekingese. But what is lesser known is that there were originally TWO breeds at Morningstar -- Chow Chows and Pekingese✌️💕

The first photo here is me in Indianapolis with MORNINGSTAR CLEVER COOKIE, one of our early Chow bi***es.

When MORNINGSTAR moved to Miami, Florida from the Midwest where it originated, we brought no less than 8 Chows with us. The Pekes and Chows got along like best friends (see photo in comments section), but eventually the Chows were phased out and Pekes became the main focus.

Our last Chow was US CHAMPION FOON YING MORNINGSTAR MAGIC, later owned by Mr. Desmond "Desi" Murphy in New York, known for his "Liontamer" Chows along with his partner, Chow Chow authority, Dr. Sam Draper, author of "Book of the Chow Chow."

Photo #2 is "Magic" handled by Desi Murphy winning under one of the legendary men in the dog world, judge Mr. Frank Sabella.

Magic went on to become a top winning Chow in America with many Non-Sporting Group wins and Specialty and All Breed Best in Shows.

✨🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁✨

15/11/2023

Loved this little dog, Illuminations, who Anita Klerks once handled for me in the classes at a show in America. Illuminations is the father of French and Belgium Champion Morningstar Luminary. Photo taken in the garden at Morningstar.

US Ch MORNINGSTAR ILLUMINATIONS, 1998 - MALE (USA)
(US Ch MORNINGSTAR INSPIRATIONS x EDVERLIA MISS MOLLY AT BRENTOY)

26/02/2023

Another screenshot of me handling my 3rd homebred champion Morningstar Metropolitan en route to his winning a 5-point major from the Bred-By Exhibitor class at the Pekingese specialty show in Dallas, Texas under judge Mr. Ken McDermott.

Funny to look back now and see how I used to present the head like that on the table. 🙈 And obviously obsessed over every hair 👀🙏🏻😛

Metropolitan went on to win 25 Toy Group Firsts and two All Breed Best in Shows, as well as sire an All Breed Best in Show winner bred by me — Ch. Morningstar Aureole (dam: Morningstar Frangipani) who in turn produced an All Breed Best in Show winner also bred by me named Ch. Morningstar Monte Carlo (dam: Morningstar Belle Soleil).

Monte Carlo then produced an All Breed Best in Show winner himself out of a Morningstar dam, Ch. Morningstar Chiara. And it went on like that for 5 consecutive generations of All Breed Best in Show males — in a Morningstar male tail line in the pedigree straight down from Metropolitan.

26/02/2023

This photo is a screenshot from a 1988 video I just saw and never knew was being filmed at the time. I’m handling my 3rd homebred champion Morningstar Metropolitan in the classes at the Pekingese specialty show in Dallas, Texas.

The judge is Mr. Ken McDermott from New York, one of the most esteemed Terrier men in the dog world who recently retired after a 40-year judging career which included the country’s top shows and judging the Toy group at Westminster (where he awarded Group First to the Pekingese, Ch. Yakee If Only). At this show Mr. McDermott awarded Metropolitan 1st in the Bred-by-Exhibitor class, Winners Dog for a 5-point major, and Best of Winners.

This was Metropolitan’s first show as an adult and just his third time in the ring — all three times at long distance specialties requiring air travel. The previous two times he was a puppy. First time was in New York at 9 months of age at Pekingese Club of America winter specialty where he won a large 6-9 Month puppy class under Canadian judge, Mr. Michael Hill (Akarana).

Two months later I showed him in Illinois in a huge record entry at North Central Illinois specialty show where Metropolitan won the Bred-by-Exhibitor class and Reserve Winners Dog under British judge, Mr. Terry Nethercott (Sunsalve) officiating at his first judging assignment in America. (Under Mr. Nethercott at that same show Metropolitan’s kennel mate, Morningstar Leonora, won Winners Bitch for a 5-point major from the 9-12 Puppy class and Best Puppy — her very first show, handled by her co-breeder, John French.)

Metropolitan went on to win 25 Toy Group Firsts and two All Breed Best in Shows.

He also sired an All Breed Best in Show winner for me named Ch. Morningstar Aureole, who in turn sired an All Breed Best in Show winner himself named Ch. Morningstar Monte Carlo. All three dogs are my breeding from Morningstar sires and dams.

After he gained his title handled by me and sired litters for me, Metropolitan (who I called “Rudy”) was owned by Mrs. Jane Henderson and handled by Michael Wolf throughout his career.

26/02/2023

Pardon the poor quality of these pictures including under comments. I recently found them on the internet of Morningstar Belle Soleil, an 8-month old red puppy girl at her first show being handled by me in the Sweepstakes classes at the Pekingese Club of Texas specialty show in Dallas, Texas (screenshots from a 1988 video) where she won Best in Sweepstakes. The judge is Patty Metzger (Muhlin).

Due to my work and other commitments, I did not attend many shows at that time. In fact I traveled by airlines to this show (with this puppy and two adult males both of which became champions) so this was the only time I showed Belle Soleil.

I loved her head and face, her make and shape, high tailset, and she moved like the wind, free and easy. She was so relaxed in the ring, did everything I asked of her, so I had a blast showing her and as you can see she has plenty of coat.

I mated Belle Soleil back to her grandfather (Morningstar Sun King, my first major stud dog) and she produced an All Breed Best in Show winner, Ch. Morningstar Monte Carlo who himself produced an All Breed Best in Show winner out of a Morningstar dam. Belle Soleil also produced Morningstar Grand Obsession (litter brother to Monte Carlo) who is behind all the last Morningstar champions, including BISS BISA National Specialty BIS Ch. Morningstar Reverie.

Belle Soleil’s mother, Morningstar Belle Amour (by Ch. Morningstar Frangelico) was a lovely red bitch that I also showed just one time only (strange but true), in New York at Pekingese Club of America National Specialty, where she won Best in Sweepstakes under Mrs. Augusta Maynard — and then was later owned and loved by Mrs. Rodman (Sascha) Rockefeller.

14/06/2022

13/06/2022

My first Morningstar champion — and last (50th) Morningstar American champion — both trained and Breeder-Owner-Handled to their titles by me.

First champion, American CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR LIONHART (“Leo”), a top rated Peke, multiple Toy Group winner who became a Top Sire in America. Lionhart finished his title winning Toy Group First from the classes under All breed judge, Mr. Tom Stevenson, breeder-owner-handled by me. He is sired by MORNINGSTAR SUN KING x American Champion Cambalu Wee Sed T’Ruffles.

And my last champion — the 50th Morningstar champion — American CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR VALIANT (“Sylvain”) who finished his title winning the Seme Auslander Trophy for Owner-Handler Best in Show under judge, Mr. Donald Booxbaum, handled by me. Valiant is sired by Multiple All Breed Best in Show and Pekingese Club of America Best in Show winning American CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR REVERIE x MORNINGSTAR SCARLET FLAIR. 🌠🌠

10/06/2022

10/06/2022

Multiple All Breed Best in Show and Pekingese Club of America Best in Show winning CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR REVERIE, representing the 10th consecutive generation of Morningstar breeding.

Breeder owner handled by me to all his wins.

Reverie is the sire of many champions including specialty and Toy group winners.

10/06/2022

Multiple All Breed Best in Show and Pekingese Club of America Best in Show winning CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR REVERIE, representing the 10th consecutive generation of my breeding.

Breeder owner handled by me to all his wins. Pictured winning All Breed Best in Show under judge, Mrs. Robert (Jane) Forsythe.

Reverie is the sire of many champions including specialty and Toy group winners.

✨🐾🐾✨

10/06/2022

One of my favorite photos of "Ciro" -- Multiple All Breed Best in Show and Pekingese Club of America Best in Show winning CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR REVERIE, representing the 10th consecutive generation of my breeding.

Breeder owner handled by me to all his wins.

Sire of many champions including specialty and Toy group winners.

08/06/2022

A few highlights from some of my (and former partner's) judging assignments in America, UK, and Australia.

04/06/2022

Here I'm judging The Pekingese Club of America National Specialty in New York, one of the oldest and most prestigious breed clubs in America, founded in 1909 in Manhattan by a group of socialites.

The organization's first show was held in 1911 in the Grand Ballroom of The Plaza Hotel on 5th Avenue across from Central Park. The judge for that show wore long white gloves and all the dogs were brough to her, one by one.

One of the exhibits at that show was a black female bred by The Empress Dowager Tzu Hsi of China who is credited for writing the original breed standard for the Pekingese.

At this event in New York, I awarded Best of Breed to Champion Carr's Top Brass, bred by Mrs. Peggy Dillard Carr (pictured), owner-handled by Ky Oulay. On Right, Club President, Dr. Thomas Graves.

30/05/2022

Manticore visit to Morningstar:
Me in my home in Miami with longtime Canadian Pekingese breeder-exhibitor, Kenneth Winters (Manticore) and his wife, Anne.

Ken owned several Morningstar Champions and was notably the owner of one of the most famous Pekingese males in history: UK, American, Canadian Champion Fu Yong of Jamestown -- the grandsire of one of the most influential sires of all time, UK Champion Yu Yang of Jamestown. ✨🐾🐾✨

30/05/2022

Multiple Toy Group winning CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR TRADITION, a son of CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR REVERIE x MORNINGSTAR DIAMONDS (by BISS CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR RENAISSANCE x MORNINGSTAR UNFORGETTABLE) pictured breeder-owner-handled by me as a young dog winning Toy Group II.

Tradition was an Award of Merit winner (equivalent to Reserve Best of Breed) at 11 months of age at Pekingese Club of America National Specialty show in New York under UK judge, Mr. Terry Nethercott (Sunsalve).

30/05/2022

American CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR REVERIE and three of his Morningstar champion daughters pictured at the famed Ancient Spanish Monastery in Florida that was brought over from Europe stone-by-stone.

Reverie is a multiple All Breed Best in Show winner and Pekingese Club of America National Specialty Best in Show winner, breeder-owner-handled to all of his wins by me.

Reverie is sired by American CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR DON GIOVANNI x UK import Edverlia Miss Molly At Brentoy.

I’m on left holding Thai CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR ANGEL EYES (Dam: UK import Findhorn Fie Hing Chia, a daughter of UK Champion Yakee For Your Eyes Only x Yakee Cindy Lou). Reverie is standing on the ledge in front of me.

On right is John French holding Toy Group winning American CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR SONATINA (Dam: American CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR CALLA LILY). On the ledge in front of him is American CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR CLAIR DE LUNE (Dam: MORNINGSTAR FORTUNE’S DESIRE).

Clair de Lune is the mother of All Breed Best in Show winning American CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR CARPE DIEM -- #3 Pekingese in America during his career. Carpe Diem is sired by MORNINGSTAR LARK ASCENDING (BISS CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR RENAISSANCE x UK import Tirakau Slicker Than Most).

🎬✨✨✨✨🌴🌺🐾🐾

30/05/2022

Floor cuddle with me and my Morningstar red bitch from one of my first litters of Chow Chows: MORNINGSTAR CLEVER COOKIE, by American Champion Foon Ying Famous Amos x Gottschall's Magda Onyx Star.

28/05/2022

💃🏻Little Red Bi***es were always a favorite at Morningstar and through the years I did well with several. Here’s a short profile on a few that impressed me — including two that I didn’t breed or own.

Early on when I was just getting started as a Pekingese breeder, I saw an adorable deep red sleeve bitch probably about 4 pounds running freely around Ed Jenner’s living room at Knolland Farm in Illinois where I also saw and went over Laparata Dragon in his kennel, the sire of 100 champions and then All-Time Top Sire of the breed.

That little sleeve bitch had a such a dreamy face and expression with big black eyes and was so smart and flirty — I was captivated. I think that's when I fell in love with little red girls. She was a UK import named Champion St. Aubrey Red Posy of Kanghe and had won a 5-point major at Pekingese Club of America Specialty show en route to her title.

Around the same time in America there was another little red girl, a little bigger — that had a strong influence on me though I never saw her in person because she was shown mostly in the Northest and I was based in the Midwest at that time. She was an 8-pound red bitch you may have heard of named American and Canadian Champion St. Aubrey Dragonora of Elsdon, the second Pekingese in history to win Best in Show at Westminster (1982) handled by Bill Trainor. That small red girl proved that Pekingese bi***es (or even males for that matter) didn’t have to be medium to large size to go to the top in America. They could be 8 pounds like her.

I guess you could say Dragonora probably broke the glass ceiling! She was a multiple All Breed Best in Show winner in America and was, at least for me, a “role model” for Pekingese bi***es. Especially my own.

When I came into the breed, I got the impression many people preferred a larger bitch and smaller dog, particularly in England, obviously for free-whelping considerations. Of course, there were and always are — exceptions. But you could note a number of English champion MALES throughout history that were small and yet important sires, such as the 7-pound UK Champion Ku Chi of Caversham who sired the lengendary Champion Ku Ku of Caversham who was one of the most famous Pekingese of all time and former UK CC record holder. It took a long time for any Pekingese in the UK to break his record, which happend many decades later with UK Champion Delwin Paddy O’Reilly, who my co-breeder, John French, gave a CC and Best in Show at The Pekingese Club 100th Anniversary Show (Centenary) in the UK, now known as The Sovereign.

But despite all the common ground between UK and USA, Americans always seemed to look at things somewhat differently. As far as I was concerned, free whelping bi***es were never a consideration because I decided from the start that I would just routnely C-section all my bi***es and only did artificial insemination anyway. I stuck with that program throughout all my years in the breed and it worked well for me.

Then too, the great dog man and Poodle authority who was a high profile professional hander in his day, Frank Sabella — one of the few in history who both won, and judged, Best in Show at Westminster — said to me: “It's very difficult to get really good quality in a small size. It's much easier with larger size.” He would know. Sabella handled a number of Pekes for clients and I’m told he bred Pekes as well when he was a top pro handler in California. Not to mention he had a long and distinguished career judging dogs of many breeds all over the world.

As for the little red Westminster Best in Show winning Dragonora, the success she had in her career had the effect of opening a lot of people’s eyes and minds to possibilities.

To my knowledge Dragonora was never mated, never produced a litter, nor did Red Posy of Kanghe. But nearly all the small red Morningstar bi***es I retained for my breeding program did in fact produce offspring.

💃🏻✨One of them was CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR VELVET ROSE, a bright red girl, low to ground, short bodied, flat-backed and one piece, thickest and heavy for size in an 8-pound package of toughness and pure attitude. To my surpise she won a Toy Group First at the start of the weeklong Florida winter circuit from the classes (typically attended by all pro handlers) en route to her title. Then she kept on winning Toy Group Firsts and became the third Pekingese bitch in 86 years to win Best in Show at Pekingese Club of America National Specialty — breeder-owner-handled by me.

Velvet Rose is by American and Canadian Champion St. Aubrey Amadeus of Elsdon x UK import Frampton Rambling Rose, a daughter of UK, American, Canadian, Netherlands, Hong Kong, Asian Champion Shiarita Emperor Roscoe.

Velvet Rose was vigorous, young, and just getting started in her career, making a name for herself when I brought her career to an abrupt stop — and retired her — just when she was about to take off. It was unexpected. Some had predicted she would win the group at the Garden (Westminster), but I didn’t enter her. So, in general people didn’t understand why I would retire her so soon when she had so much winning left to do and had gained many admirers.

The reason was, while I was showing her I would bring along my 4-or 5-month old puppy to the shows who I was getting ready for his career, my next one — the baby MORNINGSTAR REVERIE. Those who saw him in my arms or in my setup at shows, understood. I was low-key about it, wasn’t parading him around, basically had him under wraps. But people noticed.

For example, a promiment multi-group judge (that I didn’t know had seen baby Reverie) was heard calling out in the grooming area on the Florida summer circuit “Have YOU seen Tony's NEW PUPPY!???” Then too, someone else who had seen baby Reverie was so taken by him that she surprised me a month later with a magnificent gift of a high quality beautifully handcrafted elegant gold brocade tapestry crate cover for Reverie -- in anticipation of what she believed would be appropriate for him going forward. I was humbled and delighted to the core with that gesture. I had never seen one like it.

So, the little history-making-National Specialty winning Best in Show Velvet Rose’s career was cut short — for Reverie.

I started out Reverie at 11 months of age in New York on Pekingese Club of America-Westminster weekend where there was an all Toy Dog Specialty (Progressive Dog Club All-Toy Show) followed by two Pekingese specialties, Pekingese Club of New Jersey and Pekingese Club of America — all on 3 consecutive days, back-to-back.

That weekend in New York Reverie got his tiite at those three shows in just three days — winning Best in Sweepstakes at both Pekingese Specialties and Winners Dog from the Bred-By-Exhibitor class for a 5-point major and Best of Winners each day at all three shows. Three 5-point majors in a row — and a new Champion in three back-to-back shows in national competition in New York just prior to Westminster. I think I made the right decision to end Velvet Rose’s show career.

Reverie was an 11-12 pound dog, so not exactly small. But I had been waiting for him for a very long time so I couldn’t bring myself to delay him to continue Velvet Rose’s career. And fortunately he took right off.

It’s okay because Velvet Rose was always every inch the Queen at Morningstar! And she KNEW it!! 😂 So did all of her kennel mates!!!! 😘

My tribute to her was to commission her portrait in an oil painting from a British artist I admired, Imogen Richardon, who was a Pekingese exhibitor and did a number of colorfully tasteful oil paintings of Pekingese in the UK. She also created Pekingese bronzes which I also got from her. Richardson’s oil painting of Velvet Rose hung at Morningstar for a very long time which fortunately I still have in New York.

You can read about Velvet Rose’s breeding, the stories behind her sire and dam, elsewhere on this Morningstar Pekingese page.

💃🏻✨Since this is about SMALL RED BI***ES I should mention, Velvet Rose had a champion litter sister that was also small and red, Canadian CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR DELLA ROBBIA, owned by Kenneth Winters (Manticore) in Ontario, Canada, who owned one of the most famous Pekingese males in history — UK, American and Canadian Champion Fu Yong of Jamestown, grandsire of the famed great sire, UK Champion Yu Yang of Jamestown.

💃🏻✨💃🏻✨Velvet Rose went on to become the mother of another small elegant red bitch, CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR STRAGAVANZA who is the only Pekingese in history to be the offspring of TWO Pekingese Club of America National Specialty Best in Show winners — her mother Velvet Rose (1997) — and her father CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR REVERIE (1999).🏆🇺🇸🏆🇺🇸

Velvet Rose’s daughter CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR STRAVAGANZA became the mother of one of my favorite males, Specialty winning and Toy Group placing American CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR GIORGIO who was sired by multiple Toy Group winning and Pekingese Club of America National Specialty Award of Merit winner (at 11 months of age) CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR TRADITION.

💃🏻A brief highlight of a few other Little Red Morningstar bi***es:

💃🏻✨CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR NIRVANA - a light bright clear pale red Toy Group winner at her very first show at 6 months of age, winning Best of Breed from the 6-9 month puppy class (handled by John French) and then a 5-point major for winning the Toy Group — breeder-owner-handled by me — at her very first show! 🙌🏼🙀🐣🥇🤩

Though she was a clear pale red, Nirvana was not a dilute. She had dense black pigment and coal black eyes, and matured at 8 pounds with full glamorous coat. She is by CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR REVERIE x MORNINGSTAR CHARISMATIC.

The day that Nirvana won the Toy group at her first show at 6 months of age, one of America’s prominent multi group judges was watching from ringside and came over and congratulated me on the win. He was a pro handler in his day and won Best in Show at Pekingese Club of America National specialty in New York several decades before. He admired my puppy (Nirvana) and said “She moved like flowing silk.” 🙏🏻 That comment from him was like the finest gourmet whipped cream on top of fresh, delicious strawberry shortcake. 🍓

💃🏻✨Long before there was Nirvana or Velvet Rose, I produced Specialty Best in Show winning CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR FRANCESCA, another 8-pound clear glamorous red bitch I did very well with in my VERY early days in the breed. I was excited about her from Day 1. She was very short flat-backed with high tailset, had the ideal outline for me (silhouette/profile view) as you can see in the accompanying photo of her being handled by me in the ring.

Francesca started out by winning a 5-point specialty major in Louisville at Derbytown Pekingese Club from the Bred-By-Exhibitor class (handled by me) under breed specialist Mr. Steve Shaw (longtime professional handler in the Norheast). And then she won Specialty Best in Show under Ed Jenner (Knolland Farm) at Pekingese Club of Georgia, again breeder-owner-handled by me.

Francesca is by my first Pekingese Club of America specialty winner CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR FRANGELICO x MORNINGSTAR ANGELIQUE.

💃🏻✨Francesca is full sister to Multiple All Breed Best in Show winning American CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR METROPOLITAN, winner of 25 Toy Group Firsts who Nigel Aubrey-Jones told me when he saw Metropolitan in New York, “It's Caversham!!" — a comment that totally shocked me … but in a good way!

Francesca is also mother of Philippine CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR SOVEREIGN (by All Breed Best in Show winning American CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR AUREOLE).

💃🏻🐞✨ Many years later I produced a 5-pound red bitch sleeve bitch named MORNINGSTAR ROMANZA who was so cute and small I called her “Lady Bug.” Also very short backed with flatback and high tailset, she moved like the wind. She was truly awesome in my estimation, fearless, so self-important and full of herself. She thought the show ring was made for her — not the other way around. Both John French and I had so much fun showing her!

Because she was so self-assured, Romanza the “Lady Bug" made her ring debut in National competition — winning Best of Opposite S*x at Pekingese Club of America National Specialty Sleeve Showcase breeder-owner-handled by John French under famed International Sleeve specialist, Betty Shoemaker (who for years showed a pair — a Brace — of winning sleeves at Pekingese Club of America and All Breed shows).

Then to my surprise, one time Romanza (also then handled by John French) came within striking distance of winning Best of Breed over her father (handled by me). A little too close for comfort for me for sure, but maybe the judge that day wanted to "make me sweat" more than usual. 😅💃🏻🐞 Her father prevailed.

Romanza is by CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR REVERIE x MORNINGSTAR HELLO GORGEOUS.

💃🏻✨Another 8-pound light clear red Morningstar bitch that was also super short backed with big black wideset eyes and dense black pigment was CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR CALLA LILY, a daughter of BISS CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR RENAISSANCE x UK import Rosayleen T’Games Mistress (by UK Champion Rarta Master Plan x UK Champion Rosayleen April Fool, one of the best bi***es I had the pure pleasure of seeing and going over in England).

Calla Lily is litter sister of two males bred by me: American CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR BOLERO and American CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR GAMEMASTER.

Calla Lily is also mother of Toy Group winning American CHAMPION MORNINGSTAR SONATINA (by Reverie) who was Best of Opposite S*x at Westminster KC in New York and Houston Area Pekingese Club Specialty show in a national entry held in conjunction with Pekingese Club of America National Specialty at the same venue — breeder-owner-handled.

💃🏻✨Then too, there was this little one — MORNINGSTAR RUBY FOO — a 6-pound red bitch, the much-loved house pet of American Kennel Club President, Dennis B. Sprung and his wife, Susan Sprung in New York City.

Photos of most of the Pekingese mentioned here are attached with this story, as well as elsewhere on this page for Morningstar Pekingese. ❣️❤️✨💃🏻✨🌟

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