Jasper

Am. Can. CH. Marionhill’s Missing Link CDX OA OAJ CGC TDI Can. CD

June 5, 1992 - January 20, 2003

Owner: Irwin & Lois Linker & Mike & Maggie Marion Breeder: Mike & Maggie Marion (Marionhill Siberians)

Handled By Irwin Linker (Siberlink Siberians)

Title Chronology

•2001

◦April 7.................................OA

•2000

◦October 29............................OAJ
◦June 25.................................TDI

•1999

◦October 31............................NAJ

•1998

◦October 30............................NA
◦April 24................................CDX

Other Neat Stuff

In addition to all the great things Jasper has accomplished in the various competition rings, he has some other credits to be proud of.

•As a registered Therapy Dog, Jasper made about 200 visits to hospitals, nursing homes and assisted care centers from 1999 to 2002.
•In January 2002 he was the subject of a short film, entitled " Seconds Away -- Jasper", shot at Grant's Tomb, New York City. The international premier was held during June 2002 in Basel, Switzerland, with another major showing in August 2002 in Stockholm, Sweden.
•He was picked as the winner of the January 2001 Shapali Award.
•From 1993 to 1999 Jasper was ranked among the Top 50 conformation Siberians 6 years, with 3 of those years being in the Top 25
•#7 Siberian Husky in Open Standard for 2001 (Front and Finish ranking; Delaney system).
•#1 Siberian Husky in Novice Jumpers for 1999 (Front and Finish ranking; Delaney system).
•#1 Siberian Husky in Novice Standard for 1998 (Front and Finish ranking; Delaney system).
•Jasper, Kodi and Spunky were used as the month of November picture for a 1997 Siberian Husky calendar.
•Jasper was the cover boy for the 1996 Fortunoff Christmas catalog, as well as having several shots inside the catalog.
•In 1993 he teamed with his buddies Kodi and Spunky and three Siberian Huskies owned by Pat Tetrault and Len and Jan Haring to pose for a Eukanuba tri-fold product brochure.

Jasper was our fourth Siberian Husky. He joined us in August 1992 and quickly learned to hold his own against Kodi, Spunky and Nikki. Jasper and Kodi, especially, became great friends.

He was our first to be shown in Conformation; and the first dog that I handled in the Breed ring. Lucky for me that he was a natural. When he walked into that ring I could sense his excitement; it was as if he was saying, "I'm here. Look at me! Let the show begin." Jasper had a long and brilliant career. He demonstrated his versatility and willingness to work by excelling in the breed ring, the obedience ring and the agility ring. But, the best thing about Jasper was that he was my friend, my pal!

Conformation

Our first several shows were training grounds for both of us and he learned faster than I did. At 7 months of age he took RWD from the Open Class at the first annual Connecticut Valley SHC Specialty. One month later he broke through with a 2 point BOW out of the 6-9 month Puppy Class. Jasper followed the next day with his first of three majors from the Open Class. Jasper finished his Championship at 16 months of age. During that time, covering most of 1993, he ribboned 28 of the 32 times he was in the ring.

Among the highlights of Jasper's career were our two experiences at The Westminster Kennel Club in Madison Square Garden (photo far right). In 1995 we made the cut to the final six in the breed. In 1996 Jasper placed third in the breed, taking the first Award of Merit (pictured right). What a tremendous thrill that was!

Jasper's conformation career was more than I, as a first-time amateur handler, could have hoped for. AKC records indicate Jasper has 94 wins. His 28 BOB and 26 BOS wins demonstrate what an exceptional dog he was (of course, I am teeny bit biased). In August 1994 Jasper and I went to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada. He earned his Canadian Championship in one three-day weekend, going BOW, BOB, and BOB with a Group 4th. On his journeys North since then, Jasper earned numerous additional Canadian BOBs.

Jasper continued his winning ways as a Veteran in the Breed ring. At the Garden State Siberian Husky Club Specialty in November 2000 he went BOB in the Veterans Sweepstakes competition and placed 2nd in the Regular Veterans Class. The next time out in March 2001 in one of the bigger all-breed shows in the USA Jasper went BOB from the Veterans class. At the 2001 Siberian Husky Club of America National Specialty, Jasper was 3rd in his Veterans Class (photo far left) and BOS in Veterans Sweepstakes (photo below).

Best of Opposite - Veteran Sweeps at the 2001 SHCA National Specialty.

With Stoli's Malinka, Best of Opposite Sex - Veteran Sweeps, at the 2001 SHCA National Specialty. This was special because Jasper & Linka were born on the same day, June 5, 1992, and her registered name is based on his.

Obedience

Once Jasper earned his Ch. the next challenge was Obedience. After a slow start Jasper quickly earned his CD, his Canadian CD and then his AKC CDX. We had been training for Utility and had begun competing in Utility, had made plans to go for his Canadian CDX. Unfortunately, Utility and Canada were put on hold while Jasper and I fought his liver cancer.

Agility

Jasper and I discovered agility in the late Spring of 1997. It was going to be just

for fun with no thought given to competing. We trained for about 5 months and then decided to concentrate on obedience and his CDX, which he earned in April 1998. This done, we went back to agility – we were hooked.

The very first Agility Trial we saw was at the 1998 SHCA National Specialty. Jasper won the 20” Novice Class with a score of 96. In the next two weekends he placed 3rd and 5th with perfect scores for his NA in three straight trials. Front and Finish ranked him as the number one Siberian Husky in Novice Standard for 1998. This gave him the distinction of having national rankings in Conformation (Siberian Quarterly, 6 consecutive years (1993-1998) in the top 50 and 3 of those in the top 25), Obedience (Siberian Quarterly and Front and Finish) and Agility (Front and Finish, 1st in NA 1998 and 1st in NAJ 1999, 7th in OA 2001). Additionally, Jasper is the first New Jersey Siberian Husky to compete in Agility and earn these Agility titles -- NA, NAJ, OA, OAJ plus one Excellent A JWW qualifying score.

In 1999 we worked on his weave poles and competed in Novice Jumpers With Weaves. He earned his three legs for his NAJ in consecutive shows with perfect 100s; punctuating his performance with a 4th place on his 3rd leg.

During one Fall weekend in 2000 Jasper earned two legs towards his OA title, one with a 3rd Place. He earned his OAJ title with a 3rd Place on his second leg and a 2nd Place for his 3rd leg. These were all clean runs. In April 2001 Jasper earned his OA with a clean run good for 3rd place.

We moved up to Excellent A Standard and JWW. As Jasper moved up to new levels his confidence grew with his experience and success. Training paid off with a 5th place in a huge trial for his first qualifying run in Excellent A JWW.

Agility, especially, was great fun for us. The joy and satisfaction of working so well together as a team was fantastic. This is a sport that allows you to see the athlete in your dog. The fun Jasper had was evident in his eagerness to run and jump, in training and in competition (just look at his expression in these pictures!). Of course, there was a bit of the ham in Jasper. When the A-Frame was positioned near the back wall of the training barn, he absolutely had to stop at the top and check himself out in the mirrors. He was cool; he knew it!

•1996

◦March 23.............................Canadian CD

•1995

◦February 26..........................CD

•1994

◦October 23...........................CGC
◦August 14............................Canadian Championship

•1993

◦October 30...........................AKC Championship

The Plan

"Okay Dad. Here's the plan. I think you should do a rear cross at the triple jump. That will put you on my left for the dogwalk and the next two jumps."

The Interview

"Jasper, your plan worked beautifully. Now what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to Disneyworld!"

Bad Stuff Happens

The amazing thing about the year 2000 is that Jasper accomplished all of this only a few months after undergoing and completing chemotherapy treatments for thyroid cancer from early May through the end of July 2000. He was fine and his old self, if not better. Jasper finished his scheduled follow up lung x-rays and was been given a clean bill of health. It is difficult to adequately express what this meant to me.

Bad news...again! In March 2002 Jasper was diagnosed with liver cancer. Jasper had been undergoing chemo for 11 months. In January 2003 Jasper lost his valiant fight against this cancer. Up until the last week he did fine and behaved pretty much like his normal self. He was one tough dog with an incredible will to live. On more than one occasion his oncologist called him remarkable and simply amazing!

There is a moral here. Jasper was a living example that there is hope for dogs with cancer. If you catch the cancer early and provide appropriate medical treatment (traditional plus holistic) and extra doses of loving, caring and understanding your dog can survive and live a relatively normal life with just about the same level of quality to it as before this terrible disease changed all of your lives.

There is a miracle called friendship

That dwells within the heart

And you don't know how it happens

Or how it gets its start

But the happiness it brings you

Always gives a special lift

And you realize that friendship

Is God's most precious gift

-- Author Unknown

Summary

It was an immense privilege to walk into a ring with Jasper, whatever the venue. He was an honest dog who gave me his best effort. The more we did together, the more I appreciated him for his willingness to work with me as a teammate. It was an even greater privilege to be his friend and to experience the companionship of such a wonderful loving, giving being who so beautifully represented the Siberian Husky. He was a once in a lifetime dog. He may be gone, but I am forever proud to call him my friend...prouder still that he considered me his friend. He is and will always be sorely missed. May he forever be playing at the Rainbow Bridge with those friends of his that went before him and have come after him; and waiting until the day we are together again.

October 2000