CH Walmar's Luke v Dorndorf L born 11-5-1997 by CH Boondox Forrest Gump x Walmar's Drucilla                   In the mid-1990s, I approached Wally and Mary Jones of Walmar fame and asked if they had a bitch they would consider leasing or loaning me. I'd regularly seen them bring 12 months, 15 months, 18 months old bitches to shows. Their youngsters, wet behind the ears and straight out of the kennel, invariably walked into the show ring like they owned the place. I wanted some of that temperament and character. Some months later, Wally called and told me I could have Walmar's Drucilla, a going-on middle-aged unshown bitch they had kept for breeding but never bred. "Druci" had been overshadowed by her littermates CH Walmar's Druid Princess, a DCA National Specialty sweepstakes winner and one of Wally's favorites, and CH Walmar's Dracula, a Group winner titled in the US and Canada. Their sire was Top Producer CH Boondox Panama Jack and their dam was a lovely bitch I'd seen win at the Central Ohio Dachshund Club specialty show named CH Boondox Lillian. Druci walked straight out of the kennel and into my home like she owned the place. A few months later, I called Wally and Mary, who had stayed on as co-owners, for advice on who to breed Druci to. They suggested their special CH Boondox Forrest Gump, a double grandson of CH Boondox Panama Jack that I had seen at several shows. This suggestion was more than fine with me. Druci was bred to Forrest and whelped three puppies but just one - Luke - survived past three days old. I had Druci for about a year and a half, then placed her with Tim and Patti Messaro of Columbus, Ohio, who gave Druci a good home into her teens. There's been a lot written about the disadvantages of growing up an only puppy but Luke didn't read the script. He not only survived but thrived, and grew into a confident, happy, handsome dog of sterling character. I entered Luke in the Central Ohio Dachshund Club specialty show when he was 18 months old and breeder-judge Bob Wlodkowski awarded him Winners Dog for 5 points and Best of Winners Luke's first time in the show ring. Reserve Winners that day was another double grandson of CH Boondox Panama Jack by the name of Walmar's Casanova. Casanova, later put out with handler Carlos Puig, was Best of Variety at the DCA National Specialty in Frederick, Maryland from the 12-18 months class and went on to a stellar specials career. Luke had 11 points, including five and four point major wins when, inexplicably, I stopped showing him. In 2000, I moved from a Columbus suburb to 39 acres in Appalachian Ohio and in the fall of 2000, I began field trialing two youngsters from a subsequent litter, Marta and Maya. Luke was used for breeding twice by my friend Becky England of Newark, Ohio and seven or eight Champions came from those two litters. Then in 2002, I bred Marta to Luke for my N litter which, though Luke was not my first choice of stud dogs, turned out to be an excellent decision. But that gave me more youngsters to take my focus and attention off of Luke and, despite his outstanding debut and win record, he was not shown for a number of years. Finally, Becky England had had enough of waiting for me to finish Luke to his title and she offered to show him for me. He finished quickly, with a third major win, just past his 8th birthday! I will always be grateful to Becky for taking show lead in hand and finishing Luke when I just wasn't into the show scene enough to finish him myself. With an impressive number of Champion, Field Champion, and Dual Champion kids and grandkids - including a son who was Best of Breed at the Central Ohio Dachshund Club specialty show - her only pup Luke has done mama Druci proud.