Mach One F-4 Phantom

13” Tri Rough
Sow’s Ear Julien (Bear)
X
Orion Fly Girl (Sidney) of Mach One
2/15/02

      Phantom and her litter mates were the first generation of Mach One puppies. Our foundation bitch, Orion Fly Girl (Sidney), has outdone herself in every aspect of her life, and Phantom is a shining example of just that. I knew from the start Sidney would have to go to a stud that would perfectly compliment her on her strengths and improve her weaknesses. After two attempts at a breeding on, at the time, the other side of the country, I found just that in Phantom’s sire, Sow’s Ear Julien (Bear), a Garon’s Sailor son whose reputation spoke for itself.

      From the beginning, Phantom was every bit of what I had hoped for. She was killing anything in sight at the age of 6 weeks, and showing quite the affinity for the show ring as well. It wasn’t hard to decide early on that this big girl wasn’t going anywhere.

      The odd ball in a litter of all white females, she was the ugly duckling, so to speak, that truly grew into a beautiful and big swan. Standing at 13” she was the biggest terrier in my bunch, and my first ticket to the over bitch classes that are usually smaller than the much dreaded under rough and broken bitch class, of which I have three.

      Phantom’s show career started off slowly. She always placed well in her class, but went through such a long stage of “the uglies” that big finishes escaped her. It wasn’t until her move to the adult classes that she really started to shine, and won several best open and reserve best opens as a result. Her first Nationals, in 2002, had her 4th in a huge class of 9-12 month rough and broken bitches, and a 5th in the quite impossible Over Championship Puppy GTG.

      Her first time on the ground was so reminiscent of her mother’s first time it was down right scary. Off she went on her own. I was more than certain she was capable, and I was right. On the ground with Phantom were two VERY seasoned Bedlington Terriers that never even looked at the hole Phantom had found for herself. Baying away we dug down to find her on one whopping big possum who, we later found out, had a pouch full of babies. She was big, mad and quite formidable, but Phantom being the constant thinker that she is managed to work and draw without getting a mark on her. Kudos to this amazing bitch who can hunt with the best of them despite her size.

      When it was time for Phantom to bring the second generation of Mach One puppies into this world I knew she would build on the strengths her parents had given her. Her neck that goes on forever and a laid back shoulder that anyone would be proud to have in their breeding program are only matched by her beautiful movement and exquisite head. Now, with her first litter of puppies growing, and the promise of things to come, I can sit back and see the fruits of our labor. The results of planning and planning and planning for a line. A line you are so very proud to call your own, and a line that is built from the best. A pinch of Orion, a dash of Sow’s Ear and a drop of The Hollow. Thank you to all of those who came before me and showed me the path, you truly are the pioneers of this incredible line of terriers.

Her Pups