Karimar Kennels - Meet The Handlers

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Meet The Handlers.........

(no, we are not paid professional handlers)

Ilene P. DeLaere Karie A. Byers

I (Karie) got my start in the "dog show world" naturally....I was born into it! My parents bred and showed Irish Setters before I was born, picking up the Karrelene (Kar = Karie Re = Rene & lene = Ilene) prefix after my birth. Along the years they started showing Basenji's and an Afghan Hound. I can't remember my first show ring experience, nor am I sure I want too! I started when I was able to control myself, the lead and the dog without all of us winding up on the ground. The first dog I can clearly remember showing was a Basenji. Never one for the Junior's ring, I wanted to compete in the "big ring" right from the start. Over the years I have shown Irish and Gordon Setters, Basenji's, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, Kerry Blue, Silky Terriers, Welsh Springer Spaniel an American Eskimo and of course, Labradors. I must say my favorite to show is the Gordon Setter, although I have a few Labradors right now that are just "clownish" enough that I LOVE to show them equally!

Mom (Ilene) got her start when she got her first Irish Setter in 1968. Knowing little about how to choose the right dog, much less how to choose the "perfect" show dog, she did well in choosing "Lady"...Can Ch Lady Erin of Whispering Pines, Am/Can C.D., Am C.D.X. Fortunately, she had wonderful mentors, Joe & Marge Frydrych of Argo Lane Kennels. In the early 70's, Dad fell in love with the Basenji and along came DeeDee (Can Ch Whispering Pines Nile Dee, Am/Can C.D.), a beautiful tri colored girl. Mom got her first Afghan, Saucy (Can Ch. Sharame's Golden Temptation, Am/Can C.D.), in the early 70's as well. They continued to show the Irish Setters and the Basenji's until the early 80's. The loss of Imp (Can Ch. Karrelene's Leapin' Leprechaun, Am/Can C.D.) was too much for my parents and having already fallen in love with the Gordon Setter, they brought home what was to be our foundation of both our Gordon kennels today. Panda, (McMac's But I'm Speshul, C.D.) was not one for the show ring, but did garner a few very nice wins in the few times we dragged her out against her better judgment....a Best of Breed at 11.5 years from the Open class was one of the highlights! She finished her CD at 12.5 years after some type of exercise program was recommended by her vet, she only ever had a single litter for us, fortunately the ONE puppy was female....Am/Can Ch. Karrelene's Speshul Miracle. Miracle, one of the top winning bitch's of her time, only had a single litter of a single puppy as well....Am/Can/UKC Ch. Karrelene's I'm Speshul Too, who has, fortunately, broken the single litter single puppy syndrome and has become a Top Producer and Brood Bitch of the Year; producing two Best In Specialty Show winners and a Best In Show winner.