The sixth litter for Sadik is a co-bred endeavor between Jim and Linda Griffin (Akhtar) and myself. It was agreed when we acquired "Aria" (Ch. Sterling Aria Akhtar Sadik) from breeder Jaqi TerHaar (Sterling) that her eventual mate would be my MSBIS Ch. Sadik Solar Flare CD, RN, JC. What a litter it was with eleven puppies resulting! At approaching three years age, so far three of the pups have completed their AKC Championships, including my Ch. Sadik Akhtar Piece of My Heart and Ch. Sadik Akhtar Tequila Sunrise and four more are major pointed! (Rider and Layla have both majors!) The future is indeed exciting for this "Rock 'n Roll" litter!
PEDIGREE
Pictured above is the newest generation for Sadik and Akhtar Salukis. From left to right are: Kody, Cyrus, Pearl, Rider, mama Aria, Strider, Layla, JJ, dad Solaris and Quila. They are eight of the eleven pups from the litter pictured at almost seven months of age while at the shows in Lompoc, California, July 2009.
Sadik Akhtar Midnight Rider was Jim's pick from day one and is named for the famous Allman Brother's song from 1970. Rider won Best of Opposite Sex in Sweepstakes at both the Saluki Club of America Western Regional Specialty and San Angeles Saluki Club Specialty shows in Lompoc at the tender age of nine months, July 2009.
At the Central Arizona Saluki Association and Saluki League of Southern Arizona Specialty shows in February 2011, Rider won back to back five point majors under breeder/judges Jayne Pyatt and Diana Allen (Jazirat) of the UK! Rider now has twelve points towards his bench championship!
Ch. Sadik Akhtar Pearl was Linda's choice of the girls to stay with her and Jim and the rest of the hounds at Akhtar. Since she had a sister named JJ (for Janis Joplin), it seemed fitting that one of the girls be Pearl, the name of Joplin's last released album. Pearl won her first point with a Best of Breed at the Sun Maid Kennel Club of Fresno show at only thirteen months of age and earned her first major in October 2010 at the Skyline Kennel Club of San Mateo under judge Tom Kirsten. She returned to the same shows this year to complete her title by winning three out of five majors over the weekend of shows and became the first champion of the Rock n' Roll litter!
Mom Aria is pictured winning the Brood Bitch class at the Saluki Club of Greater San Francisco Specialty Show on October 17th, 2009. Breeder/judge Jan Buchanan (Auldstane) presented the honors and she is pictured with her daughter "JJ" (Sadik Akhtar Piece of My Heart) and son "Rider" (Sadik Akhtar Midnight Rider), both nine months old. Currently six of these young pups are already AKC pointed!
(Photo by Cook Phodography)
Sadik Akhtar Dust in the Wind Kamal is owned by Yvetty Alley of Marysville, California. Yvette chose the Kansas Billboard Hot 100 hit, "Dust in the Wind", which was released in 1977, for her boy's name. This happy-go-lucky guy is well on the way to his conformation title with his first major and a Best of Breed from the classes so far. When he's not out in the fields with Yvette, near their home in Northern California, or having a great time in the show ring, he keeps all of the Kamal Skye Terriers in great shape by playing games of "tag"!
Recently, at the Lompoc Valley Kennel Club, San Angeles Saluki Club Supported entry, Dusty won the large Open class and Reserve Winners Dog to a major, while his brother, Quila won the Bred by Exhibitor class and the major under judge Audrey Sutton!
(Show photo by Cook Phodography, head study by Yvette)
At the summer San Angeles Saluki Club Specialty show held in Lompoc, California July 2010, Aria repeats her San Francisco feat of winning Best Brood Bitch, this time under judge Gabriele Schroeter (Germany)! Rider and JJ represent her once again and once again they win the class!
(Photo by Vicki Holloway)
Sadik Akhtar Stairway to Heaven CGC is Strider! He is owned and loved by Alex Grasseschi and family and lives in San Luis Obispo, California. Strider's name is the famous Led Zeppelin song from late 1971. He is a clown at home, keeping the family in laughter. When he's away from home, he is usually with Alex participating in numerous 4H events. He is also pointed in the show ring, having been shown sparingly so far. Along with his human family, he shares his life with his brother Kody (Sadik Akhtar Kodachrome) and Buttercup, a little Shih Tzu girl.
Strider now has six points towards his AKC championship and recently won Winners Dog and Best of Winners at the Saluki Club of Greater San Francisco Specialty show for his first major!
(Photos by Alex Grasseschi and Cathy Chapman)
Strider's brother is Sadik Akhtar Kodachrome, known as Kody. Kody came to live with the Grasseschi's after they had Strider for awhile and decided he should have a playmate (with legs). He earned his name from Paul Simon's hit, "Kodachrome", released to the public in 1973. Kody is a sweet, sensitive boy that loves to cuddle and when he's not on the couch doing just that, he's playing with his brother or his special little love, Buttercup!
(Photos by Alex Grasseschi and Cathy Chapman)
Sadik Akhtar Layla JC, CGC is named for Eric Clapton’s 1972 hit when he was with Derek and the Dominos (so the "spots" on Dominos fit Layla perfectly!). She is one of two parti-colored puppies from the Rock & Roll litter. Layla and her people, Michael and Georgette, live in San Francisco, California. She loves to run on the beach and at Pine Lake Park where people stop in amazement to watch her run along the shore or across the meadow in the park.
In July of 2011 at the San Angeles Saluki Club Specialty Show in Lompoc, Ca. Layla was Winners Bitch, Best of Winners and Best of Opposite Sex for a five point major! What a way for her to earn her first points under judge Allan Weinraub! Then, at the Central Arizona Saluki Association Specialty show held in Mesa, Arizona on 2/13/2012 Layla earned her second major, another five point win, under judge Robert Robinson! To top off her success in the ring, she is also enjoying the lure trials and has two five point Best of Breed wins at AKC events.
(Photos by Georgette Petropoulos and Michael Popoff)
The Rock n' Roll litter had a great weekend in Lompoc, July 2011. Pictured above, from left to right is judge Audrey Sutton, Cathy with Quila, who won Best of Winners this day, Karon Lonero with Dusty, who was Reserve Winners Dog, Jim Griffin with JJ, who was Reserve Winners Bitch and Layla with Michael Popoff (the day after her Best of Winners and Best of Opposite Sex win at the San Angeles Saluki Club Specialty show).
(Photo by Kit Rodwell)
Ch. Sterling Aria Akhtar Sadik is pictured above winning Best of Opposite Sex at the 2011 Saluki Club of Greater San Francisco Specialty show at eight and a half years of age from the 7 - 9 year Veteran Bitch class! The same day under judge Marianne Klinkowski, Strider was Winners Dog and Best of Winners while sister JJ was Reserve Winners Bitch. What a great day for the Rock n' Roll family!
(Photo by Victoria Cook)
The other cream girl in this litter is Sadik Akhtar Bohemian Rhapsody. Mia is owned by Pamela Brannock and lives in Kingsport, Tennessee with Pam's Pembroke Welsh Corgis and another Saluki friend, Minkie. She is named after the famous british rock band Queen's top 1975 hit off their "A Night at the Opera" album. Mia and company enjoy many acres of lush, green fields to run in and stay happy and fit at Pam's wonderful home and property. Hopefully future plans for Mia will involve some show ring appearances, but meanwhile, her life is full of love and happiness, what more could I ask for? |
