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For more information on our club, please send an email to: info@gtisc.org

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rescue@gtisc.org

Deb and Skip Lawrence

We have had Irish setters since 1975, hiding the first puppy, Maggie, in our apartment for three days before we could move into our house. We acquired Rocky several years later. Over the next several decades, we had Tocky, Rocky II and Jake. When Jake became very ill, and we lost him at 5 years old, it was soon after that when I found our breeder, (the Wilson's in Lewiston NY)..and then the story goes on..starting with Ian. And how our lives have changed !!!

Ian (Touchstone’s Chills n Thrills RN, TT, CGC)
Ian (Touchstone’s Chills n Thrills TT, CGC) is nearing 8 years old already!  He loves to play with any kind of toy, but his favorite thing is to “Check things out”….nothing gets past him!  This past year of 2007, was a busy year for Ian.  He went to Basic obedience and was so well behaved & quick to learn, that he went on to get both his ATTS and CGC certification.   I think we will try the Rally ring in 2008.

Ian is nearing 10 years old already! He loves to play with any kind of toy, but his favorite thing is to “Check things out”….nothing gets past him! 2007 was a busy year for Ian. He went to Basic obedience and was so well behaved & quick to learn, that he went on to get both his ATTS and CGC certification. We decided to try the Rally ring in 2008. I wanted to get just one title on him. Ian was his typical stubborn self. I was able to complete his first RN leg in March 2008 at the WPKA trials. From there, it was one NQ after another, including my asking to be dismissed. I knew I was not experienced enough to work with an old, stubborn boy! So, I went to Linda Scopa, at Ohkom Farms Training Center. I was already entered in trials and asked her to take him. She was able to get Leg #2 out of a two day trial. Then came 6 months of “work” and FINALLY on June 6, 2009, at the WCOTC Trials, Linda completed his RN title with a score of 86! He has his one title and now is retired to the yard.

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Peter (CH Touchstone’s Fire and Ice, RN, CGC)  
I am proud to announce that, with the encouragement of Coleen and Mary, I started Rally Classes last winter.  In 3 trials, we qualified for three legs and now have earned a Rally Novice title…the very first accomplishment of putting a title on a dog myself!   Peter is the love of my life, very quiet and very gentle, who loves to be loved.  Peter had a great puppy career with 5 Best in Sweeps, 7 Best opposite in Sweeps and 1 Best Puppy. Peter placed second in 12-18 sweeps at the Irish Setter Club of America National in Kentucky 2002.  He finished his championship at 21 months with 3 majors, one from the Kentuckiana Specialty. With 1 BOB win, he no longer does conformation. Peter has also earned his CGC in 2007. Peter is OFA good and PRA clear.

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Callie (Ch. Stoneypoint's Spell Breaker CGC, TDInc)
Callie (Ch. Stoneypoint's Spell Breaker), our Callie-girl! What a pleasant, happy, easy-going little girl. As we drove to Illinios, 3 miles from St. Louis, I wondered if we were getting in over our heads. We couldn't have been any more wrong. Callie fit right in as if she was always here - what a perfect mix. She rules the boys, they just don't realize who the real boss is! Callie was a tough cookie in the show ring, at first. You never knew what little antic she would pull! But after a lot of hard work by her "Auntie Coleen", she shows like a pro! She waits her turn ringside with patience I never thought she would have. Here, she learned that she is NOT the boss. Callie has been only been entered in shows occasionally. She did place in her sweeps and regular classes at the Irish Setter Club of America Nationals, Olympia WA in 2004. What fun that she is! Callie finished her championship on May 29, 2006. From the fall of 2006 through spring of 2007, Callie was in the Breed ring only occasionally.  Winning 4 BOB titles, July 1, 2007 was our last show.  She ended that day with going Group 3….. a FIRST for us both! Thank you to Coleen McGee for a wonderful career with Callie!  Callie is  OFA Good and PRA clear.

It was time for Callie to get off her pillow and get busy again. We are pleased that she received her CGC certification in October 2008 and went on to become a Therapy Dog through Therapy Dog Incorporated, passing all requirements in December 2008.

Callie spent the summer with "Sammy", having him read to her every week. Sammy is dyslexic and was frustrated. Having a child with the same problems, this is area we wanted Callie to use her Therapy training. We learned about frogs, snakes, reptiles, birds, and her favorite, digging in the mud!

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Claire (BISS CH. Courtwood Cobblestone)
Claire came to us as quite a surprise on November 10, 2007, at the age of 10 weeks.  She is very charming, VERY smart and is not afraid of anything!   Nothing gets past her.  She is such a welcome addition to our family.  As the new year begins, we look forward to conformation classes with Coleen and having another fun career with our new little girl! On Claire's 6 month birthday, off we went to the Maryland Sporting Dog Association Shows in LaPlata MD. At her first show, Claire placed a Major Reserve, Best Puppy and a Puppy Sporting group 3 ! The following day, she was also Best Puppy. Thank you, Coleen, for this exciting weekend!

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It’s been quite an exciting 6 months with Claire.  We take her to very few shows, averaging about one a month.  For her second weekend out, we entered her in Pittsburgh at WPKA for a “practice run” before heading off to Arizona and the ISCA Nationals.  At those two shows, she managed WB/BOW for her first point, followed by RWB the following day.  In April, we headed to Arizona.  The nationals are always a fun and social event.  Claire made the cuts, which is a pleasant accomplishment for a show of that size.  At the ISCAZ specialty following the national, Claire won her 6 – 9 puppy class of 11.  That’s impressive as most of the lovely competition of the week were still entered.  Our own GTISC specialties followed in May. This was a show we should have skipped….there was no time to spend to get Claire ready for the weekend and she hadn’t been in a ring for almost two months, not even for practice.  This proved to be just too much to expect from an 8 month old puppy.   So, off to class again, before going to the ISCWNY specialty.  Claire won her class in both sweeps and regular classes.  We stayed for the Genesee Valley Kennel Club and supported entry, also winning her class.  Our next adventure was the ISCO shows.  What an overwhelming weekend… at the Saturday show, Claire went WB out of the 9 – 12 puppy class for a 5 point major, then on to win Best Puppy.    It was so nice to have so many friends there to share in our joy, making the weekend very special.

For our most recent shows, we went to the ISCM specialties in beautiful Belleville MI.   On Saturday, Claire went Best in Sweepstakes from a huge entry of 30 puppies!!  If that wasn’t exciting enough, she went on to go WB and BOW for her 2^nd 5 point major! (from the 12 – 18 month puppy class).  This win was especially exciting as two of Claire’s breeders were there to see it and be part of the celebrating.  It was so amazing!!!

I think it is still “sinking in” with Skip and I.  We are so blessed to have this beautiful little girl as part of our family.  We are very blessed to have a wonderful “dog family” out there to support, encourage and to share it with us.  We are certainly blessed to have Coleen work hard to condition and prepare Claire for the ring to handle her to these exciting accomplishments, and to be part of our family.   The future is definitely uncertain, and we sure don’t take for granted what we have done so far.  We will go off to shows and enjoy….and what happens, happens.   Life sure is a pleasant road for now….

Claire finished her Championship going BOW In Timonium at the Potomac Irish setter Club specialty, giving her three 5 point specialty majors at the age of 19 months (April 17,2009) Claire" has accumulated over 13 months/ 12 weekends/24 shows; Three Best Puppy, 1 Best in Sweeps, BOW for her 1st point at age 6 months, won her puppy classes 13 times, Puppy Sporting Group 3 at her first show - the day she turned 6 months old, several major reserves and a RWB. Deb & Skip thank Coleen for her time and talent with Claire. Claire is exclusively handle by Coleen and will now move ahead slowly as a Specials competitor.

Claire continues to amaze us. Over the Memorial Classic weekend in New Castle, Claire went Best of Breed at New Castle KC show on Friday, May 22, 2009. On Saturday, May 23rd, Claire was Best in Specialty for our GTISC Specialty. Off to the ISCA National in Lancaster next. Claire's dam, CH Rosette's Devil in a Blue Dress, along with her and littermates, Michael and Ally, placed first out of 9 entries for Brood Bitch. At the ISCO Specialty weekend, Claire received an AOM on Aug. 8, 2009. The next day, Lorain County KC, Claire was BOS. She is not yet two years old!

Off to the ISCM specialties again this year in September, Claire received another AOM. To finish out 2009, at the Turkey Cluster in West Friendship Maryland, she was BOS, followed by two days of BOB, which included her first group placement, a Group 2. Two weeks later, our trip to Gettysburg brought another BOB at the Chambersburg show. To wind up the year, three of the four days at the Cleveland Crown Classic earned her BOS. This has been an exciting journey, one we are taking slow and easy, enjoying every wonderful moment of it. So as we end 2009 and begin 2010, we look forward to whatever may come our way. We are grateful to have this active, charming, smart and funny girl as part of our lives. We thank Coleen for the time and expertise she has put into Claire. Thank you to Diane and Laura, and Sue, who has been a very special part of all we do.

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