Middleburg Virginia Dog Show and Borzoi

I love Borzois. I love fall.  I love old plantations and rides in the countryside. This was the fourth year we ventured out to the Middleburg Dog Show at the Oatlands Plantation in Middleburg, Virginia. It was a beautiful day for the ride, and an even better day to get my fix of Borzois. Our Tatiana was a wonderful dog, and I still miss her. Yes, there were obviously other dogs there, but I hardly noticed them. I prefer large dogs to small, but it does give anyone a great opportunity to see all the different breeds and varieties.  That's how we found the dog we preferred all those years ago by visiting a dog show in Wisconsin, and meeting a breeder from Indiana. While we were watching the borzois in the ring today, we talked to an owner who lives in Old Town Alexandria. I gave her my contact information so she could send me some news about a breeder she knows well. We are on the fence about getting another one for so many reasons. In the meantime, I could do baby sitting for her dog, a grand eight year old lovely lady. All in all it was a delightful day to spend with our friend, the setting was grand, and the Borzois never looked better. 

Oatlands Plantation

We came to the Oatlands Plantation last week for the dog show but have never quite made it up the path to see the manor house. With out of town guests in toe we made the hour journey to Leesburg on a beautiful autumn afternoon. The place belonged to the famous Carter Family of Virginia back in the late 1700's. The house survived the Civil War and since has had a couple owners and several famous guests including FDR and assorted others. The grounds and garden were quite pretty even though it was past season. The 1810 greenhouse was unique for its time.  It was surrounded by a Japanese Maple that was more interesting to see from the inside. The last house tour we were on was at Blenheim Palace in England. We haven't been on one here for quite a while after spending many a trip over the years in Natchez, Charleston, and so many more. This was a great day trip with friends and the landscape, season and company made it quite memorable. 

 

Middleburg Dog Show

I need to get my dog fix at least once year - especially to see the Borzois. We had a beautiful Russian Wolfhound in Milwaukee, and I love to see them and talk to some of the owners at a dog show. We went to several dog shows in the Milwaukee area to get an idea what kind of dog we might be interested in. I knew right away when we saw the Borzois - beautiful and not a peep out of them. As we headed out for the hour drive, the biggest surprise was seeing a bald eagle right by the Pentagon along the George Washington Parkway on our way to the Middleburg Dog Show at the Oatlands Plantation in Leesburg, Virginia. I'm glad I brought my winter coat! It was very windy, but the sun was brilliant, making for a great ride along the side streets with the autumn backdrop. We were there just in time to catch the Borzoi judging and wandered about to see some of the other sights, dogs, and owners. People really love their animals and there is something there for everyone. But once we saw the wolfhounds, I wasn't really interested in anything else. One of these days we need to come back and see the actual plantation house that sits up the way from the entrance. We did miss our friends who came with us last year. Maybe next time.