Moving On To 2026

Well I pulled my finger out and got writing. 

2025 was one of the hardest of my adult life, there have been worse, but it must be up there in the top 5. So much sadness, so much pain, and the fear for the future after Steve's fall in March put so much into prospective. But with the friend carrying me through, I found strength that I didn't know I had, when things go badly wrong you do discover who is who don't you. 

We'd had time to prepare to lose Loki, but as much as you anticipate the loss, when it hits you, well it still hits you as hard as ever. Of course, he had years that we didn't expect and we were grateful for that, but loss is loss and it's always devastating. 

Finding out that Beti had a UAP was the next knock. Ok, if you follow this blog, you'd know that I knew something was wrong. I wrote a lot about it in 2023 and the beginning of 2024 - but a UAP - well, that was a shock. Of course out of all of Orin's progeny, she is the only one affected - and it makes you wonder why me? But more so, why my lovely Beti? There is no doubt this lovely exuberant young lady has stolen my heart.

Meerah, grew, and grew ... way beyond the height where she could "get away with it" in the ring. I took the knocks time and time again, but when someone laughed and ridiculed her, well that was it and I decided to take her out of the ring, for an indefinite period. The facts are, I know, I see it, but she's still my puppy and it really hurt, and from a financial point of view, well what is the point showing her to always be, an "also ran?" Though Meerah has not shown signs of lameness or stiffness for months, I can't unsee what I saw, and I still doubt her hips will be good enough for breeding. I tell myself what I tell others, I don't have X-ray vision, so lets hope I'm wrong! 

Mum's health deteriorated dramatically over the Summer and Autumn, though there is a hope of surgery to improve things it will take time. Can we say, she has not been the best patient! 

My hopes and dreams for months had all been pinned on Siska, and the dream of a healthy "N" litter, but sadly they didn't come. As I said last week, "Losing" a litter at the scan is a "silent" kind of grief. You’ve been watching the females every move and planning for the future. I guess it’s okay to grieve for something that was never there, but life has a way of making you grateful for what have and bring it all into prospective. My cousin's wife, has been diagnosed with a smoking related, terminal lung cancer, Sharon is in her early 50ies .... yeah be grateful for what you have!

2025 was probably one of the worst years for the Blaniks in the show-ring. The failures and disappointments at a time when a boost was so badly needed bought my spirits and enthusiasm for showing to an all-time low. To be totally honest I have no interest in getting back out there, but I have nothing else, so I must try! 

So now it's 2026, the tears of 2025 are over, and I have to reassess and start again. I hope when Siska comes back in season for success .. and if anyone doubts like my mother did, it's a female who "misses" to a fertile, proven male, so no it's not the male's fault! I still hope for an Orin x Mattie pup sooner than later, but it's so important to try again with Siska, keeping Kaiah in the line is paramount in my book. 

Steve is doing OK, it was 3 years yesterday since his heart attack and though, because of his poor mobility we are limited in where we can go and what we can do, we do have each other and that is everything. Mum? Well, it is what it is! All I can do is my best.