The Pom Reader
People in Poms
August 2002

     Our home is unique in that my husband and I have the same name. I am Kelly D. and he is Kelly R. We have two beautiful daughters, Kristina and Tacia, a son-in-law Matt and a grandson Levi. Our home is located in Highland, Utah and we live with three Pomeranians and a variety of fish including saltwater, freshwater, and pond koi. Our poms have free run of our home and are all couch potatoes. I breed very rarely having only had three litters in the past five years. I am a member of the Utah Valley Kennel Club, Beehive Toy Group of Utah, and the American Pomeranian Club. I have served on the board and show committee for UVKC for the past 12 years and currently serve on the statistics committee for the APC. I have attended 5 APC Specialties which is a wonderful opportunity for breeders and exhibitors to see the dogs they may be interested in breeding to, their progeny, and the different types and bloodlines available if you are looking to purchase. 

     I was introduced to Pomeranians at the age of 2 and poms have been part of my life ever since. I only had pets until I attended my first dog show as a spectator. I was absolutely fascinated. I joined the Utah Valley Kennel Club, a local all-breed and obedience club in 1990 and was immediately put to work. My first dog show consisted of parking RV's and ring stewarding. I had yet to own a show dog but I had learned ring protocol and AKC Rules and Regulations to hold a dog show. Thinking that was a bit scary I went in search of a show dog. I met Randy Blackburn, Painter's Poms who was working with Art & Joy Davison with his breeding program which included Queenaire Diamond Apple, ROM "Star". I purchased my foundation bitch from Randy in 1990, put a Canine Good Citizen title on her in 1993 and Painter's Modern Classic, CGC became my therapy dog. I bred her to a black & tan "Star" son that produced Kilei's Star Sapphire, "Kimi" an orange sable bitch and started attending handling classes in conformation. I then entered "Kimi" in the bred-by exhibitor class at several shows and put my first points her in 1994. I was hooked, however "Kimi" was not as she decided that she disliked the show ring. Then Randy shared two beautiful boys with me. The first was a cream male Painter's Kilei Jewel Thief. It seemed regardless of what I tried, he would not walk on a lead for me. I asked Susan Adamson who had been handling Shih Tzu & Pekingese for 20 years to handle him for me. He had one major and was minored out when we unexpectedly lost him to heart failure. The second was an orange sable "Star" grandson. Up to this point, I was only showing at the local shows in Utah and had attended one set of shows in Colorado and Idaho. In 1995, Ch Painter's Tinkle Lil Star, "Tink" changed that for me. He was a born show dog. "Tink" made showing so much fun it became much more than the hobby it had started out to be for me. I put my first points on him in the fall of 1995 and while attending only local shows placed a major and minored him out by Spring of 1996. That summer I attended the APC Summer Specialty in Washington where he placed second in the open class handled by Erika Moreau. Unable to find majors locally, I sent him to California where he finished handled by Madeline Patterson. He was my first champion. At the same time, I had a red bred-by "Star" & "Kimi" son that I was impatiently waiting for to mature. The first time I showed him he was 18 months old and as I look back at his picture I wonder what I was thinking. I also brought him to the Summer Specialty where he placed third in the bred-by exhibitor class (although I still wonder what I was thinking). Ch Kilei's No Worries, "Pumbaa" was my first bred-by exhibitor champion. Shortly after I started showing "Pumbaa" in the classes I started showing a black & tan "Tink" daughter I purchased from Randy. Ch Painter's Kilei's Star X'd Lvr, "Luna" finished with 3 majors shortly after "Pumbaa" finished. "Pumbaa" was still entered in another show so I showed him as a special. He placed Group I under Mrs. Dawn Vick Hansen, owner handled. After much debate, I decided to special him. Susan Adamson handled him to the Top 20 for three consecutive years with only limited showing. "Pumbaa" retired from the specials ring in 2001 with 5 Group I and multiple Group Placements. I am currently showing his daughter Kilei's Fifth Element "Lei'Lu" who only lacks one single minor to finish. "Lei'Lu" belongs to my daughter Tacia who decided this year, at the age of 16, to compete in Junior Showmanship. Her second time in the ring she went Best Junior in Show. However, as "Lei'Lu" is an extremely difficult dog to show in the competition ring Tacia is now showing "Pumbaa." In the fall of 2001 Susan and I purchased Great Elms Summer of Lenette, "Summer". She is being shown by Susan and currently needs only one major and two minors to finish. This year I purchased Jan-Shars Snow Bunny, "Powder". "Powder" came into our lives while I was working for the Olympics and I brought both her and "Pumbaa" to work with me. Although we only had "Powder" for a short time, having lost her while having puppy teeth pulled, she was a bright and shining star while in our home and thoughts of her still bring tears to our eyes. However, another Jan-Shars puppy is waiting to come and live with us as soon as the weather cooperates so she can be shipped. 

     I would like to thank all of my friends that have helped me over the years learning pedigrees, structure, movement, and especially grooming. I have built close and deep friendships, shared laughter and tears, and traveled with my wonderful pom friends. I have a truly deep love and appreciation for our dynamite filled pom packages. They truly are a large dog in a tiny body. I would like to thank Randy Blackburn and Susan Adamson for introducing me to and keeping me active in showing poms and to Benson and Sharon for this opportunity to introduce you to Kilei Pomeranians.