"Ch. Storybook’s Rip It Up, SOM" October 1, 1996 – February 16, 2004

On October 1, 1996, our "Annie", Ch. Storybook's Make Believe, whelped a litter of 10, sired by Ch. CherKei’s Ultimate High SOM. For "Jake's" pedigree click here. From this litter came three Storybook champions, but one flashy brindle dog stood out from the very beginning.

His very first show in Apple Valley, Minnesota, came when he was 6 months old. He entered the ring like he owned it and Judge Mr. Ron Pemberton said he couldn’t deny him the Best of Winners and Best of Opposite ribbons. He received his majors from the puppy classes. The first came when he was 7 months old at the Missouri Valley Boxer Club under Judge Mr. Alberto Berrios. Later that day at the club’s hospitality event following the show, Alberto took us aside and said, “of all the dogs in that show today, only one has the potential to become a truly outstanding specials dog, and that dog is yours”. “Jake” garnered his second major during the Minnesota Boxer Club specialty weekend in August 1997 from the 9-12 month class under Judge Mr. Charles Herendeen. He finished strong by going Best of Breed from the classes at the Mason City Kennel Club show at 12 months of age.

After seeing him at the ABC in 1997 at 7 months old, his sire’s owners Cheryl and Keith Robbins and handler Michael Shepherd took us aside and asked if they could keep an eye on him and potentially campaign him. When “Jake” was 23 months old we agreed to let him go live with Michael and see what his potential was. Before he left home in 1998, Skip had put several Best of Breeds and Group wins on him, including a Group 1 under Judge Mr. Roger Hartinger.

Michael and “Jake” racked up enough breed points those last few months in 1998 to put him very comfortably into the Top 20. What a dream that was sitting ringside at the ABC in 1999 seeing our “Beaner Butt” in the Top 20 ring. The competition was great to watch, but when the voting was tallied and they announced that “Jake” had just become the Top 20 winner, our dreams were coming true.

The team of “Jake” and Michael finished up 1999 with 10 All Breed Best in Shows. We felt all our hopes had come true and we had bred what most people only dream of. But the year 2000 proved to be even better. 25 more All-Breed Best in Shows were added and records show he was the #1 Boxer, all systems, #1 Working Dog and #5 Dog All Breeds. Way above our hopes and dreams. And not only was he winning and being recognized, he was siring some beautiful puppies. By the end of 2000 he had eight champions and he was only 4 years old.

Two very memorable weekends during his time on the road were in April 2000 when he was the very only dog undefeated in a group of 4 day shows in New Mexico where he was Best in Show all 4 days; and the other was in August 2000 when he was Best in Specialty at the American Boxer Club Regional as well each of the Specialty shows preceding the regional and then went on to win back to back All-Breed Best in Shows to wrap up the weekend.

In 2001 we traveled to New York to watch him win the Breed at the Garden, and a Group 2. He then retired at the ABC in May 2001, but not before adding three more All-Breed Best in Shows and a Best of Opposite at the National.

At this writing, “Jake” has sired 33 American champions. To see pictures of his champions, or links to web pages that contain pictures of his champions click here.

We lost our treasured “Jake” on February 16, 2004, to hemangiosarcoma (cancer). We urge anyone who has lost a Boxer to memorialize them with a donation (any amount) made to the American Boxer Charitable Foundation, P. O. Box 8667, Spokane, WA 99203. At this writing the ABCF has donated over $300,000 for health research for our breed, which the American Kennel Club matches penny for penny. To learn more about the ABCF follow the link on our “links page”.

Records are meant to be broken, but memories last a lifetime.