Our first real life encounter with a ridgeback was in September 1987 at the RRCN club match.
We had looked up the ridgeback breed in the encyclopaedia and knew at once: this is for us! On entering the hall, and seeing only ridgebacks, it was love at first sight... We both felt strongly that we wanted a dog of this breed. No doubt about it!
We wandered round, just looking, in those early days, and attended the club match every year. At that time, it was still held in De Elzenhof, Schiphol East, conveniently near us. When the club match moved to Ermelo, we travelled there by car. Yet, several years passed before we brought a ridgeback home to live with us.
In 1988, we had bought our own place, in Westzaan: a house with a garden. After renovation work, lasting a year and a half, we were ready to move in.
The first thing we did, was to get in touch with the 'pupbemiddeling' - an RRCN agency specifically concerned with ridgeback puppies.
Tari, our very first ridgeback, was born on 1 July 1990, in Zeist,
Nina van Lis' litter. What an exciting time it was for us!
The suspense of waiting for word to collect her was killing us.
She brought us so much joy.
A gorgeous puppy and naughty too!
We'll always be happy that ridgebacks
have come into our lives,
and Tari has certainly made her own
unique contribution.
Thank you so much, we love you!!!
.JPG)
