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Thr, July 4, 2002 

By JAMIE LAMPROS
Standard-Examiner correspondent 



FARR WEST -- It looked like Eddie, the dog on the TV sitcom "Frasier," was 
having a party and invited all of his friends. 

In fact, one of the dogs there was actually named after the famed pooch.

But it wasn"t a party. This was serious business for the Russell terriers and 
their owners. Eddie, Star, Dirty Harry, Winston, Curly, Pearl, Casper and 
Chocolate, among others, went to participate in the annual Russell Terrier Fun 
Fest, a day of racing, hunting and strutting their stuff. 

"These aren"t frou-frou dogs," said Sally Parcher, who along with her husband, 
Jim, own Farr West Kennels and put on the event each year. 

"These dogs are intelligent, energetic and bold. They"re hunters by nature and 
one of the best pets you could have," she said. 

The Parchers own 17 Russell terriers, which they train and breed. 

One of the Parcher dogs, Napoleon, recently took first place three out of five 
times at the United Kennel Club Show in Salt Lake City. The 3-year-old also took 
best of breed, best of show and made the final cut of three dogs out of 16 
breeds. 

During the two-day fest the dogs participated in three separate divisions. The 
conformation shows off the movement, breed standard and temperament of the dog. 
Go to ground is the second division in which the dogs are put in a 30-foot-long 
tunnel. The purpose is to race to the rat cage at the end of the tunnel as 
quickly as possible. This race helps them hone their hunting instincts.

The third division, a favorite among the dogs, is the steeple chase. This race 
includes a 150-foot-long straight course with a starting box at one end and a 
stack of hay bales with a hole in the middle at the other end. A lure, which is 
usually a scented piece of fur, is attached to a string and is pulled along 
while the dogs race to the end. The first dog through the hole wins the race. 
Eddie ended up winning in one of the steeplechase races. 

"We"re having a ball," said Vicky Jenkins of Fruit Height. Jenkins, the owner of 
18-month-old Eddie, said she found out about the festival when she called the 
kennel to make boarding arrangements while her family went on vacation.

"The kids don"t want to leave. They"re having a really great time here," she 
said. 

Between races, the dogs cooled off in plastic swimming pools that were placed 
around the 2 1/2 acres of property. Professional photographer Chris Garcia was 
also on hand to take pictures of the dogs. 

Layton residents Kyle Blanchard, 10, and his sister Krista, 7, said they liked 
the go to ground racing the best.

"It"s pretty cool to watch them going in the holes," said the owners of Curly. 
"That"s probably our favorite part so far."

Aaron Larsen, who along with his family came all the way from Elko, Nev., said 
his dog Winston won the conformation contest. 

"I like helping him jump over the posts though," said the 5-year-old. 

Parcher said she plans to hold the event again this fall and possibly earlier in 
the year next spring. 





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