Suebel Labradors
OWNED BY SUSIE WILCHER
Specializing in breeding the performance "ENGLISH STYLE" AKC Labradors since 1990!
We are going to CRUFTS!!
GCH CH CedarKey Back To Flo Rida @ Suebel RN
"Sage"
Sage qualified for CRUFTS 2026 in December by being awarded Best Bred By Exhibitor and 2nd Award of Merit at the Labrador Retriever Club Specialty during the Royal Canine National Championship.
With limited showing, Sage finished 2026 as the #2 Owner Handled Labrador and was awarded Best of Opposite in the AKC Owner Handler competition at the Royal Canine National Championship!
This page will be updated on our Crufts journey starting 03/03/2026!
Check back for more details!
NEWS FLASH!!!
Sage earns Reserve CC at CRUFTS!!!
Special Reflections from Susie
When we qualified for Crufts back in December, I had no idea the closing date was so soon afterward. Both of my girls, Tulsi and Sage, earned qualification for this prestigious event for the years 2026 and 2027.
The AKC National Championship qualifies dogs for two years because the timeframe to complete all the necessary American paperwork and meet the Crufts cutoff is incredibly tight. I scrambled to get everything submitted, with invaluable help from my friend Michelle Veucasovic—without her, I never would have made it in time. At first, I wasn’t even sure I would attend, but I decided to at least try. To my delight, both dogs were accepted within the deadline.
This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I knew if I didn’t seize the moment, I might never get another chance. So, as I usually do, I jumped in with both feet and chose to take my two-year-old girl, Sage—my homebred owner-handled special—for the 2025 Crufts.
When Sage and Party were pulled in the ring, the judge turned around with a shrug, as if asking, “What do I do now?” My new friends later told me they were cheering for the chocolate dog! We ended up taking second to the beautiful Party, but the real highlight came next.
I told my friend Mia to go in there and win so I could bring Sage back into the ring one more time. She laughed and told me not to jinx her, but she went in and did exactly that—she won!
On the cross website, I watched the live video of Sage and me entering the ring. She showed her little heart out and floated around the ring with such presence that she earned the Reserve CC (Reserve Challenge Certificate). I was absolutely floored. Not only did the Select bitch (who went on to win Best of Breed) come from America, but both top bitches in the class were from the U.S.
Even more special—Sage was born in Florida. A Florida-born dog taking Reserve CC at Crufts? That’s something I’ll cherish forever.
This experience is one of those life moments I will always hold dear to my heart. I want to extend my deepest thanks to everyone who sponsored me and helped make this dream a reality—there will be a full list of sponsors on this page. A huge thank you also goes to my nephew Joe, who put up with me running all over Europe and kept me focused and grounded while showing Sage.
The Road to Crufts
