Radically is a kennel, but there is no kennel to be found on our property. We are a home where we live with our animals. The Lhasa apsos, our cats and chickens. You wouldn´t believe looking at me in the suit at the show, would you?
I am Radek Blazo, born in Czech Republic, living in Slovakia. I have always loved dogs and since I was a small child I read every possible magazine or dog book there was to find. My parents bought me every book, but never a dog. We did not have any dogs in the house until I was 15. But I had a great passion for them, falling in love with a new breed every month. When I was maybe 15, the turn came to Lhasa apso. I read a lot about them and was amazed by the pictures. I phoned a kennel close by and together with my father we went to visit a litter of puppies. Going in we knew we do not want to buy any puppy, we just wanted to meet the breed. However, on this occasion the breeder told us they have a 9 year old male they want to place somewhere, as they dont “need” him anymore. After we came home, I talked to my father and few days later, this old male came to our home and changed it completely.
He was a Ch. El-Gunga-Din´s Nin-Ja, but for us, he was just Nino. He had an amazing life with us. Before he lived in a kennel, but he was the only dog in our house. He got all the attention and loved every minute of it! And that is where it my journey in the dog world started.
Having a long coated dog at home, i had to learn about the grooming and found the dogshows. But I learned how little I knew and could hardly get any information. I am very much a perfectionist and when I do something, I always try to learn as much about it as possible. To know why things should be done one way and why not the other. This craving for information brought me to some fantastic people who shaped who I am today.
I spent my time working for Mia Ejerstad, a professional handler in Italy. I was just 17 years old when I came to her. It was my first look behind the courtains of the professional handling and what an eye opener, too. But I actually loved it. Mia taught me the importance of detail. Wheter it is in grooming, handling, or whatever activity one does. Once your details are perfect, and you put them together, the big thing comes out great.
After spending my time with handlers in Europe, I felt the need to learn more about the drop coated breeds and where else could one learn more than in the USA. I started corespodenting with Dorothy Joan Kendall of Orlane Lhasa apso kennel when i was just 15 and she was the one who introduced me to some wonderful people. Melissa Papke who is to this day one of my dearest friends. And Barbara Beissel who I was lucky to work for. Barbara is a well known toy breed handler, specializing in drop coated breeds in USA. I guess,she can take all the credit for the look my dogs have now. She taught me everything there was about coat grooming and presentation. I will always be grateful to her for the knowledge she shared with me and her introduction into the American dog scene, which is the top of the game.
When I decided it is time to bring my first real show dog into my life, Melissa papke introduced me to Linda Kendall Smith. Linda does not sell her line outside of her kennel and rarely lets anybody have her dogs. After two years of waiting and lots of phonecalls and emails, my Queen was born. By the Queen meaning Ally, who later became BIS Ch. Orlane´s All Too Easy. But at the time I came to pick her up she was just a small, gold puppy full of joy and life and I felt like I am living a dream. She was my everything and even now, when she is tragically gone, she remains very close to my heart. Once in a life time dog and a friend. I wish everybody had a chance to love a dog the way I loved her, that kind of connection is very special.
Ally will always be a part of our kennel, hence the name Radically – Radek & Ally. And the drawing of two lhasas was made especially for us as our logo by Jakub Kruczek.
Ally was also our foundation female. Her first litter was with a top American dog that I had the pleasure to show in Europe, Gideon, or BIS Ch. Shoyu Blowin´My Horn at Orlane. The litter produced our Mandy, Ch. Radically´s Amanda who is a powerful, yet elegant bitch with lots of qualities.
Ally´s second litter was with a male I always wanted to use on her Ch. Orlane´s Turning Heads, or Turner. He was already ten when I used him, but he has been a fantastic producer. His pedigree was very rare, as it went back to all the old dogs I admire so much. It was almost a miracle litter, as Ally came to season just three weeks before the US National Specialty. We bred her after I arrived and the puppies were born on 12.12.2012. Ally three of those puppies are champions now and I could not be happier with them. I got exactly what I wanted from this combination. Beautiful heads, type and excellent temperaments. Lets see where the next generations takes us, but we have great plans for our future.
I am not a licened judge, but I was lucky and fortunate to be invited to judge the Junior Handling year finals in 2012 in Finland and in 2014 I also judged the Nordic finals in Norway. I love to judge and find the new talents among these wonderful juniors.
I had my time showing some other breeds and special some wonderful speciments. Poodle, Yorkies, Jack Russels, Pharaos and some other breeds occasionally. I like to show dogs, but honestly, I prefer to show dogs I have a chance to train and groom myself. So, I decided to special my own dogs now and only show my lhasas.
Although it might seem that dogs are all our life, the picture might be misleading. Our dogs are mostly our pets. They sleep in our bed and live in the house. They enjoy everyday walks and life as family pets. I enjoy gardening and garden design. I grow my own plants and love our garden. It teaches me the patience I never had and brings me back to nature, back down to earth. Literally, most of the time.
Radically 