Now what can I say about this priceless dog!
Mr Ko, otherwise known as Gr. Ch. Bearstar Ko, is one of the most amazing dogs I have ever had the chance to meet. Ko was the first ridgeback that I fell in love with. No words can describe the awe I felt on the night I visited Cyndy Burton of Starridge Rhodesian Ridgebacks and met this handsome dog.
A young Mr Ko
To say I adored Ko was an understatement considering the moment I found out that the puppy I intended to purchase in 1999 was sired by Ko I must have deafened Dale when I squealed or screamed down that phone line. I could not believe my luck.
Mr Ko was shown consistently in 1999 and still managed to show the younger dogs how brilliant he was. Pictured above is Ko's Best of Breed win at the Brisbane Royal 1999. If I remember correctly Ko would have beaten approximately forty to fifty ridgebacks that day. Age is no barrier to a great ridgeback.
In 2000 Mr Ko was brought out occasionally and was awarded multiple Challenges and 2 Best in Groups. Another highlight of Ko's show career in 2000 is that at the Brisbane Royal (August 2000) Ko won Reserve Dog Challenge and you should have heard the thunderous applause. Not bad for a youngster of eight and a half years young.
Mr Ko is undoubtedly the first titled Grand Champion Rhodesian Ridgeback in Australia and until recently was the only Grand Champion titled Ridgeback in Queensland. Queensland now has another four/five ridgebacks with the title of Grand Champion and Ko's grandson Gr. Ch. Starridge African Knight ET (owned by Shane and Kerrie Lambley) and Ko's son Gr. Ch. Bearstar Doulen Ko ET (owned by Dale Blinco and Mick Goulding) have been included in the list.
