uśmiechnięty kelpie biegnący w świetlne poranka

Morgan's Dream

Raca

DOB: 23.05.2010
DOD: 10.12.2024
height: 46 cm
weight: 14 kg
hips and elbows healthy
eyes: PRA
agility: A1

photo in an orchard: Martyna Gawron

My first, dreamed-of working kelpie. A tiny, dainty girl — pure concentrated energy. Fast, explosive, loud. Her name, Raca, means “flare” in Polish — but in its diminutive form (Racuszek), it also sounds like a soft, warm treat. And she truly lived up to both meanings: being a little firecracker and a cuddly sweetie. Always eager to do something, great retriever.

She was meant to be my agility champion – and instead, she took me on a tough ride through life, where dreams sometimes crash against the rocks of reality. She seemed to have it all: a perfect build, incredible physical potential, a brilliant mind, and a love for speed and action. What was missing? Healthy eyes. Raca couldn’t see the obstacles – or at least, not clearly enough. She had PRA – progressive retinal atrophy. She retired before her “career” had truly begun, and together we searched for a new path. And what a path it was! No longer filled with sporting triumphs, but rich in warmth and understanding. Was it easy? Not at all. It was a hard lesson. Later, we were lucky to join an experimental PRA treatment – and it worked. Raca could see the world until the end of her life. Not clearly enough to jump hurdles, but enough to enjoy all the joys a dog could wish for.

She was one of a kind and taught me so much – though not all of her lessons were easy. Especially the last one…

Pedigree

ELFINVALE LEGEND red, DOB 2007-12-05	ELFINVALE SAM II red, DOB 1998-05-19	ELFINVALE SYD red and tan, DOB 1993-07-05
		ELFINVALE DELTA red, DOB 1987-11-23
	ELFINVALE ELLIE red and tan, DOB 2006-05-15	ELFINVALE MICK VII red, DOB 2003-04-19
		ELFINVALE BOSS II red, DOB 2001-06-11
DRAGONHEART DARK DESTROYER red and tan, DOB 2002-05-01	MAD MAX MITCHELL red and tan, DOB 1996-06-13	ELFINVALE MILTON red and tan, DOB 1990-11-03
		ELFINVALE JULIA
	OWEN MELBOURNE red and tan, DOB 1997-11-06	SCORIOCHRE CRACKER black and tan, DOB 1996-01-28
		DYFFRYN MEG red and tan, DOB 1991-05-14

ELFINVALE LEGEND red, DOB 2007-12-05	ELFINVALE SAM II red, DOB 1998-05-19
	ELFINVALE ELLIE red and tan, DOB 2006-05-15
DRAGONHEART DARK DESTROYER red and tan, DOB 2002-05-01	MAD MAX MITCHELL red and tan, DOB 1996-06-13
	OWEN MELBOURNE red and tan, DOB 1997-11-06

Gallery

Everyday photos

portrait of a sitting puppy — four and a half months old

puppy playing with a tug toy — around three months old, photo by Paula Gumińska

red and tan puppy running full speed, side view — four and a half months old

adolescence kelpie in deep snow, with a toy — six months old

kelpie lies on the snow with a tug toy — eight months old

portrait of a kelpie against setting sun — eight months old

young red and tan kelpie in winter landscape — nine months old

kelpie running on the snow — nine months old

stacked kelpie girl — around one year old, photo by Martyna Gawron

working kelpie girl, Raca, standing on a green grass — eleven months old

portrait of a kelpie dog — almost one and a half years old

red and tan kelpie girl running with a ball — one and a half years old

side view of a kelpie running full speed — two and a half years old

smiling Raca lies on a grass — three years old

woman and her dog on a beach — around three years old, photo by Maciek Kwiatkowski and Paula Gumińska

kelpie catching frisbee while flying over a person — around three years old, photo by Martyna Gawron

kelpie dog sitting in the forest, in wild blueberries — five years old

smiling kelpie sitting on a grass — seven years old

red and tan kelpie dog on a lavender field — seven years old

dog on a field, amazing warm sunshine — seven years old

Raca running through lavender field — seven years old, photo by Alicja Boruczkowska

kelpie - portrait on the lavender field — seven years old, photo by Alicja Boruczkowska

red and tan kelpie running between lavender bushes — seven years old, photo by Alicja Boruczkowska

Raca's portrait — seven years old, photo by Alicja Boruczkowska

red and tan kelpie bitch on a meadow — seven years old

dog sitting in heather — seven years old

portrait of the kelpie in heather — seven years old

portrait of Raca nestled in the heather — seven years old

red and tan kelpie running full speed, double suspension gallop, side view — eight years old

tired but happy kelpie lying with a toy — eight years old

Christmas photo of Raca — nine years old, photo by Martyna Gawron

stacked red and tan kelpie bitch in flowering orchard — ten years old, photo by Martyna Gawron

moody winter portrait — eleven years old

kelpie running at the photographer at sunset — eleven years old

moody portrait of a red and tan kelpie in autumnal forest — eleven years old

portrait of red and tan kelpie — eleven years old

smiling dog running towards the viewer — eleven years old

kelpie in winter forest — eleven and a half years old

dogs running through winter wonderland — eleven and a half years old

silhouette portrait — eleven and a half years old

kelpie dog sitting on a chair in an orchard — twelve years old, photo by Martyna Gawron

kelpie in a flowering orchard — twelve years old, photo by Martyna Gawron

Raca, stacked photo — twelve years old, photo by Martyna Gawron

winter portrait of Raca — thirteen years old

kelpie at the beach, Baltic sea behind — thirteen years old

kelpie trotting with sea in a background — thirteen years old

smiling kelpie trotting in the morning sunshine — thirteen and a half years old

dog trotting through the woods — fourteen years old

dog with a ball — fourteen and a half years old

Agility

Working kelpie Raca flying over a dog walk — Raca flying over the dog walk, 2011, fot. Paula Gumińska i Maciek Kwiatkowski

Working kelpie Raca at weave poles — Raca at weave poles, agility competition in Sopot, 2013, photo by Kasia Piotrowska

Working kelpie Raca jumping a jump — Competition in Sopot, 2013, photo by Alicja Matejuk

Working kelpie Raca inside a tunnel — Raca running through an agility tunnel, 2012, photo by Martyna Gawron

Working kelpie Raca jumping over agility wall — Competition in Bydgoszcz, 2012, photo by Alicja Matejuk

Working kelpie Raca flying to the jump — Raca on agility training, 2012, photo by JiM

Working kelpie Raca on agility training — Agility training in our club, 2012, photo by Paula Gumińska i Maciek Kwiatkowski

Working kelpie Raca jumping over an agility jump on competition — Agility competition in Sopot, 2013, photo by Kasia Piotrowska

Working kelpie Raca over a jump — Agility competition i Bydgoszcz, 2012, photo by Kasia Piotrowska

Working kelpie Raca on a see-saw — Raca just before spectacular flyer :D. Competition in Bydgoszcz, 2012, photo by Kasia Piotrowska

Working kelpie Raca jumping over a jump — Competition in Bydgoszcz, 2012, photo by fodograf

Working kelpie Raca, agility competition in Bydgoszcz — Raca - the only dog who did things like that when she jumped :). Competition in Bydgoszcz, 2012, photo by fodograf

Working kelpie Raca at agility training — Flying Raca, 2011, photo by Martyna Gawron

Working kelpie Raca at Silvia Trkman training center — At LoLaBuLand, training with Silvia Trkman, 2011, photo by Olga Kwiecień

Videos