Breed Notes - 11th June

Just to let you all know, Jim is home and recovering slowly, thank you all for your messages and offers to help. It really is appreciated especially in these difficult times – learning to hate hospitals and face masks!

More sad news to report as at just 10 years young, Percy, better known as Ch Lynmead Amalie Loves A Lover left us last week. A sable who was bred by Anne & Caz, he had to be given sleep due to a very nasty cancer in the nasal passages. He came into the world in March 2010 and left on a bright sunny afternoon with Caz by his side.

Sired by Amalie Exotic Lover out of Simply Love Me Lynmead (a daughter of the late Ch Lynmead Simply In My Soul) he had a good show career, winning most of his CC’s in Scotland or the Borders. A first CC came in 2012 from the late Joan McIntyre, her first appointment, at Scottish Breeds. His second came from the late Alan Clarke in the same year at Border Union and his crown from Paul Battigan, also on his first UK appointment, at Ayrshire Collie

He was also the sire, amongst others of Jane Margetts Ch Collingvale Crème Anglais. It is never an easy time to lose a collie and Caz would like to thank all the Veterinary staff for their help and understanding in dealing with this during these difficult times.
In these times of Covid, Brexit seems to have been rather overlooked but do read the article in last week’s OD – Headline “Pet Passports will be required for Northern Ireland”. A new confirmation from Government suggests that these will be required for travel between mainland UK and NI from 1st January 2021; this will affect those who enjoy the long weekend taking in both the Irish Collie Club Ch Show and Belfast, just to mention two shows for our breed and will, of course, affect show entries for both shows. If agreed, as part of the Brexit negotiation on the “Withdrawal Agreement”. Perhaps we should start now to lobby our MP’s as it could mean an International Pet Border being invoked! Over to you all

With no actual shows being held, many of you have been taking advantage and entering many of the on-line shows, some with great success and yet you are all hiding away your wins!  Although I have not actually been contacted by the winning owners, I see that Eleri Bluck and Shelley Skinner amongst others have been very busy collecting “Lockdown Rosettes” to add to their collections. Some of these shows are in aid of the NHS or a Charity and require a minimum entrance fee or donation, so with good weather perhaps we should all be taking those extra special photo’s of our dogs for the future.

Our Dogs recently ran an excellent On-Line show, organised by Maria-Louise Clark, who has spent many hours receiving the thousands of entries and sorting into breeds and classes, so on behalf of many, please accept a big thank you from us all. With entries covering all UK recognised breeds, the entries were so large that individual breed winners had to be been announced, then Groups and finally BIS

It was nearly (but not quite) like being at a show as each breed, dependant on the number of entries had their own Breed Judge and a BOB, BPIB and BVIB selected but  sometimes  it was difficult to keep track of who judged which breed. Our breed had the top 5 places from a very large entry with  BOB was none other than Dora Richter with Int Ch/Belgian/Dutch/German/Luxembourg and VDH Champion Scottlyme Demoiselle, who is no stranger to winning, as she took VB at Crufts in 2013 from Christine Collins.. Sired by Texas Blond du Chemin des Randonnees out of Int Ch Shahdaroba Take A Chance at Scottlyme who won not only BOB best also BVIB.

Runner up to her, and RBOB was our own Ch Antoc Soul Diva. Dora also bred/owned the 3rd and 5th placed dogs whilst BPIB went to Karen Colman Smith with her entry.

Dora has also had success in the Irish Strike A Paws show (held in aid of of the Irish Cancer Society) as under Svetlana Valouva she won the Afternoon show with Kane (Multi titled Ch Scottlyme I’m Your Man) and then overall BIS, judged by Stuart Milner. This event was run to raise money for the Irish Cancer Society and I understand that prize monies has been re-donated back to the fund, raising so far over €2127.

Finally, some sad news from Finland. Where one of their top-winning bitches has gone to visit the Rainbow Bridge. Many UK judges, including myself, had the pleasure of judging Multi Titled Ch Atendus Nothing But Blue (Panda) . As her name suggested, a blue merle, bred by the late Gill Browne (Unstead) she was sired by Atendus Step By Step out of Atendus Aint No Doubts, a Ch Karava Blue Kontention daughter. To her owner, Johanna Ruottinen, owner of the Iroken Collies, we send our thoughts.

Carole Smedley
(Antoc)