Breed Notes 4th March

Crufts 2020 will probably be remembered for the concern surrounding Covid-19 (Corona virus) which did put many off from attending either as spectators or even as exhibitors.
Our breed was judged by Trevor Hayward (Foxearth) and John Congdon (Aaronwell). The original entry for the both totaled 219 but according to the figures issued by Fosse Data, there were a total of some 66 absentees, which is slightly higher than normal. Our apologies to the judge, as we were 1 of those missing.
Trevor Hayward, perhaps better known to some for his smooth collies actually has co-owned and bred a few top winning Roughs. His last appointment for the roughs was in 2017 at Lancs & Cheshire where he judged bitches and prior to that in 2015 for both sexes at Birmingham National, was judging the males.
John Congdon has the Aaronwell kennel and has lately been campaigning many imports from abroad to top awards. He last judged bitches at Ayrshire Collie in 2016 and he judged the bitches again today.
Starting with the bitches, who had an earlier start than dogs, it was not long before we had our first winner of the day in Ch Brilyn Platinum Lustre, a well known blue lady owned by Sue Hawkins and she won Veteran bitch at the tender age of 11.5 years young. Sired by Ch Chelborn Kiss N Tell out of Brilyn Silver Symphony
Now to the other end of the scale, where the results of the next three classes were the same as last week’s British Collie.  MP winner was Louise Walker handling Starlenga All About Me. (Ch Jugband Blues du Close de Sea-Wind Via Aaronwell ex Nelinka De Remember Our Love for Starlenga.
Puppy and Junior was another win for Chantal & Andre with Chantique Déjà vu and Junior, a win for her sister, Chantique OoH La La, both sired by Mr. Burberry of Lowland Green Valley  for Chantique (Imp Fra) out of Chantique Fairy Dust.
Yearling winner was the recent CC winner at Midland CC, Val Brown and Mertrisa Cool Love whilst Post Grad had the dam of the MP winner, Nelinka De Remember Our Love for Starlenga winning her class (Fatal Bazooka de Remember Our Love ex Leeloo Dark Remember Our Love)
Val Tame and Riverside Song Extra Sweet at Rahlissa (imp Rom) won Mid Limit, another bred abroad. She is from Romania and sired by Fr Ch Jealous Guy de Clos De Sea-Wind out of Riverside Song Julia.
Limit was won by Josh Blackburn who handled his and Duna Jones, blue merle, Erjon Exclusively Special (Ch Erjon Ebony Joker out of Erjon Everlasting Blue)
Open had 18 entries with 6 marked absent and topping this class was Sue Hawkins with Ch Brilyn Mollycoddles JW  (Lynmack Thunderstruck ex Brilyn Glory Days) and  Sophie Wray-Ramsden took time out from the Discover Dogs stand to win Good Citizen Bitch with Beldones Duchess of Dreams JW. (Geko de Midland Valley (Imp Fra) ex Beldones Diamonds n Pearls.
With all his winners present and correct, guided by his Stewards, Christine Collins and Marina McLaughlin, John proceeded to re-assess his class winners and found his top winner in Sue Hawkins and Ch Brilyn Molly Coddles JW, winning her 4th CC and completing a life-time ambition for Sue to win a CC at Crufts although she did judge here back in 2017.
2nd in the Open class, was asked to return to the challenge, and this was Svetlana Novislavskya from Russia with Int Ch Fridens Bora Bora, a sable by Ch Denfris Orlando Bloom out of Fridens Goldrise (dam of John’s  own Fridens Stay Cool at Aaronwell) and she was born July 2016. She was awarded the RBCC.
Best Puppy Bitch went to Chantal Scott and Chantique Déjà vu who had won Junior.
Trevor started his judging a little later, and by the end of his stint it was easy to see the influence of Ch & Int Ch One Extraordinary Blue, on some class winners. Owned by Gianpaulo Falletto who was not present, , Piaf had been campaigned throughout 2018 and has been living at Ingledene for a while before, I understand hoping to return home to Italy when allowed. He was actually entered today and took 2nd in a very strong Open Class
Veteran dog was a lovely win for Natalia Skalin and Hugo, Multi titled Ch Kiss n Hug Fantazija. (Ch Chelborn Kiss n Tell ex Impressive Lady Fantazija) and he was born Oct 2012 and is a tricolour
There was only one entrant for MP and this was Paco Rabanne de Remember Our Love with Gataj (Imp Fr) owned by Melisa Lockyer, sired by Independence Day de Remember Our Love ex Nini Ricci de Remember Our Love and born in July last year.
Puppy dog went to Dave & Sue Randall and their tricolour, Ladnar Mustriharder, born May 2019 and sired by Piaf out of Ladnar Inkheart and homebred.
Junior went to another Piaf son, Ingledene Mercury Risin, a blue merle owned by John& Val Geddes out of Ch Ingledene Spirit of Ecstasy.
Yearling dog, another blue and another Piaf son, this time Phreelancer Chill Factor, bred by Lene Newman out of Phreelancer Faith Hill and owned by Eleri Bluck.
Post Graduate was Oakland Blue Style du Clos de Sea-Wind at Zolkhan (Imp Fra) winning for Michelle McCann.  (Hot Chocolate du Clos De Sea-Wind ex I Have a Blue Dream du Clos de Sea-Wind)
Hanvale Tommy Shelby won Mid Limit for Mr & Mrs Cornelius but handled by his breeder Hannah Walder. He is a brother to her own H. Polly Shelby and sired by Ch Beldones Double Diamond out of Ch Beldones La Vita Bella for Hanvale JW.
Another class win for Melissa, this time Limit dog with her Think of Me Prince of Sunlight at Gataj (Imp Hun) he is sired by Prince of Sunlight Sweetest Smile ex Prince of Sunlight Just For Me and bred by Josef Szalcinger.
Now to Open dog, a strong class of 18 and winning this was Ir Ch Hawkfield’s Return To Sender To Joshren at Daliyhaa. Known to all as Elvis, he is a tricolour, bred by Satu Haviniaken from Finland who was present to see this win. Elvis is  jointly owned by Tom Wall and young Allan Walsh, son of John Walsh Jnr.   He is sired by Ch Sunwind’s Hocus Pocus out of Hawkfield’s It Matters To Me and was born in April 2017.
Maxine had the thrill of winning Good Citizen Dog with her Demelewis Catchmydrift, who had also been 2nd in Veteran dog. A blue that is sired by Ch Corydon Once In A Blue Moon ex Demelewis Mooncatcher.  However she did sustain a nasty fall which involved a trip to First Aid, subsequent issue of painkillers and ice-packs to help on her journey home, all due to a loose duct cover beneath the green carpet which was then attended to by the NEC. We all hope you are coping well and that damage to your knee is not too serious!
Now to the top award, and taking his 2nd CC from Junior, was Freddi, Ingledene Mercury Risin’ and the RDCC went Tom Wall and Elvis (who has not left the building according to the photo I saw!) I did see that Allan Walsh’s dad, John Walsh also annexed the RDCC with his Great Dane, so more continental celebrations were on the cards following these good wins!

Best Puppy dog went to Sue Randall with Natalia taking BVD with Hugo.
Best Dog and Best Bitch entered the ring for assessment by the respective judges but neither Trevor nor John could agree on the outcome, so a call was made for the referee, Liz Cartledge who gave the nod to Val and Freddi who then had quite a long wait before putting in a good performance in the Group Ring but was not included in the short list.
Again Liz had to be called for both the BPIB winner and BVIB winner with all the awards going to the males.
The annual Bring/Buy/Buffet, mainly organised by Christine (who took off her Steward’s hat) was set up in the ring after the completion of all judging and £314.50 was raised in aid of Collie Rescue.

Carole Smedley
(Antoc)