Breed Notes This time, hopefully, when you read this, some of you will have been searching out the show bag, finding show leads and associated bits and will have groomed your charges to perfection, as, if all goes well, the first show of the year is planned to take place. Under strict Covid rules, Track and Trace in place and social distancing kept, the EACA will hold not only their Championship Show but also and Open show on the same day. I look forward to receiving the results (hopefully as they happen) as the entry for the Ch Show is 50 dogs, 63 bitches, 18 smooth collies and 6 NFC. The Open show has similar figures of 40 dogs, 50 bitches, 17 smooths and 2 NFC. Wishing the EACA all success, especially to thank Show Secretary, Jo White (Mejola) for her extremely hard work and long, frustrating hours getting everything sorted – and I hope the weather plays its part at Littleport for the day. At last, the long awaited BRS arrived in the post. This covers the period September to December 2020 and shows a total of 22 litters with 105 new registrations for our breed. This gives an annual figure of 516 new registrations for 2020 a fall of 15 from the 2019 figures. Compared to just 10 years ago (2011) there were 1046 registrations, so a decline of approx 50% There were a total of 14 new exports for the year 2020 but according to the BRS the total of “Official Importations” for 2020 amounts to 26. A figure I would dispute seeing the number of new pups arriving into the UK but, that is the figure stated! What I did find interesting was the lengths that many had gone to, possibly during “Lockdown” periods, to travel to mate bitches although some of the litters recorded are by breeders using their own stock. Or were they due to the restraints of travelling during Covid. Only time will tell on that issue Looking at the transfer of ownership figures, which, in a way are not always comparable to the litter registrations but the majority, are, there were 72 with new owners and included in the 72, are 6 travelling to new homes abroad. These include, France, Germany, Estonia, Serbia and Poland. I would think the companies organising courier services have been much in demand! The records for Health Testing of Roughs show not only the tests carried out but also the date, which shows that the KC, currently closed with people working from home, have yet to publish many figures which have been submitted. However it is good to see many are still testing and a total of 29 collies had various Eye Screening tests and the majority had DNA tests to cover CEA/PRA and MDR1 and DM. There were also 5 roughs with published HD scores ranging from 6 to 13 which I think is an improvement. Carole Smedley |
