Breed Notes
13th January 2023

A rather sad start to the New Year, as at Antoc we said goodbye to Cardair Causing Chaos at Antoc, the last of our Cardigan males. Bred by Anna Harman, he won a single CC and 5 Rcc’s and was the life and soul of the kennel. It will be very quiet without him and I known the collies will miss their morning bark-off

Also, at Hanvale, more sad news as Hannah & Simon are feeling the loss of Ch Heart of Gold de Cabrenysset at Hanvale, known as Super=Flo. Born in France, she was one of the first of many imports for Hanvale. Bred by Mr J Agoutin and born in March 2012. It was an interesting pedigree as her sire, Daddy Cool de Cabrenysset and her dam, Darling Gold de Cabrenysset were both sired by Texas Blond de Chemin des Randonnees, who was a son of Scottlyme Youremyman at Aberquarrie who was bred by Dora Richter. It was not long before “Florence” started attending the shows, often bringing her own bed, ably carried by Simon and cared for by Hannah.

 In all she won a total of 9 CC’s. The first at Darlington in 2013 followed by her 2nd at CC Wales from the late Alan Clarke (Lynway) and her title at Blackpool in 2015 from wife, Doreen. She won 2 CC’s at Paignton, 1 in 2015 from Brian Hawkins and her 8th from Jane Stevens (Lekoy) 3 years later. Her other CC wins were from: Lynne Salt, Tracy Goodwin, and Christopher Dancoisne at Midland Collie in 2017. Her last CC was won from Karen McDevitt (Caronlea) when she judged at Richmond in 2018. She also won 4 rcc.

In 2015 she won Runner Up Rough Collie at the BCC RCOTY event and repeated this success again in 2016. As a Veteran she took RBVIS at Scottish Breeds in 2019, where the breed judge was Anne Hassock and she was only beaten for BVIS by the well known Smooth of Trevor & Birgit Hayward in the form of “Petra” officially known as Ch Clingstones Hot Shot at Foxearth. Again at the BCC RCOTY Flo annexed Best Veteran.

With the news that Peterborough/East of England are having to give up, maybe negotiations are in the pipeline for Boston, with a possible move from this showground to a new one and also a change in date….Time Will Tell and I am sure that Boston will benefit in some way or another.

Back to Boston, without Cc’s where centre stage was Ann French (Breckamore) with an entry of 43 but with about 20 missing on the day. However, the size of the ring left much to desired, the committee, knowing the entry and aware of the size of a Rough, had, for some reason,  split one of their normal size rings into 2 and the other half was used by Dachshunds . With 3 roughs along one side, left little room for movement! – Maybe a comment (Not on social media) would not come amiss for any future ring allocations regardless of venue!

In dogs, there were just 9 on parade with BD going to Miranda Blake and her Corydon The Grandmaster (Corydon The Ringmaster ex Corydon Moonflower). Winning PG was Michelle Chaplin and her Takhisis Lysander (Wicani Cloak and Dagger ex Takhisis Aphrodite).  BPD was Libanel Erebus Eternal Love (Highnol Echoes In The Mist for Welanga ex Pommenka My Fair Lady with Libanel) bred by Elizabeth Dodsworth and owned by Miss S Gelder from Wakefield and he also won Special Beginners dog. There were a few more ladies present, 17 and winning BB from Open, Libanel Magical Martinique (Jopium Heart and Soul ex Erjon Ebony Rose at Libanel)m owned and bred by Dodsworth and Carr from Scarborough.

Winning not only Puppy, Junior but also RBB was a daughter of the BD, in the form of Corydon Agatha Cristal. Born in March 22, her dam is Corydon Cristal owned and bred by local exhibitor Miranda Blake at her first show and she is a tricolour.

Winning Spl Beginners Bitch was Dr Lynda Boyle with Barrenclough Touch of Silk (Barrenclough Diamond Days JW ex Barrenclough Touch of Thyme JW ShCm)
In the challenge for BOB, Miranda took this with Corydon The Grandmaster, BPIB to his daughter, Corydon Agatha Cristal and BSp Beginners to Libanel Erebus Eternal Love.
Groups, according to the schedule were to be judged by Mark James, Puppies by Adrian Bicknell and Spl Beginners by Tan Nagreecha and although Miranda stayed for both groups, we did not feature. I do not have any information if we were represented in the Spl Beginner Group. There were some well filled Stakes classes and looking through the results, I could not find any roughs placed.

Talking of Group places, the recent On-Line Our Dogs Charity show did produce some Collie winners. Photos were submitted by a few and both Shelley Skinner, who won the Pastoral Puppy group and Dora Richter won places in both the adult and veteran groups.

Lastly to the EACA Collie of the Year, Open to both Roughs and Smooths and held at the normal venue of Littleport. The judges were announced on the day as Stella Clark (Astrellita) and Michaela Rukopf (Vom Haus Rukopf) from Germany.

36 entrants were listed over 3 general categories, Veteran, Puppy and Adult. A brief synopsis of winners follows; Veteran of the Year was Dave & Sue Randall with Ch Ladnar Inkheart and Ch Brooklynson Jayne Russell of Oakestelle and Marianne Benton in Reserve.

Puppy entrants, of which there were 11, were headed by Mejola Main Event for Jo White. Koczkodan Steel My Heart, a Smooth for the Russell family took Runner Up

From the 20 Adults entered, the following were short-listed: Ch Brooklynson El Dorado and Marianne Benton, Ch Ladnar Mustriharder for Sue & Dave Randall, Brackenhaye Queen of Hearts for Oakestelle, (Smooth) for Marianne, Demelewis Double Dare and Maxine Mellish, Ladnar Trust In Me for Alfsden for Jan Milligan and her partner, Neil Marley and lastly Linda Philpin and her Tudorlyn A Kind of Magic.
Adult of the Year for 2022 went to the Smooth, Brackenhaye Queen of Hearts for Oakestelle with R/Up going to Ch Brooklynson El Dorado, both owned by Marianne Benton

With all 3 finalists gathered, RCOTY 2022 was declared by the judges as the Veteran bitch, Ch Ladnar Inkheart, who was declared EACA Pup of the Year back in 2015.  What a lovely start to the year for Dave & Sue.

Following a good Carvery  Lunch, the quiz, set as usual by Quiz- mistress, Lisa Pettitt, culminated in a few head-scratching moments but the overall winners were the Judges and Secretary Miranda.

 Finally, with reference to last week’s notes where I asked for your thoughts on the litter registered in both coat types, the comments I received were more than interesting. Not for the fact that a Rough was mated with a Smooth, as there are KC Guidelines for this. The main comments were the fact that a Blue Merle had been mated to a Sable, thus producing puppies with questionable colours should they be used in future breeding programmes! I only comment on this as I am well aware, as are many, of very similar issues abroad. There are countries, affiliated to the FCI and as such use the Breed Standard for the Country of Origin for their judges. We in the UK hold the Country of Origin for our Breed. It has become general knowledge that abroad, their kennel clubs are allowing the registration of not only the 3 recognised colours (Sable/Tri and Merle) but also allowing sable/tri or merle headed whites amongst others!!

I do not normally use this column to air my own views, but on this occasion, may I offer the following?  Breed Clubs, from their own members should discuss this issue and send to the Rough Collie Breed Council their feelings concerning the mating of blue merles to sables. The reasoning behind this is that in future generations, it is possible to produce a blue eyed sable, tricolours may not be true tricolours by way of having one small spot of merle on their coat colouring and other issues which many well be raised for future breeding plans.

 It would also help if we could be a united body on this issue. After all, we do have a statement to say that the breeding of blue merle to blue merle is not to be encouraged on health issues too. Please think about this and I apologise if you feel this is out of order but my concern is protecting our breed and its future.

Carole Smedley
Antoc