27th September 2024

By now all our Breed Clubs should have received copies of the RKC Health Standard and its associated requirements and suggestions. This quite an important document and will require all clubs to inform members etc and discuss the issues raised. If you are not a member of a breed club and still wish to know the contents, please feel free to e mail either Christine Collins (Secretary of the Rough Collie Breed Council) or myself, and I am sure that copies will be forwarded. Meanwhile comments from all clubs will be required very shortly and I understand this to be an item on the forthcoming RCBC Agenda with a meeting planned very soon
Another item that ALL should be aware of is the Change in the RKC Breed Watch which will take effect on 1st January 2025. This concerns all Judges, regardless of your judging status, breeders and owners.
In a summary, our Breed, Collie Rough remains in the Category 2 division, although the categories have been altered by the RKC and have not changed since the inception iof Breed Watch in 2013.  Each breed is monitored via a MANDATORY HEALTH FORM which is completed by judges at Championship Shows and I suspect it will be at the end of your Judging Book. It is hoped that under the “New System” and changes of movement between categories should be easier.
There are 3 Categories, 1 covers breeds with NO current Points of Concern
Category 2 now covers quite a few breeds and includes Collie Rough with various Points of Concern (noted by Judges) by reason of VISIBLE CONDITIONS which may have the potential to cause Health or Welfare Concerns
Category 3 includes the remaining breeds some of whom will be subject to Veterinary Health Checks to confirm BOB and later Champion titles.
So: here are the Points of Concern, as noted by the RKC for special attention by Judges:

Before you all get on the social media and complain, this is for the Health & Welfare of our Breed and is part of the RKC continued commitment to Championing the wellbeing of dogs. However, contact is being made, through the correct channels as to these  changes and how they have arrived at this listing.

A reasonably quiet weekend for some but there were 2 Breed Club Open shows held with smallish entries for both.
Perhaps a lack of money, time and coats and maybe too many shows were the main issues so allow me to give a very brief synopsis of both events.
First London Collie held their show at Chieveley with Terrie Cousins-Brown judging. Terri has always had an interest in the breed and has the Dorianblue kennel but has mainly specialised in PLS and is based in South Wales.
The weather just about held for her classes, as it only rained later during the bitch challenge.
Best Dog and RBD belonged to Christine & Noel Collins in the form of Rio and Arthur, and to give them their official titles, are Ch Triburle Bluebolero and Triburle The Joker. Best Puppy dog went to Gataj Perfect Timing for Melissa and BVD, I think was Wicani Altitude at Imaginist who was 3rd in the mixed Veteran class but only beaten by 2 ladies.
Gataj Exotic Girl took BB for Melissa, with RBB going to Marianne and Ch Brooklynson Jane Russell of Oakestelle VW ShCEx who had won the mixed Veteran class.
BOB fell to Christine and Ch Rio, RBOB and to Gataj Exotic Girl  and BVIB to Keira, Ch Brooklynson Jane Russell.
Lynda Nicholas had judged the Smooth entry and at the moment I do not know of her winners but have been informed that Shulune Imperial Inkheart in the ownership of both Michelle Fort and Georgina Howard went through to BPIS. BIS Referee was LCC Secretary, Stephen Clark who gave Ch Rio BIS

Alyson Carmichael is Secretary of Scottish Collie and they held an Open show at Crawfordjohn Hall, Lanark with Wilma Brodie (Shanaburn) for the main classes and Albert (Bert) Easdon – Yakee doing some well filled SAC classes which I think were judged after the Junior Bitch class. I have heard it was a happy day for many, with people coming who were not even  entered to help and show support for the Club, and on behalf of those, I am sure SCC are most appreciative.
There were 2 Baby Puppy classes scheduled but no males and just 1 female entered.
Wilma’s choice for BD was the Brooker family and Starlenga All About Majic for Corisian and he was followed home by Jo Hodges and Jopium Love On The Rocks. BPD was a win for Morag and Jim McCarte with their MP, Roughrigg Rags’n’Riches and thanks to Morag who let me know this and other wins attained on the day. Best Bitch went to their Roughrigg One of a Kind who won the Open class. RBB was Jo Hodges and her blue, Unusual Beauty des Conquettes de Don Juan at Jopium.  BPB went to Culbrae Charmed Again. BOB and BIS went to Starlenga All About Majic for Corisian, RBIS to McCartes with Roughrigg One of A Kind, BPIS also to Jim & Morag with Roughrigg Rags’n’Riches, with BVIS going to the sprightly Veteran, Lillyway Lattimer at Nithview for the Jopson’s family and Hazel Jopson. From some well filled SAC classes, although a few were absent, Bert Easdon found his winners in Culbrae Charmed Again, Michelle Mitchell with Avonfair Aloyious JW and Open to Thistlewing Celtic Soul for Karafaye. SCC also schedule 2 classes in memory of Harold Cliffe and these are confined to either Blue Merle or Tricolours. Jo Hodges won the Blue Merle class with her RBB and the winner of the tricolour class was Didek Moonshine for Cathbri for Cathy Proctor.
Finally, some late news in from Sophie Wray Ramsden who decided to take her Takhisis Extraordinary Lady, Jill, to Bedford & District CS where Sam Mackay judged and awarded her BPIB and then Angie Johns gave her PPG2.

Carole Smedley
(Antoc)

email: ca.antoc@btinternet.com