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DAVID HYDE - NATTERJACK |
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1. I have been owned by Beardies since
1980.
I was working in a salon in Bournemouth when I met my first Beardie,
he was a lovely lively brown boy and my client would come in every
week with him and he would curl up at her feet while she had her
hair done, I knew that was the dog for me, so once I bought my own
salon in Southsea I then got my first Beardie.
‘Connie’ was 8 months when I got her, she had been entered
into a couple of open shows and they said it would be lovely if
I could show her, I didn’t think I wanted to get into showing
but as she had been entered I took her along.
Her first show was the New Forest Open Show, I had bathed her and
prepared her the night before and took along all I was told to take
except for the mysterious ‘ring clip!’
I had been in several shops asking for a ring clip and no one knew
what it was but once I got to the show everyone knew!
I ended up getting a reserve in a large puppy class and that was
it, I was hooked and have had many Beardies ever since.
Many have spent a lot of time in the salon and Molly (Ch Diotima
Blue Kisses To Natterjack) was our most famous receptionist! she
would welcome clients in and in the summer would lay outside on
the pavement and most days people would come in to tell us she was
outside, but she never wandered into the road or any further than
outside the salon.
2. Our favorite part of owning Beardies is their exuberance and
we love long walks along the coast line (I cant stand the mud!)
but we do lots of country walks in the drier summer months but would
never live anywhere but the coast for the lovely walks. |
David with his girls
Maizey and Lula |
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3. I always find it so difficult with puppy homes, it is a huge responsibility
selling to show homes as you never really know how a puppy will turn out
so I prefer to stick with pet homes.
I don’t mind them going to homes with children as I think Beardies
and children are wonderful together.
I always tell the people that I am willing for them to come and see the
puppies but I will not say they can have one until I have met them, this
has caused a few problems over the years with one particular couple who
had two very nervous children who kept pushing the dogs away and a wife
who kept picking hair off of her trousers and when I said “ This
is not the breed for you, you can’t have one” the husband
banged down a wad of money on the table and said “heres the money
now which one can I take?”
After I again explained I would not sell one to him he threatened me with
all sorts of things before he left!
4. The most important advice I would give to a new breeder is, Speak
to people in the breed you admire, ask their advice, ask about their lines,
go over as many dogs and puppies as you can and get to know what you like
and what you don’t and don’t compromise.
5. I think it would have to be temperament health and construction but
any way around would look right!
6. In a good brood bitch you need all three of the above, and a good
amount of being a good mother, some bitches seeem to produce great puppies
whoever they are mated too, I would say in choosing a good brood bitch
again llok at the lines you like and take notice of the Dam rather than
the Sire, as most people see a puppy they like and immediately look at
who the sire is.
7. The ultimate show dog has to have outstanding construction and temperament
and a huge dollop of ring presence. Several of our outstanding show dogs
are not the best constructed but they commanded attention as soon as they
stepped into the ring with their presence.
8. The secret of success is being able to produce the above!
9. Such a difficult task to choose three Beardies as it could change
every day depending on how i’m feeling about the breed!
The three Beardies I consider to be amongst the greatest in the breed
would have to be Ch Ororas Frank for his sheer ring presence, construction
and ability to pass this on as a sire, it was always a joy to watch him
move around the ring and he knew he was good too!
Ch Diotima Gabriella was a stunning bitch sired by Frank and had his wonderful
movement she was also an amazing brood bitch and finally Ch Tamevalley
Easter Song of Potterdale another outstanding bitch who excelled as a
brood bitch and produced a lot of the strength we have in the breed today.
10. My proudest moment is a toss up between winning the Bitch CC with
homebred Ch Natterjack Natashka at the BCC champ show in 1990 in the largest
entry we have ever had at a championship show in the UK 385 dogs made
an entry of 554 and then the most thrilling that still gives me a smile
is when the judge walked up to me and handed me Ch Malandex Xploits With
Natterjack first CC from puppy and then a couple of weeks later to get
the second one from puppy and then to make her up in junior and own the
youngest champion the breed has ever had, yes that what pretty thrilling!
and i’m not sure how I will ever top that or that feeling.
11. Maybe I will try and beat that record with one of her puppies!
12. The breed today compared to when I first owned the breed hasnt changed
a massive amount, the things I notice more than anything is the quality
in the ring.
When I was first showing I was competing in puppy classes of up to 35
bitches and the quality was in depth, now it seems to be much smaller
numbers and little quality.
I wonder if some of it is people breeding from mediocre dogs and producing
mediocre dogs rather than going to a top kennel and buying in something
really special to breed from.
The movement in the breed has suffered due to fronts not being as good
as they were and also we seem to be sadly lacking the correct shape and
length of rib and due to the poor fronts no fore chest, this all adds
up to the dog not moving as it should.
Rear ends are still quite sound, although in some of the European countries
where more excessive angulation and a kick up are required, this is creeping
in over here a little due to more dogs from overseas being introduced
back into our bloodlines.
Temperament is in general very sound, you don’t seem to see so many
nervous Beardies but maybe it is because there aren’t the numbers
that there used to be.
Shortness of back and short upper arm is another more common problem and
I hate to see this high lifting of the front feet due to this and the
ridiculous movement of these short backed dogs, sadly some are even winning
groups and once the all rounders start to think this is the norm then
it will be time for me to leave this lovely breed.
But on the positive side there are still a lot of breeders who do still
see the Beardie as it should be, ‘a lively outgoing extrovert of
a dog with a supple smooth long reaching gait with minimum effort, on
standing they should have a beautiful flowing outline with no coarseness
over the shoulder a solid topline and a neat rear, carrying an adequate
amount of natural coat and have a strong head with the all important enquiring
expression’
Not a lot to ask for is it?!
David Hyde
14th February 2013 |
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RUTH SCOTT - RAMBERHAY |
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1. I bred my first litter
in 1978. I had always had dogs at home as a child (mainly Border
Collies and Spaniels) and as soon as I had a house with a garden
a dog was an absolute must-have!! Fell in love with Ch. Davealex
Royle Brigadier at Crufts in 1974 and the rest, as they say, is
history.
2. Best of all is a really good blow on Berrow Beach..my current
girls will have a swim if the tide is in. Enjoying the countryside
with my dogs is very special....I enjoy seeing them having fun with
all their many friends, too.
3. Sadly I bred my last litter in 2006, and I miss the experience
of breeding more than I can say. However, like most breeders, I
found the search for the right homes for my puppies the worst part
of breeding by a long chalk. I always did the third degree on prospective
homes, and if they were local, I visited. I would not sell to anyone
who worked 9 to 5 and they would have to convince me that there
was real commitment to walking the dog twice a day in all weathers,
and that the whole family, without exception, shared this commitment.
Gently I would always point out the need to realise that the purchase
price of the puppy was only the beginning of a very expensive enterprise,
Vets’ bills, boarding fees, equipment costs etc being what
they are.
There really isn’t an ideal puppy buyer for me, each one
has to be carefully assessed on his/her merits and the final decision
can’t be made until there have been several visits to see
the litter and talk things over. |
Ruth
with' Pippa' Ch. Rising Lark at Ramberhay and 'Lottie' Ramberhay
September Song in 1984 |
As far as children are concerned, visits obviously give ample opportunity
to see how they behave with the dogs and puppies, but I never felt the
need for hard and fast rules over ages etc.
4. Breeding a litter of puppies is a huge responsibility and should never,
ever, be undertaken without careful thought and planning. I would say,
to a new breeder, go to lots of shows/dog events, look at and evaluate
for yourself any likely sires for your litter, talk to people who are
experienced and whose knowledge you admire and trust, reassure yourself
that your bitch is a suitable future Mum, find out about hip scoring,
eye testing and all other relevant tests...actually the list is endless.
Just remember, you never stop learning as a dog breeder, it is so important
to understand that this is not something you can jump into believing you
know all the answers....it just isn’t like that. Steep yourself
in the world of Beardies, don’t just go to Shows to win a card and
then go home – stay and watch other handlers, dogs from other bloodlines,
and above all, ask questions and listen to other points of view.
5. Temperament first, health second, construction third (but I would
be hoping for all three together, of course).
6. She must have a steady, unflappable temperament with no sign of nervousness.
She must be strongly made and in robust health with good test results...a
good eater who enjoys every morsel of her food, and has a real zest for
life.
Hopefully from a line of bitches who have proved themselves in the whelping
box and whose characteristics she will have inherited.
7. One that combines soundness and breed type, and one that really enjoys
being in the ring and looks as if showing comes as second nature. If we’re
lucky we get some like this, but not all dogs enjoy showing and I think
it is unkind and unneccessary to force the reluctant ones to show.
8. Listen and learn. Aim to improve your stock with each generation.
Realise that success is a bonus and that perseverance and dedication are
essential qualities in the quest for it.
9. I am deliberately choosing three different dogs from the ones I chose
for “Judges’ Choice” in the Kennel Gazette a few years
ago...I think there is quality in depth in our breed and I can cast my
net wide.
This time my choices are: Ch.Breaksea Gothic, Ch.Osmart Black Lorraine
and Ch.Sammara Standing Ovation. All from the past, but all superlative
Beardies and so full of breed type. I gave Gothic a CC many years ago,
and he was one of my all time favourite brown boys. Lorraine was the Mother
of my first Beardie, so typy and sound with the most wonderful temperament.
Boysie was a great favourite who left such a legacy to the breed. There
are so many greats, it is wonderful to be spoilt for choice!
10. There have been many moments to cherish....perhaps top of the list
would have to be winning a Res.CC at Crufts in 1997 with my lovely blue
girl, Belle. But also high on the list is getting messages from people
who have had puppies from me saying how wonderful they are!
11. Sadly, no more breeding or showing for me. And at the end of 2014
no more judging either. Anno Domini catches up with us all!!
12. There are fortunately many wonderful Beardies currently in the ring,
showing that superlative balance and outline both standing and on the
move. However, there are some aspects of the modern Beardie which give
me cause for concern. The standard asks for a very specific length to
height ratio, and too often we see short backed, almost cobby examples,
totally alien to the essence of the Beardie. One of the most fundamental
characteristics of the breed is that flowing, effortless gait emanating
from the correct body proportions coupled with correct angulation fore
and aft. Fronts nowadays seem to be more problematic than hindquarters;
the short upper arm and steep shoulder giving rise to unacceptable, high
stepping action. I have been concerned about these trends during recent
opportunities to judge the breed. But....rose coloured spectacles or not,
I still think the Beardie is the best breed in the world, on all counts,
and I am proud to have been an unashamed fan from 1974 to the present
day!
Ruth Scott
15th February 2013 |
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ALTHEA RICHARDSON - CARAMAC |
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1. I waited five years
before buying a bitch and breeding my first litter. My first beardie
(Ch Swinford Sky Rocket at Macmont) sired many litters and I went
to see as many as possible.
By the time I was ready to breed I had served a long and enjoyable
apprenticeship.
2. I enjoy our caravan holidays and taking long walks – watching
them run free. Every day with a beardie is a happy day.
3. Best homes for my puppies – I prefer pet homes as I breed
for myself in the first instance.
My ideal puppy buyer is someone who is prepared to make him/her
a member of the family with total commitment for the rest of their
life.
4. Like other breeders they go off with the usual list of advice
- also always on the end of the telephone etc. In brief, get to
know your beardie, learn to get to know them as they need to get
to understand your requirements. Be consistant, keep calm, and routine
is essential.
5. A difficult one - temperament a must. I believe construction
and health can overlap because if your beardie is not well constructed
it restricts their mobility which is essential to health.
6. A good brood bitch must have all the above three AND be capable
of mating naturally, whelping naturally and enjoying the rearing
of her puppies.
7. The ultimate show dog - be a good representative of the breed
(fit the standard) and have a natural desire to show off.
8. Secret of success – well I have enjoyed my moments in
the show ring and admit that lots of effort has to be made. Other
than that its down to the judges. |
Althea a few years
back with
CH Swinford Sky Rocket At Macmont |
9. There are many special dogs who have won many many honours in the
show ring. However if I can only name three it has to be Ch Brambledale
Balthazar who produced some wonderful prodigy.
Ch Potterdale Lyric John who was the most impressive looking brown and
also produced many winning prodigy. And Ch Orora’s Frank who had
excellent breed type and again influenced the breed through his prodigy.
10. My proudest moment – well my wins at shows are just wonderful
BUT seeing how well my dogs interact with other dogs and humans on our
walks is the best ever. We all know that feeling with our wonderful breed.
11. My future plans – well after 36 years of pure pleasure I am
just going to enjoy the dogs I have.
Althea Richardson
16th February 2013
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LYNN DUMBRELL - BETHLYNTEE |
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1 - I bought my first Bearded
Collie in 1985 and Beth (Sunbree Such Delight) was bought solely to
work the cattle on our farm! We originally started working our cattle
with a rescued German Shepherd and was totally won over by the idea
of using dogs to help with the work. It was through a chance meeting
with two local Beardies and some investigative delving into this breed
that I decided that as a "drover's dog" this breed was what
we needed. If we had any doubts about the suitability of the breed
to do the job, Beth was soon to dispel them. Over the years Beth proved
her worth time and time again, including saving me from being trampled
by a herd of Charollais cattle. It was suggested to me that I should
perhaps think of showing Beth, which I did with some success including
a ticket and BOB.
2 – Any time spent with my dogs is special, but walking with
them around the farm and sitting with them by the stream and simply
chilling is the most rewarding.
3 - In the 28 years or so I have only bred 6 litters for myself,
so I have been lucky in that a lot of my original puppy owners have
come back for a second puppy. Beardies are 'people' dogs who need
to be with their owners, so anyone working full time would not even
be considered. Prospective puppy owners who talked of an interest
in 'doing' things with their dogs, i.e. obedience, working trials,
agility, etc., would definitely get a second look! |
Lynn and Katie, her
foundation bitch
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4 - Learn as much about the breed as possible, including reading books.
Find out about correct temperament, construction, and about the dogs in
your dog's pedigree, so that when the time comes you have the knowledge
to make your own decisions about which dog to use or which puppy to choose.
Don’t confine your search for a suitable stud dog to the show ring;
be prepared to look elsewhere. Being able to recognise the faults in your
dog is also important. Listen to those around you whose knowledge and
opinions you value, but in the end it should be your decision. Most importantly
don't rush into anything!
5 - This is really an easy question to answer - 1st is temperament, 2nd
is health and 3rd construction. No matter what you choose to do with your
dog, without the first two construction is immaterial.
6 - Correct temperament, good health, construction and breed type
7 - When I judge Bearded Collies I am looking for a well-balanced dog
of correct proportions, not overdone or exaggerated in any way and exhibiting
the temperament called for in our standard. Movement is so important in
a working breed, so when our standard calls for "minimum of effort
" in the movement, that is exactly what I want to see. Put all that
together with a lovely head and a "bright, enquiring" expression
and a certain presence about them, then you will have what a Bearded Collie
is about.
8 - Someone, a lot wiser than me said “you cannot command success,
but you can at least be worthy of it". Learn all you can but first
and foremost always put our breed first.
9 - My choice is based on the fact that I actually knew these dogs very
well and in their own way the following three Beardies epitomise to me
what our breed should be about and of course to their owners they were
the greatest. First is Ch. Beardivale Village Gossip CDEx. I have chosen
this dog because, as well as having the ideal temperament which made him
a loyal companion to his owner, he was very successful in the show ring
into his veteran years. Benjie still is the only show champion to earn
a working trial qualification and he also was more than capable of working
sheep; truly an all round Bearded Collie. My second choice would be Charncroft
Caradoc as he was the sire of my first two Beardies, Beth and her sister
Katie, who was to turn out to be my foundation bitch. Peter’s beautiful
temperament and type he passed onto my two girls and which Katie then
passed on to her offspring. Sunbree Sandy Trail has to be the final choice.
I picked him as a stud dog for my Katie daughter, Sadie, because once
again he exhibited all that I think of as a Bearded Collie; beautiful
temperament, correct proportions, soundness and type. I was not disappointed,
as the bitch I chose to keep was Meg who proved to be all that anyone
could want.
10 - Making up my Meg (Ch. Bethlyntee Summer Breeze), because as well
as being a show girl, she was indispensable when it came to working our
cows, which she did on a regular basis.
11 - My future plans are quite simple really, since I don't have any
plans to breed more litters, I will continue to do a few shows every year
enjoying the company of my dogs and friends.
12 - There are, of course, some very good Beardies still to be found,
but unfortunately there is a trend towards a short-legged variety. The
length of leg should, at the very least, be equal to the depth of chest
and ideally be slightly longer, i.e. 1 to 1:1. Without these important
proportions you end up with dogs, that not only no longer resemble the
breed, but would be incapable of doing the work for which they were originally
bred. Lack of leg length, coupled with lack of forechest, straight fronts
and over angulated hindquarters, produces a scurrying action, often accompanied
by a bouncing movement, which is highly undesirable in our breed and does
not equate to the “supple, smooth and long reaching, covering ground
with minimum effort” called for in our standard. Another, and even
more worrying trend, is the poor temperament which we are seeing more
and more around the shows. Our standard is very clear on this one “steady,
intelligent working dog, with no signs of nervousness or aggression”.
Anything other than this is incorrect.
We need to step back and take a good, hard look at what is happening
before it's too late.
Lynn Dumbrell
20th February 2013 |
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MAUREEN BETTS - PIPADENE |
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1. We were first introduced to beardies
in 1974 & once seen we were smitten. We already had a little heinz
57 from the local dogs home, with whom John was enjoying the obedience
scene but the bearded collie was just what I had secretly been looking
for; energetic, loving, willing to please and a show off! As luck
would have it our obedience class trainer was expecting a litter and
in June 1975, Moonglow Magic Charm at Pipadene joined us. "Sally"
was the sweetest girl & so patient with me while I underwent my
apprenticeship in the show ring. She taught me so much and we were
hooked. In 1978 we bred our first litter and the "Pipadene "kennels
was born.
2. We have enjoyed several pursuits with our beardies over the
years; agility, obedience, hospital visiting and of course, the
show ring.
I have such fond memories working my beardies in obedience but the
one who stands out for me was Pipadene Fleur. She absolutely adored
it & was a real joy to work. That said, the show ring has &
always will be my absolute favourite. I love the thrill of looking
for the different characters in each dog and working with them to
find that extra something in the ring Not only do I love to show
my dogs but I really enjoy training others, helping them get the
best out of their beautiful dogs.
3. Whilst I thoroughly enjoy having puppies, we only have a litter
when we are looking for our next generation. Having bred for our
own adorable bundle, it is vitally important to settle the litter
mates into loving adoptive homes where hopefully they will remain
for the rest of their lives. We always meet all our prospective
puppy owners & look for a certain personality & attitude
. I do rely on my gut instinct which may sound harsh but my puppies
happiness is extremely important to me. Should our puppy buyers
then show interest in any canine activities, we support them wholeheartedly.
Our ideal puppy owners are those that keep in touch, proudly recounting
special moments & achievements but not afraid to ask for help
if and when needed. |
Maureen and Alfie,
Ch Pipadene Late Night Extra |
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4. If you're thinking of breeding remember, you get out what you put
in. Know your bitch ( don't be kennel blind ) and choose your stud dog
wisely. Seek as much information that you possibly can, such as what has
been previously produced, health issues & top of my list temperament.
Feed your bitch & resulting puppies really well and socialise your
babes as much as you can.
5. This is a very difficult question as all three are extremely important.
You need confirmation to be healthy and health to be happy, which hopefully
supports good temperament. I wouldn't weight one higher than the other
as all should be equally weighted when breeding.
6. A good brood bitch in my opinion should have all of the above and
have a passion to rear her litter. The "mum" is so important
in teaching her offspring good manners.
7. My ultimate show dog would be well constructed, true to the breed
standard, bidable and with oodles of character to provide that "
X factor".
8. I think the secret of success is always striving to maintain health,
temperament & type whilst trying to improve your stock generation
on generation. I believe that success is earned by hard work & perseverance
& should never be taken for granted.
9. There have been many dogs over the years that I have greatly admired
but the three that I have picked on this occasion, have all the attributes
that for me, typify the bearded collie.
Ch.Brambledale Balthazar, the true "gentle knight" whose temperament
was second to none. He had strength in head & the most kindly expression,
balanced throughout, he had that effortless beardie movement.
Ch. Potterdale Classic of Moonhill for me had the X factor in every way.
I remember watching her in the big ring at Crufts in 1989, so balanced
throughout, simply flowed around that ring. Excelled in type and temperament
a real " people " dog.
Ch. Pepperland Lyric John at Potterdale, a truly handsome boy with a multitude
of attributes, passed down through so many of his children. Winston sired
my first champion at Pipadene.
10. My proudest moment; well I'd like to cheat & have two! Judging
bitches at Crufts in 2010 was such an honour. I had so many lovely dogs
to assess, it was really special. However I really couldn't forget winning
Best in Show at Birmingham City all breed championship show in1996, with
my beloved Webster ( Ch Pipadene News Review), truly a moment that will
live on with me forever.
11. My future plans - continue having fun. I have been exceptionally
lucky to have been introduced to such a lovely breed & hope I will
be able to continue showing, judging, training & occasionally breeding
for a few more years yet.
12. Todays Beardie? - there are some really super Beardes around at present,
with some really promising youngsters. However I do feel that we need
to improve front angulation, in particular watch upper arm length, as
there is still a lot of short stepping to be seen. Without a balanced
reach & drive our beardies would have great difficulty in performing
lengthy duties for which they were originally bred. Length & shape
of rib is also something that we as breeders need to put some thought
to.
Maureen Betts
20th February 2013
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LIZ JAY - TALRAZ |
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1. Like so many, I first fell
in love with the picture in the "Observers' Book of Dogs"
as a schoolgirl, though it was some years before I met a real live
Beardie and I had to be content with my parents' chosen breed, Yorkshire
Terriers. Then, as a student, I was asked to doggysit one hot day.
A friend's parents were taking him out for a meal and they couldn't
leave Tammy to sit in the car, so I volunteered to help and was delighted
to meet the beautiful "Tammy" (Tamevalley Burlesque). A
visit to Crufts in 1975 and hours spent talking to the gentle souls
around the benches and their adoring humans made me determined to
own this wonderful breed one day.
Luckily my new husband is a dog lover too, and soon after we met,
"Razzle" came into our lives - and a whole new world opened
up for us. We became involved in all doggy activities, including showing,
and along came "Tallie" (Deanfield Black Lace of Talraz),
from whom all our present-day dogs are descended. The first litter
with the new affix "Talraz" was born in 1982
2. Our dogs have their own individual personalities and although
they all have that fun-loving "essence of Beardie", I
have found willing partners in a variety of activities from showing,
obedience, agility, and herding through to gentler pursuits such
as country walks, hospital visiting, and fireside cuddles. I love
the versatility of the breed, so that your hardy herder which battles
with the stock in a chilly field in the morning can be the same
dog which shares the sofa in front of the TV in the evening. Probably
most of all I enjoy just being around them and learning from them,
there seems to be always something new |
The newly wed Mr and
Mrs Jay with honorary bridesmaid dog "Razzle" (Rayre's
Rhapsody-in-Blue) aged 14 months |
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3. The hardest thing of all about being a breeder is finding the best
homes. Many enquirers fall at the first hurdle, when there seems to be
some spark missing, which is all down to "gut feeling" and other
intangibles. If I can't imagine being at least reasonably friendly with
any person for several years, then I prefer to back off, as good communication
is vital for the puppies' future wellbeing and therefore my continuing
peace of mind.
I always encourage people to visit us between litters, to meet the dogs,
and this gives us an opportunity to see how they interact with one another
without the distraction of cute puppies. I do like people who ask lots
of sensible questions, and listen to the replies properly! A sense of
humour is essential too. Sadly experience has taught us to avoid young
parents, the very house-proud, couples who have unequal affection for
dogs and any home where the pup will be expected to spend long periods
of time alone. Would-be exhibitors can be a nightmare too, as puppies
don't arrive with labels round their necks saying "Future Champion"
and so much can go wrong which isn't necessarily the fault of the dog
or the breeder
My ideal puppy buyer has done their homework, combines a warm heart with
common sense, and above all keeps in touch throughout the dog's life -
and maybe one day comes back for another Talraz because their first was
so special - that is a compliment of the highest order
4. I would advise a new breeder to carefully think through their motives
before bringing puppies into the world. Breeding is a huge responsibility,
not just about producing puppies but also guiding new possibly first-time
owners of the breed. Be sure you know the answers to all their questions
about feeding, grooming, health care, and training as well as being able
to speak about the needs and characteristics of the breed - or at least
be sure you know where to direct these questions. Your responsibility
to the pups you breed does not end when they go out of the door.
Remember that each litter bred is not stand-alone but potentially a link
in the chain of generations, so choose your breeding pair carefully and
aim high. If you aren't proud of your litter in every way then why breed
it at all?
5. Temperament has to be the most important followed by health, good construction
is a bonus!
6. A good brood bitch has to be sound, typical of the breed, healthy and
robust with a happy contented nature - any sign of nervousness or aggression
is wrong according to the breed standard and should never be excused or
perpetuated. The best brood bitches have predictable seasons, textbook
mating behaviour and serene uncomplicated pregnancies. They whelp their
pups calmly and require little assistance for the early weeks beyond clean
bedding and extra food. As the pups grow they will help to wean them with
regurgitated food and discipline them as necessary. They will also help
vet future potential owners and accompany their offspring on their first
adventures away from home!
7. The ultimate show dog also has to be sound, typical of the breed, healthy
and robust and has to possess an air of quality and "attitude".
A fit body, gleaming well-presented coat, bright intelligent expression
and a healthy set of teeth all give show ring appeal. I like a dog which
throws itself into showing in an honest way, standing tall and proud with
little handler assistance and moving freely in any direction and at any
speed - an occasional half-bounce and a wagging tail shows personality
and is much more attractive than a furry statue.
8. Hard work, a willingness to learn, a willingness to change direction
if necessary, and a good helping of luck (or karma!)
9. Ch Pepperland Lyric John at Potterdale always impressed for his beautiful
clean outline, striking brown coat with sparkling white collar, and air
of absolute self-confidence. He also produced some wonderful offspring
over the years, as did my other choice, Ch Orora's Frank. I loved Frank's
head and expression. his charisma and his elegance - and what a mover!
Both these dogs kept their good looks well into old age and were great
ambassadors for the breed. For my third dog, I select the French dog Fr
& Int Ch In Vogue Island Come To Look At Me for his absolute correctness,
excellent movement and breed type. I gave him Best In Show when I judged
the French Club Show in 2009 and he was only 22 months, he stood out then
and has matured into a dog of exceptional quality and wide appeal.
10. So many to choose from....show ring glories are the icing on the cake
but I love those little moments....watching Mirk (Talraz Supertramp) running
wide and fast to gather a flock in a twenty acre field.....a nice message
from a friend who has met up with one of our ex-puppies to say she's beautiful,
be very proud......seeing Shannon's name listed with the BCC Senior Working
Test qualifiers.....taking a litter to the vet for checkups and hearing
the vet say wow what gorgeous pups you have.......watching a Beardie gently
charm a visitor with nudges and thumping tail and hearing the visitor
exclaim oh your dogs are so lovely!! .......
11. We may not breed many more litters here as we are wary of having too
many dogs when we are not getting any younger, but hopefully we can continue
for the next five to ten years with our natural rearing philosophies,
giving our puppies what we believe to be the best start in life. We hope
to continue to avoid following high fashion trends, and stick to the type
of Beardie we know, love and trust, and hope that there will be those
around who appreciate them as much as we do. And of course we hope to
continue learning......
12. Sometimes I worry about them, as breed type is sometimes subtly "off"
and glamour has become confused with quality
Dogs which can stand like statues, but move awkwardly, I find disturbing,
and I worry that basic items of construction have been overlooked in favour
of superb coats and eye-catching markings....I worry too about rumours
of tail-fixing, and hushed-up health problems, and the use of mood-altering
substances to render neurotic animals docile
But then I look at the majority of happy normal animals, and I feel that
there is hope.....!!
Liz Jay
20th February 2013 |
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TONY AND CHRIS BURSCOUGH - KILFINAN |
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We are flattered to have
been contacted for this Interview as we consider ourselves novices
when compared to others in the breed.
1. We acquired our first Bearded Collie on 21.3.86. He was 12 months
old and lived next door to Tony’s parents. The family had
never really got to grips with such a lively, intelligent puppy
and consequently he was rather unruly. We had never intended to
have a Beardie, we didn’t know the breed, at the time we had
Old English Sheepdogs and he was similar so how could we refuse?
We discovered his name was “Bixie” (short for Bixter)
and his registered name was Stowbourne Bixter. His breeders lived
locally and they introduced us to the world of showing, we went
along to the Cheshire show and came 2nd of 3……hooked!
Bixie never exactly hit the heights but he did teach us a lot, particularly
how to lose gracefully! Realising we needed to gain some control
of Bixie we were introduced to the world of Obedience where he tested
our patience, and that of our trainer, to the limit but it’s
character building, so they say, and we must have enjoyed some parts
of it as we acquired another, from the same breeder! Ceilidh’s
mouth was overshot so Chris continued to persevere with Obedience
and Agility training and managed to achieve the Senior Working Test
with her. We had cottoned on by then that Bixie was not going to
win BIS at Crufts and as we enjoyed the breed and showing decided
to look around for a dog that was of show quality. So by now we
were smitten and wanted to know more about this lovely breed.
In 1988 we were introduced to Pat Jones (Wellknowe), we admired
the dogs she had, she was a no nonsense stocks person with an in-depth
knowledge of dogs in general and we were very pleased when she entrusted
us with Skye (Wellknowe Skara Belle of Kilfinan) with whom we learnt
so much. We are for ever grateful to Pat for her time and patience
and acting as our guide and mentor - we miss her enormously and
hope she would approve of how we have utilised her knowledge and
experience. Skye produced our first litter of Bearded collies in
1990 and we kept a dog, Shep ( Ch. Kilfinan Countryman) and a bitch
, Corrie ( Kilfinan Moonlight Holly).From Skye is descended all
of our present day Beardies. We are currently showing an 11month
old bitch who is our 6th generation.
2. We enjoy doing everything with the dogs: showing, training,
watching them grow and develop from new- borns through the gawky
junior stage to full grown adults and then senior citizens. Probably
the best time is watching them enjoy themselves on a free run across
the beach, in a field or in the woods. There is nothing like watching
Beardies in full flight!
3. The decision to have a litter of puppies is never taken lightly
and finding homes for them is the least enjoyable part of the process.
We breed a litter when we want to keep a puppy to hopefully improve
and continue the “type” we prefer. We only ever advertise
them through the puppy lists of the Breed Clubs or the Kennel Club
as we hope that this way the prospective new families will have
been through the initial stages of considering why they want this
particular Breed. We have fairly finely honed radar when it comes
to prospective guardians of our pups and will dissuade anyone we
think may not be suitable. We prefer people who have had Beardies
before and are willing for us to contact previous breeders for references
but would not rule out anyone who we feel is |
Tony enjoying Jinny's
puppies
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Chris and Skye
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sensible and will LISTEN to advice. We are not
averse to children in the family as long as we can see them with
the dogs and they are well mannered and under parental control.
Seeing how they react and relate to a number of our adult Beardies
when we arrange for them to visit to discuss the breed can be
revealing both in respect of the children and the adults. Children
can be very beneficial and we both grew up with dogs in the household
so who knows, the children could be the next generation of exhibitors/breeders?
We do prefer people who have open minds regarding raw feeding
and vaccinations and discuss these issues and options with them.
We like to furnish people with information which we feel will
enhance the life of the dog and the family and have been encouraged
by past successes.
4. The most important advice we would give to someone
who had decided to breed a litter is to firstly question why they
want to breed, then to raise their awareness of what breeding
a litter entails, emphasising the responsibility that goes with
it in respect of the bitch and puppies and what can go wrong.
If they still want to go ahead to discuss with them about how
to they can select a prospective sire to contribute to the improvement
(hopefully) of the breed and how they can best prepare the bitch
for mating and whelping. We would advise them to speak to experienced
breeders of particular lines they admire and to try to choose
a dog which will enhance the future generation rather than trust
to luck and go with the latest Champion. Before breeding a litter
people need to have a clear idea of their own bitches’ good
points and where she could be improved and then decide what they
want from a particular dog to improve on her “faults”
or not so good points. Putting in the ground work and breeding
from the best available should then give them the best start.
If they can find someone with knowledge and experience who they
respect and trust and then accept guidance and advice from them,
from our experience this is more helpful than listening to advice
from a number of different people as this can become confusing
and can often be contradictory. Experience brings a confidence
in “gut feelings” but until that time arrives the
new breeder needs clear guidance.
5. Thought about this long and hard and decided
finally that all 3 are interlinked and of critical importance,
however health and temperament are probably slightly more important
as most puppies go to homes where they are companions and a family
member and without good health and a stable temperament the dog
could jeopardise the relationship leading to a very poor outcome
for dog and owner. Construction is important and vital to the
original purpose for which the Beardie was bred but is also a
key factor in reducing stresses and pressures on the framework
of the dog and enhancing its ability to enjoy a full and active
life into old age.
6. A good brood bitch should have all the attributes
above plus descending from a successful line of brood bitches
is an advantage. She should have a steady and reliable temperament
and her health status, that of her relatives and any puppies produced
should be known and the information used responsibly. If her predecessors
have had problems whelping or rearing a litter then we would reassess
her as a potential brood. An outstanding brood bitch would pass
on her qualities to her litter .We would also want a bitch to
have a healthy appetite and a sensible approach to rearing her
puppies.
7. The ultimate show dog must come as close to the standard as
possible whilst possessing a temperament to cope with the stresses
of long days at shows with the ability to turn up the performance
on the big occasion. Unfortunately with long coated breeds they
can be ruined by over presentation at the expense of correct construction
and movement.
8. Achieving the highest level of success takes
determination, hard work, patience, a sound knowledge of the breed,
an understanding of animal husbandry, an ability to assess your
own stock without being kennel blind, the ability to accept making
mistakes, being able to present your dog to the highest standard
and to be able to take the rough with the smooth. Add a dollop
of good luck and you may be somewhere near!
9. Choosing the 3 greatest Beardies in our opinion
is difficult as we have not had the advantage of judging the Beardies
of the past but we have chosen those from bygone days as they
have made the greatest impression. We have chosen Ch. Wellknowe
Crofter as he was the dog we based our lines on having the balance
and movement we look for, Ch. Potterdale Privilege as he was a
superb ambassador for the breed being unexaggerated and a superb
showman and Ch. Osmart Bonnie Blue Braid for his amazing contribution
to the improvement of the breed in the early days.
10. In terms of the showring we have had a number
of memorable experiences among which are winning the Welsh Contest
of Champions in 1998 with Ch Osmart Lizzie’s country Lass
of Kilfinan, winning the group at Blackpool 2007 with Kilfinan
Scott’s Lass and coming Reserve in the working Group at
Blackpool in 1995 with Ch. Kilfinan Countryman but the most amazing
one was winning BOB at Crufts 1994 with Countryman and being pulled
out in the last 8 in the huge Working Group. I don’t think
we really appreciated what we had done at the time as we had only
had Beardies for 7 years and he was from our first litter.
11. Our hopes are to continue to breed healthy sound
animals and to have the opportunity to enhance our judging experience
in Beardies and other breeds in order to broaden our knowledge
base. With regard to showing we can only produce and show what
we feel is correct and the outcome is in the hands of the judges!
12. It is difficult to know whether rose tinted
specs come into this one as we remember huge entries in all classes
when we first started showing. It was not unusual to have 20-30
in puppy classes and the Limit and Open classes were always enormous
and filled with mature dogs in full coat. Again it is difficult
to answer because we were not so experienced in those days so
maybe not as critical - so were they better or were we not so
able to assess?
There are many top class Beardies still to be found , shown to
perfection so we don’t wish to sound damning but the main
areas of concern for us are:
Size: particularly in dogs as they appear to be getting smaller.
Considering the old standard for dogs was 24” before being
reduced to 22” it would indicate that the breed was considered
to be of a fair size. Some dogs today appear to be lacking size
and substance and could be mistaken for bitches.
Heads: can sometimes be lacking width of skull and therefore lack
balance. There appear to be a number lacking the width of underjaw
and teeth seem to getting smaller in some. Eye colour has been
a major problem for a long time and alongside head properties
has a negative impact on the expression which is a major factor
in considering breed type.
Proportions: a new “fashion” we have noticed creeping
in is lack of leg length which alters the overall proportions.
Our understanding is that the 5:4 ratio comes from the length
of back (from the ribs) combined with correct forehand placement,
depth of chest and the length of leg which meets the standards
requirement for plenty of daylight under the body. There appears
to be a number of Beardies lacking the required length of leg
which gives the illusion of length but is incorrect for proportion
and therefore balance.
Movement: we are not fans of the “kick- back” seen
in some as this is wasted energy. We also prefer to see dogs moved
at a sensible pace and not scuttling around the ring “going
nowhere”.
Handling styles change but, particularly in puppies, we are not
fans of the over trained exhibit, that looks like a statue, who
when you look at its expression gives the impression of “the
lights are on but nobody is home”. Beardies have a love
of life and they should be allowed to show some of their natural
exuberance in the ring. There is a difficult balance to be achieved
in showing a Beardie and it needs to be a partnership rather than
domination.
Tony and Chris Burscough (Kilfinan).
25th February 2013
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JUSTINE WALDRON-GREY - SNOWMEAD |
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1. Our first Beardie was
born in 1982 - Brady (Penliza's Teasel)was a brown Pepperland Lyric
John son. He was bought as a pet but after becoming a member of
the SCBCC and entering the 'local' open show my mother was soon
hooked. Brady was followed by two males before our first girl -
Ch Desborough Dulcinea of Snowmead, so our first litter wasn't born
until 1990. Having grown up with Beardies they are an integral part
of my life - I couldn't imagine a home without them!
2. The most enjoyable thing about Beardies is living with them!
They are so much part of the family and it is their wonderful temperaments
that make them easy to live with.
3 . We rarely have litters and finding the right homes for puppies
has got to be one of the hardest things about having a litter. An
ideal puppy buyer has got to be someone who is looking for a puppy
to be part of the family and will make a lifetime commitment. There
is also nothing more satisfying as receiving photos or a Christmas
card from people who have had a puppy.
4. Talk to as many people as you can, listen to all of the advice
given, make up your own mind. Study pedigrees, see the dogs for
yourself and evaluate what you are looking for in a stud dog and
how they will suit your bitch. |
A smiling Justine
with Louis and Fayme |
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5. Temperament has to come first - you can have a dog that fits the breed
standard to your ideal, but it isn't any good if you can't live with them.
Health and construction come a very close second.
6. Temperament, health and construction are all important in a bitch
- in the same order as above!
7. As well as breed type, movement and a character and temperament that
loves being the show ring, the ultimate show dog for me has a 'je ne sais
qoui' about them - I guess it is ring presence.
8. For me, success can be defined as breeding a consistent type, with
super temperament. Success in the show ring is dependent on the judges,
but being happy with the type of dog you are breeding is just as important.
The unsung successes are all of the happy 'pet' owners whose Beardies
live long happy lives.
9. I believe Ch Pepperland Lyric John at Potterdale had a huge influence
on the breed through his show success and his progeny. Ch Potterdale Philosopher
for the stamp he made through his offspring and Ch Orora's Frank for type
and the lasting impression he has made on me for his ring presence.
10. My proudest moment has to be making Fagan (Ch Snowmead Sans Faute)
into a Champion. The mating that he came from was one of my Mum's last
wishes with the dogs. The icing on the cake was gaining Top Dog with him
in 2003.
11. I hope to continue showing and enjoying my Beardies for many years
to come!
12. I think that we still have the same variety of type in Beardies as
we had 20 years ago. It would appear we have more health problems but
whether this is because of more accurate diagnosis or a faster more fluent
spread of information through the social media of Facebook etc I'm not
sure. The relaxing of the pet passport rules allows for a larger population
of Beardies to be available to us here in the UK and I find it interesting
that in 2012 for the first time, we had more Beardies imported to the
UK than where exported.
Justine Waldron
26th February 2013 |
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GRAHAM ATKINS - SNIKKLES |
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1. After having Afghan
Hounds for few years we decided we would like something with a bit
more brains (not that Afghan’s don’t have brains) went
to Birm Champ Show and spoke to 3 Exh/Breeders, Jenny Osborne, Suzanne
Moorhouse and Lynne Evans (now Sharpe) Lynne had a litter due soon
so when they were 5 weeks old we went to see them at Lynne’s
home in the Forest of Dean. When we arrived her mother met us to
say Lynne wont be long as she is exercising some of her dogs in
the forest, she arrived back shortly, was that the breed we saw
at the Ch Show very very wet and bedraggled, what could one say,
what an introduction to this breed., clean brushed Show Beardie
one day, a very wet dog the next ! We decided we would have a puppy
Brambledale Blue Star. After a couple of years another beardie from
the late Maureen Reader (Tamevalley) Tamevalley Folk Lyric.
2. Although we only show them they are first most pets who live
in the house as one of the family, they enjoy walks and runs in
the local forestry centres with dedicated doggy walks.
3. Hate this part, I never think they are perfect buyers for our
babies, but we know we can’t keep them all. The prospective
buyers can give you the best credentials in the world, what happens
when your puppy leaves your home, you hope they are honest with
their answers. On the initial enquiry we try to find their circumstances
at home (work commitments etc) children (how old) also why a beardie
? If they have had a dog before it helps, we ask them to come and
look, let them meet the other dogs (check reaction with the happy!
Beardie is a good test) |
The Snikkles dogs
with proud owner Graham |
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4. Have you got time to raise a litter, finding new homes can be a challenge,
vetting people etc, talk to the breeder of your bitch is a good start
as they know the breeding lines. And can possibly give advice on potential
stud dog(s)
5. Temperament, Health, Construction
6. A good brood bitch again with all of the above, hopefully passing
on her and the Sere’s good qualities.
7. The dog that ticks all the boxes (as a judge) or it shows that extra
something when showing.
8. ( tough one) Research and Experience and time in ones field.
9. CH.PEPPERLAND LYRIC JOHN AT POTTERDALE, saw him as a youngster to
Champion (offspring carried that quality line through and through)
CH.TAMEVALLEY EASTER SONG AT POTTERDALE, a bitch who I admired for along
time all the qualities of a good beardie (we had a puppy from a repeat
mating which produced T.Easter Song from Lyric John/Dutch Bonnet of Willowmead
called Ch.TAMEVALLEY FOLK LYRIC)
CH. SUNBREE SORCERER, another who produced many quality puppies with
a line you could see.
10. Honour of being asked to Judge Crufts (Dogs) and all our Beardies
having a Stud Book number, home bred a Champion and that wonderful feeling
gaining that magical third CC with a dog you have bred.
11. To breed sound healthy and lovable puppies and need that bit of luck
to show one with that winning quality.
12. They have changed over 30+ years, coat seems to mature a lot earlier,
construction still seems good there are points we must still watch but
we must still breed for quality They are still healthy sound Beardies
with eyes and hips being tested when old enough.
Graham Atkins
6th March 2013 |
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PETER AND YVONNE FOX - BUSHBLADES |
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We were flattered to be
asked for our opinions, feeling relative newcomers but I guess 25
years does pass by very quickly! It has been interesting to sit
back and reflect when answering the following questions!!
1. We bought our first Beardie in 1988 - we had always wanted a
dog, but had to wait until our work schedules permitted. Peter grew
up with Border Terriers, which we liked and considered but decided
we wanted something a bit bigger. We both liked shaggy dogs and
wanted something that would like plenty of exercise, as we enjoyed
walking and also a breed with intelligence. At a local Agricultural
dog show we saw a Briard which we liked alot but we felt we would
perhaps like something a bit smaller and perhaps easier to obtain!
We went through books on dog breeds looking for similar breeds and
the Beardie seemed ideal both in looks and temperament. It took
us a while to track a breeder down but eventually we bought Beth
- Hajacan Kitkat - from Hazel Metcalfe.
Hazel persuaded us to have a go at showing, and although both Peter
and Beth didn't have much idea about what to do, she won a second
prize and we were hooked! Beth had the most wonderful temperament
and was extremely intelligent but we soon realised that whilst we
might have a bit of fun with her at local Open shows, she wasn't
going to do much at Championship show level and so a year later
Hannah - Orora's Silver Mica, joined the family and a year after
that her half sister Orora's Marcasite. We will always be grateful
to Bryony Harcourt-Brown for letting us have these two wonderful
girls - from which all the Bushblades Beardies descend. Our first
litter was born in 1991 - we have just had our fifteenth! |
Peter and Yvonne with
parts of their bunch |
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2. Going for a long walk in the lovely countryside around where we live,
when it is dry underfoot and just pleasantly warm!
3. We look for homes with sensible owners, where the dog will be very
much part of the family and will be involved in family activities, whether
the dog is sold for showing or as a pet. We like homes where they will
take time to do something else with their dog, at least basic puppy foundation
classes, but also Good Citizens, agility, flyball etc. as we know how
much Beardies love to 'do things'. Families with very small children may
not be ideal but we always like to meet any children, and parents who
can not control their children will not be considered as potential owners!
We wouldn't necessarily rule out someone who works full time, we have
known many people with dogs who are at home all day but rarely walk their
dogs or do anything with them and Peter and I both worked full time when
we got Beth. We would, however, expect them to take time off when the
puppy arrives and to have given thought to how they can make arrangements
or alter their work schedule so that the dog isn't left alone for very
long periods. Good quality time with a dog can be better than quantity!
Finally new owners must be able to cope with the grooming requirements
of a Bearded Collie.
4. Watch, listen and Learn!
Watch dogs in the ring, pick out the ones you like and see how they do.
Try and work out why you like them and why they did well - or didn't.
Watch outline and overall balance on the stand and watch them move. To
the novice the Beardie that moves with the effortless reach and drive
required may not appear to be striking, but look at how many strides that
Beardie takes to cover the ring compared to others with poorer construction.
Watch movement and topline in profile - the dog with a rolling topline
may just be fat but the one whose topline twists is unbalanced. Watch
movement coming and going -it is just as important.
Listen to the views of those who have been in the breed a good while,
achieved success and whose dogs you admire. Listen to various views, often
others will point out things that you had not considered and different
people will have slightly different priorities in assessing an animal
which is good! As you become more experienced you will learn which are
the best pieces of advice!
Learn - read all you can about the breed, study pedigrees of dogs which
have achieved success, read books on construction and movement and read
about those in other breeds that have achieved success and how they have
done so.
To this we would also add 'not to be afraid to do your own thing sometimes'!
5. Temperament, health, construction - a dog with a poor temperament
isn't going to stay healthy for long! Good construction is the icing on
the cake
6. A good brood bitch should have a good temperament and no obvious health
problems (and in this we would include serious mouth faults). She should
be a sound example of the breed and of good type. We also believe a good
pedigree is important - some very good brood bitches have only had average
show careers but fulfil the criteria above and produce lovely pups.
Finally one that has regular seasons, is easy to mate, whelps easily and
is a sensible and diligent mum complete the package.
7. One that enjoys showing for a start! The best constructed Beardie
in the world will not do well if it finds showing boring or overwhelming!
Obviously one is looking for excellent construction, a good rapport with
the handler and for us, one that is still capable of winning at the highest
level well into Veteran or even Vintage is the mark of a top class dog.
Very often those heavily coated, glamorous Juniors that have an outstanding
show career go over the top and do little or no winning once fully mature.
8. See 4! Plus perseverance and a big dollop of luck! We also believe
that some people do have a natural eye for a dog and overall quality and
balance and this coupled with a 'feel' for what dog will go with which
bitch gives them a head start!
9. We wanted to pick dogs that we have seen and both agree on Ch Orora's
Frank - although he had more or less retired from showing when we met
him and we were very novice owners, his beautiful balance and movement
made a real impression and a template for our own Beardies. We don't remember
him as a big dog but he had great presence and was always immaculately
presented. To add to it all he produced some wonderful offspring and our
next choice is his daughter Ch Potterdale Classic at Moonhill. Again she
had retired from the showring but Brenda brought her to the Beardie Spectacular
to show in the Champions parade. A lovely bitch, again so well constructed
and presented but it was that elusive star quality and sheer ring presence
that really stood out and we could instantly understand why she had gone
BIS at Crufts. Always so in tune with her handler and loving every moment
in the limelight she also proved her worth as a brood bitch.
We couldn't agree on our third choice on dogs we had judged - for Yvonne
it is Ch Diotima Sea Wolf at Ramsgrove, who epitomised the sound, ground
covering, unexaggerated type of Beardie we admire so much and is another
who has proved himself a successful sire.
Peter - It is Ch Potterdale Audition at Pattishawl. A dog with the same
sire as Sea Wolf and a super dog. Again a Beardie of lovely type who had
real ring presence and movement that one could watch all day. I was privileged
to be able to judge him and award him a CC and BOB at Bournemouth in 2007.
10. There have been lots of proud moments - from the e-mails and letters
from people who have had a pet Beardie from us telling us how wonderful
they are to making up our first Champion. However for Peter it was seeing
Marco (Ch B. Transaction) winning his third CC and going BIS at the BCC
Championship show - something we could have only dreamt about when we
first started. For Yvonne it was seeing Joanne (Ch B Ready to Rejoice)
getting her third CC and winning RBIS at NW&PB Championship show in
2012 - it is thrilling seeing someone else do well with a dog you have
bred, especially when they themselves are relatively unknown.
11. Downsizing! We currently have 7 Beardies and they require plenty
of exercise and grooming - quite a commitment when Peter works away most
weeks and we are not getting any younger!
We also like to travel and now that mum and dad aren't really able to
dog sit this is much more difficult.
Hopefully this will happen very gradually over the coming years and I
am sure we will always have some involvement in the breed, though.
12. We still think that there are some quality Beardies being shown but
there is not the strength in numbers these days, inevitable when show
entries and puppies registered have steadily fallen year on year. It does
concern us that a lot of emphasis seems to be on having very young, early
maturing Beardies with big coats - often the leggy, raw pup or junior
will turn into a beautiful swan but a lot of people seem to expect puppies
to look (and behave) like miniature adults. We believe the Beardie should
be a fairly slow maturing breed - and worth waiting for!
The number of dogs with narrow underjaws or poor pigmentation appears
to be on the increase and breeders need to address these problems before
they become even more widespread.
Peter and Yvonne Fox
13th March 2013 |
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DENISE ATKINS - LABOOSHAR |
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1. Have been in beardies
for 35 years and breeding for around 31. Our first beardie was Brambledale
Blue Star of Labooshar from Lynne Sharp who gave us our first insight
into this beautiful breed. We chose a beardie basically because
we had owned and shown Afghan hounds previously with some success
and even though our first Afghan was sedate and obedient the second
was unruly and we wanted something with a few more brains.
2. Primarily just owning them and having them for company and in
the past they have got me through a few traumatic times in my life.
I enjoy the dog scene and meeting old friends and it's always nice
to judge the breed to see how they are progressing.
3. I have been lucky in the past that a number of previous owners
have returned for 2nd or 3rd puppies but I always rely on my gut
instinct even when speaking to people on the telephone especially
with the questions they ask. My ideal puppy owner is someone who
can give the care and attention to the pup that I would expect of
myself.
4. Don't just go for a top winning dog or champion. Examine pedigrees
carefully, attend shows and look at dogs and if possible ask the
owner of any that you like the look of if you could go over the
dog. Know your own bitch and what improvements you would like to
make i.e. darker eye, better shoulders etc., and look for these
in your chosen stud. |
Denise relaxing with
her dogs after judging Crufts |
5. Temperament to me far outweighs the other two as the majority of a
litter goes to pet homes. Construction possibly next but is equal with
the health and wellbeing of a dog and therefore every effort should be
made for the animal to be hip scored and eye tested.
6. Maternal instinct obviously is a high priority but some bitches don't
always have this the first time around until after a couple of days and
then everything clicks into place. Health is definitely another important
factor along with her attributes such as construction and temperament
and no one should use a bitch for breeding that is below the breed standard.
7. I don't think the ultimate show dog actually exists. There are probably
a few who come close but everything has a flaw of some sort.
Saying that I would still want a dog/bitch that looked like they could
still do a days work which would call for the long lean animal that seems
to have disappeared over the years.
8. Perseverance. A judge might not like your dog as a puppy but don't
be put off as the ugly duckling could turn into a beautiful swan as I've
seen in the ring over the years and top honours were awarded.
Take the rough with the smooth. You could win the ticket one day and
be thrown out at the next show but that's just the judges opinion.At the
end of the day just relax and enjoy it but work hard at keeping your dog
fit and well.
9. My 3 dogs would be Ch.Brambledale Balthazar, Ch.Pepperland Lyric John
at Potterdale and Ch.Osmart Black Thorn at Moonhill.Each of them have
laid the roots to many of the kennels/breeders that are around giving
us what we have today.
10 Making up our first home bred champion - Ch.Labooshar Lore Lord -
he was such a gentleman both in the ring and out of it and proved to be
similar at stud never rushing the ladies.
He was made up with tickets gained in Wales, England and finally Scotland
with a BIS at a club show and retired at the age of 3 years with 5 CCs
and 5 RCCs including one at Crufts.
11. At the moment I have no plans for further litters so my only thing
is to enjoy having my beardies around in the future and occasionally judging
them.
12. Today's beardies are a few steps away from the original so to speak
but that is progress and as a breed we have to expect both improvements
and setbacks.
Some time back we went through a stage where there was very little difference
between the dogs and bitches both in height and length but this is slowly
recovering with the odd exception now and again where you can't guess
the sex without examining the animal. We need to keep the length in both
sexes as a few on both sides are becoming square.
We also need to guard against loss of pigmentation which seems to be
on the up at the moment possibly due to not examining the roots of a pedigree
before using certain stud dogs which could also be why some of these are
becoming infertile.
Apart from that I think the breed is in a healthy state and long may
it reign.
Denise Atkins
13th March 2013 |
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DON MOIR - WINARIA |
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1. We got our first Beardie
in March 1981 mainly just because we liked the look of the dogs
and never intended to show or breed. How things change! We decided
to have a go at showing later that year after our puppy was taken
back to her breeder for a visit. We entered the Bearded Collie Club
of Scotland Open Show in August that year under Jo Pickford without
any ring craft training for me or the dog (didn’t know that
these things existed), and I was promptly dragged up and down the
ring by Misty (Dramesk Winter Dusk, the ‘at Winaria’
bit came much later) much to my total embarrassment. She got second
in MPB (yes there were more than two!) and then second in PB, closely
followed by Bob Cross the steward, telling me that the judge wanted
me to stay back as she wanted to speak to me. We wouldn’t
have gone away anyway as the whole event was fascinating. Jo then
said that I should get my act together and also to buy a proper
ring collar and lead (I’d just used the road one) as she was
quite nice and I was just wasting her. Well two seconds and a telling
off from the judge was enough to get us hooked and we started to
enter lots of open shows around central Scotland. However the performance
from Misty was still pretty bad but she picked up quite a few cards
and showing just became part of our normal routine. A lot of people
helped me a great deal during this time and it’s probably
fair to say that without that help we would probably have given
up at some point in the first couple of years. It’s something
that newcomers could do with more of today I think. |
(L-R)
Ch Welltravelled, Ch Wellwisher and Wallace
enjoying some lovely weather with Don.
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2. Beardies just get under your skin and become full members of the
family. They’re all different but all the same and of course you
end up with favourites. This might sound a little perverse, but when I
was showing regularly on the Ch show circuit, I really enjoyed the early
starts and driving down the motorway on a sunny weekend morning. Just
you, your Beardie companion, loud music and Irn-Bru to drink. What’s
not to like?
3. This is a very subjective issue and is difficult to get right. People’s
behaviour when they arrive to see the pups was always closely watched
by us and how they reacted to possibly wet Beardies jumping all over them.
Beardies always made the best judges of prospective buyers. I remember
one woman who came quite a distance to see pups in 1992 and proudly told
us what an immaculate garden she had. Kiss it goodbye I told her. She
didn’t get one.
4. The best advice I ever gave anyone was to be careful who they took
advice from. People looking for guidance on breeding should always understand
what the responsibilities will be. That can only be gained from speaking
with established breeders that the prospective breeder respects.
5. It has to be temperament and health at the top as without them you’ve
got nothing. Then you can worry about construction.
6. Firstly the 3 attributes above but also that a good brood needs to
be one which is quite calm in most situations. Too nervous and that trait
can be passed on to the pups. A bitch with distinctive type should be
able to pass that on to the offspring and hopefully you want the same
type from her puppies.
7. For me the ultimate show dog is the one that walks in the ring and
you can’t take your eyes off it. Hopefully it can also move correctly
as well and meet all the other requirements of the standard.
8. Success can be defined at many levels depending on what you, as an
exhibitor, want to achieve. You may be happy to confine yourself to local
shows and do well there or you may decide to go on the national circuit
and aim high. So the secret of success, for me, is to be content with
your own achievements.
9. For me the 3 greatest would be: Ch Orora’s Frank who was such
a terrific mover and superb stud dog; Ch Potterdale Philospher a Frank
son who was such a dominant stud that you could pick out his children
in a crowd; and Ch Potterdale Classic of Moonhill (Frank again) who really
had that something extra special when she walked into the ring and just
shouted “look at me”. It’s a pity that only 3 are required
here. I could go on a bit more!
10. In think that making up our first champion Winaria Wellwisher probably
takes it although there were some other pretty good days too like the
Crufts CC in 1992. Making up her daughter and granddaughter were very
proud days and I really can’t overlook the Southern Counties Club
Ch show in 1997 when we won the BCC and RBCC with Welltravelled and Wellwisher
(daughter and mother). I also have to mention that in 1985, Misty won
PGB at Crufts and Margaret still thinks that was our greatest day!
11. There are very few future plans as there will be no more Winaria
Beardies. However I still enjoy judging very much and have a couple of
big days to look forward to.
12. I have long felt that when people come into showing they are naturally
heavily influenced by the big winners of that time and tend to look back
at that period as a golden one. Unfortunately this tends to lead to the
sort of comments that you hear like “Beardies are not as good as
they used to be” and there may be some truth in that depending on
your start time! However there are some very good quality Beardies around
who still look the way that I think a Beardie should. When I went on the
circuit in a big way, class sizes were huge in comparison with today.
Having 30+ dogs in a class was not unusual and sometimes that would now
account for almost half an entry. I remember PGB at Birmingham City in
1994 which had 47 dogs in it. However it’s not all a numbers game
and quality in depth is very important for the future well being of the
breed. I have found over the years that regardless of the size of entry,
there are normally only a handful of exhibits that you would consider
giving the CC to and if you are presented with a bigger choice then that’s
a good day for a judge.
Don Moir
15th March 2013
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SUZANNE MOORHOUSE - WILLOWMEAD |
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1. Since 1955. I was brought
up with a Beardie from a very young child, I was terribly upset
when he died. I started breeding and showing miniature poodles as
a young teenager and when I saw Mrs Willisons advert and realized
our Rory was a Beardie, promptly ordered a bitch puppy from her,
who arrived at Willowmead in 1955. As soon as she was six months
old she joined the show team.
2. Walking the dogs on a lovely sunny, but not too hot, dayin some
of the beautiful countryside near where I live.
3. A middle aged couple in a stable marriage, who already have
owned a Beardie and know all the in's and out's of the breed and
never would have any other type of dog.
4. To ring ME with anything that bothers them with their puppy
at any time throughout its life.
5. 1.Temperament, 2. both construction and health.
6. Calm and steady temperament. excellent mothering ability and
plenty of milk.
7. A dog with a calm and steady temperament who loves every one
and is not noise sensitive, who has that extra bit of sparkle to
pull all the stops out when necessary.
8. Goodness knows, tell me when you find out. |
Suzanne
showing Kayla at Crufts
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9. Osmart Bonnie Blue Braid, Braid really stamped his type and lovely
head, which is still being born in puppies today.
Pepperland Lyric John at Potterdale, Lyric John also had some excellent
off spring but the type is not so obvious in these days.
10. Willowmead Perfect Lady winning the hat trick in consecutive years
at Crufts of bitch C.C. with Ch Black Magic winning the dog C.C. for two
of those years.
11. To make up Kayla and Alice, both on two C.C.s and five reserve C.C.s,
after that I will take life a bit more gently???
12. Sadly I feel the dog we started breeding in the Fifties and Sixties
is rarely seen these days. The dogs we see in the ring at the moment are
so over trimmed, long backed and short legged, that I know I have seen
the best of the Bearded Collie. We do still have enough of the correctly
made dogs around to get the breed back to the correct shape, but the way
things are going, we could easily have a very different dog to the ones
I started out with in the showring.
Suzanne Moorhouse
16th March 2013 |
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MARGARET HARKIN - CLAUDALLA |
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1. I have owned Beardies
since 1975 and have many memories of my first Beardie, Seykoe Excalibor,
who introduced me to the show world. I had ‘Solly’ from
12 weeks old and he was going to be purely a family pet, showing
was never considered. However, he matured into a handsome lad and
I decided to take him along to one of our local Exemption Shows,
he not only won his class but went on to get BIS. This was the beginning
of showing for me, I then started taking him to training classes
and it was then that I decided to show him, well at least at Open
show level. I can remember his first show was Bedford Open Show,
I was so excited when he won his class AV Working & Pastoral.
I did my apprenticeship at Open shows with modest success and then
decided to go one step further and enter him for a championship
show. The big day arrived, I was very nervous but again excited,
it soon came around for us to go into the ring, Solly showed his
heart out, and I was thrilled when the judge pulled us out 1st hence
qualifying for Crufts. I went home a very proud Mum, it was always
my ambition to go to Crufts but to go to show was a dream come true.
Crufts finally came around and I was wondering how I would cope
at this prestigous show with so many spectators, Mrs Barbara Iremonger
was the judge, I took up my place in the big ring and kept my composure,
when the judge shortlisted Solly this was a bonus, when he got shortlisted
again I had to keep my nerves together, when she finally gave Solly
3rd I was ecstatic. I was by now smitten with the ‘show bug’
and continued showing males for several years and then in 1984 I
got my first bitch ‘Charity’ Rallentando Rula, and bred
my first litter at Claudalla in 1988. |
Margaret with her
first love Solly
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2. I enjoy all the social activities with my beardies,
whether it be showing, training, fun days, committee work and have many
special memories of ‘Charity’ when she was a visiting ‘Pat
Dog’ at our local hospital, she was the highlight of the week
for many of the patients. My dogs give me great pleasure of being around
the home and especially when I am feeling low they are always there
to greet me with licks and cuddles. They are part of our family and
have the same home comforts as us humans!!!
3. I have only bred a few litters as I find it difficult
finding suitable homes for my puppies, I only breed when I want to keep
a puppy. I would say the ideal owner would be someone who did their
homework on the breed and knows the high maintenance involved with owing
a Beardie, a caring and loving home is my prime importance, and ideally
I prefer my puppies to go to homes where someone is around during the
day as beardies thrive on human companionship.
4. I would advise any new breeder to think carefully before
they decide to breed, it’s a huge responsibility and you need
to have the time and patience to give the best to your bitch and puppies.
Go to shows, fun days etc and talk to experienced breeders, your choice
of stud dog is of prime importance and get to know all his good qualities
before you make your decision. Feed your bitch on the best quality food
you can afford, exercise is very important to keep her in good physical
condition – if you feel it’s all too much for you then don’t
breed.
5. I would say temperament first, followed by health and
construction
6. A brood bitch should have all the qualities above,
she should have a good appetite and be in prime body condition and have
a sensible attitude towards rearing her puppies.
7. I like to see a well constructed and presented dog,
(including clean teeth), with that melting beardie expression, a dog
that can move effortlessly showing lots of character, be happy with
showing and have that little bit of ‘charisma’ to catch
the judge’s eye.
8. To be successful you need to work hard, never take
anything for granted and remember you get back what you put in and maybe
then you will have a little ‘luck’.
9. I have admired many great dogs over the years, however
the three very special ones are, Ch Pepperland Lyric John at Potterdale,
a true ambassador of the breed who excelled in movement and a most handsome
dog of great breed type; Ch Kimrand Simon a great favourite of mine,
I loved his head and expression, he was a true gentleman with a wonderful
temperament and excelled in movement; and Ch Tamevalley Light’ning
Storm, a most stunning girl who was one of my favourite all time bitches,
and I was fortunate in having the pleasure of judging her and awarding
her the CC when I judged at Leicester in 1992.
10. I have had many memorable wins and experiences over
the years, topping the list must be judging bitches at Crufts in 2007
when my CC winner went on to win the group, following on the same year
when my bitch Ch Claudalla Lady Tippins gained her title and BIS in
a huge entry under the late Mrs Jenny Osborne at Bearded Collie Ch Show,
and 2011 was a year to remember when I campaigned litter brother and
sister to their title within 6 weeks of each other.
11. I plan to continue showing and enjoying my beardies,
hopefully one more litter, I enjoy judging and being around my friends
and hope this can also continue well into the future.
12. I feel we have many good Beardies in the ring today.
I have noticed over the past few years that males seem to be getting
smaller, in some cases if they were in a mixed class they could be mistaken
for a bitch, tail carriage in some lines seem to be a problem as does
light eyes, poor pigmentation and small teeth. There is a lot of bad
movement creeping into the breed, this could result from lack of exercise
or purely a badly constructed dog. Handling skills have vastly improved
but what I don’t like to see is a dog strung up so tightly that
he/she can barely breathe, a trend that is creeping into the breed.
Showing our lovely breed is purely a hobby, let’s keep it that
way, and remember the perfect dog has yet to be born!!
Margaret Harkin
17th March 2013
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PAULA BROOKS - FRAGLESTONE |
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1. Having been asked to
take part in the interview for BCX, I thought maybe almost 25 years
being owned by Beardies was no time at all compared to some. Saying
that we, Steve and myself have been blessed to own and meet many
wonderful dogs. When we lived in Northolt, Middlesex, we often saw
a chap exercising his Rough Collie and Beardies…. Seeing them
run free across the fields was fantastic, this chap turned out to
be John Hagan (Sunnyvale Beardies). We had decided that once the
time was right, a Beardie would be the pet for us, a natural, happy
dog.
We later moved to Beaconsfield and shortly after we rescued a lovely
8 year old brown Beardie boy ‘Barney’ who we later found
out had been sired by Ch. Sunbree Sorcerer… we also acquired
our first Beardie puppy from Linda Fox, he was ‘Brady’
Moonhill/Beksam lines.
Steve’s job moved us to sunny South Wales in 1991, our new
home gave us more space which of course meant more room for Beardies!
A lovely old fashioned blue boy from the Roseollie kennel joined
us. We took him along to one of the Bearded Collie Club fun days
and our dear ‘William’ won a ‘show’ class….
Knowing nothing about the show world, we decided to have a bit of
fun and take him along to some Open Shows….. we had a great
time, gaining some valuable experience, meeting other Beardie people
and of course their dogs. |
Paula and Dylan in
the Working Group ring at Crufts 1998
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In 1993, one of our Beardie holidays took us all to Devon to stay with
Una Cornthwaite at her beautiful Mill in Oakhampton…. She had a
litter of puppies at the time which was fatal……. I expressed
an interest in one of the pups. Una said she would let me know at the
end of our stay if we were suitable owners or not! She would assess us
with our Beardies during the week… very scary indeed! I had picked
out a slate boy and thankfully when we went back to see them a couple
of weeks later, Una agreed to let Dylan ‘Braddabrook Botzaris’
come to live with us. The show scene became a regular thing for us and
Dylan became our first Champion.
2. The thing I love the most is to be at home with all the dogs doing
whatever they want to do….. usually having a huge cuddle on the
sofa, it’s the best feeling in the world…. A close equal is
seeing them running free on a nice walk. I don’t mind them getting
dirty or wet as long as they enjoy it…….. it’s what
having a Beardie is all about.
3. As we started out with boys, it took as a while to consider breeding
and buying a bitch. So our first young lady was ‘Fancy’ from
the Bryonyhill kennel who joined us in 1995. Since then we have only had
4 litters. We have been very lucky with the homes found for our pups and
not meaning to offend anyone, the perfect home will never exist…….I
would rather keep them all which is why we don’t breed very often.
All homes are different and luckily Beardies are very adaptable…
the ideal would be someone who has experienced a Beardie before……
4. Firstly, do not rush into anything, take time to talk to and more
importantly listen to as many other breeders as possible…. not just
in Beardies. The temperament of the parents to me is utmost along with
the health of mum, dad and any other known relatives. Research into how
successful the relatives have been in producing well balanced, healthy
puppies. Many people enjoy showing and winning with their Beardies, I
am one of them but all Beardies should be pets first and foremost and
this is the basis they should be sold. If they go on to do other things
and be successful then that is a bonus. Stud dog owners should not be
omitted from this question. The same process should be considered.
5. Simple…..Temperament, Health, Construction.
6. Assuming all of the above are positive, I would look for a bitch that
comes from lines that are healthy and productive.
7. This is an interesting question as the obvious thing to say is that
a dog should display ring presence, it has to look like it wants to be
on show and that little bit more. Most people will have seen the 2013
Crufts Best in Show winner and knowing nothing about her breed, she captures
you with her happy, ‘look at me’ stance….of course this
is supported by her overall physical balance. Not all Beardies have that
‘showy’ trait, that is not what they were bred for and for
me there is nothing more rewarding than watching a steady, sound, unexaggerated
Beardie flow around the ring.
8. I do not believe that success just happens, not unless you are really
lucky. Success must be to be able to maintain and/or breed happy, healthy
and sound Beardies for yourself and/or others to enjoy…. As I have
said before, Beardies are so adaptable and they are happy being involved
in Agility, Working, Obedience, Fly ball, Heelwork to Music and showing.
Whatever form of success I would imagine that someone has dedicated many
hours and hard work into making it happen.
9. There are a number of Beardies that could be considered but three
that always stick in my mind for being great examples are: Ch. Potterdale
Classic at Moonhill…. having met her, she will never been forgotten,
a personality plus with charisma that made her a very special lady. Two
other Beardies that I loved for type are Ch. Breaksea Gothic for his overall
unexaggeration and Ch. Beardievale Village Gossip for his sheer effortless
movement.
10 I suppose you never forget your ‘first time’ experiences,
the first RCC, I was so excited I thought I was going to be sick! then
the first CC, again a feel sick moment, making up your first homebred
Beardie, being proud of all Beardies that you have bred and so on……
but if I have to pick one, it has to be winning Best of Breed at Crufts
in 1998 with Ch. Braddabrook Botzaris at Fraglestone… it was amazing…..
11. To try as much as possible to look outside the box for future breeding
plans.
12. Everyone has their own interpretation of the Breed Standard which
will influence the answers to this question. For a dog to be one of the
‘best’, it has to look like a Bearded Collie. We should all
be looking for a lean active dog that could carry out the job it was intended
to do. Sizes have always varied although the correct proportions these
days are not so obvious.
When you look back at old videos and archive material, a lot of the old
Beardies are not too dissimilar from the current ones… the overall
balance of a dog is there and it is not a new thing that we have exaggeration
in some…. Historically the number of Beardies entered at shows was
so much higher and therefore the choice greater.
There are many quality Beardies around today, some of which are not always
the top winning ones.
When I first was introduced to Beardies, many established breeders were
happy to share their advice. It was suggested that in order to be successful
and understand the breed, it was reasonable to expect to do a ‘ten
year apprenticeship’. At the time this seemed ridiculous, we were
doing quite well in the show ring and guessed it could only get better
with practice. Now 25 years on, I can totally relate to their suggestion.
I started judging after having Beardies for 10 years and I judged for
10 years at Open Show level before awarding CC’s. So in answering
the question, it is not just about today’s Beardies but about how
much today’s Beardie owners are aware of what a Beardie should be,
it is worth doing the research if we want to keep this beautiful breed
alive.
Paula Brooks
20th March 2013 |
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BRYONY HARCOURT-BROWN - ORORA |
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1. I started looking for
my first Beardie in 1970. She arrived in 1971. I chose Beardies
out of the Observer’s Book of Dogs. I was a child, so I think
it was a good choice. I worked in our Boarding Kennels throughout
the year to pay for Beardie purchases. My first Beardie was especially
good at leaving show rings sideways. She won one VHC, I think it
was a sympathy vote. My fourth Beardie, Ch. Mignonette of Willowmead
at Orora, became Top Beardie 1975 and 1976 and was Best of Breed
at Crufts in 1976, when she won her first CC I was pretty much a
novice and when she won Best of Breed at Crufts there was some suggestion
the judge went for faces…it took less than a year! Mignonette
was exceptionally beautiful. I bred my first litter in 1973. Orora’s
Herb Robert came from this litter but it took another generation
before Ch. Orora’s Blue Basil came and I started to get to
what I wanted. Basil sired Ch. Orora’s Huckleberry who was
a very nice dog and generally thought to be a better edition of
Benjie of Bothkennar. He was flat coated, elegant, with length of
body and length of stride. At this time we still knew that Beardies
should have flattened sides to their ribcages, which were not narrow
and that angulation was best balanced to the front and not straight
behind. Beardies were allowed to have necks and look beautiful and
Huckleberry did. Mignonette produced a few really nice Champions;
the best was Ch. Orora’s Frank who was so influential in improving
movement in the breed. His coat was not as flat as it should have
been but his movement and construction made up for that. I lost
my line through a tragic accident to Huckleberry’s son Ch.
Orora’s Impetuosity and then having no litters when my daughters
were young and I was being a working single parent. I have had to
reinvent my Beardies using nice dogs that other people have, whose
pedigrees contain some of my original dogs. I am still a working
single parent but I multi-task well. I still find I look for the
same things I always did.
2. I most enjoy owning really well constructed Beardies. I like
to stroke over their heads, necks and shoulders and feel good about
what I feel even if I am not thinking about their shoulders at the
time, and I like to watch them free running and enjoy their movement.
Poor dogs, they are on constant alert for putting a paw wrong! But
they are allowed to be naughty… as long as they look good
doing it. |
Bryony and Champion
Orora's Frank in 1988
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3. This is difficult because I don’t want to let this out in
case people clock on to what to say to me! I do it on instinctive appeal
I think, if I feel the person is kind and caring, that is what I ask of
owners.
4. Well, don’t call yourself a breeder for one thing. Learn a lot
and don’t believe any one person. Never assume you cannot learn
more.
5. Health has to come first; if they aren’t healthy they aren’t
anything.
It depends what you mean by temperament, if they are annoyingly bouncy
then I would rate construction in front but if they are aggressive or
very nervous in normal safe situations, then temperament comes above construction
6. I never pick a bitch for being a brood bitch. I feel it is rather
a nasty term. All kept bitches should be well constructed, healthy and
sound, then if they have a litter they should be put to the right dog
for them. There should be no difference between girls kept for show and
those who may have a litter.I would like to talk about the keeping of
stud dogs, however. All keeping of dogs for show suggests they may be
used at stud and that the person using them may be unaware of their early
history. Before keeping a dog for show, therefore, it should have the
following basic attributes:
Full pigment before 8 weeks of age
Two fully descended testicles before 5 months at the very latest.
Perfect canines, preferably from the time of gaining baby teeth but certainly
by 6 months.
Stable temperament from birth.
Then you assess him for construction and quality
If you are never going to let him be used at stud you can obviously keep
whatever you want.
7. Nice. (ref: Oxford English Dictionary)
8. The secret of breeding and showing really good dogs, which may or may
not be the secret of success, is to see dogs exactly as they are and not
how you would like them to be.
9. Not really, but I can give a list of the dogs I consider to have been
the best and most memorable to me:
Not in order of preference, Winston, Tally, Cassie, Frank, Eric, Percy,
Braid, Mignonette,Velvet, Basil…pity they are all long dead.
Winston: Ch. Pepperland Lyric John at Potterdale, he was super in head
and his topline was always level. His colour and quality of coat was magnificent.
I didn’t like the way he slightly kicked his heels up on the move,
his eyes were not the darkest and he was rather boisterous but otherwise
he was fabulous. He always looked squeaky clean. And his chain squeaked
too.
Tally: Ch. Tamevalley Easter Song at Potterdale. She was terribly sweet.
She always had a level topline and showed her little socks off. I loved
her head. She could have had a bit more neck for perfection but otherwise
she was absolutely lovely. She was a beautiful colour too.
Frank: Ch. Orora’s Frank. I wasn’t supposed to put my own
dogs here, don’t care. He was a farty, licky boy with amazingly
good construction and really the only person who I saw dropping to move
the way he did. He was very special, except for his scrubby coat type
that took 7 years to come good. He took his level topline to the grave.
Eric: Ch. Potterdale Privilege. Eric was a terribly well constructed dog.
Apart from his slightly soft coat he was extremely good. Pity he didn’t
come under me at Crufts.
Cassie: Ch. Potterdale Classic of Moonhill. I know she was a bit big and
latterly rather over coated, but when I first saw her I was so proud that
she was by my dog that I suddenly found I had tears running down my face
and shivers all over my body. She was beautifully balanced.
Percy: Ch. Edenborough Blue Bracken. When I first came into the breed
he was invincible…and then Mignonette started winning and the first
time she got Best of Breed she beat him. I was never more electrified!
He always looked so majestic. He was too cool for running about but standing
he looked so very proud. His front angulation was exceptional.
Braid: Ch. Osmart Bonnie Blue Braid. The first adult Beardie I ever met.
He stood with his paws on my shoulders and I fell under his gaze. His
head was gorgeous, and to top that, he gave me Frank.
Miggy: Ch. Mignonette of Willowmead at Orora. I got second pick of litter,
but when I went to collect her I was unable to see any other puppies there.
I remember Suzanne saying something to my parents about why she wasn’t
the pick of litter but it was irrelevant to me because I wouldn’t
have wanted any other. She had a number of imperfections but she was totally
gorgeous all her life, she had a haze around her that captivated and I
can still feel it when I look at her photographs.
Velvet: Ch. Black Velvet of Willowmead. This was the first Beardie in
the show ring who astonished me. Looking back she was not really as good
as the dogs above in shape, being a little roached in back, but she was
a stunning junior and, despite her lack of confidence I was deeply smitten.
Basil: Ch. Orora’s Blue Basil. Terribly naughty person, always was
and still remains, my best friend.
10. When Frank got a standing ovation as he moved in the ring at Crufts
at the age of 14
11. I want to make lovely Beardies, the way they were when they were
beautiful
12. They are much too heavily coated, too stuffy in neck, rather broad
and coarse and not elegant or lithe. There is no flowing line to the majority
of Beardies and they are now more built out of cubes, whereas they were
built out of rectangles. Some of them are nice, overall they are not proper.
It is a matter of desperate sadness to me that many of today’s exhibitors
and indeed judges cannot even know what Beardies looked like in the 70’s
and 80’s. They were so beautiful and it is almost lost.
Bryony Harcourt-Brown
22nd March 2013 |
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GLENDA O'CONNELL - ATHERLEIGH |
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1. I got my first |Beardie
in 1983, a slate bitch from the late Angela Hutchinson. I showed
her without much success. She was difficult to show and I realised
that, although she was sound with a good coat and no real faults,
she did not have the quality to make it as a show dog. I had learned
a lot about movement and construction from my time showing my Old
English Sheepdogs in the 1970’s. I used to often admire the
Beardies at shows and watched them in the ring all day at Crufts
on two occasions before taking the plunge. When Lizzie cam to live
with us we still had the last of our Bobtails, who lived to the
grand old age of 15 years. Lizzie had our first, and her only ,
litter in 1988.
2. Showing them of course, but most of all, our morning walks in
the country park, 7 days a week, rain or shine. We used to take
our 6 Beardies away on our caravan holidays for several years, they
were some of the best times too.
3. The worst part about breeding a litter, for me, is finding homes
for the puppies. Hence, I have only bred 7 litters, as this really
does put me off. It’s a big plus if the prospective owners
have had a Beardie before, or at least owned a dog. You really have
to go with your gut feeling about people in the end. |
Glenda with Ch. Atherleigh
Over the Rainbow JW and her two sons
Atherleigh Red Alert and Ch. Atherleigh Mahogany Moon.
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4. Have some experience in this breed before breeding your first litter.
Its not something to be rushed into. Wait till you have observed many
dogs, seen many litters and made some good friends in the breed. Take
advice from people who own dogs you admire and have had success with their
own breeding programmes. Wait till you have a bitch who has a lot to offer
the breed and when the time comes, take advice from her breeder.
5. Temperament , I always say it’s not always your top winners
you love the most. Health. Construction.
6. All of the above, of course. My ideal, I guess, is that she comes
from a line of good producers on the dam’s side. That she has a
certain type and quality about her and that long, easy, far reaching movement.
Bitches like this will invariably produce something special.
7. One that not only has super type, construction, movement and coat,
but has a real love of being in the ring and would do anything for their
handler/owner. That indefinable thing called charisma.
8. It’s no secret. It is just hard work and dedication, a certain
single mindedness. It’s ensuring your dogs are superbly fit and
well conditioned, that they are happy. Nothing comes easy and everyone
has set backs and disappointments. Watch all the successful handlers.
Have a good friend and mentor. Obtain the best dog/bitch you can, and,
most importantly, learn to be critical of your bitch, or you will never
improve what you have.
9. There are many great ones to choose from and, of course, I must confine
my choices to dogs I have seen in the ring. Ch. Tamevalley Easter Song
of Potterdale, a truly lovely bitch, I remember seeing her go BOB at Crufts
as a veteran looking superb, she contributed so much to the breed from
her numerous Ch . offspring. Ch. Potterdale Philosopher, a do of superb
type, who put his stamp on his progeny. Ch. Potterdale Priviledge who,
for me, brought the breed standard to life. Once seen never forgotten.
Ch. Ororas Frank, for his stunning type and movement and his great contribution
to the breed. Ch. Potterdale Classic of Moonhill for her sheer class and
charisma, if ever a beardie was aptly named it was her.
10. There have been many, but right at the top is winning my first ever
CC with Ch. Potterdale Phorget-me-Not from the post graduate class at
the BCC Club Ch. Show. Winning both CC’s at Bournemouth with the
litter mates Atherleigh Venus and Ch. Atherleigh Rufus. Doing the double
again, in the same year, at LKA with Rufus and his half-sister Ch. Atherleigh
Rainbows End. Seeing relatively inexperienced owners making up dogs bred
at Atherleigh. Our Lucy (Ch. Atherleigh Over the Rainbow JW) being BCC
and Dog World top brood in 2008.
11. To carry on enjoying showing my dogs and perhaps one more litter.
Who knows what the future holds.
12. To see a correctly made Beardie, of superb type, flowing round the
ring with that breath-taking, effortless movement that sends tingles down
your spine. Are there any around today? Yes, there are, but, sadly, they
are few and far between, which, I suppose comes with smaller entries.
Beardies don’t seem to be the extrovert characters they used to
be in the ring. I guess some are just not allowed to show it.
Glenda O’Connell
23rd March 2013 |
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LINDA PEIRSON - KILTONDALE |
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1. I can remember going
to a dog show at Flamingo Park Zoo in Malton, North Yorkshire, when
I was 15 years old, where I recall seeing a scruffy brown and white
collie, curled up on the front step of the farm house. The little
dog un-curled itself to reveal a beautiful beardie bitch, who had
the sweetest nature and turned out to be Deanfield Autumn Gold owned
by Jackie Goulder, our trainer/shepherdess. I was smitten with the
breed and shortly after Orora’s Roderick joined our house.
I bred my first litter in 1992, 12 years after Roderick came to
me.
2. I enjoy most aspects of the “dog world” but showing
is my hobby and producing the dogs to show standard is what I pride
myself on doing. I love the many places the dogs take me too and
the wonderful friends I have met over the years. Then thinking of
the dogs, the occasional herding lessons and the great walks we
go on daily is so refreshing.
3. Over the years, I have been or I consider myself as being very
lucky with puppy owners, ideally I like owners to have had a beardie
before but this is not always the case, so I always like to meet
these people well before the puppies are born, to watch their reaction
to the adults and how they interact with them. Questions are always
welcome and I think anyone buying a beardie for the first time should
come with a host of questions that will be answered. Reassurance
of 24/7 support and as much information should be offered from the
breeder, so when the new puppy arrives, they are prepared to some
degree. |
Linda making us long
for summer
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4. The advice I would give to a new breeder is, don’t rush to
the first dog you like, just because it is a super colour or has the darkest
eye, doesn’t mean that your puppies will have the same. Every pup
has 2 parents that will contribute to the makeup of your litter, ask the
stud dog owner about previous litters and look at the bitch he was mated
to. Just because he sired dark puppies to Mrs X’S bitch doesn’t
mean he will to your bitch. Ask to examine the dog and then his owner
may want to know about your bitch, if they don’t already and her
pedigree for sure as some lines do get close and isn’t a good idea
to do these mating’s. We are lucky in the fact that we have so many
information sources available for people to do their homework before mating’s
are considered.
5. Temperament, Health and Construction. As the majority of my puppies
will go off to be family pets, the temperament is paramount to fulfil
the requirement of the family. Health, well I wouldn’t knowingly
breed from any of my dogs if I knew they had a health problem but you
want your dogs to live a long and happy life and if the construction is
wrong, then it doesn’t make it a bad pet, just loved by its owners.
6. A great show bitch doesn’t necessarily mean it will be a great
brood bitch. I look at my bitches and look at what I would like to improve
on but never would breed from a bitch that didn’t meet my expectations
in the show ring, then I look at puppies and who their sires are, would
this dog suit my bitches? I have this philosophy when deciding on a sire
for my litter, try it, you may not like what you get but it is a learning
curve as a breeder and if you do like it, then think what you would have
missed out on.
7. The ultimate show dog is one of breed type that can display an air
of showmanship, with a great outline, one that moves with little effort
and displays a happy disposition.
8. The secret of success, is not to become complacent in what you do,
consider your options and that of others too. Be supportive to your fellow
beardie owners and never take what you do for granted. We all come across
hurdles and you can never learn too much in whatever you do.
9. Over the years numerous beardies have taken my eye but the one who
I wished I could have taken home was, Always Blue at Ramberhay. I watched
‘Belle’ from a puppy and not long after many CC’s followed.
Belle just flowed in her outline from nose to tail and moved with such
grace, a truly special beardie.
Alistairs Lonesome Cowboy, a dog I had the good fortune to meet in his
elder years. I saw video footage of him as a puppy and again as an adult.
I thought he was outstanding for his type, his movement had little effort
and a real showman that was so attentive to his owner, a special bond
was apparent. To top this he had the most beautiful brown coat and matching
eye and a temperament to die for.
Ororas Frank, again a dog of such ring presence, with a super outline
and could out move the best. Frank became such a great sire and I was
fortunate to have owned a son of him, who I think inherited so many of
his qualities
10. My proudest moment has to have been the day my CH & IRCH Kiltondale
Mcauley won the Pastoral Group at Leeds Championship show. The breed judge
on the day was Mr J Bishpam and the group judge, a breed judge, Mr S Hall.
I was so proud of Mac that day, the way he used to play-up o the crowd
as they clapped for him as he went round the ring, he knew he was special.
11. I strive to keep the breed healthy and happy and in my future plans
I hope to do this, showing is a hobby and any award is a bonus, the beardie
is a wonderful breed and deserves to stay this way.
12. I think that the beardie of today can follow trends, I have seen
dogs up to size then 3 years down the line, new dogs that are 2 inches
smaller and I do believe that some winners can make a trend for the future
when people are choosing a puppy or a stud dog. A beardie moving with
a long effortless stride, with a balanced outline, a flowing coat and
daylight under the body is divine. Square with long legs or too long with
short legs is not what the standard requires and should be watched in
the future.
Linda Peirson
27th March 2013 |
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JACKIE JAMES - CHARNCROFT |
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1. I had my first Beardie
in 1963, this was Wishanger Spring Harvest. At the time I bred and
showed whippets and had a Great Dane. I was also Secretary and one
of the trainers at a large obedience training club and competed
in obedience with some success, up to class A, but I felt that I
needed a more suitable breed to progress further in this field.
I had seen Beardies working in obedience and was impressed with
their temperament and how they were so enthusiastic to work. A new
lady came along to the training club with a brown shaggy dog, which
I thought might be a Beardie, but I was not sure that they came
in brown! The lady was Mrs Youdale who, later went on to breed under
the Calasona prefix. She told me that there was a litter of Border/Beardie
puppies for sale at the Wishanger Kennels and together we paid a
visit to Mary Partridge to view the litter. I saw the litter, but
also there was a litter of Beardie pups and I fell in love with
a slate bitch. Unfortunately, I could not afford to buy her and
I agreed to pay five guineas for her and to return the whole of
her first litter to the breeder. Tazzy ,as she was called, was everything
that I had hoped for, and loved her obedience work. In April 1965
she was mated to Ch.Wishanger Cairnbhan and produced three brown
puppies that were returned to her breeder. In 1966 she was mated
to Alastair of Willowmead and from that litter I kept Charncroft
Chit Chat. I was approached by John Holmes, who trained animals
for TV and film work who asked me if I would let him have Tazzy,
as at the time I was very busy at work and did not have a lot of
time to compete with her. Tazzy went to live with him and took part
in many TV shows and adverts and she created a lot of interest with
people wanting to know what breed this shaggy dog was. |
Jackie James, believe
it or not...
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2. I enjoy spending time with my dogs, going for long walks and taking
them to obedience and agility classes. I also enjoy showing the dogs,
win or lose, and it’s a chance to meet up with my doggie friends.
3. This is the worst part of breeding a litter. I always insist on future
owners paying at least one visit before they actually have the puppy.
I can then ask them why they chose a Beardie and if they are aware of
what owning a Beardie entails. If they have children I also ask them to
bring them along, so that I can have some idea of how the children react
to the dogs. If I think they are suitable I tell them that there will
be a puppy available of the sex that they want, but I do not let them
choose the actual puppy, as this has led to problems. By the time they
are ready to leave I have some idea of the temperament of each puppy and
try to match the puppy with the new owner. It is not always the case that
previous Beardie owners do not need vetting. I have had two instances
where they had previously had puppies from me and they have come back
for another after losing them in old age. Unfortunately, although they
had no problems with their first puppies, unbeknown to me, their circumstances
had changed in the fifteen or sixteen years since then. In both cases
they were returned, one at 14 months and one at 12 months of age. Both
dogs had been loved and well cared for, but their owners just could not
cope, one had separation anxiety and the other was just too boisterous
for her owner. After a spell of retraining they were both successfully
rehomed. I always tell new puppy owners to let me know if they have any
problems, however small, and I am always prepared to have a dog back,
whatever their age.
4. Take time to study the breed, take advice, look at pedigrees and the
dogs in the show ring and decide what you like.
5. Without a doubt, temperament, health and construction. As most puppies
that you have will be going to live as pets temperament is very important.
6. A brood bitch should have a steady calm temperament, have been hip
scored and be free from any obvious health problems. I would avoid breeding
from her if she has any faults that might be hereditary, such as a high
hip score or an incorrect mouth. She should not be a fussy feeder and
should have regular and normal seasons. It helps if she comes from a line
of good brood bitches.
7. One that fits the breed standard as closely as possible, with an excellent
temperament and free flowing movement. It should also have that special
charisma that makes it a show dog.
8. Look, learn and be patient. Do not give up and try to view your dog
honestly and be aware of your dog’s faults and virtues.
9. This is quite hard to restrict it to just three, but I would have
to choose Ch. Osmart Bonnie Braid who was one of the leading stud dogs
and had a big influence on the breed.
Next, would be Ch. Pepperland Lyric John at Potterdale, a free moving
dog with good length of body and a super brown coat. Then I would pick
Ch. Potterdale Classic of Moonhill. I had the pleasure of awarding her
a CC in 1987.A really feminine bitch, with a super head and expression.
She did the breed proud when she won BIS at Crufts and she certainly had
that little bit extra as a show dog. Incidentally, she has both Braid
and Lyric John in her pedigree.
10. I think it has to be two moments, both at Crufts. The first was
in 1973 when I won my first CC at Crufts with Ch. Charncroft Cassandra.
The dog ticket and BOB went to Ch. Edenborough Blue Bracken. At the time
Cassandra had been mated to Blue Bracken, resulting in my successful ‘Country’
litter.The next occasion was in 1996 when I had the honour to judge at
Crufts and had a wonderful entry of 175 bitches.
11. After 50 years in the breed I do not plan to keep any more dogs,
as at present as I have nine dogs, five Border Terriers, three Beardies
and a Springer Spaniel. I have not accepted any future judging engagements.
I will still be attending a few shows with my youngster and I may possibly
have one more litter, as I am often asked for puppies, but we shall have
to see.
12. There is not the same depth of quality in today’s dogs. This
might be due to the low entries that we are getting at the shows. It is
sad to see so few puppies being shown, as these are the dogs of the future.
I remember quality puppy classes of 35 or more entries, and it was quite
an achievement to qualify for Crufts. Nowadays, it seems lot easier to
qualify. Perhaps there is a case for having a grading system similar to
the one they have on the continent. A lot of today’s dogs seem to
have exaggerated movement, lacking in front extension and a kick back
with the hind movement. This can look quite stylish, but is not correct.
A dog should have smooth long reaching movement with a minimum of effort.
I do not like to see trimming and I do like to see some animation, especially
in the young dogs. Pigment seems to be a bit of a problem. On the positive
side we do still have some really nice dogs being shown that are a credit
to the breed.
Jackie James
27th April 2013 |
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DENISE BARLEY - RUNIVAL |
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1. I got my first Beardie,
of Broadholme x Brambledale breeding, in the Spring of 1976 and
the second a year later. I had seen them in the Observer’s
Book of Dogs and they looked like perfect hillwalking companions.
The only drawback was the length of coat, since we spent so much
time out in deep snow and blizzards on the high mountains of the
Highlands, so I had to keep them cut short once the snow arrived,
as any shepherd would. Being a winter mountaineer and owning such
a capable working breed led me to take up Search and Rescue with
them. My first and third Beardies were very good mountain search
dogs, but the second one was too soft in temperament and was quickly
retired. As the 80’s passed I spent a lot of time at dog shows,
working trials, obedience and agility, and enjoyed particular success
with Bob (Quinbury Stormdrifter at Runival CDEx) who was a great
character and able to win in a wide range of disciplines. I gave
up mountain rescue activities in 1986 and concentrated on the dog
world after that. I bred my first litter in 1985, by Bob ex Potterdale
Amanda, and have bred nine litters in all over the last 35 years.
All my recent generations descend from Kiri – Ch. Potterdale
Elegance at Runival, who was born in 1987 and only ever wanted to
do Obedience and any other work on offer but alas for her she was
so beautiful that she ended up in the show ring most of the time,
winning 8 CC’s along the way.
2. I like to know that they’re enjoying life and in good
health, so anything that contributes to that. I don’t have
the energy to engage in the many working activities I did with them
20 or 30 years ago, but I know they don’t care. Being Beardies,
they just want to be with me and get a good gallop and good food
every day – all else is ‘human’ stuff!
3. A ‘best home’ is a place where the pup will be valued
and well cared for its whole life, and I prefer my pups to go to
owners who have had Beardies before so they know what they’re
letting themselves in for. All that hair and bounce and relentless
enthusiasm can be an acquired taste.
4. As I have bred so few litters, I don’t really feel qualified
to be doling out advice! We are all on a life-long learning curve
and it’s easy to make mistakes. But I would say - don’t
assume that because a male has been |
A photo of Denise
and Bob in 1991.
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used widely by well-known breeders he will give you a litter full
of top quality pups. There is a tendency to follow the herd when choosing
studs (which I have also done more than once) but it takes two to tango
– the sire needs to complement the dam.
5. There was a time when I assumed that good temperament came automatically
so I didn’t think about it, but looking back I see that I was blessed
with particularly sweet beardies at that time. I learned my lesson with
later generations! Health was always something I worried about, since
my very first litter produced a bitch that died young from Addisons, so
I abandoned that breeding line and started again. Good construction, of
course, is what we all hope for, but such is the random nature of inheritance
that even the most wonderfully constructed parents can throw a litter
full of very average body shapes. The important thing is to choose the
right pup! So can I rank them in order? Not really - they are all important.
But I probably worry about temperament first these days.
6. For a good brood bitch you look for easy whelping, good mothering,
a calm and loving nature ... the usual stuff. I hate to hear of bitches
being bred from ‘to give her more confidence’ or ‘to
calm her down’. But everyone makes their own decisions – there
are several famous brood bitches that would never have been permitted
to have a litter if they’d been mine, for reasons of temperament
or health, meaning some very successful breeding lines would never have
come into being. Just as well I wasn’t in charge of the breeding
programme then, eh....
7. The ‘ultimate show dog’? I don’t really know what
this means. They are all individuals. But of course for the showring you
hope for a combination of outstanding construction, soundness, attractive
coat, steady outgoing temperament and good health ... and then lots and
lots of luck!
8. Define ‘success’? But whatever it is you view as success,
it will need hard work, dedication, luck and a very good dog.
9. The first Beardie to really impress me, in the 70’s, was Pure
Magic of Willowmead. I loved his length of body and stride, his handsome
head, his moderate coat. Pepperland Lyric John at Potterdale was the next
star, for me – such a magnificent brown, full of life and love.
He sired my third favourite – Potterdale Privilege, who I thought
as close to perfection as one could get in a Beardie.
10. You might think my proudest moment was when Bob won Best of Breed
at Crufts in 1985, but I was so astonished - and subsequently so hurt
by some unpleasant comments that came my way – that it didn’t
go down as a memorable occasion for me. Winning Best in Show at a Beardie
club Ch show makes me very proud, and I’ve been lucky enough to
do so three times: with Ch Potterdale Elegance at Nebcol, with Ch Runival
Dream of Peace at EBCA and again at EBCA with Lochbarra Moonwalker. Probably
though, my proudest moment was when Bob won the CD stake at his second
Working Trial in 1983 and qualified CDEx, beating police dogs and experienced
Trials handlers. That was a real ‘Yay!’ moment.
11. Future plans? These words aren’t in my vocabulary – like
my dogs, I live for today. I hope to always have a beardie living with
me that descends from dear Kiri and to always be able to engage with the
dog world, for that has been my life, and without Beardies I don’t
know who I am.
12. Today’s Beardies... There are plenty of good ones around, although
they don’t necessarily always win, especially under all-rounders.
There are fewer with nervous temperaments than I remember in the 70’s,
and we seem to have come through the worst of the overshot mouths and
loose fronts. Pigmentation is much improved after being largely ignored
for a couple of decades. These sorts of trends are usually tied to over-use
of a particular stud dog and eventually the world moves on and people
find another dog to correct that fault, meanwhile setting in train a new
problem. With the wider variety of studs being used now, because of the
worry about inbreeding, perhaps we shall see less of these ‘fashions’.
But how we can get the all-rounders to understand that a really typical
Beardie is a LONG dog that doesn’t kick up at the rear, has a very
particular shape of ribcage and doesn’t need a big white collar
as a seal of quality ... well, will we ever manage that?
Denise Barley
28th April 2013 |
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ANGELA PEDDER - CALDERMIST |
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1. My great love and appreciation
of Beardies began before I even knew it! In 1980 whilst out walking,
I met a man whose dog I could not get out my mind. A dog whose path
I crossed for just a moment but was to change my life forever. So
captivated was I that I forgot to ask the man what breed he was,
so took off to our local library a few days later to try and identify
the dog that still bounced about in my head. I had grown up with
Yorkshire Terriers and knew little about the working dogs that I
have since come to love and admire. After several hours of searching,
I came across a volume of "Collie Dogs of Britain" and
I will never forget turning the page out of which jumped a very
handsome version of the dog that refused to leave my thoughts, "Braid"
or, as the pages read, Champion Osmart Bonnie Blue Braid. I contacted
Jenny immediately, booked a puppy and on a stormy November night,
made the long ascent to Osmart to collect him. As we dried out and
Jenny made steaming hot coffee, we snuggled our puppy, “Basil”
(Calderlin Islay Mist) sired by a Braid son, Peter Ben Bonnie at
Osmart and bred by Dorothy Lindsay. He was perfect and we were smitten.
We continued to enjoy our dogs as companions until a friend suggested
we joined her with our latest addition to our Beardie family at
a local Limit Show. We came 2nd out of 2 in the puppy class and
as I ironed the creased tails of my blue rosette, I knew I was hooked.
I have kept that very blue ribbon to this day!
I didn’t even consider breeding until I felt I had enough
experience and knowledge of the breed and after 20 years of living
with Beardies, we finally bred our first litter in 2000, which produced
2 champions for Caldermist.
2. Simply sharing in their company whatever we do and wherever
life may take us together. I also enjoy being in the company of
other’s Beardies and the friendships they bring us. |
An early photos with
Angela and one of her Osmarts
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3. We have only ever planned a litter when we want to keep a puppy
ourselves and always wish we could keep them all! Deciding on the best
homes has, for me, to be the most difficult part of breeding. I do however
consider it a two-way process, and so I expect to be asked as many questions
as I ask of a potential owner. However, despite some well crafted responses
(I think most of the UK must “work from home”!), I have ultimately
learned to listen to my gut instincts. We have been fortunate that every
single owner of our puppies from the few litters we have had has kept
their promise to stay in touch with some returning for a second puppy
– such a great compliment.
4. Do not rush into breeding. Take time to educate yourself as much as
possible. Be prepared to watch, listen, read, learn and take advice from
those more experienced and from those whose knowledge you trust and respect.
Seeking practical support from an experienced and willing ‘mentor’
can certainly provide welcome reassurance when embarking on that exciting
first litter.
5. I don’t consider that any of these important traits can be divorced,
as I believe they are all synonymous, with each having the potential to
impact on the other.
6. A Beardie girl who possesses the qualities and attributes to make
an effective and positive contribution to the Breed. Health, soundness
in temperament and conformation and the physical and psychological ability
and aptitude to mate, conceive and whelp naturally. Also an instinctive
knowledge and nurturing approach to rearing her puppies with limited need
for human intervention.
7. A fit, well balanced dog which mirrors the Breed Standard with nothing
exaggerated or overdone. A fluid, effortless mover reflecting all the
essentials to do the job for which they were bred, all topped off with
a touch of that indefinable ‘je ne sais quoi’ or charismatic
presence which simply commands attention.
8. It depends in what context success is to be measured.
I believe that underpinning every successful breeder, handler, exhibitor,
trainer or judge for example is a lot of hard work, passion, dedication,
determination, and a fair amount of luck. Whichever the chosen discipline
however, there is no fast track to experience, which I believe is the
cornerstone to sustained success. Patience, a willingness to learn, and
continue learning and an ability to critically assess and acknowledge
your own Beardie’s strengths and limitations, rather than by their
accomplishments in the show ring are additional important considerations.
9. This is a difficult one as there have been so many Beardies I have
admired and appreciated over the years and who have, without question,
earned a memorable place in the Beardie Archives whether it be as influential
Dams or Sires, as outstanding show dogs or excelling in their chosen disciplines.
Subsequently, my choices are purely self indulgent so:
Ch. Osmart Bonnie Blue Braid for steering me towards this wonderful breed
and for his contribution to the continuing development of the Bearded
Collie both here in the UK and overseas in the early days.
Ch. Potterdale Privilege: See question 7.
Ch. Breaksea Imagine: Simply beautiful.
10. I have been lucky enough to share many proud moments both in and
out of the show ring, so another difficult question. I am very proud of
the Beardies we have bred and the joy they bring to their owners.
In the show world, I consider that making up our first 2 homebred Beardies
and litter sisters, Ch Caldermist Carolina Blue and Ir Ch. Caldermist
Lilac Wine JW has to be up there among some of my proudest memories.
11. To continue enjoying the company of our Beardies for many years to
come and continue taking every opportunity to increase my knowledge and
understanding of this very special breed which crept into my heart all
those years ago and simply refused to leave.
12. There are still several Beardies which fit my ideal in the ring today,
but with each show I attend, I do admit to becoming increasingly concerned
about long low or tall, square Beardies of incorrect proportions and untypical
head patterns. My other cause for concern is that the gender of some Beardies
is not always as obvious as it should be! The health profile of the breed
has been in the spotlight in recent years and the debates that have subsequently
emerged will no doubt continue for some time to come. However, maintaining
the future health of the Bearded Collie is indeed firmly in the hands
of us all and we need to do all we can to ensure that as their guardians,
we leave this beautiful breed as good, if not better than we found it.
Angie Pedder
1st May 2013 |
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JANET WOOD - PEPPERJAY |
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1. As a child we always
had dogs, my uncle who lived next door, bred Jack Russell’s
and Staffordshire Bull Terriers, but when Alan and I moved into
our own home we were thinking more of a Cocker Spaniel or a Westie,
however when I learnt that a friend was going to have her big hairy
dog put to sleep because she was going to work abroad, we offered
to foster him, until a rescue home was found. This was our introduction
to Bearded Collies and this big hairy lovely boy was Sharistan Prospect
Pride (Jason) his Sire was Charncroft Crusader and his Dam was Tamevalley
Clare De Lune. Jason was 7 years old when he came to us, he died
at 15 years old, we were his rescue home.
There was a lady in the Estimating Department of the company I
worked for who bred dogs, but I was not aware of the connection
with Jason, until she contacted me to offer help and advice. This
lady was Maureen Reader (Tamevalley) who became my close friend
and mentor.
The breeder of Jason had recently got a new puppy and was intending
to show her, she asked us to accompany her to her first show to
give moral support, this was the Bearded Collie Club Championship
show in 1982, Maureen Reader was judging Dogs and Fred Randal (Kimrand)
Bitches. Moonhills Gold Digger went Best in show he was a beautiful
brown boy, |
Jan some years back
with Tamevalley Milwaukee Storm at Pepperjay
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I was smitten and we were hooked. Jason’s breeder never attended
another show, but this was just the beginning for me. Even though we didn’t
have our own dog to show for some years, I attended most shows with Maureen
and helped with showing some of the Tamevalley girls and in 1987 we started
showing our own lovely brown girl Tamevalley Karibou.
I have bred only one litter and this produced Ch Pepperjay Always ‘n’
Forever, it was so hard to say goodbye to the other 7 puppies, that I
realised breeding wasn’t for me, however we may decide to have a
litter soon, as we need a new puppy at Pepperjay.
2. I love to watch our dogs playing and running together, the walks we
have, the hugs and kisses they give and of course, the social life and
many friends they have bought us.
3. As I said earlier, we have only had one litter, I loved the experience
of having the litter and looking after them, but finding the right homes
was the hard part. We were lucky that some lovely people wanted our dogs,
we kept in touch with all except one family, the puppies are all gone
now but our friendships still go on.
4. Breeding a litter is a great responsibility not only do you need to
consider why you are doing it, but are you doing it for the right reasons.
Speak to as many experienced breeders as you can, ask questions, do your
homework before choosing a stud dog.
5. I hear breeders say they breed for temperament, but really all three
are very important, I believe you should not be breeding dogs that you
do not believe excel in all three.
6. As above.
7. A dog that is near to the breed standard as possible, who enjoys the
show ring and is a natural showman.
8. I don’t have an answer to this, but I would say, you only get
back what you put in.
9. There are so many dogs that I have admired over the years but if I
have only to choose three they would have to be Ch Potterdale Conclusion
for his character and the qualities he passed on to his many offspings.
Ch Potterdale Classic of Moonhill a wonderful ambassador for the breed
and a worthy winner of Best in Show at Crufts 1989. But then I’m
sorry, I couldn’t choose between the next two Ch Pipadene Camio
and Ch Diotima Dream Baby both these girls stopped me in my tracks when
they were in the ring I loved them both, super quality bitches.
10. I had many proud moments handling Maureens girls Ch Tamevalley Lightning
Storm and Ch Tamevalley Manhatten Mist, but I must admit it was a magical
moment when my own little girl Ch Pepperjay Always ‘n’ forever
from our only litter, won her 3rd CC and Best in Show under Jackie James
at the Bearded Collie Club of Scotland Championship show.
11. To continue enjoying our Beardies. We may decide to breed our second
litter now I’m looking to retire, but it would only be to keep a
puppy to enable us to continue showing.
12.I think we have just as many quality dogs around today, but I do feel
we hear of more health problems than we used to, especially when it comes
to natural matings. I am concerned that dogs are getting smaller, and
that they appear to be longer due to shorter legs. I appreciate we all
have our opinions and its always interesting to listen to other peoples
views.
Janet Wood
14th May 2013 |
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SUE NICHOLLS-WARD-
BUMBLERIDGE |
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1. I first found Beardies
in 1975 whilst looking for a shaggy dog at an Open show in Leicestershire,
one Wednesday evening. In the spring of 1975 I was settled in my
own home & decided that now was the time for a puppy. I had
considered an Old English Sheepdog but felt that they were too big
& not very bright!. At the show there was a brown Beardie sat
at the end of the room giving the occasional woof! & I was sold.
I hadn’t got any idea what the bred was but I was totally
in love with this friendly hairy. That summer a lovely brown Beardie
boy Shem (Glendonald Copper Knight) came to live with us. As I hadn’t
had a dog before I thought it important that the puppy Shem &
I should got to training classes. The ones local to me were ring
craft (which meant nothing to me at the time) & the first class
that we went to, was a match meeting & Shem won a rosette &
the rest is history. In 1977 Tansy (Brambledale Black Bryony of
Bumbleridge) joined our family & became my foundation. Tansy
produced me my first little in May 1979 sired by Braelyn Broadholme
Crofter.
2. I have always enjoyed anything where we all have fun, so it
goes without saying that we have attended an awful lot of club fun
days where we joined in the Beardie working test.. Since living
in Staffordshire we were able to get involved in agility & flyball
as well as continuing with obedience & of course the show ring,
which took up most of the available time. I really enjoy holidaying
with the dogs in the caravan which allows us to have lots of different
favourite walks all over the country.
3. We only have a litter to ensure that we will not loose the Bumbleridge
line. Before I ever bred a litter I was asked why do you want to
have a litter?, my response to the lady in question was that I couldn’t
think of anything more special than to do well in the show ring
with a Beardie I have bred. In later years most of my puppies will
be booked before they are born. These will be either people who
have had a Beardie from me before or that we have met & been
liked by the bunch. In the earlier days if people enquired about
buying a |
Sue & Holly (Ch. Bumbleridge’s
Winter Wish)
when shen won the bitch CC at Crufts 1998.
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puppy I would say that they could come to visit &
meet the adult dogs but would not guarantee that they could see or book
a puppy. If the prospective new owners could convince me that the dog
could be part of the majority of their lives then I might let them see
the puppies. We want to be able to treat the new owners as friends who
keep in touch. I think this is down to my ‘gut feeling’ about
the people & how they respond to me. One of our doggie friends once
told me that he had had some pretty high powdered job interviews but they
were child’s play compared to convincing me that they were suitable
to have one of my puppies!!!
4. Be honest with yourself & don’t become kennel blind. You
should always want to improve on what you have so it is important that
you honestly recognise the areas that need improvement. Ensure that you
have carried out all the health screen that should be done then talk to
the breeder of your girl & ask for advice on a suitable stud dog(s)
and if possible look at litters that have been sired by any potential
dog. Before I had my second litter I kept speaking to the breeder of my
girl asking what she thought about a certain dog. For a number of dogs
she made comments but then when the comment ‘that could be nice’
came back I settled on Ch. Charncroft Corinth which produced Andromeda
& Moonmaiden.
5. Temperament must always be first as the dogs must be nice people to
live with. Health & construction somewhat go hand in hand. A healthy
dog is a happy dog but the construction of the dog will have a serious
impact on their health. So health followed very closely by construction
6. A bitch that meets all aspects of 5 & whose pedigree hasn’t
got any known problems in her ancestors
7. The one who the minute they walk in the ring demands your attention
with an expression that melts your heart, doesn’t disappoint when
you go over them & effortlessly flows round the ring, covering plenty
of ground.
8. Patience & learning which should help you understand how things
work. You need to understand that not all lines mix well so research the
history of your line to help you move forward. The more time you invest,
the better the pay back.
9. I found this question very difficult as there have been a lot of Beardies
I have greatly admired. My first must be Brambledale Balthazer as he was
closely related to my first girl; he was such a gentleman with a wonderful
temperament. Ch. Tamevalley Easter Song of Potterdale always looked the
show girl with movement to die for & mother to the only beardie to
win Crufts. I must also include Winston – Ch. Pepperland Lyric John
at Potterdale who I watched being shown by Mike, just demanding that I
did not take my eyes of him; I was total stunned by his ring present &
depth of colour of his brown coat.
10. Being successful in the show ring always makes me feel proud. Awarding
CCs for the first time at Leicester 1991 was great moment which eventually
led to the receipt of the letter from the kennel club in November 2003
asking me to judge Crufts in 2008.
I am going to say there are two proudest moments that of having the honour
of judging dogs at Crufts in 2008 and achieving the Bearded Collie Senior
working test with Ch. Bumbleridge’s Naughty ‘n’ Nice
in 2012 making him the only living champion with a Senior Working Test
(& only the seventh to do so). It was better than getting a CC .
11. To continue to enjoy life with the Beardies, having fun in everything
we do.
12. I think some of today’s Beardies need to compare themselves
against our breed standard & ask could I stand up in the ring to some
of the past Beardies. We still have some lovely, well constructed Beardies
but some don’t quite make the grade. Breeders need to go back to
basics & decide what they need to improve on; then look for a dog
that has that in abundance. Don’t just use the latest fashion in
a stud dog or use a dog just because you know will get a mating, use the
dog that is best for your girl.
Sue Nicholls-Ward
5th August 2013 |
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BARBARA WALKER-SMITH - BRIARIDGE |
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1. I had always loved
dogs especially collies I had my first collie a working sheepdog
in 1957. Border collies were not recognised for the show ring until
about 1976 and Agility didn't start until 1978. I wanted a breed
I could show and work my final choice came down to a Shetland Sheepdog
or a GSD. How wrong was I a picture appeared in Our Dogs of a shaggy
sheepdog with the most beautiful head and expression I was hooked
it was a Bearded Collie. I was lucky enough to work in the Bothkennar
Bearded Collie kennels in the very early sixties. I didn't purchase
my first Beardie until 1970 again from an advertisement in Our Dogs.
She was Jessamine of Tambora who was shortly followed by Irish Lace
of Tambora.
2. I Enjoy their companionship cuddles on the sofa long walks anything
else is a bonus
3. There is never an ideal buyer I preferred to sell to people who
already had experience of the breed but this wasn't possible in
the early days. If a family came I looked at how the children behave
amongst the dogs and did Mum really want a dog or was she just pushed
into it. Mums usually get left with work of caring for the puppy
4. Is your bitch good enough to breed from have you the time facilities
and money to rear a little. If the puppies aren't sold quickly have
you the room to keep them and most importantly would you be prepared
to take back any of your puppies in later life.
5. Good basic construction from health tested parents with steady
temperaments.
6. A good specimen of the breed without any exaggerations. Steady
temperament. |
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7. A superbly moving dog who can look the judge in the eye and say
"Now put me up"
8. Not to become kennel blind.
9. Willowmead Mignonette of Orora, Pepperland Lyric John of Potterdale
and Tamevallety Easter Song of Potterdale they laid the foundation of
so many lovely Beardies.
10. To see Jean Keith make up Ch. Briaridge Lyrical Lord. She had never
owned a show dog and he was bought as a pet.
11. None age has caught up with me.
12. Still a variation in type perhaps to many short on the leg have length
but not made up by the length of the ribcage. Mouths give a cause for
concern.
Barbara Walker-Smith
15th Aprilt 2015 |
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