In 1964 when we were just one year married we decided to buy a dog and Shetland Sheepdogs caught our eye. We read the book written by Herbert Sisters of the Shelert Kennels. We thought perhaps they would be the ideal people to purchase a pup from so we wrote to them saying we were interested in a dog puppy [ we didn't say it was for showing, perhaps we should]. They replied that they had a 14 week old puppy dog for sale so we decided to buy it and it was flown over. We noticed immediately that its ears were pricked, when we mentioned this to them they told us to rub the ears with Dubbin. This didn't work and we also discovered he wasn't entire, so we just kept him as a pet.
In 1972 we went to live in Hampshire, in a village called Purbrook which is outside Portsmouth. During this time we lived there Prince, as we called him got killed. When we returned to Northern Ireland in 1976 we decided to forget about Shelties and buy a Rough Collie. We bought eggs from a farm and the owner had a "Lassie" which had been mated to Val & John Geddes Pattingham Premonition. When she had her pups we bought a bitch calling her Lassie of course. When she was nearly 6 months old a work colleague of Robert's suggested we show her, he was showing his Irish Setter. He got us a schedule and we set off for our first show which was Shorts CC in August 1976. We didn't know anything about grooming or trimming. Some one eventually showed us how to do the rear legs, unfortunately they believed in cutting the hair back to the bone. However we eventually learnt. Lassie didn't do a lot of winning but we kept going and learnt a lot. We bred a litter from her but we didn't keep any pups and got her a nice pet home with a Vicar.At this time Rita & Ernie Crawford had mated Magic of Antoc to Sangreat Salvador and we purchased a dog and bitch puppy, Caesar & Sheena. We kep Caesar until he died, he did quite a lot of local winning, Sheena was mated to Ch Brettonpark Wahtzizname, we kept a dog and bitch for a while and then sold them as pets. Sheena also went to a pet home.

We felt it was time to apply for an affix. Our first choice was Castlereagh, which was turned down by the KC. I've since seen someone in England with Kerry Blues has this affix. Castlereagh is the area we live in and Robert comes from Altnagelvin so we came up with Altnareagh.We had really taken a liking to Brettonpark and Arranbrook lines by this time so we purchased High Stakes of Arranbrook from John and Sue Basing.


High Stakes of Arranbrook
Cleo as we called her was bred from Sangreat Sorrocco of Arranbrook and Arranbrook Personality. She would probably be one of our favourites and she lived with us until she died at 13 years old. She was a super little bitch but she didn't like indoor shows. She really moved around the ring outside but wouldn't walk at an indoor venue. She had Best in Show at Antrim & Dist. CC from Hugh Simpson. In 1982 we mated Cleo to Lyn Harvey's [Now Basing] Arranbrook Mr Solo of Buraimi. From this we got our beautiful Altnareagh Debutant who as just 9 months won BOB & Res. BIS at Banbridge & Dist. CC from Barry Makepeace, and in 1984 BIS at the Irish Collie Club Open Show from Tom Wall. She also won her classes at many championship shows. She didn't think motherhood was for her so she ended her days in a lovely pet home in Donegall. We also had at this time a lovely bitch Jasida's Gold Dust at Altnareagh bred from Arranbrook Hit Man and Jasidas Jonquil who also did her share of winning but never had any puppies.

Altnareagh A Little Madam

In 1986 we thought we would like a blue merle so we purchased from Maud and Alan Mather Rubec Blue Diamond at Altnareagh. He had a super temperament and he won his Junior Warrant, which is very hard to get on this side of the sea. He had numerous BOB's and Res. BIS at the Irish Collie Club Open Show from Ray Young [Carclew]In 1987 we were both judging at Earlestown & Newton Le Willows Open show. Robert did the Breed Classes and I was doing Varieties & BIS. Robert gave Best of Breed to Jasmine Round with a beautiful puppy Strolester Mis Understood at Jasand. I couldn't resist her either and gave her BPIS and Res. BIS. When we came home we were talking about her and decided we would love a bitch puppy from her when she was mated. We spoke to Jasmine about this and some months later got a telephone call to say the pups were born. She had been mated to Ch Jasand Master Ziggy. So arrived with us Jasand Jus' Jenny at Altnareagh.


Jasand Jus' Jenny at Altnareagh.

We also purchased a few months later Jasand Trendy at Altnareagh [a brother to Ch Jasand Jack Daniels]. Both were quite successful for us in the riing and when the time came we mated them, our Ziggy daughter to the Winston son. We got Altnareagh Jus' A Madam [Susie] A lovely bitch but she wouldn't show. However we kept her and mated her to Myskveil Naughty Rascal. This gave us Altnareagh Jus' Magic who when mated to Ch. Sundorne Spiritualist gave us our Int/Ir/GB Ch Altnareagh I'm Bryn.


Int, Ir, GB Ch Altnareagh I'm Bryn

We also had a litter from Magic to Chrisarion Collier, from that we have Altnareagh Titania. We then mated her back to Bryn and got Altnareagh Hot Cinders who although only lightly shown has won BIS at the Irish Collie Club Open show February 2003 under Daphne Iley [Ileyda] and 1st JB at Lancs & Cheshire Show.
We retired Jasand True T Form at Altnareagh [Going Places brother] and would hope to mate him to Cinders in the future.


Altnareagh Hot Cinders

My first judging appointment was Coleraine & District CC in 1980 and Robert first judged at Lisburn & Dist CC 1980. His first championship show appointment was Leicester in 1990 and my first championship show appointment was South Wales in 1992. We also enjoy judging other breeds at open show level and Robert is on the "B" list for several breeds.I am also approved to award CC's in Shih Tzu's and have judged them at this level three times..


Altnareagh Mystic Meg
We decided in the mid 70's to also have Shih Tzu's. They are super little dogs but with my back, not the best, constant grooming is difficult.We have now given up showing Shih Tzu's but still have two oldies left. It is much easier to look after the Rough Collie coats than Shih Tzu's. I was secretary of the Ulster Shih Tzu's club from 1991 until the club de-registered in 2003. I was also secretary of the Newtownards and District CC for 18 years. For a number of years I have been on the Committee of Belfast Dog Show Society and have been Chief Steward for a few years.


Iris with "Bryn"

2003 was a super year for us with "Bryn" winning his third CC at Northumberland & Durham Ch Show from Alan Mather and getting his final points for his Irish Title at the All Ireland Collie and Sheepdog Society Ch Show in Dublin under Jimmy Tait. He also won CACIB'S at St Patrick's Day Show and Combined Canine Club Breed Show in the November from Heather Corfield [Lashol]

In 2004 at Combined Canine Club Ch Show Bryn won BOB AND THE cacib. By now he was only being campaigned lightly attending a few local shows but in 2005 at St Patrick's Day Ch Show under Mr J Cabral [Portugal] he won CACIB and BOB, giving him his International Title, the only Rough Collie Dog to date in Ireland to gain this title. He returned out in August 2005 to win Green Star and BOB at Navan Ch Show under Colin Bobbett [Newloc]. He is now almost 8 years old but he still loves showing, we take him out now and again. In July 2006 he won Green Star and BOB at both Bray Ch Show and Irish Ladies Kennel Club Ch Show and Veteran Dog at Irish Collie Club Ch Show under Sheila Withers [Saheltra]. Our home bred triple Ch. is loved and admired and available at stud.

VIEW PEDIGREES - [To follow shortly]

Robert & Iris Cummings
Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Telephone: 028 90 799219
email: ALTNAREAGH