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| THE
SMOOTH COLLIE. A potted history. |
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| The
next Smooth coated sheepdog classes were held at the Nottingham show in
October 1873. In the 1800's to become a Champion you had to win three
first's at any show and records show that the first short coated sheepdog
to gain the title of Champion was Waite, a bitch born in 1867 and bred
by a Mr W.Hotson of Eskdale. Her sire was Waite, and dam Tip, she won
first prize at the KC show in 1874, her 2nd was in October 1874 and her
title at the KC Club show in 1875. One of the earliest Smooth Collie fanciers was a Mr Hastie of the Herdwick prefix. He lived in Newcastle and did much to support the breed in it's early days. The first male Champion was Ch. Guelt. He was born in 1873. To us he would have been a tricolour but was described as Black, Tan and White, sired by Captain ex Nora. In 1917 Ch Laund Lynne was born, she was bred by a Mr Whitley and owned by Mr W. Stansfield who's Laund prefix became known World wide, she was a legend in her day winning 17 CC's and 95 Best in Show awards. Mr W. Stansfield was the father of the well-respected Mrs Ada Bishop who continued in her fathers footsteps breeding top quality Rough and Smooth Champions. During the first world war an injunction was bought in that no dog breeding was to take place and this must have been a bitter blow to all dog breeders, but to the Smooth Collie fanciers it was almost an end to the breed. The ban lasted three years and if it were not for the stalwart breeders of the day such as Mr Stansfield, [Laund], Mr A,Newton [Haighton], Mr Bart Hewison [Hewburn] and Raynor Anderson [Saltaire] the breed could have been lost. Another grand lady was Mrs Zoe Rhys of the Hughley prefix. She bred the lovely tricolour bitch Ch. Black Dorcas. Mrs Rhys was a founder member of the London Collie Club and Patron of the Smooth Collie Club of Great Britain up until she died in 1986. Mrs Rhys purchased her first Smooth Collie in 1919 and was still going strong when I came into the breed in the early 70's. Mrs Rhys' first smooth bitch was called Blue Amber. In 1924 she purchased a blue merle bitch from Mr T. Butterworth, namely Blue Orchid, she was sired by Alec Alslop's tricolour dog Black Blend, Orchid was the dam of Ch. Dorcas. A litter sister of Dorcas went to Mr Alslop and she was named Wychelms Black Lass, she produced Ch. Wychelms Silver Maid who started Pop Farringtons Kennel of Smooth Collies. The famous Kennel of the Peterblue's came on the scene in the 1950's with the lovely Champion Redevalley Rosita of Ladypark. This bitch was bred by Gordon Foster who with his father owned the Redevalley prefix. Rosita was to become the foundation bitch for Mrs Alexander and her partner Miss Dundas Mouat. From this bitch comes at least 80% of smooth collies shown today, they called her Gussie and she produced six champions in three litters. It is quite interesting to note that on each occasion she was mated to a Rough Collie. The reason for this was that there were so few Smooth stud dogs available at the time [something that we breeders of today must be aware of], Gussie was a dominant Smooth and in all her litters never produced a Rough Puppy. The Peterblues went on to become a kennel that produced some of the finest Smooth Collies in the breeds early history, their smooths were known all over the world many going to overseas fanciers in the USA and Canada. The kennel won over a 100 CC' s in the UK. One of Rosita's puppies was purchased by Joan Hill [Selskars] she was one of the most beautiful tricolours ever shown, her name was Ch. Selskars Peterblue Susan, such a beauty that she could walk in to any ring today and still win top honours. She excelled in head and expression, her ear placement was superb, this along with a beautiful neck and lay of shoulder won her many admirers. In my opinion she was one of the finest Smooths of her time. Joan Hill bred the sable Ch. Selskars Soldanella, co-owned by Jean Taylor and the top winning tricolour bitch Ch. Selskars Soldanoro owned by Mr & Mrs Saville, she was a prolific winner in her day winning 18 C.C's. The 60's were dominated by the Peterblue and Selskars kennels and Mr Tom Purvis of the Danvis kennels took a shine to the breed and his Ch. Danvis Blue Prince took the shows by storm notching up 13 CC's. The Tilehouse Kennel of Mrs Iris Coombe produced Ch. Tilehouse Patrick, a very impressive blue merle dog who won a total of 17 C.C's. To improve the gene pool Mrs Christine Leach imported the blue merle bitch Kelbonnie Chanel Gina from Canada, she came into this country in whelp and produced 4 dogs and 3 bitches, the sire of the puppies was American Ch. Goliath O Darjoro. |
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| Mated
to Ch. Jalondas Jacanapes she produced the outstanding litter - Ch. Foxearth
Jubilation, Ch. Foxearth Jubilant, Ch. Foxearth Jubilate, forming the
dynasty of the Foxearth Kennels. Ch. Foxearth Flourish, Ch. Foxearth Tinsmith,
Ch. Foxearth Gold Fever to name but a few bred by the partnership of Birgit
and Trevor Hayward. The Amberhill Collies of the sisters Melsa and Innes Holmes descended from this stock and they produced some lovely tri colour smooths. Both Melsa and Innes worked hard for the Smooth Collie Club of G.B.. Around this time many exciting kennels evolved and we saw the Crossfells, Treewoods, Hilltarn, Chicnoir, Wingbelle, Talcott, Bothways, Alopex, Sylvermor, Kirkhoughs,Cotsbelle, Gatebeck, Jalondas, Jzero, Ingledene, Birchfields, Mistoff, Astrellita and Newarp and so many more who's breeding is in so many pedigrees that helped the continuation of the breed. |
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| Champion Astrellita at Glenmist's full brother International Champion and World winner Astrellita Blue Macho also worked cattle high in the mountains of Switzerland, along with Accomplice they made a good working team. | ||
Close on her heels was the lovely blue bitch, Champion Astrellita Blue Movie at Glenmist. Owned by Lillian and Frank Mitchell, of the Glenmist kennels, she was a wonderful showgirl, and in between winning thirty CC's produced Champion Glenmist Rough Diamond, Champion Glenmist Blue Lodestone, Champion Glenmist Blue Diamond at Francolls and Champion Glenmist Movie Maestro. Blue Movie was the daughter of Champion Dancerwood Bewitched at Astrellita who also when mated to Champion Astrellita The Gunslinger at Newarp produced Champion Astrellita Moonstone who worked cattle prior to starting her show days. Full brother to Bewitched was Dancerwood Court Jester who sired Champion Astrellita The Silversmith, an impressive dog of superb construction and colour, he was a Best of Breed Crufts winner and such was his quality he took top Smooth Collie of the year at the age of almost 11 years under breed specialist judges, Mrs A Chatfield, Mr Peter Turner and the well known all round Judge, Mr M Quinney .Many Smooth Collies have left their mark on the breed and to list them all would be endless. I hope that you have enjoyed reading about how the breed evolved into a top show dog. If it were not for the early breeders who saw the quality of the Smooth and took them out of the fields and into the show ring we would never have had the pleasure to enjoy this clever versatile breed. We, the breeders of Smooth Collies today, thank the past stalwarts of the breed for enabling us to continue to breed, exhibit and enjoy this very versatile, easy and loyal dog. If anyone wishes to ask more about the Smooth Collie, past or present, I will do all I can to help. I have pedigrees relating to many of the dogs mentioned and will only be too happy to trace back the history of new owners of Smooth Collies. Written by Stella Clark |
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| Stella
Clark : e-mail dogs@astrellita.freeserve.co.uk
OR telephone / fax : 01953 454246 or from outside the U.K. 00 44 1953 454246 Or you may contact the Smooth Collie Club of Great Britain e-mail : smoothcollie@zyworld.com web site : jeanette.collies@btopenworld.com Other useful CONTACTS: Rough and Smooth Training Association :RSCTA |
