Club history

40 Years And Counting

by Doug Collier

This year, 2016, sees the Border Collie Club of GB celebrate its Fortieth Year of existence.

A steering committee had formed a Border Collie Club in 1973 and it was in 1976 that the Kennel Club approved the title and status of the Club. The Club’s initial aim was to get the breed accepted by the Kennel Club as a pedigree breed, able to be shown in the breed ring. In 1976 this aim came to fruition and the breed was accepted in the UK. It was a momentous year for the breed. Other nations followed Britain, the homeland of the breed and it soon became accepted worldwide.

It was five years later that the breed achieved championship status. The first Challenge Certificates were awarded at Crufts in March 1981. What of the new British show dog in the period 1976 to 1981? History shows us that only one dog born before recognition gained Champions status later in life and he was Mary Miller’s Sh Ch Asoka Navajho of Firelynx, born 3 June 1976. The other great champions of the breed had not yet been born. Here are the ones born in the late 1970s – Tilehouse Cassius of Beagold born 20.07.78, Fieldbank Professional born 20.07.79, Welsh Queen Bess born 14.03.78, Sh Ch and Obedience Champion Whenway Mist of Wizaland born 11.11.78, Tracelyn Gal born 10.01.79, Mizanne the Witch born 17.07.79 and Muirend Border Dream born 20.09.79.

Following acceptance of the breed in July 1976 very few show societies scheduled the breed at first and there were many who disputed the acceptance of this natural herding dog. There was however a considerable number of the breed working in the Obedience ring and a few in Working Trials. Some of their owners were anxious to try the new challenge and encouraged societies to lay on classes and this gradually happened. It was regrettable at the time that those with ISDS dogs, the farmers and shepherds of Britain, never brought their dogs into the show ring. Agreement between the KC and ISDS had not been easy to reach and many saw it as a betrayal of the breed and took the view that those showing should just be left to get on with it. With hindsight it was the best thing that the ISDS did continue with their registrations and the running of sheepdog trials and left the show ring dogs to flourish at their own sport. Granted the breed of dog has the same name. The early show dogs and their handlers were pioneers who sometimes endured the ridicule of judges – ‘what the hell are these?’ – ‘bring in the mutts’. The owners’ philosophy had to be to grin and bear it.

Although not the first to schedule the breed, Crufts 1978 at Olympia allowed the breed to compete in the AV Non-Sporting NSC Class which had 143 dogs. The judge was Catherine Sutton and the Border Collie competitors were – Mrs EG Anderson’s Drain of Andersley (Fife) 06.12.75, Margaret Evans’ Una from Tracelyn (Anglesey) 28.12.76 and Queenie from Tracelyn 18.06.76, Les Fincham’s Gemond Castor (Essex) 01.05.74, Mrs L J Franklin’s Amour Aran (Derby) 28.04.76, Mary Gascoigne’s Kathmick Garry (Kent) 29.06.72, Miss S Groom’s Gelert of Gawne (Birmingham) 21.05.76, Mrs S V Phayer’s Sealight Seawitch (Hants) 26.01.76, Mr K Sangster’s Tynka of Artorius (Essex) 18.07.76. The breeds represented in the class ranged from Bichon Frise to Anatolian Karabash. I understand that Gemond Castor was placed. Of these Border Collies Gemond Castor, Amour Aran and Gelert of Gawne were the famous dogs of the time. Others who led the breed into the show ring were – David and Jean Hoare’s Merrybrook Apache, Margaret and Doug Collier’s Tevis Border Breeze, Pam Etheredge’s Tefryn Gemma, Judith Gregory’s Toby of Tonkory and Plas Major Maya of Tonkory, Bruce Kilsby’s Rhos of Rushmead CDex, Ann Amos’ Sadgyll Rock of Coires and Sadgyll Coire, Iris Coombe’s Fly of Tilehouse and Brocken Sweep of Tilehouse, Kathy Lister’s Lady Fleck of Fieldbank, Joyce Grant’s Joyboy Glen Grant CDex, Mrs A Fletcher’s Tyrocoll Bridie, Angela Gillespie’s Detania Meg, Mrs K Rawlings’ Kestrel, Pam Harris’ Mobella Gem, Miss L I Smith’s Mobella Michann. I have only listed those dogs born in 1976 or earlier. Please forgive me if I have left any out. Thank you, pioneers, it was you who led the way from 1976 onward.