CARDIGAN CORGI HISTORY IN NEW ZEALAND
In 1965 Joy Devery joined the
little band of enthusiasts in NZ with the purchase of the red brindle bitch Tenby Te Maire, by Barman from Ch. West Country
Jessica (Binder ex Meri). This bitch not only worked tirelessly on the sheep and
cattle station where Joy lived, she became a show champion and the top winning Cardi of
her day in NZ's North Island. Her four litters, along with Joy's several imports from
Australia, including the top winning Aust.Ch. Rhossili Regal Apollo,
founded her Rerehau kennels which in 1977 she changed to the well known Copperleaf prefix.
Mrs Beryl Russell of Tuahine
kennels joined the fray in 1968 with a young dog Grwffydd of Kimchella
from the South Island, later going on to breed the lovely Tuahine
Merribetson. David Taylor of Tidemark and later Angwyn kennels purchased the much
admired red West Country Cedric from Mrs Adamson's final litter
thus beginning his many years of interest in the breed, concentrating later on blue
merles. In 1972 Miss Bridget Smeeton purchased a red brindle male from
Mrs Russell and a brindle female from Joy Devery and so began her Rodwell breeding line,
later bringing in from Australia the dark brindle Bellbeau Tara Gem and
several Cardigans from the Cambrian bloodline. Cronadun, Cavadale and Medway kennels in
the South Island concentrated on breeding with the brindle Delfryd
Rastus Man over dogs carrying Australian Ajax blood. (alternatively ...over dogs desceing from the Australian Ajax
kennels). In the mid 1970's Mrs Dawn Turner
of Tymkin Pembroke kennels imported the handsome tricolour Daleviz
Napoleon from the UK and he was bred to a number of Tuahine bitches. He was
followed by Mrs Glenys Blinman's (Winscote kennels) Parmel Debonair and
Vennwoods Sugar n Spice to add to the gene pool. Aust.Ch. Jezalin Fanfare of Dilwel (UK) made a visit to Bridget
Smeeton's kennels from his home in South Australia and sired one litter, from his
daughter, Bridget's Ch.Bellbeau Tara Gem. Tuahine kennels imported Kardibroke
Ebony Lady and at Copperleaf several more Cardis arrived from Australia, including
the first blue merles, a male and a female, from Plynlimon and Leamore kennels. In 1980 Mrs Shane McDonogh of
Bluemeadows kennels imported the brindle bitch Kentwood Blodwen in
whelp to Eng.Ch. Pharoah of Joseter. Tragically Blodwen died
immediately after giving birth to the litter of eight puppies but Mrs McDonogh and her
daughter successfully raised the litter themselves. A dark brindle dog from this litter Bluemeadows Ptolemy proved an outstanding show dog and was very useful
at stud. In 1984 Mrs McDonogh following this with another English import, the red Jezalin Top Secret. 1980 also saw Mrs Ann Aitken
introduce two Australian Cardigans to her Badagri Pembroke kennels. They were the litter
mates Cambrian Kum Again and Cambrian Kan't
Resist, both to become top winners. Mrs Aitken was later joined by Mrs Helen Arps
in kennel partnership. Shirley Morton of German Shepherd
fame imported the tricolour Cardimore Storm and the blue merle Aust.Ch. Kardibroke Krystal Gem from Australia and began her Talstroms
breeding line, successfully combining with Joy Devery's tricolour Rerehau
Ebony Star. Mrs Carol Tozer imported the litter sisters Damlen
Sailors Mate and Damlen Tarnished Angel, daughters of Aust.Ch. Ringinglow Sailor King (UK), from NSW. All these dogs
intertwined to form the foundation of some very successful breeding. Larry Donnell and Graeme Parris of
Barclay kennels bought in Rhossili Itsa Surprise from Sydney,
followed in 1983 by the black Rhossili Piccallo and later Aust.Ch. Rhossili Sans Rival, the latter going on to win the first Best
In Show award won by a Cardigan in NZ -- this was at a Corgi specialty of the day. Larry
and Graeme bred several good winning progeny during the time they were in the breed. Mrs Ann Svenson added Aust.Ch. Johnwey Wild Wind and Johnwey New Outfit from
Queensland, Australia, to her Benvenuto kennels and bred these two with two bitches from
Winscote kennels. Joy Devery of Copperleaf also used Wild Wind successfully over her Copperleaf Evensong. In 1983 Joy bred the tricolour dog Copperleaf Indiana and thus continued the forward march of the breed.
Indiana proved highly influential both in the show ring and at stud, going on to sire the
prepotent sable bitch Copperleaf Tiger Lily from a daughter of
Wild Wind and Evensong. In 1987 Bridget Smeeton imported
the red Eng.Ch. Jezalin Top Brass from England, and combined him
with her Rodwell breeding, along with Wanmirri Gai Alexa from
Australia. Her winning stock Rodwell Ain't She Sweet and the
siblings Rodwell True Brew and Rodwell Rosette directly
carry her Top Brass bloodline. Helen Arps brought in Finlai Ice Breaker
also from Australia and Ann Aitken Cambrian Zebadee. These latter
two males have had a hugely positive effect on each of the breeding lines they were used
over, more so when used in combination -- and most especially when combined with
Copperleaf Tiger Lily -- a combination that can now be found in stock in all our major
kennels, and which has proven so successful overseas. From these lines came the famous
siblings Badagri Welsh Lad, Badagri Spring Daisy, Badagri Crest Of The
Wave and Badagri Sailing High. Helen and Ann then
introduced the Am.Ch. Kennebec Ice Anchor son Cambrian Big Bickies to
their breeding line, and the red brindle bitch Cambrian Alliance.
Breeding Zebadee to Alliance gave them the lovely specialty bitch Badagri
One And Only, who went on to produce Badagri Almost Persuaded.
Pauline Jessep of Blue-grass
kennels in the South Island has used several different bloodlines, but has achieved
longterm success with progeny of Blue-grass Quiz Master (son of
Ice Breaker from Zebadee/Gai Alexa daughter Rodwell Canasta) over
Tuahine Sinead from mostly Copperleaf breeding. She has
introduced the black Tuahine Ebony Llad a son of Aust.Ch.Trygarn Traveller to her kennels. Naomi Munro of Little Ridge
kennels, also in the South, has used several different bloodlines, but concentrated mainly
on Tuahine stock. Shane McDonogh no longer shows but her brindle male Bluemeadows
Bonfire has been used by other kennels, particularly successfully over the red Copperleaf Mari Gold. Les and Maureen Manning of Carey
kennels began their Cardigan breeding in the late 1980's with Lace Jewel
of Carey, daughter of Copperleaf Rain Bonnet. They
combined this bitch with Copperleaf Courtney, Ice Breaker and
Zebadee to produce some very good winners to carry the flag for their kennels. With the generosity of Jean Clarke
of South Australia, Joy Devery brought Aust.Ch. Memini Hot Doggy Dino to
Copperleaf and bred some quality stock from the blacks Copperleaf Peach
Bonnet and her Courtney daughter Copperleaf Polly Plum.
Together with Mrs Jan Field-Dodgson she imported Kardibroke November
Mist from Melbourne and combined her with the above lines. A line breeding to the
Dino/Peach Bonnet combination produced the stunning brindle Copperleaf
Rose Of Sharon, multi In Group and In Show winner and the winner of the second Best
In Show in NZ Cardigan history. The tricolour Kardibroke Late Nite Sky has
been introduced to further the bloodline. Many people have come and gone but
we now have two new breeders in our ranks, both with Copperleaf stock. Ms Delrae Clode of
Paganlea kennels and Miss Sarah Tate. These folk are most welcome in our small band of
enthusiasts, and small in numbers though we are, we are extremely proud to have produced
some exceptionally fine Cardigans which have been recognised for their quality in many
countries of the world. |