Current Breeding Lines 1985 - 1992

by Jonathan Jeffrey Kimes

In 1984 I authored an article entitled 'Current Breeding Lines' which appeared in Volume 18 of the CWCCA Bulletin. Your editor has asked that I revisit the subject in this year's CWCCA Handbook.

The purpose of my review is to signal those bloodlines which have had the most impact to the development of the best Cardigans in America. My criteria for including Cardigans for review in 1984 were as follows: Best in Sweeps and Best Opposite Sex in Sweeps, and Reserve Winners or better in the regular classes of the CWCCA National Specialties. I did not include Honor of Merit winners in the previous article as this system was introduced midway through the time period I reviewed. I will include these winners in this article, as the honor has been uniformly awarded in the time frame of 1985-1992. I continue to feel the National Specialty review is the most appropriate arena because of the recognized knowledge level of the judges and the overall national support these shows receive. At this juncture, we still do not have nationwide support of other shows, such as regional specialties, nor are they always judged by recognized breeder judges.

Winner of BB in 1983, with an additional HoM in 1986 at 12 years of age, the brindle Ch. Rollingwood Gee Whiz sired the 1989 BOS winner in Ch. Gamblwr Brych Yr Olynmawr, who took this top win, like his sire, from the veteran's class. Also among the Gee Whiz get was Twinroc Cherub, 1985's WB, BW and BOS winner, and her brother, Twinroc Custom Design, RWD at the same show. These latter two were out of Ch. Twinroc Checkmate Treasure, a red bitch who added an HoM in 1985 to her Best in Sweeps and BW awards gained in 1980. Two red Gee Whiz grandsons also scored well in this time period with Kollage's Dylan Ap Sage receiving the WD award in 1985 and his brother, Ch. Kollage's Travis McGee Sage winning an HoM in 1987. Dylan sired the brindle Ch. Kollage Calloo Callay, HoM in 1992.

The Ch. Twinroc Caesar's Cadet - Ch. Eastwyn Miss Friendly combination which fared so well in the late seventies and early eighties was still felt to some degree in the mid 1980's. The decline of these bloodlines should not be attributed to falling into disfavor, but rather the slowed or non-existanl output of the Twinroc and Foxfyre kennels which housed these animals. Sired by 1982's BB winner, the brindle pointed tricolor Ch. Cardrew Christopher Watched, the red dog Ch. Quick's Charlemagne won no major awards but sired the red dog Ch. Tesseract Pete of Santana, HoM in 1982 and 1987, and was the grandsire of both Ch. Santana's Raisin Cane, a brindle tri, HoM in 1987 and the tri bitch Bawni's Sweet Molly MacGee, RWB in 1985. From a combination of the Talbot line which is pure Robgwen breeding, and the Miss Friendly - Caesar's Cadet line came the 1985 Best in Sweeps winner in Phi's Flower Power at her first show, later to be an American and Canadian Champion.

As noted in the earlier article, the appearance of the dark brindle Ch. Talbot's Pilot Programme on the scene began to turn the tide towards dogs of more British breeding winning in the American specialty ring. Pilot Programme himself was impeccably bred with such greats as Eng. Ch. Parmel Digger, Eng. Ch. Robgwen Black Beauty and Am. & Eng. Ch. Winsdown Blue Disk of Robgwen counted among his grandparents. Although rather limitedly used, here we see the 'cream rising to the top' with a profound impact on the breed. In 1985, the BB winner was his famous BIS winning son Ch. Pendragon Lineleader. Lineleader never produced a litter to this author's knowledge (possibly due to his inhibited manners as a single-pet housedog) but his striking red brindle brother Ch. Pendragon's Broncobuster made some important paternal family contributions. His daughter, Ch Talbot's Snow Queen was BOS in Veteran Sweeps in 1992. Broncobuster's granddaughter, Kismet A Little Ruthless, by an Aragorn bred dog, took home RWB in 1989 while his most famous grandson, the red brindle BIS winning Ch. Coedwig's Buckeye, won HoM in 1990 and the big rosette of BB in 1991. AmCanCh Phi's Flower Power, mentionned above, was also a grandaughter. Bred to the Ice Anchor daughter, Davenitch Pardon Me Boys, RWB 1988, Buckeye contributed to the family colors through their black daughter, Coedwig's Mica, WB and BW in 1990, as well as producing '91's RWB in the blue merle Coedwig's Kisha Splash. And, of course, Pilot Programme is the sire of Ch. Kennebec Ice Anchor, so named as he was produced from the first intracontinental shipment of frozen semen.

Before I launch into a lengthy discussion of Ice Anchor and his descendants, I want to make a brief stop to the distaff side of his family. Ice Anchor's great-aunt, Ch. Rhydowen Hex'um Baby was an Honor of Merit (HoM) winner in both 1985 and 1986. Although Hex'um never produced a litter, her sister, Ch. Rhydowen Hellzapoppin, was certainly one of the most important producers for her home kennel, producing Ch. Rhydowen L'il Beau Pup, HoM winner in 1987 and BB in 1988, as well as his sister, Ch. Kennebec Kate of Rhydowen, dam of Ice Anchor. Ch. Beau's Instant Replay, a son of Beau Pup, added additional honors with HoM in 1988. All these winners were brindles.

No one can dispute the tremendous influence Ch. Kennebec Ice Anchor has had in producing National Specialty winners during this time period as well as the consistent production of winners amongst his descendants. The winner of Best in Sweepstakes and Best of Winners in 1984, Ice Anchor also won Honor of Merit Awards in 1985, 1986, and 1989 and topped his career with BB in 1990. (I will make an early note that Ice Anchor is 'pure' for brindle, meaning all of his get are brindle.) Although Ice Anchor was somewhat of a reluctant stud dog in early life, his second litter illustrated his suitability to the Pantyblaidd lines which stemmed from the little used Ch. Brymore's Taliesin (BB in '75 & '76). Bred to a bitch with three crosses to Taliesin, twice through Tally's daughter Ch. Dean's Petunia of Tamerlane, who was RWB in 1978, Ice Anchor and Ch. Pluperfect Primrose's get served notice in a big way at the 1986 show when three littermates swept the boards at 12 1/2 months of age. Best in Sweeps and BB went to Ch. Pluperfect Pegasus of Cymru (in her first and only specials appearance), BOS and WD to her brother Pluperfect Primate, finishing in his 3rd straight show, and WB and BW to Pluperfect Peace Rose. Peace Rose was the only member of the trio to make another specialty appearance, which she did the next year, and was rewarded with BOS and Honor of Merit awards in 1987. It must be noted each of these youngsters went on to produce National Specialty winners in their own rite!

1988 saw the Ice Anchor daughter-Taliesin granddaughter, Davenitch Shiloh Luca (bred on her dam's side practically identically to Primrose) take the Sweepstakes rosette, while Ice Anchor's son/daughter duo, Davenitch Hawkeye O'Seven C's and Davenitch Pardon Me Boys took WD and RWB placements. (Supporting the argument that superficial faults should not always prevent a worthy specimen from being bred, it is interesting to note Luca's dam was coated and Hawkeye and Pardon Me Boys' dam was a mismark!) Pardon Me Boys validated her placing when she produced Coedwig's Mica, WB & BW in 1990. Luca went on in 1989 to take BB (enroute to her spectacular BIS), deferred to her sire by going BOS in 1990, was not shown due to her owner's judging schedule in 1991 but came back in 1992 to again win BB.

Kennebec Pluperfect Panda, an Ice Anchor granddaughter through his son Pluperfect Pastoral, took RWB at the 1987 show. A younger sister of Peace Rose et al., Ch. Pluperfect Prim N' Proper, was an Honor of Merit recipient in 1988. The striking black brindle Ice Anchor daughter, Ch. Megwyn's Shortbred Cookie, bred by the late Ann Ohrt, scored HoM's in 1989 and 1991. Luca's sister, Ch. Shiloh's Josie of Raconteur, scored an HoM in 1991. The Ice Anchor son, Ch. Zircon's Bobby Socks made it another one-two! punch in 1992 when he was BOS to his half-sister, Luca. Bobby Socks sired Zircon's Puss and Boots, who scored Best in Sweeps and RWD in 1991. Also in 1991, two youngsters out of a Ch. Pluperfect Princeling (full brother to Peace Rose, Primate, Pegasus, etc.) daughter scored Best Opp. Sweeps with Redbud's Satisfaxanne and WD with Redbud's Face the Fax, both by the imported Ch. Joseter Geefax. In 1992, the Ice Anchor granddaughters, Ch. Sunnybank's Lucky Penny and Ch. Sisterwood's Happy Angel Wings trotted off with HoMs in hand (so to speak).

Primate's first litter proved very successful with the red brindle dog Davenitch Peer of Pluperfect taking Best in Sweeps and WD & BW and his sister, Davenitch Gordache O'Seven C's, taking Best Opp. Sweeps and WB at 8 months of age in 1987.

Ch. Davenitch Peer of Pluperfect showed early promise in his only specialty appearance, but it was promise which certainly denoted prepotency. Bred to his aunt Pegasus for his first litter, he sired Pluperfect Prussian, BOS in Sweeps in 1988 at 6 months of age, who in turn sired the WB and BW in 1991 in Kennebec Pearly Rose. To Pegasus' sister, Peace Rose, Peer produced the 1989 BOS Sweeps winner in Pluperfect Peer's Peace Dove. And Peer bred to Luca produced Best in Sweeps 1989, Davenitch Kipper Snack and the RWD winner, Davenitch Clean Sweep. For her second litter, Luca was bred to a red son of Peer's dam who was by the imported Ch. Salvenik Sea Treasure and again laid the golden eggs with Best in Sweeps 1992 going to her daughter, Davenitch Luca's Bronte, Best Opp. Sweeps/Winners Dog to her son Davenitch Victorian Turret, Winners Bitch/Best of Winners to daughter Ceara's Breanne of Davenitch and Reserve Winners Dog to son Davenitch Luca's Limelight - all mere 13 month old puppies!

The Best of Breed winner in 1987 and HoM winner in 1984, and 1985 was Ch. Pinehurst Big Boy, a red brindle, linebred Pantyblaidd dog who is the nephew of Taliesin. Bred to Peace Rose for her first litter, they produced the 1989 WD & BW Kennebec Scarlett's Hue. Hue came back in 1990 and 1991 to pick up back to back Honor of Merit awards as well. In Hue's first litter, out of a Ch. Kentwood Luc daughter, he produced the 1990 WD & Honor of Merit winner in Kennebec Buckwheat PhD. Hue also produced the RWB at the same show in Davenitch Lorien Lottie.Hue's sister, Kennebec Briarrose, produced '91's WB and BW Kennebec Pearly Rose in her litter by Prussian.

The Aragorn Kennel, devoted to primarily breeding blue merles and blacks, added additional awards in this timeframe. Ch. Aragorns Out of the Blue took an HOM in 1986, half brother Aragorn's Silver Spirit won '86's RWD spot, Aragorns Silver Sorceress was WB/BW in 1988 and the blue Ch. Barr Star Sweeper of ShaJ's - half sister to Sorceress through their sire Ch. Aragorn's Blue Merlin - was HoM in 1988. In addition, Ch. Aragorn's Lone Ranger sired 1989's RWB winner, Kismet A Little Ruthless.

An imported brother/sister duo have made themselves an indelible part of the fabric of America's Cardigan elite. Owned by two different kennels, both Ch. Kentwood Luc and sister Ch. Kentwood Lyneth are well known names. Owned by the Rhydowen establishment, Luc has often been combined with the descendants of another imported dog, Ch. Locksleyhall Laird to great effect. 1988's RWD, Rhydowen Philadelphia Flash is one such example, and Luc's granddaughter, Ch. Rhydowen Elite Designer, BOS 1991, is another. Also to Luc's credit are 1989's WB, Kollage's Kiss Me Kate, and an HoM winner in 1991, Ch. Chandler's Critic's Choise, as well as being grandsire of '90's WD and HoM winner, Kennebec Buckwheat PhD.Meanwhile, Lyneth has established her own reputation as part of the Phi-Vestavia kennel. Lyneth was awarded 1988's BOS award in addition to an HoM in 1990. Lyneth is the granddam of the brindle ptd. tricolor, Ch. Phi-Vestavia Truth or Dare, HoM in 1992.Ch. Joseter Geefax was imported late in life, but not too late to make a difference! At his only National Specialty appearance in 1992, he went Best in Veteran Sweeps. He sired the red bitch, Trailwyn Pan Dorre R Jane, Best in Sweeps in 1990; 1991's duo of Best Opp. Sweeps Redbud's Satisfaxanne and WD Redbud's Face the Fax; and 92's RWB in Chimera Trudy Trudette. Another import made good, the sable Ch. Salvenik Sea Treasure (half brother to Luc and Lyneth through their sire, Eng. Ch. Downholme Silver Sands of Joseter) sired Ch. Phi-Vestavia's Nautilus, Best Opp. Sweeps and RWD in 1990, and HoM recipient in '91 and '92, who also claims Talbot and Twinroc breeding through his dam. Nautilus is the sire of Phi-Vestavia Truth or Dare, mentioned above. Sea Treasure is also the grandsire of the Luca progeny who collected Best and Best Opp. in Sweeps, WD, and WB/BW at the '92 specialty.

1982's Best in Sweeps winner, the brindle ptd tri Ch. Dorre Don's Trailwyn Pandora, accounted for two specialty winners during this timeframe. 1986's RWB award was handed out to her dark brindle daughter, Trailwyn Aelwyd Fur Elise, while 1990's Best in Sweeps award was claimed by her red daughter by Geefax, Trailwyn Pan Dorre R Jane.

Besides the Ice Anchor and Pantyblaidd line (through Pluperfect and Winstonwil) which    figure strongly in the pedigrees of their winners, the Davenitch kennel's bitch line was often   used in combination with the above bloodlines to produce many of their winners. Stemming from Ch. I Am Chandler's Moses CD, a dog with two imported grandsires and a double up on a bitch of very old American bloodlines combined with that of Ch. Rollingwoods Midnite Gambler CD  (litter brother to Ch. Rollingwoods Gee Whiz), this bitch line can be found in the pedigrees of Ch. Davenitch Peer of Pluperfect and Ch. Davenitch Gordache O'Seven C's,   the Luca get by Davenitch Sandpiper (by Sea Treasure), Ch. Zircon's Bobby Socks, Ch. Chandler's Critic's Choise, Ch. Kollage Calloo Callay, Ch. Davenitch Pardon Me Boys and Ch. Davenitch Hawkeye O'Seven C's, Ch. Sisterwood's Happy Angel Wings, Ch. Davenitch Lorien Lottie, and Ch. Megwyn's Shortbred Cookie.

When we visited this subject in 1984, the Foxfyre/Twinroc kennels were just over the summit of their strong domination over the breed. Those breeding lines were mostly an extension of many of the lines which had been developed in the United States over several preceding decades. Interestingly enough, those lines were not directly instrumental in the now dominant family stemming from Kennebec Ice Anchor, although Ice Anchor does trace two crosses to the powerful and influential Ch. Halmor Caesar.

What the breed has seen in the 80's has been a decided and overpowering swing to what was once called 'British type'. Today, we rarely hear of 'American type vs. British type' - something I often heard in the 70's - as almost all leading kennels in this country have made generous use of the imports who arrived in this country after 1970 and the 'correct type' now accepted in the United States is practically identical to that bred throughout the world.Published in the CWCCA 1992 Handbook

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