Cardigans in Finland

Cardigans came to Finland much later than Pembrokes which have been very popular here, just like in Great Britain. During the last 15 years new active breeders have taken up the Cardigan and today there is no longer a big difference in the popularity of the two corgi breeds. The overall quality of the Finnish Cardigans is excellent and many dogs have been exported.

In 1970, the first Cardigan from England joined Saga & Antero Lindroos, Sasalu kennels. It was the red/white bitch Dilwel Tonga by Dilwel Regal ex Dilwel Tegwen, breeder Mr & Mrs J.H. Jones. Regal and Tegwen are both by CH Southpark Gerwyn. Tonga later became International and Nordic Champion. At the time she was shown she had no competition. She was not an outstanding bitch and it is difficult to find a good picture of her.

 
INT Ch Dilwel Tonga & NORD Ch Castlelack Crescendo

A bit later Sasalu kennels imported a brindle/white male Castlelack Crescendo by CH Roslin Pegasus ex CH Castlelack Jezalin Moon Magic. Crescendo was not shown as much as Tonga but he was an excellent dog and gained the Nordic Champion title. He was used at stud and sired nice puppies. He was also the top winning Cardigan in Finland. Crescendo also had a litter with INT NORD CH Dilwel Tonga.

 Sasalu kennels needed a new bitch, and in 1972 imported Dilwel Saucy Gossip by CH Southpark Gerwyn ex Dilwel Saucy Susan. CH Southpark Gerwyn was behind most Sasalu imports from England. He was a strong male and was a frequently used stud in his home country. Sasalu kennels bred Dilwel Saucy Gossip to Castlelack Crescendo.  

1974: Sasalu kennels imported a brindle/white male Herdens Argus Antonius by Am CH Windsdown of Robgwen ex Apollinaris Carmen. His breeder was Göran Nilsson in Sweden.

 Up till 1981, Sasalu had many litters: Crescendo x Tonga, Herdens Argus Antonius x Dilwel Saucy Gossip, Antonius x Sasalu Aprilia. Aprilia was by Ch Castlelack Crescendo ex Dilwel Saucy Gossip. There were more litters, but not with any new imports. The litter by Crescendo x Tonga contained a nice bitch Sasalu Bronwyn Breeze who became FIN Champion.

FIN CH Sasalu Bronwyn Breeze  &  Chou Chaplin

1975: a brindle/white male Chou Chaplin was imported from Sweden. He had a litter with FIN CH Sasalu Amy-Axan in 1982. This was the first litter of Cardigans in Finland that was not from Sasalu kennels; breeder was Aune Kauranen who later got the prefix Cesrose.

FIN CH Sasalu Amy-Axan & FIN CH Cardi-Bobbina

1982: Arja Lakanen of Mandylays kennels, imported from Sweden Cardi-Bobbina by Int.&Nord CH Cardax Bobby-Bare ex S CH Cardax Gilda. She was bred by Eva Fernqvist. Cardi-Bobbina gained the FIN CH titel. She went to Sweden to be bred to an English import Int&Nord CH Robgwen Jet Black by GB CH Robgwen Gregson ex Robgwen Black Bess. From that litter one bitch, Mandylays Beauty Lola was Top Junior Cardigan in 1985.

The same year, 1982, Sasalu kennels imported from Ireland a bitch Castlelack Jessy of Towlaught by Joseter Byron ex Moylough Darkie. She was the first Cardigan in Finland from Joseter lines.

1983: a male was imported from Norway, Cardelin's Dancing Dino by N CH Daleviz Monitor ex N CH Daleviz Vaida, breeder Elin & Linn Refset, owner Hannu Melvasalo. Dancing Dino gained the FIN CH titel and was used for breeding.

FIN CH FIN CH Eleanora  & FIN CH Eleanora & FIN CH Big-Wood's Adman

Dino's first litter was with Aune Kauranen's FIN CH Sasalu Amy Axan. The only bitch from that litter, Eleanora, became FIN CH. Eleanora was the foundation bitch for Raili Suominen's Big-Wood's kennels. Big-Wood's first litter was born in 1985 by FIN CH Sasalu Amber Apollo ex FIN CH Eleanora. From that litter, the bitch CH Amuse went to Zooparks kennels, owned by Minna Vares. Abigail and Anceliga as well as their brother CH. Adman were used by Big-Wood's kennels.

FIN CH Castlelack Jessy of Towlaught  & FIN CH Sasalu Bertil Benjamin

Sasalu kennels had litters out of Castelack Jessy of Towlaugh. They used FIN CH Sasalu Bertil Benjamin (Cardigan of the Year 1982) on her. From that litter, two males, Sasalu Angus Alexis and Amber Apollo gained the FIN CH titel. Apollo was used for breeding. From the litter by FIN CH Sasalu Business Bill ex Castlelack Jessy of Towlaugh came two nice brindle bitches. Sasalu Black Beauty went to Ultima Thulen kennels in the far north of Finland, breeder Veikko and Liisa Pikkupeura. Black Beauty gained the FIN CH title at the age of 15 months. FIN CH Bertil Benjamin and his brother FIN CH Business Bill were by Herdens Argus Antonius ex Sasalu Aprilia. Both owned by Timo Bergman. Bill was the bigger winner and Cardigan of the year 1983 and 1984!

FIN CH FINW-84-85 NORDW-83 Sasalu Business Bill & FIN&S CH FINW-86 NORDW-86 Sasalu Black Beauty

Aune Kauranen (Cesrose kennels) had an excellent litter by FIN CH Sasalu Amber Apollo ex FIN CH Sasalu Amy-Axan. The bitches from that litter went to new Cardigan breeders. She kept Gastanja herself, while Gilda was the first Cardigan bitch in Finetail kennels and Gamesome made excellent puppies for Hilkka Jalava's Mandastamm kennels. Gamesome also competed in obedience trials. Geishalook was also used for breeding.

 
  FIN&S CH Cardax Naylor

1985: Anneli Ojala of Imago's kennels imported a male, Cardax Naylor, from Sweden. He was bred by Margareta Widin and was sired by Cardelin's Bonnie Barak out of NORD CH Robgwen Cream Cracker (sister of Int. Nord CH Robgwen Jet Black). Naylor was frequently use at stud. His first progeny was with FIN CH Eleonora at Big-Wood's kennel. From this litter the breeder got an excellent bitch, FIN CH Chatelaine and a red male FIN CH Constant Consul.

Naylor was an excellent, strong male and gained his FIN CH title very quickly.

The following year Imago's kennels also imported the sable/white male Cardax Quentin by NORD CH Cardax Jefferin ex S CH Cardi-Corinne.  

1986: The first blue-merle was registered in Finland. It was the bitch Daleviz Silver Star by Gwenlais Caleb at Salroyd ex Rhiwelli Seren Fach of Daleviz. She came from Arthur Bridge (UK). Owner was Aira Lahtinen of Tarex kennels.

1987: Tasakin Kennels imported Cardax Synni-Belle by INT & NORD CH Cardax Mac Redish ex INT CH Antoc Marcasita.

FIN&DK CH Zoopark's Speeder was born in 1987 (FIN&S CH Cardax Naylor x FIN CH Big-Wood's Amuse. He was not only a good show dog. He was the first Cardigan with the official title of tracker dog in Finland and the first who took part in agility trials.

Daleviz Silver Star  & FIN CH FINW-90-91 EW-91 Tarex Blue Breezey

1988: the first Finnish blue merle litter saw the light in Tarex kennels. Aira Lahtinen's import Daleviz Silver Star had a litter of 7 puppies with FIN CH Cardelin's Dancing Dino. The star of this litter was definitely FIN CH Tarex Blue Breezey, a blue male who was Finnish Winner 1990 & 1991 and European Winner 1991. He was also top Cardigan in 1991 but was never used at stud. Breezey's sisters went to Mandastamm, Catellus and Seljankan kennels, while his brothers Big Ben and Blue Bodyguard also sired some progeny.

In 1988 Sankt-Cardis Jet Black Ottilie from Denmark, Quantum's Amadeus from Sweden and Willowglen Black Emblem from England were imported. From Sweden came the bitch Smultronbacken's Annwyl by Antoc Mercury ex Cardax Nadja, breeder Ulla & Kenneth Staaf. Päivi Tirkkonen of Seljankan kennels began breeding Cardigans with Annwyl. From these 4 imports only Annwyl gained the FIN CH title and was used for breeding.

FIN CH Smultronbackens Annwyl  & FIN CH Cesrose Noela

1989: a total of eight litters were born at Cesrose, Southwood's, Finetail, Mandylay's, Imago's, Ultima Thulen, Big-Wood's and Zooparks kennels and one litter was bred by a breeder without a kennel name.

FIN CH Cardelin's Dancing Dino's and FIN CH Cesrose Gastanja's last daughter FIN CH Cesrose Noela was born in March. Noela was the second foundation bitch of Big-Wood's kennels and was later co-owned by Raili Suominen and Johanna Flinck. Noela's most successful daughter is INT&NORD CH Big-Wood's Qinai Quatincka.

From Imago's litter by FIN CH Cardax Quentin ex Cesrose Karachi, FIN CH Daybreak moved to Big-Wood's kennels, Daystar to Paula Nieminen's Mackinlay's kennels and FIN CH Daylight to Artans kennels owned by Anssi Mäisti & Arto Merivirta. FIN&EST CH Imago's Dancing Tiger, a male from this Quentin x Karachi litter, was used for breeding and became a very successful showdog.

FIN&EST CH Imago’s Dancing Tiger  & FIN CH Mandylay’s Funny Flyer

Mandylay's kennels' litter by Ultima Thulen Arctic Fox ex Mandylay's Happy Mint produced a very good sire, FIN CH Mandylay's Funny Flyer.

1990: from The Netherlands a male was imported, First Flock v.d. Veulen Hof by Ermyn Iantos Comedy ex Gwendolyn, bred by U. Bleata, owner Aira Lahtinen, Tarex kennels. Flock did not like shows, but he was an excellent dog and a good sire. Tarex kennels had a litter by Flock ex blue merle Daleviz Silver Star of three tricolor males like the father, and four blue merle bitches like the mother.

Cardelin's Icebreaking Idefix was imported from Norway. He was by N CH Cardelin's Bonnie Beefeater out of Cardelin's Gina. He only sired two litters for Nöhverön kennels, dam of his progeny is FIN CH FinW-91 Seljankan Blue Princess. Their daughter Nöhverön Nelly has succeeded in agility.

First Flock vd Veulen Hof & INT&FIN&S&EST CH Jazz Armado’s Rumba

Jazz kennels, owner Eija Kansanaho, had their first litter by an old gentleman, FIN CH Sasalu Amber-Apollo ex FIN CH Mandylay's Happy Hope. That was Apollo's last progeny. From this litter, a brindle male Jazz Armado´s Rumba became the first Finnish bred Cardigan to gain the title of International Champion. Yardican kennels, owners Meri Tuuli Aalto and Tarja Jääskeläinen, got Jazz April in Paris as their first Cardigan and foundation bitch.

Catellus kennel had the first Cardigan litter by Flock ex Tarex Blue Blizzard. From this litter a male Xebec Bluesound and bitch Xamixa Dark Eye were excellent show dogs and gained the FIN CH title.

Mackinlay's kennels, owner Paula Nieminen, also had her first Cardigan litter by Flock ex Big-Wood's Dark Dancer. Of five tricolor puppies one male Mackinlay's Bigshot and one female M. Breakthru have been used in Mackinlay's breeding.

Finland is a member of FCI