Hi all - seems like ages since Ive been on - my old boy (all Jordieland bred) nearly 15 yrs old is in the advanced stage of chronic renal failure and am spending a lot of time nursing him.
Anyway
''Ch & Ft Ch is a dual champion''
can I add to the above. A CH is a gundog (or border collie) who has won 3 ccs in the ring , the last one over the age of 12 months and is a SH CH who then goes onto prove they have working ability by obtaining their show gundog working certificate (the border collie does a sheepdog test) and therefore drops the 'SH' part.
A FT CH is a dog who wins 2 FT certificates or the championship (so in effect wins 2 as has to qualify for the championship by winning 1 ft to run and then gains another ft certificate by running)
a Dual Champion of which I think there are only 2 gundogs alive with this title - the gordon setter Dual Ch Amscott Irresista Belle and the pointer Dual Ch Fowington Slezak? I think, is the title to describe a dog with both the titles of FT CH and CH.
In working pedigrees, you often see the initiasl FTW Field Trial Winner. This is not however printed on the pedigrees the KC issues as they wouldnt print CC winner on a pedigree either unless the dog goes on to be titled. I have noticed though that sometimes the KC software seems to go a bit weird and print FT CH FT CH infront of a dogs name instead of just the one set of FT CH. Dont know why.
There are many pockets of working cockers enthusiasts who do not compete with their dogs - thinking of gamekeepers, rough shooters etc. They do not have the time or money and probably not the inclination as bit of a funny game the trialling world - politics etc, which is a shame but when the older gen drop out there will be less competition and maybe thats the way some want it. To me, I personally value their dogs more as these are biddable dogs who in the main live as part of the family with kids etc but can go out day after day for hours on end and be there when needed. Taking this back into the equation of why you can get generations of dogs without any titles, this is a common scenario - good honest dog gets used at stud, gamekeeper takes a son back from a litter as dog gets older etc etc. I could improve the look of my pups pedigrees at stroke by trotting down to the nearest FT CH and putting red ink through the pedigree but Ive got to be honest and say that I look at whats behind the sire and behind that too. I have a blank spot where I wasnt active for about 6 yrs and asked mikes advice on the dogs 2 and 3rd gen in a pedigree as I knew the animals behind them but didnt know the more recent ones. I think it depends on how much you know/want to know and what you are trying to achieve. I certainly wont rule out using a FT CH and I have my eye on a long trip to bristol to use a FT CH in the future on one of mine. I think a healthy balance is for me - a bit of red ink shows some dogs in the lines have been tested and performed under trial conditions but Im not going to get an ulcer because my pedigrees dont show x number of FT CH. The actual dog and his breeding are more important. However, like all breeds, there are many dogs without many FT CH in their pedigrees as they have been bred for the mass market , without any thought given to the blend of their breeding or end aim of improvement to the breed and needless to say they are of no interest to serious enthusiasts of the breed.
Im not prepared to comment publically on a particular dog for obvious reasons - but if anyone wants to pm me..Trouble is, I know my own personal preferences tend to cloud the picture...However, I believe FT CH Mallowdale rackatear is dead. He was a very popular stud dog as is his son FT CH Danderw Druid and his son FT CH Chyknell Gold Star.
One problem is finding stud dogs with health tests. Many working breeders are dead set against them, know nothing (and dont want to know anything) about genetic mode of inheritance, etc. That I find very depressing.
Mikes book is very good - it does not give all the really older FT CH's though from the first trial onwards. Yours trully hopes to redress the balance soon...and I do like hedleys book too.
Anahar - the Douglas's from N of Scotland own this affix - Mike Smith commented on how their blood had shown up in my litters as the mismarked faces were common in the Anahars. He lives just 2 miles along the road. I have 2 sisters - diff litters but same breeding who both have pirate faces. Didnt keep them for that reason but every other pup was beautifully marked if parti and the solids had only the tiniest patch -= a few hairs on their chest of white as many show solids do.
Tayburn Cockle - ownd by the Douglas;s - behind the Anahar lines
Laighpark - old lines - often intertwined with the Jordielands
Craig felin - still on the go
Rowston - still on the go - Dai Ormond
Jordieland - the late great jack Windle - the Jordielands despite the connotation that it may be a Newcastle affix, is SW Scotland. Seems to be a love them or hate them divide in the breed. Many are quick to decry these dogs but havent been around long enough to know of them. My personal favourites - not always the fastest by todays standards and had their known faults as all dogs do - interesting that many had pirate faces too. Strong tendency to produce true lemon and white dogs - the palest of lemon which would disappear into their thick coats in the winter and they looked creamy white and then come the spring moult the finer summer coat would come through with the roaning much more noticeable. Lovely dark eyes and I found them so intelligent that I have almost a telepathic relationship with them. My younger dogs, although old breeding, I really dont have this with them but with my bought in pup with the strong Jordieland influence going back to my old dogs dam on the sires side, I am finding once again that I am getting this with her. She does display some of the known quirks of this breeding as I would expect. Very difficult if not impossible to find a cocker descended from Jordieland that hasnt had other lines mixed in with it now since the death of the owner. Myself and some other enthusiasts of this strain are raking the country to try and find any hidden gems tucked away in the back of a landrover..
Bella x Silvan - both are what I woulod descibe as red - esp the dog - almost mahogany red. I think you would get reds with poss some white on blaze or chest but JaneS is the best person to advise you on that I think!!
