Amazing win for a teenage Pembroke

The South East Corgi Association show gave us a very exciting final when the winner of the last class of the day, veteran bitch, went on to take her first CC at the grand age of 13. This was Carole Turner’s Cottonfields Hecate (Ch Pemcader Belroyd Zeus ex Powdermill Magic Gold for Cottonfields) who has been a consistent winner throughout her life, with a RCC to her name among other successes. I don’t normally comment on the winners but hope I will be forgiven in this case to say that her enthusiasm in the ring, responsiveness to her handler and athletic condition are a credit to her owner. Along with many others including, for example, Snow Knight and Snowbride, she proves that a properly looked after Pembroke can remain competitive well into double figures of years. I can’t imagine that many dogs of any breed have won their first CC at this age. It was an especially memorable day for this was the first CC win for Carole, who is such a loyal supporter of the breed, though of course she bred Barry and Sue Coulson’s multi CC winner Ch Cottonfields Queen Bee at Cinonnie. And it nearly didn’t happen – Carole and Anne Petitpierre arrived in the hall just as open bitch was finishing and both had to run straight into the veteran class. Dawn Woodey (Barawood) was the judge and DCC, his 54th, and BOB went to Kevin Dover and Lars Saether’s Ch Pemcader Thunderball (making a double for his sire Zeus, and ex Pemcader Black Glamour). Chris and Nicki Blance, Bill Shelton and Steve Leyerly took RDCC with their dual CC winner Penliath Spanner In The Worx (Am Ch Ninacorte Chicago Hope ex Coventry Dancing With the Stars for Penliath) while RBCC went to Alan and Wendy Rees’ Ch Stadwen Tinkerbell (Ch Stadwen Spartakus ex Stadwen Prima Donna). BP was Tracy and Kath Irving’s Twinan Shake The Tree (Twinan Dip Yer Butty ex Twinan Just The Ticket) with BPD to Barry and Sue Coulson, Elisabeth Camboni and Katell Malagré’s French import Oye-Dragoon-Willow des Contamines at Woodhenge (Int/Fr/Port Ch Lawrence Of Arabia des Contamines ex Int/Fr Ch Legend Of Dragoon Rose des Contamines). Hecate was BV and RBOB and Thunderball, Shake The Tree and Hecate went on to BIS, BPIS and BVIS respectively under Alison Benson (Corben). Thunderball was up against his long-time rival Ch Joseter Mr Blobby and I think that between them their CC total now stands at 102! The show was over in good time as the committee had sensibly opted not to have a lunch break. A silent auction of items donated by Sue Crowe and Cush MacNally, including the Stuart Mallard print, was a feature. Nice to see Sheila Burgess and Mary Winsone among the spectators as well as some newer enthusiasts who I hope enjoyed their day. A reminder of the Breed Appreciation Day (BAD) for Pembrokes on Saturday March 2 at Pucklechurch Village Hall, Abson Road, Bristol BS16 9RH starting at 10am. Details from Cerys Davies on gelli2@btinternet.com. Annoyingly, it didn’t prove possible in the UK to watch the Westminster breed judging live stream this year. Judge was German Shepherd enthusiast Bob Slay and BOB went to GChS XIV Karat Special Place In My Heart at Brigadoon CGC, owned by Sherri Hurst and Kelli Alhadef and by GCh Brynlea Last Tango In Paris CGC ex Ch XIV Karat Cook’n Up Something Special at Brigadoon. Many of you will know Sherri who has had some super wins when visiting Crufts with Cardigans but who is also a long-time Pem breeder. BOS was Robert Simpson’s GCh Vangard At Last (GChB Woodsede Brynlea Noir Like Me ex Ch Vangard Bells A Ringin). Robert won BOB at ‘The Garden’ 45 years ago with Ch Far Away The Magic Kan-D-Kid! Selects were GChP Cityside Splittin The Defense (Ch Brynlea Willowisp I Got Rhythm ex GC Cityside Southern Comfort) and GChG Gryffin Celtic Blessing @ Boondocks (Ch Sua Mah Seize The Day ex Ch Gryffin Well Bless UR Heart). I guess that Brenda Stiles must have been happy that three of the top four were by different Brynlea dogs. SIMON PARSONS