So sorry to hear of the death on Friday of Nell Bright (Ewbrig) at the age of 91.
She was a stalwart of the breed in the North Eastfor several decades and had some very nice Pembrokes including Marksman and Popsis Joy.
In 1971 she bred an outstanding puppy called Ewbrig Contessa (by Evancoyd Contender) - she won a CC from the puppy class and if I remember right a Pup of the Year heat but died tragically young before fulfilling her promise.
Nell visited Crufts a few years ago and it was good to catch up.
Well, what a Crufts… It will long be remembered for the uncertainty in the run-up to the show, and all credit must go to the organisers for holding their nerve.
In the event the absentee rate among the Pems was little if any greater than usual. Many of the exhibitors from overseas made it, including those from Italy, and I hope all got home OK. France, Italy, Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania and the Netherlands were represented.
Spectators came from even further afield, from California to Queensland and many places in between, among them Diane Connolly (Llandian) who accompanied our judge.
If the public attendance was somewhat down on what we’d expect from the Saturday, then that only went to make life easier for everyone else!
One regular visitor we missed this time was the indefatigable Joan Williamson from Belfast; however I was delighted to hear from her that she is well and she sends her love to all her Corgi friends.
The League stall was once again in the capable hands of Sue and John Harrison and team - thank you for all your efforts which I know are considerable - getting everything in and out is quite a task. Yet again the stand took the award for best in the pastoral group. Have lost count how often the League has won this.
Thanks as ever to the Discover Dogs stalwarts organised as usual by Joy Whitehead - full details in future notes. Well done to Brenda Piears and team on the Cardi booth who won the award for the pastoral group.
Corgis had been represented in several of the finals on earlier days, the Cardi Ch Joseter Mr Blobby in the vulnerable breeds, newly crowned Ch Twinan Tight Squeeze in the Junior Warrant winners, the Liebehund Cardis and Balletcor Pems in the breeders’ competition.
Our judge on Saturday was Andy Carter (Saddle Lane) from Manhattan, known to all who have visited Corgi shows in the States and to many other Brits too, having previously awarded CCs at three breed club shows. He got under way at 10 am.
Biggest class of the day was open dog with a cosmopolitan selection of 22 dogs present but for his CC he went to yearling and chose a new face to Britain in Dragonjoy Star Trekker, owned and bred by Chiara Ceredi from Italy. He is 16 months old and his sire is Int/Jap/Am G Ch Balmy Winds JP Jake (Jap Ch Putnam Smartys Daily Double ex Int/Jap Ch Balmy Winds JP Stellta Nina), the Japanese dog who is also sire of the World Show BIS winner ‘Newman’. His dam I will mention later!
Reserve was the veteran winner, Mary Davies’ evergreen tri Ch/Rus/Ukr Ch Ermyn Snow Knight (Ch/Am Ch Rosewood Set Sail to Salvenik ex Wharrytons Pansy Potter at Ermyn), unbelievably now 11 years old.
After a short lunch break it was on with the bitches. This time Andy went with his first and second in open, the CC going to It/RSM Ch Dragonjoy Dream Of the Stars. Yes, Chiara again! And not only an amazing CC double, but she is also dam of the dog CC winner. She is six years old and on a previous visit to Crufts won the RCC in 2016 under Leif Herman Wilberg, the year her sire Ch/Int/Multi Ch Dragonjoy Sonny Corleone (Int/Multi Ch Dragonjoy New Idol ex Int/Multi Ch Dragonjoy Glory Of The Sun) took BOB - meaning that Chiara now has three generations of Crufts CC winners!
Her dam is US-bred Am/Int/It Ch Aubrey’s River Of Stars (Am Ch Heartsong Bryblea Pavarotti ex Am Ch Aubrey’s From This Moment), a sister of the famous Moon River.
I’ll need to check when was the last time anyone did the double in Pembroke at Crufts - I’m pretty sure there hasn’t been one since the war, and certainly not with mother and son.
RBCC was Nicki and Chris Blance, Bill Shelton and Steve Leyerly’s Ch Penliath Sent From Coventry (one of the three champions in the litter by Am Ch Ninacorte Chicago Hope ex Coventry Dancing With The Stars for Penliath). Nice that Bill and Steve were there to watch. Her sister Sent To won the CC at Crufts two years ago.
In the challenge for BOB Chiara took charge of the bitch and Lisa Croft-Elliott the dog and it was the bitch who went through. ‘Benji’ was BV over his granddaughter, Wendy Smith’s Pemlodge Broadway Star Attraction (Ch Ermyn Rocket Man ex Ermyn Sea The Light).
Best puppy went to Russia in the shape of Yulia Nikitina’s dog Mistycor Gimme All Your Loving (Alenclaud Marley ex Mistycor Octavia Serendipity), handled by Olga Shilova, with BPB to Tracy and Kath Irving’s Twinan Finger Licking Good (Ch Born To Be Your Salt Dog at Twinan ex Twinan Dipped In Chocolate at Trebettyn).
Among others who had a good day I must mention Teresa Maddox who won that big open class with Ch Redfordhill Magic Moments to Salvenik, then topped post grad and limit bitch with his daughters Salvenik Scarlet Rose and Summer Rosebud.
No luck in the group for our BOB but she gave a good performance. Presenting the group trophy was our own Gerald King, former Crufts chairman, who will be our judge next year.
Margaret Hoggarth’s granddaughter Katie did a very professional job of handling Whitebarn Tommy Brock in the open class and went on to an excellent third place in a big Young Kennel Club 6-11 years handling class in the YKC ring.
On the final day it was nice to see Anne Macdonald make the ultimate decisions. Although famous for her Salukis she was born into Pems with her mother being Elsie Montgomerie (Maldwyn) and this was the first breed she owned and showed as a youngster. She judged Pems at Crufts last year and continues to take an interest in the breed.
SIMON PARSONS
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