Desi`s Story in Collie Expressions

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Desi’s Luck
A Tribute to Ch. Ballyhara
Strike Up The Band, ROM
Jeffrey Silverman Presley - Ballyhara
Martha Ramer - Society
Jeffrey begins ~
Desi’s story starts, as I suspect is the case with most
influential sires, generations prior to his birth. My role
in his existence began two generations before when I
acquired a bitch from Joyce Weinmann of Vennessee
fame. This was extreme good fortune on my part, as
Bonnie was of a far higher caliber than many beginning
breeders have had to
start with, and I suspect
it was with a good deal
of prodding from my
mentors and Bonnie’s
breeders, Dennis and
Carol Elliot of Voyageur Collies, that Joyce
decided to hand a very
promising twelve-weekold blue puppy bitch to
a fourteen-year-old boy
from Iowa that had been
to his first dog show just
six months prior.
In those six months,
and for the two years
after, I spent all my spare
time reading every Collie book and magazine I could get my hands on and
countless hours peppering my mentors and new friends
in the breed with questions. Fifty years of Collie history,
complete with pictures, became embedded in my mind.
I could recite pedigrees for generations and now, twenty
16
years later, I realize how amazing the young brain is, as I
can barely remember where my keys are most of the time.
What this intense immersion study did for me though,
was allow me to form an image of the Collie I wanted
to create, understand the virtues that were important
to me, and have at least a foundation of understanding
what it would take to
breed a family of dogs
in that image. While
no amount of study
can replace hands-on
experience, it did allow
me to bypass a number
of pitfalls I would surely
have encountered along
the way.
As Bonnie grew, I studied her every development. By the time she
was a year old I was
beginning to understand what her strengths
were, and what qualities
I would need to find in
a stud dog in order to
move toward the image I had of the ideal Collie. Bonnie
was heavily Vivian Ja-Baay’s Vi-Lee in background with
about a quarter Twin Creeks. Like her family history
she had a beautiful, soft expression and a light, lean,
clean headpiece with no depth. She was also incredibly
sound and balanced. She was a beautiful bitch. Still,
she wasn’t yet my vision. Though I believe strongly in
overall balance, there is always a small continuum within
which a dog can remain balanced. For example, Bonnie’s
head was by no means short, and was very balanced, yet
she could have had more length of head and still been
a balanced bitch. Likewise with fullness and roundness
of muzzle, length and profuseness of coat, length of
neck, and overall bone and substance. It was with these
qualities in mind that I began my search for a suitable
dog to breed to her.
After a year or so of searching I was coming up short.
Though there were a number of quality stud dogs at
that time, I wasn’t finding the perfect stud
dog for Bonnie. Walking through the grooming area at
the 1994 National specialty I saw, standing in an x-pen,
Judy Pitt’s Ch. Kitleigh Knickerbocker, ROM. Immediately I knew Toby was the dog. When I put my
hands on him I was even more certain. Toby was a dog
with presence. He was a beautiful deep mahogany sable
dog with a round, stovepipe muzzle chiseled perfectly
into a flat clean backskull, and an outline that stood out
in a crowd. He carried a profuse, correct textured coat
that looked amazing with just a spray bottle of water.
He appeared to be the perfect next step towards my vision. Genotypically, he was an outcross; though both
were of Parader background, there were no common
ancestors in the four-generation pedigree. I knew with
the next generation I’d have to go back to one side of
the family or the other. I was also interested in
seeing what the expression would be on the puppies. Both parents had very pretty faces, yet their
eye was different from each other, and neither was
quite what I envisioned. My thought was that if I
could just get one puppy with the combined head
virtues I was looking for, the eye would follow as a
natural consequence.
Through another stroke of good fortune, I found
myself not only with one puppy with the desired
combination, but three. One blue bitch, one sable
bitch, and one tri bitch. What luck! If I could have
that litter again today, with the resources I have now as
opposed to the resources available to a sixteen-year-old
kid, I would be thrilled. For various reasons, the tri
bitch, Ch. Ballyhara’s Blackeyed Susan became the
focus of my breeding plans. Susie proved to be a producer, with beautiful puppies whether linebred, inbred,
or outcrossed. From her sire she gained a beautifully
round muzzle, finish of underjaw, overall substance, and
profusion of coat. Her overall outline was closer to my
ideal as well. She also retained her dam’s clean, light
headpiece and incredible movement. Her expression
was more beautiful than I could have imagined. Her full
round muzzle combined with her clean sides and correct
backskull created a perfect stop and receptacle for her
obliquely placed, dark medium eye. Though I hadn’t
believed I would, I got the expression I had envisioned
in the first generation.
The ad for Bonnie’s litter appeared in the July
1994 issue of Collie Expressions
When it came time to breed Susie, I again looked at the
vision I carried. In order to get closer to that vision, I
knew I needed a dog that was similar to Susie in virtue,
as I didn’t want to lose any of the momentum I’d gained,
but also excelled in areas where I still felt Susie could be
improved. Austin, Ch. Voyageur’s The Entertainer,
Cont’d on page 18
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Shoreham Three D’s Tri N’ Mighty
Ch. Shoreham Kailyn Of The Hills
Shoreham Tangerine
Ch. Society Daytime Hero
Ch. Cinderella’s One For The Road
Ch. Society Elite Daytime Star
Ch. Braedoon’s Devilsfood
Ch. Voyageur’s The Entertainer
Ch. Vennessee’s Vi-Lee Venture
Ch. Vennessee’s Future Impact
Dawn’s Top Contender
Vennessee’s Patty’s Touch
Rob-Mar’s The General
Ch. Vennessee’s Gentry Dandy Doll
Vennessee’s Krystal Lace
Ch. Ballyhara Strike Up The Band, ROM
Halcadee Timber Line
Halcaldee Golden Phenix
Twin Creek’s Flaming Embers
Ch. Kitleigh Knickerboker, ROM
Ravette Aluren Attribute
Aluren Caitlin’s Carrera
El-Jims Sweet N’ Sassy
Ch. Ballyhara’s Blackeyed Susan
Ch. Vennessee’s Vi-Lee Venture
Ch. Vennessee Sculptured In Blue, ROM
Vennessee’s Etched In Blue
Vennessee N O’Hara’s Bonnie Blue
Ch. Vennessee’s Future Impact
Vennessee’s Patty’s Touch
Ch. Vennessee’s Gentry Dandy Doll
fit the bill entirely. He had the length and leanness of
head I was looking for as well as an outline even closer to
my goal. Like Susie, he had beautiful expression due to
his full round muzzle, great backskull, and correct head
planes. Additionally, Austin’s pedigree matched nicely
with Susie’s. His dam was Vennessee’s Patty’s Touch,
the Ch. Vennessee’s Vi-Lee Venture
granddaughter that was also the dam of
Susie’s dam, Bonnie.
dogs it took many generations before reaching a common ancestor. I was excited at the thought of blending
these families together, and crossing my fingers that it
would be successful.
Again, fortune seemed to be on my side, at least for the
time being. In the litter of puppies that
resulted, there was one puppy that really
stood out. Desi, as he would come to
be known, seemed as a three-month-old
puppy to have it all. The length of head,
Austin also introduced the lines Martha
the cleanness, the lack of depth, the flat
Ramer had been working with to create
her Society family of dogs, namely the
backskull and correct head planes, the
melting expression, the correct strucForthal’s Shoreham and Terrie Parker
ture... it was all there. And then he
and Ellie McCullough’s Cinderella
began to go through stages. There were
Collies. These were two families of dogs
times during his adolescence when I reI had come to greatly admire. InterestVennessee’s Patty’s Touch
ingly, a lot of the dogs that form these
ally thought he wasn’t going to make it.
One day his backskull was down, he was
foundational families - Vi-Lee, Shoreham, Twin Creeks, Cinderella - all had many similar high over the eyes, his head seemed out of balance, he
virtues. Though all of Parader stock, for several of these was gangly and he moved like his joints were made of
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rubber. If it wasn’t for his incredibly sweet, endearing
personality, he might not have stayed. As he matured,
however, all the pieces seemed to fall back into place. He
had such incredible length of head, it seems that it just
took awhile for all the other parts to catch up. Just as he
was shaping into the dog I had hoped he would be, my
own life was proving unsuitable to support the career I
hoped he could have. My father was diagnosed with a
terminal illness, and college was looming.
Once again, a great stroke of luck materialized in the
form of an offer from my dear friend Martha Ramer
to take him and let him continue maturing with her in
California. I’ll leave the rest of Desi’s story to Martha
to tell. I will forever be grateful to her for guiding his
career in a way that I simply wasn’t capable of at
the time.
flat well-filled backskull, and the stop correctly placed.
Most of all I remembered looking into his eyes and seeing that melting expression I had so hoped to achieve
looking back at me. The amazing thing was, at twelve
years of age, I didn’t have to remember... it was all still
there right in front of me.
Martha continues ~
Although Jeff says he was lucky to have me take Desi
to California for him, it turned out that I was the true
lucky one.
To go back two generations for a moment: When Dennis
and Carol Elliot bred their lovely Vennessee’s Patty’s
Touch to Bo (Ch. Society Daytime Hero), I knew I
wanted to have a pup from that litter. The
litter was ten pups. Lots of sable dogs and
While not as active as I would have liked
tri bitches. Dennis and Carol couldn’t
to have been during Desi’s lifetime, I
make up their mind right away, but
continued to keep track of his sucfinally when the pups were about
cesses and it was with great pride
nine months old, I was able to
that I saw him so uniformly proget one of the three tri bitches
duce Collies that fit well within
they had held onto. Billie (Ch.
the sphere of that vision I had first
Voyageur Society Starcrossed)
imagined. A few years ago I was
was just what I needed. Marlena
able to visit Desi and Martha in
(Ch. Society Elite Daytime Star),
California when Desi had attained
Bo’s dam, wasn’t the best of moththe grand old age of twelve years. I
ers or whelpers. Bo’s litter was two
hadn’t seen him in person for nearly
sable males - Bo and Touch (Ch. Elite
ten years. Though I’m not sure Desi
Touch Of Shoreham). Her second litter
remembered me - he was by this time very
was one sable male. I needed a line/fammuch Martha’s dog - I remembered
ily that had a reputation of being
Ch. Society Daytime Hero (“Bo”) and
him. I remembered the feeling of
hardy whelpers. From everything
his daughters: tri Ch. Voyageur Society
putting my hands on his head, the
I was told, Vi-Lee was that family.
Starcrossed (“Billie”), and sable
sides of his skull smooth as glass,
Then not long after that, the ElCh. Society’s Daystar Voyageur.
the perfectly round full muzzle, the
liots asked me if I wanted one of
(Daystar Voyageur was by Bo x Billie.)
Cont’d on page 20
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Cont’d from page 19
the pick sable dogs. Joyce Weinmann had taken a pick
puppy from the litter from an earlier agreement. When
her pick was about nine months old she found herself
“over-dogged.” We all have been there. The Elliots had
kept their choice sable male and didn’t have room for
another male, either. So, Martha... do you want another
sable dog?
spoke about.) Soon after he got here he was bred to a
Bo daughter that a good friend of mine had. The litter
of four was very pretty. So while they were still young
pups, I decided to breed him to her full sister. Those
bitches were from a father/daughter breeding I had done.
The second bitch was owned by Dennis and Carol Elliot. Her name was Ch. Society’s
Daystar Voyageur. She was the
At that time, I was realizing that I
payback daughter for Ch. Voyageur
really loved what Bo was producing
Society Starcrossed. She had been
so I decided to take advantage of
sent out to me to finish. I finished
this opportunity and scoop this dog
her and asked the Elliots what they
up. He became Ch. Voyageur’s The
thought about breeding her to Desi.
Entertainer - Austin. He finished
The timing wasn’t right for them but
quickly and settled in to grow up.
they told me to go ahead. We did a
About the time Austin was around
lease and I had the litter. That turned
two years of age, Bo was completely
out to be a great decision. From
sterile. Bo had sired three litters
that breeding came Ch. Society
and had 8 champions. I was very
Niteridge Hot Topic, Ch. Society
disappointed to say the least. Bo had
On The Side Of Angels, and Ch.
Young Desi
been WD at the 1993 CCA and had
Society Niteridge Impressive. All
a promising career both in the show
three of them were specialty winning
ring and in siring abilities. Therefore
Collies. Daystar Voyageur had two champion littermates
when Jeff contacted me about Desi, I knew how things
and was from Bo’s last litter.
can happen without notice. I wanted to have the next
generation more as a safety net in case Austin was lost to I kept On The Side Of Angels from that breeding. At the
the breeding program as well. As it ended up Austin was time, I had Bo, Austin, and Desi and didn’t have room
fine - until he was about 5 ½. He had a bitch shipped for more males. Most of my time in Collies, I kept no
in from Canada... lo and behold - mycoplasma. That more than six adults. A bit later after a company merger
was the end of Austin’s siring days.
and layoff, I took some time off to concentrate on my
Desi was already proven when he arrived. (He had
secretly bred his grandmother - the blue bitch that Jeff
Above: Ch. Society On The Side Of Angels
Left: Ch. Society Niteridge Hot Topic
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breeding. For about three years I kept about eight to nine
adults. Still, four males were too many for the amount
of land I lived on. Hot Topic and Impressive were sold
to Brenda Knight of Niteridge Collies.
Bitch class of eleven bitches in 2007. Those were the
only three Nationals she attended.
One of the most influential Desi daughters I had was On The Side Of Angels.
She was bred to Ch. Keepsake Telesis,
ROM to produce four champions from
the litter of five. Those four Smooths
were Ch. Society Entais Impish Angel, Ch. Society Canyon’s Let Him
Fly, Ch. Kimberee Society Borrowed
Angel, and Ch. Society There’s Your
Trouble, ROM. Dixie (There’s Your
Trouble) was bred to Ch. Edenrock
Of Ages, ROM for her first breeding to produce the
2005 Hawkins Number 1 ranked brothers: Rough, Ch.
Society Edenrock Articsky and Smooth, Ch. Edenrock
The Mask Of Society, ROM. Bandit was BV, BOS/BB
at the 2007 CCA. He also received two AOMs. Dixie
herself received two AOMs and was BOS to BV at the
2005 National. She also was first in the Smooth Brood
Dixie had seven litters,
all born naturally and
easily. Motherhood was
her calling. Her litters
were from six different
dogs - all litters with
multiple champions.
She ended up with 16
champions. Another
great litter was when
she was bred to Desi,
her grandfather. From that breeding came Ch. Special
Society Dixie Chick, ROM and Ch. Wynhaven Society’s Cover Girl. Laura LaBounty of Special Collies
has bred Dixie Chick to three dogs with all litters resulting in champions. She has been able to work this bitch
into her breeding program with much success. Yvonne
Evans-Wynn of Wynhaven Collies bred her bitch to
Shortly after the 2001 CCA, On The Side Of Angels was
bred back to her father, Desi. Father/daughter breedings
When Topic was about two years old, I had finished had been successful for me. (Pat Trotter’s book Born to
On The Side Of Angels, and contacted Brenda to see Win is the first place I read about that theory and boy am
how her two were looking. Brenda was living in rural I glad I did.) While she was in whelp, I found out the
Oregon and didn’t have the opportunity to get to the house and land I was renting was being sold. I had thirty
shows at that time. Therefore, she sent Topic to me days to move. Al Forthal had just awarded two Desi sons
to be shown and later
and a granddaughter AOM at the Louisville
on she sent Impressive.
National. When Al found out about my
Topic arrived in October
dilemma, he asked if I would be interested
1999 and was finished in
in leasing her in whelp to him. I jumped on
January 2000. In March
it. I was very flattered that he would want
2000 he received his
to lease my bitch. The breeding resulted in
first AOM under Pam
a beautiful sable bitch, Shoreham Society
Durazzano and ended
Angel. Major pointed “Pinky” became
up Number 6 in the
the grandkids’ dog but not before she was
Hawkins Top 10 Rankbred to Ch. Shoreham Starbucks. From
ings. The following year
that breeding came the specialty winners
Al Forthal gave him his
Ch. Shoreham Java Man, Ch. Shoreham
second AOM. Topic
Golden April Bliss, and Ch. Shoreham A
was bred to some very
Heavenly Brew. The late Kathy Parker’s
nice bitches in the 2 ½
bitch, A Heavenly Brew looked like a reyears he lived with me.
incarnation of On The
He had 10 litters and 15
Side Of Angels. I judged
Above: Ch. Society There’s Your Trouble, ROM
champions. Topic then
her 2009 - she brought
Below: Ch. Shoreham A Heavenly Brew
went home to Oregon
tears to my eyes. It’s so
to his owner. I wished I
rewarding to see these
could have held on to him longer - he
things coming through
was producing nicely with both outcross
even two generations
and closely related bitches.
away.
Cont’d on page 36
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Champion Descendants of
Ch. Society’s Entais Impish Angel
Ch. Ballyhara Strike Up The Band, ROM
Ch. Society On The Side Of Angels (x Ch. Society’s Daystar Voyageur)
Ch. Society There’s Your Trouble, ROM (by Ch. Keepsake Telesis, ROM)
Ch. Society’s Entais Impish Angel (by Ch. Keepsake Telesis, ROM)
Ch. Society Canyon’s Let Him Fly (by Ch. Keepsake Telesis, ROM)
Ch. Kimbereesociety Borrowed Angel (by Ch. Keepsake Telesis, ROM)
Ch. Society Niteridge Hot Topic (x Ch. Society’s Daystar Voyageur)
Ch. Society Kenmare Starman
Ch. Society Niteridge Impressive (x Ch. Society’s Daystar Voyageur)
Ch. Society Face The Music (x Ch. Voyageur Society Starcrossed)
Ch. Society Stirling Mrk-O-Zorro (x Ch. West Point Society Paige)
Ch. Society Canyon’s Debutante (x Ch. West Point Society Paige)
Ch. Society Kenmare Starman (x Ch. Society Grins And Giggles)
Ch. Choda Pegs Creme De Societe (x Ch. Society There’s Your Trouble, ROM)
Ch. Kenmare Midsummer Night’s Dream (x Ch. Society Grins And Giggles)
Ch. Entais Spring Quintessential (x Ch. Entais Exotica)
Ch. Riverdance’s Free Spirit (x Riverdance Piper’s Sonata)
Ch. Entais Seabiscuit (x Ch. Entais Precocious)
Ch. Easy To Spot Gallorette (x Ch. Society I Dclare Im Ez To Spot)
Ch. Easy To Spot Whirlaway (x Ch. Society I Dclare Im Ez To Spot)
Ch. Ets Entais Charismatic (x Ch. Society I Dclare Im Ez To Spot)
Ch. Triumph’s Summertime Melody (x Ch. Triumph’s Spring Time In Paris)
Ch. Triumph’s Playback (x Ch. Triumph’s Spring Time In Paris)
Ch. Kimberee Please Remember Me (by Ch. Gambit’s Trick Of Light, ROM)
Ch. Stoneypoint Toy Soldier (by Ch. Stoneypoint Nordic Cowboy Up)
Ch. Stoneypoint Who’s Yo Daddy (by Meridel’s Coppertop)
Ch. Garland’s Genwit Odyssey (x Garland’s Starlight Express)
Ch. Garlands Starspangled Banner (x Garland’s Starlight Express)
Ch. Kimberee Sweet Dreams II (x Ch. Kimberee When I Dream)
Ch. Kimberee Forelyn Dare T’Dream (x Ch. Kimberee When I Dream)
Ch. Kimberee Hold That Dream (x Ch. Kimberee When I Dream)
Ch. Riverdance Serenade’s Encore (x Ch. Lady Sadie Of Spring)
Ch. Kimberee Busybody (x Ch. Northshield’s Carbonation)
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Ch. Garland’s Music Of The Night
Ch. Entais Spring Quintessential
Ch. Garlands Society All That Jazz (x Garland’s Starlight Express)
Ch. Garland’s Music Of The Night (x Garland’s Starlight Express)
Ch. Kenmare Midsummer Night’s Dream
Ch. Society Canyon’s Let Him Fly
Ch. West Point Angel Kisses (x Ch. West Point Showgirl)
Ch. Society West Point Newsmaker (x Ch. West Point Showgirl)
Ch. Canyon’s I Cause The Applause (x Canyon’s Oops I Did I Again)
Ch. Canyon’s You’ve Been Punk’d (x Canyon’s Oops I Did I Again)
Ch. Canyon’s You’re Just Jealous (x Canyon’s Oops I Did I Again)
Ch. West Point Hot Ticket (x Ch. West Point Showgirl)
Ch. Westwend’s Real Magic (x Ch. Westwend’s Magic Potion)
Ch. West Point Hot News (x West Point “N” Westwend’s Pinup)
Ch. West Point ‘N’ Woodstock’s Emulate (x West Point “N” Westwend’s Pinup)
Ch. West Point Dream Ticket (x West Point “N” Westwend’s Pinup)
Ch. West Point Priority Package (x West Point “N” Westwend’s Pinup)
Ch. Priority’s Crimpson Champagne On Deck (x Ch. West Point Priority Package)
Ch. Sweetwater Will Never Tell (x Sweetwaters Secret Formula)
Ch. Sweetwaters Makin’ Magic (x Sweetwaters Secret Formula)
Ch. Kenmoor Girl’s Nite Out (x Kenmoor Rekindled Dream)
Ch. Kenmoor Dream Catcher (x Kenmoor Rekindled Dream)
Ch. West Point Larpat Bao Li (x Ch. Rosehaevens Easter Parade)
Ch. Edenrock The Mask Of Society, ROM (by Ch. Edenrock Of Ages, ROM)
Ch. Springmanor’s Northern Exposure (x Springmanors Bronze Pleasure)
Ch. Edenrock It’s All About Me (by Ch. Edenrock Of Ages, ROM)
Ch. West Point Showstopper (x Ch. West Point Showgirl)
Ch. Edenrock The Dark Command (by Ch. Edenrock Of Ages, ROM)
Ch. Kimberee Should’ve Been A Cowboy (x Kimberee You’re Still The One)
Ch. Society Edenrock Arcticsky (by Ch. Edenrock Of Ages, ROM)
Ch. Kimberee Leading Man (x Kimberee You’re Still The One)
Ch. Canyon’s Society Kiss Me Kate (by Ch. Society Niteridge Hot Topic)
Ch. Fairway Starr’s Valentina (x Ch. Aurealis Charidan Regina)
Ch. Society Grins And Giggles (by Ch. Society Niteridge Hot Topic)
Ch. Stirling Society Outstandish (x Ch. Ballyhara’s Blackeyed Susan)
Ch. Society I Dclare IM Ez To Spot (by Ch. Society Niteridge Hot Topic)
Ch. Society Once And Again (x Ch. Ballyhara’s Blackeyed Susan)
Ch. Perimist Society Step Aside (by Ch. Society West Point Newsmaker)
Ch. Society The Slayer (x Ch. Ballyhara’s Blackeyed Susan)
Ch. Etude Society Cosmopolitan (by Ch. Society West Point Newsmaker)
Ch. Canyon’s Society Kiss Me Kate (x Ch. Society There’s Your Trouble, ROM)
Ch. Society Niteridge Heartbreaker (by Ch. Society West Point Newsmaker)
Ch. Canyon’s Kisses From Kate (by Ch. Canyon’s You’ve Been Punk’d)
Ch. Canyon’s Society Back In Black (by Ch. Keepsake Builder Of Dreams)
Ch. Society I Dclare Im Ez To Spot (x Ch. Society There’s Your Trouble, ROM)
Ch. Edenrock Keepsake Fergilicious (by Ch. Keepsake Builder Of Dreams)
Ch. Society Grins And Giggles (x Ch. Society There’s Your Trouble, ROM)
Ch. Keepsake Pop Princess (by Ch. Keepsake Builder Of Dreams)
Ch. Etude Aluminum Overcast (by Etude Valley Park Rendezvous)
Ch. Special Society’s Dixie Chick, ROM (by Ch. Ballyhara Strike Up The Band, ROM)
Ch. Comstock Lindale She’s So Hot (x Comstock’s My Fair Lady)
Ch. Wynhaven Society’s Cover Girl (by Ch. Ballyhara Strike Up The Band, ROM)
Ch. Monroe’s Headliner (x Ch. West Point Society Paige)
Ch. Wydacres Burden Of Proof (x Ch. Wydacres Katrina Of Hollyoak)
Ch. Kimberee Busybody
Ch. Stoneypoint Legally Blonde (by Meridel’s Coppertop)
Ch. Meridel’s Shades Of Stoneypoint (by GCh. Stoneypoint Undercover)
Ch. Stoneypoint Springbank Aurora ((by GCh. Stoneypoint Undercover)
Ch. Stoneypoint Unleashed (by Meridel’s Coppertop)
Ch. Entais Exquisitely (x Entais Sonata In Azure)
GCh. Stoneypoint Undercover (x Barksdale Stoneypoint Delovely)
Ch. Fireside She’s All That Imaje (x Ch. Northshield’s Fireside Tale)
Ch. Kimberee Always On My Mind (x Ch. Northshield’s Carbonation)
Ch. Reniah Lady Liberty (x Ch. Reniah Lulor Lady Luck)
Ch. Reniah Freedom Warrior (x Ch. Reniah Lulor Lady Luck)
Ch. Row-Bar’s Southern Memories (x Ch. Majix Golden Pixi Dust)
Ch. Row-Bar’s Forever Young (by Ch. Row-Bar’s Southern Heritage)
Ch. Row-Bar’s As Time Goes By (by Ch. Row-Bar’s Southern Heritage)
Ch. Row-Bar’s She’s The One (by Ch. Row-Bar’s Sum Of All Fears)
Ch. Row-Bar’s Born To Run (by Ch. Row-Bar’s Sum Of All Fears)
Ch. Row- Bar’s Heartbreaker (by Ch. Row-Bar’s Sum Of All Fears)
Ch. Row-Bar Wynhaven Dakota Sky CDX RN
HSAds HIAds MX MXJ NAP NJP NF
Ch. Row-Bar Wynhaven Dakota Sky CDX RN HSAds HIAds MX MXJ NAP NJP NF (x Ch. Row-Bar’s Southern Breeze, ROM)
Ch. Row-Bar’s Earth Wind & Fire (x Ch. Row-Bar’s Southern Breeze, ROM)
Ch. Row-Bar’s Against The Wind (x Ch. Row-Bar’s Southern Breeze, ROM)
Ch. Row-Bar’s Linharra (x Ch. Row-Bar’s Southern Breeze, ROM)
Ch. Row-Bar’s Presumed Innocent (x Ch. Row-Bar’s Southern Dream)
Ch. Row Bar’s Cimarron Rose (x Ch. Row-Bar’s Southern Dream)
Ch. Shalimar’s Double’L’ Taylor Maid (x Shalimar’s Double ‘L’ Token)
Ch. Shalimar Double’L’ Drum-R Boy (x Shalimar’s Double ‘L’ Token)
Ch. Cobblecreek Society Legacy (x Ch. Shoreham ‘N’ Hifiv Sparklin’)
Ch. West Point Leading Lady (x Ch. West Point Showgirl)
Ch. Lakeside Sea Cadet Of West Point (x Ch. West Point Showgirl)
Ch. Rosehaevens Easter Parade (x Cobble Creek’s On A Whim)
Ch. West Point Larpat Bao Li (by Ch. West Point Hot Ticket)
Ch. Rosehaevens Worth The Wait (by Ch. Cheviot Fit The Bill)
Ch. Rosehaevens Summit Nobility (by Ch. Cheviot Fit The Bill)
Ch. Rosehaevens Reminisce (x Ch. Highcroft Crystal Candescence)
Ch. Danrosue’s Guardian Angel (by Ch. Dea Haven’s Memory Maker)
Ch. Danrosue’s Deputy Sheriff (by Ch. Marnus Make My Day)
Ch. Special Chick Magnet (by Ch. Special Northern Outlander)
Ch. Special Travelin Soldier (by Ch. Special Northern Outlander)
Ch. Special High Society (by Ch. Special Northern Outlander)
Ch. Special Attraction At Rodel (by Ch. Special Northern Outlander)
Ch. Special Belle Of The Ball (by Ch. Special Sharp-Dressed Man)
Ch. Special Watch Out For Wet Paint (by Ch. Special Sharp-Dressed Man)
Ch. Huntington’s Smarty Pants (by Ch. Special Sharp-Dressed Man)
Ch. Special Easy On The Eyes (by Ch. Special Chick Magnet)
Ch. Special Sealore’s Sexy Chick (by Ch. Special Chick Magnet)
Ch. Special Babe Magnet (by Ch. Special Chick Magnet)
Ch. Special Little Chickadee (by Ch. Special Chick Magnet)
GCh. Wynhaven’s Moon Shadow (by GCh. Kelso’s Moon Dancin’, HSAs)
Ch. Wynhaven’s Moonstruck (by GCh. Kelso’s Moon Dancin’, HSAs)
Ch. Wynhaven’s Just Do It (by GCh. Kelso’s Moon Dancin’, HSAs)
Ch. Wynhaven’s Blackjack (by GCh. Kelso’s Moon Dancin’, HSAs)
Ch. Special Society’s Dixie Chick, ROM
Ch. Special Society’s Dixie Chick, ROM (x Ch. Society There’s Your Trouble, ROM)
Ch. Wynhaven Society’s Cover Girl (x Ch. Society There’s Your Trouble, ROM)
Ch. West Point Hot News (by Ch. West Point Hot Ticket)
Ch. West Point ‘N’ Woodstock’s Emulate (by Ch. West Point Hot Ticket)
Ch. West Point Dream Ticket (by Ch. West Point Hot Ticket)
Ch. West Point Kenmoor Inspiration (by Ch. Marnus Make My Day)
Ch. West Point Top Brass (by Ch. Marnus Make My Day)
Ch. West Point Dreamgirl (by Ch. Marnus Make My Day)
Ch. West Point Priority Package (by Ch. West Point Hot Ticket)
Ch. Sweetwaters Lexi Of The Lake (by Ch. Sweetwater’s Grand Appeal)
GCh. Sweetwater’s Ponder The Stars (by Ch. West Point Dress Blues)
GCh. Sweetwaters Travelin’ Man (by Ch. West Point Dress Blues)
Ch. Sweetwaters Gambler’s Reward (by Ch. Sweetwater Will Never Tell)
Ch. Edenrock The Mask Of Society, ROM
Ch. Canyon’s Analyze This (x Ch. West Point Sundance)
West Point “N” Westwend’s Pinup (x Ch. West Point Sundance)
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Cont’d from page 21
Ch. West Point Hot Ticket
Ch. Kelso’s Moon Dancing, HSAs, giving her four
champions with great performance talents as well.
During the time Topic was with me, Jeff decided to
breed Ch. Ballyhara’s Blackeyed Susan, Desi’s mother,
to Topic. Susie was a beautiful tri bitch with a tri face
to die for. The litter of four included the tri male Ch.
Stirling Society Outstandish, and two sable bitches, Ch.
Society The Slayer and Ch. Society Once And Again.
Pilgrim, the tri dog, received two CCA AOMs and was
in the Hawkins Top 10 Rough for five years straight. He
was also a multi group winning and placing Collie.
Another notable bitch bred to Topic was Lee Patten’s
beautiful sable bitch Ch. West Point Showgirl. She
was sired by Ch. Voyageur’s The Entertainer, Desi’s
father. This breeding produced for Lee four lovely sable
champions including Ch. West Point Hot Ticket. Hot
Ticket was important to Lee’s breeding program as well
as to several other breeders in the Midwest. His brother,
Ch. Society West Point Newsmaker came to live with
me in California. He produced three beautiful champions for Ed and Shelly Degner of Canyon Collies: Ch.
Canyon’s I Cause the Applause, Ch. Canyon’s You’ve
Been Punk’d, and Ch. Canyon’s Your Just Jealous.
Their dam was a Desi daughter. The two bitches in the
Pattens’ litter were Ch. West Point Showstopper and
Ch. West Point Angel Kisses.
Ch. Society There’s Your Trouble, ROM was bred to
Topic as well. Three bitches from the breeding - Ch.
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Canyon’s Society Kiss Me Kate, Ch. Society I Dclare
Im Ez To Spot, and Ch. Society Grins And Giggles were influential in different ways. I gave Kiss Me Kate to
Chelsea Degner (Padilla) for her Junior dog. Chelsea
was beginning Juniors at ten years of age. She quickly
finished Kate’s championship along with winning seven
Best in Sweeps and began winning Best Junior with her at
specialties and at very competitive all-breed shows. She
also won Best Junior Handler at the CCA 2006 under
Les Canavan. Then the culmination was her AOM
with Kate in Charlotte under Shelley Roos. In 2005
Chelsea was handled Dixie (Kate’s mother) and took
her all the way to BOS/BV. I’m so proud of everything
Chelsea accomplished with Kate. Kate was bred once to
Ch. Canyon’s You’ve Been Punk’d, a Topic grandson,
and produced Ch. Canyon’s Kisses From Kate for the
Degners. Im Ez To Spot was bred to Diana Hiiesalu
Bain’s Ch. Entais Seabiscuit, a Desi grandson. That
breeding produced three champions including Ch. ETS
Entais Charismatic. Charismatic has been very crucial
to Diana’s breeding program. Her daughter Ch. Entais
Soleil and granddaughter Ch. Entais Wild Cardiff and
son Ch. Entais Rendezvous are also specialty winning
Collies.
Ch. Society Grins And Giggles was bred back to her
grandfather, Desi. This proved to be Desi’s last litter.
Ch. Kenmare Midsummer Night’s Dream and Ch.
Society Kenmare Starman both finished from this litter of four. Both of them are specialty winners. Dina
Grady of Kenmare Collies owns both of them. Starman
Ch. Stirling Society Outstandish
decided to breed his sister during a silent season earlier
this year (2012). Dina has kept a sable male from the
breeding. We are crossing our fingers that he continues
to look promising.
Lee Runnels of Kimberee Collies bred her beautiful
Ch. Northshield’s Carbonation to Desi. This breeding
produced Ch. Kimberee Always On My Mind and Ch.
Kimberee Busybody. Sadly Lee never was able to get
puppies from Always On My Mind, the Rough sable
bitch. Her Smooth sister, Busybody, went to Gwen
Medlin of Stoneypoint Collies. Busybody bred to
Meridel’s Coppertop produced Ch. Stoneypoint Legally Blonde and Ch. Stoneypoint Unleashed. From
Unleashed came the AOM-winning Ch. Stoneypoint
Undercover.
Lee also bred her lovely Hawkins placing and specialty
winning bitch Ch. Kimberee When I Dream to Desi.
From that breeding came the Sue Larson’s of Trailwind
Collies Rough sable bitch BISS MACH3 PACH Ch.
Kimberee Hold That Dream, TDX, HSAs, MXC,
MJC, MXPB, MJC, MXPB, MJPB, PAX, NF, OFP,
VX. She finished her breed championship on a large
specialty weekend by taking back to back majors including a BB from the classes. While I do not know what
most her titles stand for, I know that Bright is truly an
all-around Collie.
While Robette Ehrbar (Johns) of Row-Bar Collies still
was living in North Carolina, she leased Desi from me
for a couple of years. Robette bred two of her bitches
to Desi - Ch. Row-Bar’s Southern Breeze, ROM and
Ch. Row-Bar’s Southern Dream. Seven champions
resulted from these two breedings. These Collies have
been important in Robette’s breeding program. One of
the Desi/Southern Dream grandsons, Silver GCh. RowBar’s Heartbreaker, is currently ranked #5 All Breed/#8
Breed Canine Chronicle. Robette has since moved back
to California and has had some other changes in her life
that have curtailed her breeding program. She plans to
use the Desi grandkids she still has to continue on with
her program.
After Desi returned home from Robette’s, Patrick
Wentworth and Linda Latimer of Shalimar and
Double’L’ Collies bred their lovely bitch that goes
back to Tartanside to Desi. This resulted in a sable
bitch, Ch. Shalimar Double’L’ Taylor Maid and a
sable dog Ch. Shalimar Double’L’ Drum-R Boy.
Taylor was bred to GCh. Barksdale Lochlaren
Good Times. The breeding gave Patrick and Linda
the puppy flyer Ch. Shalimar Double’L’ And Away
We Go. Patrick has her pointed sister waiting in the
wings as well.
There were many other notable Desi kids and grandkids:
Ch. Cobblecreek Society Legacy AOM, Ch. Garland’s
Music Of The Night AOM, Ch. Entais Spring Quintessential, and many others. When Jeff told me he wanted
to do this issue of Expressions, I was a bit hesitant. I
thought, “Who is Desi compared to so many other Collies with bigger records?” Then when I received the list of
Desi’s champion descendants from Nancy, I admit I felt
a lot better. I was even a bit impressed! Desi may have
had just 27 litters and 35 champions, but his progeny
left their mark and are still doing so. Many of Desi’s offspring have placed very well at the National Specialty - a
mark that makes me very proud. His influence on other
breeders’ families also makes me proud. I’m not sure
how or if you can predict how a dog is going to produce.
Sometimes you would think it might be the pedigree
or perhaps a tightly inbred dog should be influential.
Desi himself was linebred. However, his influence was
very apparent whether he was outcrossed, linebred, or
inbred back into the family. Long lean heads, very flat,
smooth sides, no depth, big round muzzles and pretty
expressions - that said Desi. His coat type was correct;
his Rough kids got that correct harsh coat that groomed
up with just water.
Probably the most important trait that came from
Desi - and you can ask anyone that owns a Desi kid or
grandkid - is the desire to be at eye level. Desi kids are
known to jump up on just about any table... grooming,
dining room, patio, or even a kitchen counter or two.
Desi was always on the table in the backyard right up
until he turned twelve. Then he slowed down a bit and
would look to me for a hoist up. Desi had an endearing
personality and a desire to please like most Collies. Owners of show dogs and companion dogs always commented
to me about their Desi kids’ wonderful temperaments
and personalities. A good temperament is necessary to
have a good show dog but it’s also necessary to have a
great companion. Temperament, balance, smooth clean
heads, and pretty faces are the main things that matter
to me - in that order.
Thank you to everyone for recognizing Desi and for incorporating Desi into your families. Desi was a very special
Collie. Jeff and I will be forever grateful to him for all
he gave us. More importantly, I will be forever grateful
to Jeff for sharing him with me. I’m not too sure where
Society Collies would have gone if I didn’t get that
opportunity, but suffice is to say I’m thrilled with
everything Desi did for me and for others.
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