TERRY MCGOWAN

As you may well know, Terry McGowan lost his fight for life the morning of Border Union, It was just last year that Terry stood in the same ring here at Kelso and had the pleasure of making up 2 new champions. To wife Pat and family, who were with him, we send our thoughts. He had not had the best of health for a few years and had a triple heart by-pass and other issues to contend with and spend much of the last few months in acute pain.
The following is a heartfelt tribute written by daughter Hayley Langley:
“Dad’s first appointment in 1995 was a Collie Club of Wales with 131 entries, He also judged Irish Collie in 1997 and the following:  He also judged these champ shows... Northumberland and Durham in 2005, Northumberland and Durham in 2014. He also judged numerous open shows throughout the years

Dad really enjoyed travelling abroad and was very honoured to judge these shows...One of Dad's favourite shows to judge was Kiev champ show in 1994, it was a huge show which was televised which made him feel like a bit of an unwilling celebrity but absolutely loved it and would often reminisce about his experience 

He also had the pleasure of judging championship shoes in
Holland, Moscow, Italy and Germany. Dad felt very proud and honoured to be invited to judge in these places and thoroughly enjoyed it all.

As a family we were very proud of everything Dad done, his passion was Collies before any of us were around and we ended up like the Westoak kids. All 6 of us. Dad ended up being a brilliant Granda to his 7 grandchildren and 1 great grandson.

Dad was an absolute one off, his sense of humour never faltered. He took delight in winding his fellow taxi drivers up by waiting until they left the room and turning the change bag upside down, twisting it, then when said taxi driver picked it up coins would be flying everywhere, 1 taxi driver tried to take revenge and put our dad in the boot, drove him a few streets away and had planned on leaving him to walk back but while dad was in the boot he'd unscrewed the back lights....how he didn't come home with a few black eyes baffles us...he seemed to get away with a lot because you couldn't help but love his daftness and playful side

Dad took absolute delight in judging his very last show, Border Union in 2023. His grandson Clark had an amazing day watching granda do what he loves best then got to present the trophy for best of breed with him. Never did we think that our dad would pass away on the day of Border Union 2024 

His children Angela, Christy, Hayley, Sarah, Jon and Bethany. His Son in laws, Graeme, Nate and Dan
His grandchildren Rachelle, Rebecca, Brandon, Aimee, Clark, Eva and Anniston plus his great grandson Archie
Would all like to take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone for the outpouring of love from the Collie world, the flowers, cards and messages have blown us all away. It has been so lovely reading how much Dad meant to do many people.
A special thank you to Joyce Skilbeck for always supporting our Mam but especially during this extremely difficult time, the daily phone calls have absolutely kept her going

Thank you 
Hayley Langley “

I also include a tribute from Joyce Skilbeck bringing back a few memories of a lovely man:
Terry was 77 years old, his first awarded CC in 1995, followed by shows mentioned above. He made up Ch Westoak Gipsy and Westoak Warlord, and he bred Ch Westoak Hayley.  Terry owned Hayley when she was awarded her first CC under the late Roy Williams and was handled by Jimmy,(Tait, Aberthorne)  on that day Terry got the res CC as well, as the day went by Terry got worst for drink, being drunk Jimmy told him he was taking Hayley home to what Terry replied you can have her. So we took her home. I said to Jimmy on the way home we would have to give him the dog back, he was drunk . The next he still said we could keep her, I then gave him money for her and we got the other 2 cc with, her. Terry had the last laugh and told us she was barren and couldn't be bred from, It then came a standing joke with Terry, saying I must be the only one that has sold Jimmy a barren collie. – Joyce Skillbeck

Terry was one of those lovely people that if you met him, he made you feel special and he had so many friends in the North-East especially in the area of Boldon Colliery, Tyne & Wear. Never one to promote himself or his Westoak kennel, nearly every one of the collies he kept or sold to others gained their KCSB Number and he even had a few Champions to his name.
A calm and gentle exhibitor he campaigned a sable bitch Barrenclough Golden Charm Over Westoak who Terry generously  took on when a new home for her was required and he worked so very hard with her and always produced her in sparkling form at shows.  Other notable names from this small kennel were the Ch W. Gipsy, a sable by Brettonpark Country Tweed ex Jamesfair Mystic Lady and born in 1986.Not forgetting Ch Westoak Hayley as mentioned above, There was also Westoak Warlord, in fact there were 2 collies of this name recorded, one born in 1975, recorded as War Lord and the 2nd,  named W Warlord  and he gained his title with 4 CC’s for the Rixown kennel
There are far too many to mention who started out their kennels with Westoak puppies but mention must be made of Ch Westoak Snow Boots of Ileyda, for locals Tony & Daphne Iley Many collies at the Claredawn kennels also originated at Westoak as did those of Heighingly, Fortissat, Springoak, Parkcote, names many may not recall.
Perhaps one of the most influential collies holding the affix left these shores, he was Firewalker, sired by Ch Lanteague Harvest Moon at Silvermoor’s out of Brilyn Black Pearl at W. She was a daughter of the blue Lynaire Midnight Blue (Ch Karava Kornishman ex Lynaire Chiquita) whose name appears in so many of the “Old Golden Gates” kennel and nice to see some of this kennel are now be re-imported back to the UK
As a judge, he was very well respected both at home and even more so when abroad and so many people will have their own memories of such a charming, gentle man

Carole Smedley
(Antoc)

email: ca.antoc@btinternet.com