2025 REVIEW

2025 was a very interesting year for many. In this report I shall try and cover the main events, in no particular order but starting first with the shows
A few more than usual shows were held during this year, as Driffield added the abandoned event from 2024 to their show for 2025, SKC had both their shows over the same weekend and quite a few Clubs joined forces and shared venues with general championship shows, thus, in most cases saving money.
Shows cannot be run without judges, and in this year we had quite a few first time CC awarding people, although some actually award CC’s in their own country. Our new first timers included: Elena Balazsovits (Midland Collie); Howard Ogden (Birmingham National); Michelle Davis (SKC); Keith Baldwin (Boston); Jan Milligan (EACA); Josep Maria Cabano Maria (Northumberland & Durham); Lorraine Ratter (Belfast); Simon Walder (Ayrshire CC). Next year, 2026, the number of new first-time approvals, already published is interesting as from those currently approved (as I write) is much higher than average and many of these will arrive at their appointments via the RKC Grandfather system of which, having contacted the RKC, there have been approx. 30 new approvals, bringing our numbers to approx. 250. We shall wait and see how this affects our dwindling entries! As many of these new names are not classed as Breed Specialists.
Judges can only judge what is present on the day, and in many cases, this year saw not only a fall in overall entry numbers but also a fall in general registration figures. We are at a point where the Collie Rough could soon become listed as an At Risk, or even worse, a Vulnerable Breed. Apart form many people promoting the breed via attending / holding events, unless the number of registered litters improve, sad to report that this could well happen.
Should the breed fall further into decline, there are issues which may happen, so I take this opportunity to remind you that although nothing is currently issued concerning Clubs and Amalgamation, it is not off the RKC record. CC Allocations, although set for quite a long period will be coming under review and this could well result in loss of CC status, not only for clubs, should amalgamation be re-introduced but by loss of CC’s at some general ch shows. Currently, we, as a breed are fortunate in that only Working & Pastoral Breeds of Wales, and that of Scotland do not have a current CC allocation, although they do schedule classes.
On a brighter note, our breed has hit the headlines during the show year and some very good Group and In-Show awards have been recorded. At Scottish Breeds, the breed annexed not only Reserve Best Junior in Show with Beldones Ivory Star but also Reserve Best Puppy In Show for Gataj All That Glitters. Ladnar Call My Name, another puppy, hit the top spot when taking Pastoral Puppy G1 at Bath and PPG4 at Southern Counties, PPG4 at Boston and also collected a total of 7 RCC wins to his credit. Wicani Bellissima Rosschell also gained a PPG4 at Three Counties and a rcc
In the adult groups, the highest placing was a G2 for Vanessa Cronk and Chelborn Tell Me Your Wish who also gained her title on the day at Belfast and Ingrid (Multi titled and now UK Ch Skabona Too Good To Be True) took G4 at Paignton. There were a few entries who were short-listed including Top Male, Ch Beldones Ivory Star at the last show for 2025.
Congratulations are also due to Jane Uffspring and her team members of the first Rough Collie Obreedience Team.  They have qualified and have been  invited to the overall competition at Crufts. Considering that many of the team members live some hundreds of miles apart, contact and practising has been rather difficult but so rewarding as it also shows off the versatility of our breed.
A small request from Jane, along with her team members, could we all find time to go to the appropriate ring and support the team, I am sure that once all the details have been finalised she will let us know where we should be and the timing.
Other items worth a mention were, Val Tame and her Gataj Time After Time at Rahlissa was invited to represent the breed at the launch of the new/re-branded name of the Kennel Club to the Royal Kennel Club and this photo shoot took place in the grounds of Windsor Castle and marked the breed’s association with Royalty. Another photo, this time, also of the Gataj collies is used to promoted the forthcoming Crufts Dog Show schedule.

NEW CHAMPIONS, under revised RKC rules, This will mean that from 1 July 2023, in order to gain the title of Champion, dogs will either need to be;

With this new ruling, although we did have some qualifying during 2024, this year saw the following claim their Champion title under the new rules and these included both Ch Erjon Evolving Beauty: Ch Chantique De Ja Vu with a few more just waiting for RKC Confirmation.
2025 saw 16 roughs gain their titles under the “old” system and at the first show of the year, Ch Marvalan Spirit of Rock (Imp Pol) win at Manchester for Gwen Beadon; Ch Jopium Love on the Rocks took his title at Scottish Breeds; Ch Skabona Mix’n’ Match gained his 3rd at WELKS; Riverside Song Desiderata for Aaronwell won at Lancs & Cheshire. For John Congdon.  Tom Wall and Hugo, Int Ch Daliyhaa Master Craftsman won his UK title at SKC; Ch Roughrigg Remember Me gained her title at Scottish Collie; Ch Beldones Touch of Class gained her title at Bath;  Ch Artzaiak Secondhand Rose for Salsina won at London Collie; Ch Beldones Ivory Star gained his crown at Blackpool; Ch Corydon Christopher won at National Working & Pastoral Breeds; Ch Chelborn’s Gambling List won at Paignton along with Multi titled Skabona Too Good To be True; Driffield saw Ch Beldones Just For Fun at Starlenga gain her title. City of Birmingham saw the crowning of  Phreelancer Pheel It Still. As mentioned previously, Ch Chelborn Tell Me Your Wish, gained her crown at Belfast. Our last new Ch for 2025 was crowned at Midland Counties in the form of Ch Mejola Top Gun.
Winning all his 10 CC’s in 2025 is our Top Male and also Top Collie for 2025, Ch Beldones Ivory Star for Brian and Odile, close behind on 6 CC wins was Tom Wall and Int Ch & UK Ch Daliyhaa Master Craftsman who added 6 to those he won in 2024. Ch Jopium Love on The Rocks won 3 CC’s and a RDCC; Ch Chelborn’s Gambling List gained his 3 CC’s also. Mention too of Caz Waterhouse and her Lynmead Royal Lover won 2 CC’s and a RDCC; Dual CC winners and including titles were: Ch Corydon Christopher for Miranda and John who also added 2 RCC wins;
Other single CC winners for 2025 include Androma Dreamcatcher at Serenlas (imp Slov) and Stefani Flower; Ch Beldones Toucher du Bois for Brian and Odile; Camanna Cell Mate for Anne Hassock; who also added another RCC to his credit; Corydon the Baronet for Miranda Blake also won another 2 RCC to his name;, Culbrae Red Again and Linda Watt; Demelewis Silver Spur at Corydon and Maxine Mellish; Geosamka Loves To Love at Ithilien and Sue Harris; Kourika The Gigolo and Robin Blaikie also won another RDCC; Lillyway Legacy for Julie Growcott;  Ch Paulara No Where Man for Charlene & Luis; Ch Roughrigg Rag’n’Bone Man for Jim & Morag McCarte; Ch Skabona Mix,n,Match for Natalia Skalin and lastly, Stregato Foolish Guy for Delseirios for Kelly Crawford.
Other males to take home a Reserve CC, include, Afterglow Invocation for Angela & Keith Harvey; the dual RCC winner of Liam Kelly and Ballahanna Betrayed;  Avonfair Aloysius won for Michell Mitchell and family; Didek Eclipse of the Moon won for the Farthing family;  Both Gataj Strike It Lucky and Ch Gataj Turn Back Time brought back RCC wins for Melissa Lockyer along with her Very Special Agent Silvestre at Gataj (Imp Bel);

For the ladies, Ch Chelborn Tell Me Your Wish gained 4 CC’s and G2 for Vanessa Cronk. Ch Roughrigg Remember Me for Morag & Jim McCarte also took 4 CCs.Ch Phreelancer Pheel It Still and Lene Newman took 3 CC’s and a RBCC; Int Ch/Multi Ch Skabona Too Good To Be True also gained her 3 UK CC’s and added this to her many Ch titles gained abroad.
Other new champions include both Erjon Evolving Beauty, who acquired her title with 2 previous CC wins and 4 reserves. Also joining the upper house is Ch Chantique De Ja Vu for Chantelle and Andre Scott whose wins now total  of 2 CC’s and think 7 reserves.
Jayne & Carl Llewellyn with Artziak Secondhand Rose for Salsina gained her title, as did Brian & Odile with Ch Beldones Just For Fun at Starlenga and Ch Beldones Touch of Class;  John Congdon and his now Ch Riverside Song Desiderata at Aaronwell completed her title.
There were quite a number of new/existing CC winners for the ladies, these included, John Congdon’s Aaronwell Abel Mabel, who also collected a rcc. Beldones Velvet Eyes for Brian & Odile. Three ladies from Gataj annexed CC’s these were Gataj Exotic Girl, plus rcc; Ch Gataj Good Time Girl and Gataj Time after Time at Rahlissa; Lene Newman brought out her blue, Ingledene Crystal Vision at Phreelancer to take her 1st CC; Jo Hodges collected a CC with Jopium Follow My Heart   along with her  Unusual Beauty des Conquettes de Don Juan at Jopium.  An Italian raider landed on our shores at Southern Counties and took her 1st UK CC and she was, L’Incredibile Blue di Cambiano (Slo Ch) owned by Maria Teresa Garabelli but shown on the day by Andrea Vallerini a close neighbour to Maria.  Cas Waterhouse won a 1st CC with Lynmead Waiting for Love (a sister to her Lynmead Royal Lover) Simon & Hannah won a CC with Roughrigg Red Lagertha and also a first with Hanvale Patsy Stone; Another Skabona, this time now living in Ireland won her 2nd CC for John Walsh Jnr and this is Skabona What A Lady at Joshren, who also carries her Ir Ch title. Rob & Margaret Shipp with Tremaro Kind of Magic also won her CC during 2025.In between trips abroad and gaining new overseas titles, Sophie Wray-Ramsden won a UK CC with her Takhisis Lady of Mystery. Whilst Brenda Welsh annexed a 2nd CC with her Thistlewing Magic Lady. Along with Angela & Keith Harvey won a CC with Wicani Blue Myrobella.
Probably one of the most popular CC wins, in fact she took 2 during 2025, was Dreamy, officially known as Telforth Sweet Dreams to Corisian and she won these from Veteran where throughout the year, at the shows attended has remained virtually un-beaten in these classes handled by Jo Brooker.
RCC winners were quite a few and include: Afterhero Vanilla Chocolate for Wicani with Stregato; Jayne & Carl won with Artziak Strawberry Rose for Salsina (Imp Sp). Beldones Classic Touch and Beldones Magical Bliss won for Brian & Odile. Julie Growcott took a rcc with Chantique Sent From Heaven For Lillyway . Cath Moffatt won with Didek Moonshine for Cathbri , Melissa also won with both Gataj All That Glitters and Gataj All That Sparkles; John Congdon took a rcc with Riverside Song Nebraska at Aaronwell. Coming over from Ireland was Liam Kelly who won with Samhaven Sister Sara for Ballahanna. Skabona Heaven Can Wait along with Starlenga Nons Simone also collected RCC wins. As did Stregato My Silver Tassie with Gemheid, Tremaro Million Dollar Baby and Wicani Bellissima Rosschell

TOP SIRES AND DAMS
Once again, the breed shows quite a few males to produce CC & RCC winners and heading this list, again, is the late Honky Tonk Man of River Tweed who spent almost of his life at Beldones with Brian and Odile .He sired two new Champions in Ch Beldones Just For Fun at Starlenga, Ch Beldones Touch of Class;  CC Winner Ch Beldones Toucher du Bois and the rcc winning Samhaven Sister Sara for Ballahanna.
Ch Skabona The Gambler at Chelborn sired 2 new champions for Vanessa who are: Ch Chelborn’s Gambling List and Ch Chelborn Tell Me Your Wish.
Born To Be Quite Famous Lynmead is the sire of the litter mates, Lynmead Royal Lover who won 2 CC’s and a rcc, Lynmead Waiting for Love a CC winner along with Lynmead Prince Charming who won a rcc along with Chantique Sent From Heaven to Lillyway.
Corydon The Ringleader sired Ch Corydon Christopher who annexed 2 CCs and 2 rcc wins along with the CC winning Corydon The Baronet who also won 2 rcc’s. Phreelancer Phinal Salute also collected 2 rcc wins before his very untimely death. Also, in the same kennel is Ch Corydon Ringmaster, sire of the new Champion Mejola Top Gun along with Corydon The Grandmaster who won his rcc.
In the Gataj kennel of Melissa Lockyer lives Ch Gataj Struck By Lightning who is the sire of 3 separate winners, namely the CC winning Gataj Exotic Girl. Who also won a rcc.  Both Gataj Strike It Lucky and Beldones Classic Touch also collected rcc wins in 2025. And are sired by him. Also residing here is Very Special Angel Silvestre at Gataj who sired the rcc winning Gataj All That Glitters who won 2rcc and Tremaro Million Dollar Baby. Finally, at Gataj is Ch Perfect Timing du Clos de Sea-Wind who sired 3 winners in Gataj Good Time Girl, Gataj Time After Time at Rahlissa and Ch Gataj Turn Back Time also collected another rcc to his wins.
At Chantique, Magical Moon of Lowlands Green Valley sired the CC winning Tremaro A Kind of Magic, Avonfair Secret Love Letter to Salsina who won 1 CC and 4 rcc and the CC winning Takhisis Lady of Mystery.
Lynmack Walk All of Over You  at Roughrigg is the sire of Ch Roughrigg Rag’n’Bone Man and also Roughrigg Remember Me, winner of 4 CC’s and from a repeat mating.
Hanvale Arthur Shelby is the sire of Roughrigg Red Lagertha and Hanvale Patsy Stone, both of whom won a single CC during 2025.
Lillyway Lattimer at Nithview sired the rcc winners, Didek Eclipse of the Moon and Didek Moonshine at Cathbri
Now to the ladies who have done wonderful work in the whelping box.
Beldones Fun’n’Games at Roughrigg, owned by Morag & Jim McCarte but bred by Brian& Odile heads this listing as she produced the new Champion in Ch Roughrigg Remember Me, who won 4CC, Ch Roughrigg Rag’n’Bone Man with 1CC and Roughrigg Red Lagertha who also won a single CC. From the same kennel,  is Beldones Corradina who is the dam of the new Champion, Beldones Touch of Class and also of the rcc winning Beldones Magical Bliss.
Jopium Loves to Sparkle at Meryctin is the dam of a new Ch male, who is Ch Jopium Love on the Rocks who gained 4CC’s and Jopium Follow My Heart who holds a CC for owner breeder Jo Hodges.
Nasty Girl du Clos de Sea-Wind has produced  the sisters, Gataj Time After Time at Rahlissa and Ch Gataj Good Time Girl along with the rcc winning Ch Gataj Turn Back Time for Melissa Lockyer
Timeless Twilights Sent With Love to Lynmead has produced winners for owner Caz Waterhouse in Lynmead Royal Lover with 2CC, Lynmead Waiting For Love also with 1CC and the rcc winner, Lynmead Prince Charming.
John Congdon’s winners were from Lullaby du Clos de Sea-Wind who produced a new Ch in Riverside Song Desiderata at Aaronwell, along with the rcc winning Riverside Song Nebraska at Aaronwell.
Finally, Aldreen Illusion In Blue at Didek produced the brother and sister, Didek Eclipse of the Moon and Didek Moonshine for Cathbri, both of whom collected reserve cc’s during 2025.

Apologies for any errors/ommissions in this report.

Carole Smedley
(Antoc)

email: ca.antoc@btinternet.com