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Discover ten pivotal events in Collie history, from Queen Victoria’s influence to the Lassie phenomenon, shaping the breed’s evolution.
Gayle Kaye
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This article was originally published in Showsight Magazine, August 2014 issue.
Even though the Collie had been the subject of writings and poetry for several centuries, it was actually Queen Victoria who is credited with discovering and popularizing the breed. Up until 1860, Collies were used almost exclusively as working Sheepdogs. Her interest in the breed had a profound impact on the dog-owning public. The Collie’s surging popularity started during the 1860s following her visit to the Scottish Highlands, where she fell in love with Collies she saw there. So impressed was she with the beauty, intelligence, and faithfulness of the Sheepdogs that several soon joined her “Royal Balmoral Kennels”. This was a historic epoch in the breed’s history, and from this point on, the Collie’s popularity grew rapidly.
While Collies have long been associated with Scotland, it is actually to the entire British Isles that the breed owes its development as a popular show dog, for it is from the British Isles that we find the famous breeders and pillars of the breed. Around 1868, a handful of dedicated British breeders started concentrating on developing show characteristics. Many of the early breeders were English and lived in the district of Birmingham, an area long noted for its good Collies. For years, this area was the center of tremendous Collie activity and produced some of the very best dogs in the early history of the breed. This is where the true history of the show Collie begins.
Men and women of great wealth began to appear on the Collie Scene during the late 1800s. Their stories represent a large part of the early history of the Collie in this country. Without their influence, power, and money, the Collie would not have advanced as quickly as it did, and it was during this time that the breed witnessed one of its greatest periods. The most influential breeder and exhibitor prior to 1900 was the world-famous financier J.P. Morgan. He joined the ranks in 1888 when he began his Cragston Kennels.
Others soon followed—W. Atlee Burpee of Burpee Seed fame; Mrs. Phoebe A. Hearst of Verona Kennels in Pleasanton, California (mother of William Randolph Hearst); Thomas Hunter, Knocklayde Collies, of Acme Tea and Food fame; William Ellery of Valverde Collies in San Francisco; and the renowned corporate attorney from Long Island, Samuel Untermyer of Greystone Collies.
Thanks to both Untermyer and Morgan’s pursuit of the best Collies, one of the greatest rivalries ever witnessed occurred during this time. It basically got down to two extremely wealthy and influential fanciers with unlimited funds, beautiful estates, and the best kennel managers in the country—going head-to-head in the Collie world. This rivalry did wonders for the popularity and advancement of Collies at the time.
One of the most crucial events of the Collie’s colorful and rich history occurred in 1902 when Mrs. Clara Lunt embarked upon a career of raising and showing Collies. Her Alstead Collies were the single most important influence in the early years of American Collie development. Between the dogs that she imported and the wise breeding of those dogs, she bred more high-quality Collies than almost any other individual. Not only were her stud dogs and brood bitches a major factor in developing and establishing breed type in this country, but also Alstead was THE source upon which all of the early American kennels were based. She was the beginning of the American Collie.
Albert Payson Terhune (1872-1942), through his articles and books, did more for popularizing the Collie than any other single individual during the entire history of the Collie. Although he wrote many books, it will always be the dog books for which he will be remembered. His first dog story “His Mate” debuted in the January 1915 issue of Redbook Magazine, followed by the 1919 publication of his first dog book, “Lad, a Dog”. His own Collies; Lad, Wolf, and Bruce became household names.
Not only did his writings put the breed in the limelight, but it jumpstarted Terhune’s own Collie career, which involved years of breeding, showing, and judging. Sunnybank Collies became famous the world over and ironically remain in many of today’s pedigrees. To this day, hundreds of people still make pilgrimages to “Sunnybank” in Pompton Lakes, New Jersey. It has become the setting for countless Collie functions, the best known of which, “The Gathering” is held every August by the Collie Health Foundation. Thanks to Terhune, the breed became universally known and loved!
1912 marked the birth of Eng. Ch. Magnet, a dog often referred to as the “Sire Supreme”. His birth heralded a major turning point in breed development and he proved to be a sire of major proportions. Eileen Moretta of Glen Rose Collies imported him to America when he was nine years old, at an age many considered past his prime. Though shown in this country, he did not finish his AKC championship. It is ironic for all of his eventual influence; he was the sire of only two American champions, neither of which made any impact on the breed.
Like other imports before him, he sired in England, sons and daughters to carry on and several of his descendants actually crossed the pond before he did! Almost all of today’s current Collie bloodlines converge upon this dog. Not only do most of today’s American Collies trace in tail male to this dog, but he played an equally important role in the formation of bitch lines.
If Alstead was the beginning of the American Collie, Arken (c.1924) is where it all came together. While most breeders of the era were concentrating on importing their latest winners; the Arken owners, Charles and Lillian Wernsman, were busy creating their own successful family of dogs. Starting with Ch. El Troubadour of Arken, they had one of the most important sire lines in the history of the breed, and it is a line that remains dominant to this day. At the same time, they had a kennel full of prolific bitches, beginning with Ch. Halbury Jean of Arken. The influence of the Arken dogs is everywhere behind all of today’s Collie families!
Ch. Silver Ho Parader, born January 15, 1943, would set Collie records never before dreamed of, owned by a young, unknown Collie fancier named Steve Field, just beginning his Parader Collies. Every decade or so, there are certain predestined dogs that, because of their genetic dominance of desirable characteristics, exert a tremendous and lasting influence on the breed. Silver Ho Parader was one of those dogs. Remarkably, not only did he spearhead the Parader family of dogs, but he also set into motion one of the most dominant sire lines in breed history. The majority of today’s Collies trace to him through his many sons and daughters.
While four smooth collies finished their championship in the early 1900s, the variety all but disappeared from the American show scene following that time period. In the late 1930s, a group of Rough Collie fanciers formed a syndicate and imported two Smooth Collies from England. The syndicate bred the two together. A male was the only descendant who would affect future smooth development in this country, but it opened the door for others to follow.
Flash forward 30 years: the meteoric rise of smooth popularity witnessed during the 1970s, came with the birth in 1966 of Ch. Black Hawk of Kasan. Owned by Sandy Tuttle of Kasan Collies, he hailed from the San Francisco Bay Area, long known as a hotbed of Smooth activity and development. Hawk put the smooth Collie on the map. One by one show records and siring records fell by the wayside. Hawk was responsible for many significant “firsts” in the breed. In 1970, at the National Specialty in Worcester, Massachusetts, he became the first smooth collie to win Best of Breed over the roughs. He was also the first smooth Collie to win an all-breeds “Best in Show” and he was the leading Collie sire, rough or smooth for more than two decades.
No list of significant Collie events would be complete without mentioning “Lassie” and the tremendous influence this one dog has had on the breed. For many, the name “Lassie” evokes warm childhood memories and is especially meaningful to children who grew up watching the movies in the 1940s and those who grew up watching the television show in the 1950s and 1960s. Lassie’s important role as a loving protective member of the family, represented traditional values such as family and home, courage, loyalty, and honesty. He soon became an American institution, famous the world over! Not only do we have Lassie to thank for putting the breed at the top of the popularity charts, but many people, including some of our top breeders, became interested in Collies thanks to the magical appeal of this Collie dog.
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