The Past

The first collie at Rowvale was a tri-colour male Rough, sired by Ch Dameral Aristedes. Monty was a much-loved family pet, and although not really show quality, he and I had a lot of fun.

Our first Smooth show dog was Laureats Love in a Mist (pictured below), a blue-merle grandson of Ch Chicnoir the Look of Love, whom we acquired as a young adult in 1986. Matthew and I learned a lot together, and I still consider his first RCC under Trevor Hayward at Birmingham National, to be one of our most exciting wins.

Moon Walker's daughter, Ch Southcombe Sophisticate at Rowvale, represents the fourth generation descended from our foundation bitch Ch Southcombe Solitaire at Rowvale. Miriam has had a great career to date, with her most notable wins so far being BIS at the Smooth Collie Club of Great Britain Championship Show in 2004, and best bitch at the Smooth Collie of the Year Contest in 2005.

2003 saw the arrival of a new blue-merle addition from the Foxearth kennel, Foxearth Flaunt It for Rowvale (pictured below with Sophisticate and Moon Walker), Murial started her career well, taking best puppy at the 2005 Smooth Collie of the Year Contest. Not to be outdone by his younger kennel mates, Ch Moon Walker from Misstoff made it a hatrick in 2005 for the Rowvale kennel taking best dog and the title of Smooth Collie of the Year for the third time.

August 2005 saw the birth of our litter from Ch Southcombe Sophisticate at Rowvale, sired by Ch Fido Fax to Foxearth. Rowvale River Raider (Nemo - pictured right), is now at the Sandcastle's kennel in Finland. Litter brother, Rowvale River Gambler, made a great start to his show career with four best puppy awards, and three RCCs in 2006, making him top puppy.

2006 was a bitter-sweet year; in March we achieved a life-time ambition when Moon Walker won the coveted British Collie Club Challenge Trophy for Best In Show. He followed up by winning BOB at Crufts for a second time and the Smooth Collie of the Year contest for an unprecedented 4th time. In June he went BIS at London Collie Club for the third time, but our joy was short-lived as my husband was killed in a road traffic accident just a few days later. Jim was a big softy with all the dogs, he walked miles with them every day he was home and spoiled them terribly with excessive treats! I know they all miss him as much as I do.