PENNY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS?
Ringcreevy Rosapenna (Ringcreevy Royston ex Ch Ringcreevy Ring A Roses) turned 14 this week. Her breeder/owner Geoffrey Porter from Northern Ireland says "Lisa" is amazing, as she insisted on going
for a walk with the rest of the gang and was running about like a young one". Happy Birthday, lovely Lisa.
The Humberside CKCSC held their championship show on 9th June 2013 at Newark and Notts Showground. Judging the dogs was Kirstie McMurray (Merryoth) and in charge of the bitches was Rhonda Banks (Choya). Here are some of highlights of the day.
Rachel Surman and Sheena Maclaine
Wendy Taylor, Mark Smith, Michelle Chapman
Hardworking Secretary Linda Flynn with Treasurer Glynn Angell
Anita Bull
Diane Searle and Eddie Bishop
Dorothy Bailey
Diane Whitfield
Brunch time...... ?? Vera and Peter Eyre
Lorraine Sigsworth
Veronica Hull and Norma Inglis
Lovely to see Lisa Murray Banthorpe and hubby Gordon round the ring after such a long time...
Ian and Tracy Parsons and snoozing Rebeka
Refreshments courtesy of Diana and Lucy Koster, Sheena and Diana Maclaine and Andy Vella.....celebrating two newly crowned Champions
Jenny Wightman and Mark Sedgwick
Let them eat cake....
Louise Callaghan and her stunning portrait of 'Angel'
Boys will be boys....Steve and Eurwyn
some of the photos entered for the 2014 Rescue Calendar competition
Judge Kirstie in thoughtful mood
Judge Rhonda writing her report on Junior Bitch class
Dog CC and Bitch CC
BEST IN SHOW
RCC in dogs
RCC in bitches
The show was sponsered by Royal Canin so there were lots of dog food pizes for the winners plus numerous specials for the top awards kindly donated by Snowsilk and many generous individuals.
Best Veteran in Show was 10 year old Moonvale Mona Lisa.
and winning the Cavalier Chat Forum £20 award donated by Linda Flynn for the oldest exhibited, was the ruby boy Nustoal Red Baron Von Tingewood who will be 13 in a few months time.
with Judge Kirstie's job well done.....now ready to head back to Edinburgh and the real world!
....staying with the wholecolours...here are some from yesteryear.
EXCITING HEALTH DEVELOPMENTS GIVE CAVALIER BREEDERS NEW HOPE
Sheena
Maclaine, Chairman of the Cavalier KCS Club writes:
"Cavalier Club Members attending 2 presentations prior to their AGM on Sunday 26th May were treated to more than just a glimmer of hope by the speakers.
Arnold Jacques, President of the Belgian Toy and Cavalier Club, Member of the Scientific Committee of the Belgian Kennel Club and President of "Cavaliers for Life" gave a presentation on"Sustainable dog breeding and update on the project Cavaliers for Life".
Instead of hasty short term measures, Arnold spoke of the need for a sustainable solution as the only way we can ensure the future of the breed. A sustainable breeding policy should be sought in the world of “quantitative genetics” to establish the heritability of certain traits. Scientists can make predictions about siblings based on the characteristics of parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters & so on. It was quite clear that our European “experts” are much further ahead than the UK with their “Estimated Breeding Value” programme. So impressive is the work done that they have received Flemish government support with a grant to develop a “Mate Select type programme” based on Estimated Breeding Values, calculated from all types of health screenings, including DNA tests, eye tests, MRI scans, cardiologist reports etc. to offer a reduction of the inbreeding coefficient.
In the UK the Animal Health Trust has received funding from the Kennel Club to assist in developing their EBV programme however currently it is only able to look at data provided from the KC/BVA schemes with regard to CM/SM, Hearts and DE/CC and EF. Arnold’s message was quite clear: “To build a sustainable breeding program, we needed a close collaboration between the breeders, the breeding clubs and the scientists. Measures imposed from the top simply did not work. Instead breeding policies must be developed in close collaboration, between the various parties. Otherwise each initiative, however good it may be, was doomed to fail.”
Bill Lambert, the Kennel Club’s Health & Breeder’s Services Manager, attending the presentation, heard the request from Arnold, to be able to access the Kennel Club’s pedigree database for Cavaliers. Currently Europe already has pedigrees for 120,000 Cavaliers. The Cavalier Club has formerly requested this support from the Kennel Club. We have to work in collaboration with Europe and encourage the experts to work together. The emphasis of Arnold’s presentation was the need to maintain genetic diversity. This is not new, however it highlighted that (particularly in Europe) parti-colours and wholecolours are treated in breeding programmes almost as 2 separate breeds.By integrating the colours the gene pool instantly widens. However, in order to encourage breeders to “take the risk” of producing wholecolours with white the breed standard would need a very slight adjustment. In the UK this breeding has been done occasionally to improve the quality and type and stock “mis-marked” with white is kept to breed on the next generation. In Europe this is not possible. The Cavalier is an English breed and therefore under FCI Rules the English Breed Standard has to be applied strictly. Therefore all breeding stock is assessed prior to any breeding and a wholecolour with white would not be permitted to be bred from.
Following this presentation the Cavalier Club has given its support by proposing to all regional Clubs that we make the suggested changes to the Breed Standard:
Black & Tan: Raven black with tan markings above the eyes, on cheeks, inside ears, on chest and legs and underside of tail. Tan should be bright. Ruby: Wholecoloured, rich red. Blenheim: Rich chestnut markings on pearly white ground. Markings evenly divided on head, leaving room between ears for much valued lozenge mark or spot (a unique characteristic of the breed). Tricolour: Black and White, well spaced with tan markings over eyes, cheeks, inside ears, inside legs and underside of tail.
References to “white undesirable” having been removed from the wholecolours and “well broken up ” from the particolours.
To quote Bill Lambert: "If the majority of Cavalier Clubs give their support to the revision of the Standard the Kennel Club would be highly likely to make the changes."
How much more attractive than outcrossing!
On to the second presentation -
Dr Paul Mandigers, DVM, PhD, Dip RNVA (Internal Medicine), European Veterinary Specialist Neurology EBVS Dept of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals, Section Internal Medicine – Neurology Utrecht University, gave a presentation on "Chiari Malformation and Syringomyelia in Toy dogs, latest developments and projects"
Despite English not being his native tongue Paul engaged with the audience immediately. His presentation gave out some very strong messages. The impact of the “biased” television programme, Pedigree Dogs Exposed, was panic. Panic at all levels from government to The Kennel Club, to individual breeders and Clubs. This had resulted in some poor decisions being hastily made. He had looked at 866 scans between 2002 & 2012 including clinical cases and then re-evaluated the same scans using the KC/BVA CM/SM scheme protocol for the European scheme. He made it quite clear, backed by data from looking at more than one breed, that CM and SM are two separate conditions. Virtually all Cavaliers have CM. Looking at SM specifically he firmly believed that all breeding stock should currently be scanned. However, “babies should not be thrown out with bath water”. In fact when looking to do any breeding “sick” dogs should be considered.
By sick he did not mean “unfit” to be bred from. All aspects of health should be considered. You would never choose to breed from a dog with symptoms of SM nor a young dog with a heart murmur. However you may need to breed from a dog with not such a good scan that comes from a good heart line, i.e. where parents/grand-parents are over the age of 5 with clear hearts. He quite clearly explained that he had looked at many scans and those where the syrinx was round in shape with cerebrospinal fluid able to surround the syrinx he had not known there to be signs of pain or other symptoms. Where the syrinx was irregular in shape and the cerebrospinal fluid was unable to surround the syrinx the dog would experience pain and show symptoms of SM.
It was his considered opinion that as the number of those Cavaliers affected by Syringomyelia was only a small percentage with careful breeding the condition could be eradicated! Paul showed evidence that the Cavalier’s skull shape was not relevant to CM/SM. He also talked of our primary objective being to “Define our Phenotype correctly” and our secondary objective to not having to rely on a MRI scan for our breeding decisions. But…for now we need to combine MRI scans with CT to get the primary objective. Paul re-iterated that we all needed to work together – scientists & breeders. He was also adamant that publication of results was dangerous and should be avoided – it encourages “naming and shaming” which is not healthy. It is very important that the right dog for the right bitch is selected – based on all its health factors and not just one– great to hear this from one of the world’s leading experts – a message that humble Cavalier breeders had failed to get across at meetings with the KC and BVA experts in Scheme Planning meetings.
Club Members
have their say…
Elaine Waddington (former Health Representative Northern CKCS Club) Arnold Jacques’ talk seemed so full of common sense and confirmed my own beliefs with regard to over use of the same stud dogs narrowing the gene pool and that publishing health results was having a detrimental effect as everybody wanted to use the stud dogs with the best health test results thereby exacerbating the problem. Dr Mandigers’ talk on CM/SM was enlightening with some new ideas being delivered. The sharing of research between countries will help to ensure a more balanced view and can only be helpful. I left the meeting feeling more positive and there was hope that our beautiful breed could be saved.
David Crossley (Health Representative Humberside Cavalier KCS Club) Two good presentations with strong, positive messages. Presence of Kennel Club representative useful if it results in backing to get Kennel Club pedigree database shared. Good to hear European scientific views based on fact and not personal theories. Very pleased that common sense appears to exist in Europe, if not in the BVA!
Rob Dix(Kennel Club’s Breed Liaison & Health Liaison Representative for Cavaliers) Quality presentations despite English not being their first language. We clearly need EBVs that include as many health conditions as possible and then lots of good advice on how to use them. I feel that the breed Clubs should be encouraging the use of Coefficient Breeding to reduce the scores. Dr Mandigers’ presentation was so well received because he told us that some of the other “leading expert’s” theories may well be wrong and that there was a considerable amount of tunnel vision. It felt that, at last, there was some challenge to existing theories backed with sound science. I hope that we will see an even stronger turnout of members, breeders and other interested parties at the follow up presentation next March.
Judy Wright (Honorary Life Member, Cavalier KCS Club) I think everyone was expecting much the same as we’ve heard before; but we were all in for a surprise! Arnold Jacques painted a much rosier picture about the breed than we have been used to. He stressed the need to use EBV when breeding. Backed up with sound evidence and when he’d finished speaking the room was buzzing, instead of the usual depressing facts and figures of recent years, we were left full of hope for the future. The talk by Dr Mandigers was very clear and concise. He told us about the work going on at Utrecht University using Cavaliers from Germany, France, Belgium, Holland and South Africa, showing us slides of MRI scans, charts and figures to support the findings. Supported by the Flemish government and the Belgian Kennel Club, willing to listen & act upon the results that Dr Mandigers and his colleagues find. Luckily, there was a KC representative at this meeting and he assured us that the Kennel Club would listen and look at all the research and see if they could work with the Belgian initiative. This was what the Meeting wanted and needed to hear. Both speakers told us that our problems are compounded because we live on an Island. We were told to look outwards; look at what is going on elsewhere, and not to be too blinkered or despondent. I’m sure the texts of the presentations will become available in due course. They should be required reading for every breeder and everyone with an interest in the breed. They were wonderful presentations and everyone was smiling at the end.
Stop Press - the full content of both these presentations is now available on the Club’s website www.thecavalierclub.co.uk The Cavalier Club is delighted that both speakers have accepted their invitation to return to speak again with more time for questions and answers – put Sunday 2nd March 2014 in your calendars now (the day after the Club’s Championship Show, in the KC Building at Stoneleigh – more details to follow).
Cavalier Clubs and breeders have received much criticism of their approach to health yet have never stopped providing data for research – eyes, hearts, CM, SM, DE/CC and EF. We continue to work with the experts.
Working with leading cardiologists Simon Swift & Anne French, the Cavalier Club is organising Doppler Heart Testing clinics around the country. The Club contributed £5,000 towards the cost of this machine 2 years ago. The heart experts are looking specifically at Cavaliers over 8 with and without murmurs, with and without medication. Only 10-12 dogs can be seen at any one session and when 100 have been seen the data will be analysed, followed by another 100. If more data is required a further 200 will be looked at.
The Club has committed £15,000 over 3 years to supporting Professor Brendan Corcoran and the work of his PhD student, Mr Chi-Chien (Fox) Liu at the Royal Dick and they are currently in the second year of their study looking at Pathology of MMVD in Cavaliers. We are grateful to the financial contribution from three of our regional Clubs, the Northern Ireland, Scottish & Southern Cavalier. Please don’t let it be said that as custodians of the Cavalier, we don’t care about their health. The majority clearly do! With so much that is positive let’s not dwell on the minority."
THIS MAKES IT PERSONAL!
David McCullough (Caribelle Cavaliers in Melbourne) and partner Robert show off their throw rug featuring images of their own Cavaliers. These are becoming very popular and are quickly and easily obtained online. Here is the link for more information.
https://www5.snapfish.com/snapfish/photo-gifts/personalized-photo-blankets
HOW "ART" THOU?
18th Century oil on copper of a Toy Spaniel circa 1820 in the manner of Adriaen de Gryef (Dutch-Flemish 1657 – 1722)
NORWEGIAN CLUB SHOW
Veronica Hull (Telvara) and Rick Aldous (Aranel) travelled to Norway to judge at the Norwegian Cavalier Club shows held on 25/26 May 2013.
SATURDAY RESULTS ....Veronica's choices
Norw Ch Kvadriga's Lucia....BEST BITCH/BEST IN SHOW
Magic Charm's Between the Buttons .....BEST DOG
MASTER FAMOUS Ozzy Osbourne ..BEST PUPPY IN SHOW
Liljeskogens Dream O'Dewberry- BEST VETERAN
SUNDAY RESULTS.....
Miletree Melchoir...BEST DOG/BEST IN SHOW
Norw Ch Kvadriga's Lucia....BEST BITCH
Magic Charm's Lexie ....BEST PUPPY
MASTER FAMOUS Napoleon .....RCC Dog
LEO THE LIONHEART
Dorota Bialek is proud that her "Leo" .....Bonitos Companeros Kaleo at Diorchavon (by Int Ch Rosscrea Diplomatic out of Bonitos Companeros Regency Silk) went Best in Show recently at the CAVALIERS OF THE NORTH EAST SHOW in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, and is now a CHAMPION in both the AKC and CKCSC USA arenas.
not been the easiest of weeks at Craigowl...but onwards and upwards....tune in next edition for Dennis does USA, Katherine goes down under, Border Union and much more ....