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another year finishes and a new one begins...

Libor launches us into 2014 with style....

Champion Harana Alfie Boe

Champion Harana Cilla Black

Breaking Records and Making History

from lucy koster (HARANA CAVALIERS)

I was looking for a nice black and tan boy to use on my lovely ruby girl 'Grace Kelly' who had lovely breeding, was a gorgeous type….just a little ‘up to size’. I needed something small & neat with good bone & substance but was 'pretty' in a masculine way’.

I had seen a couple of puppies in the ring by Downsbank Benedictine that I liked, so after asking around and looking at his pedigree, figured he might compliment 'Grace'well.

Ruth Mochrie kindly allowed me to use him and the mating was done. On 27^th Oct 2010, 'Grace'delivered 6 very healthy, lively puppies. 2 black and tan boys, 3 black and tan girls and a ruby girl. They were so alike - peas in a pod - so I put coloured collars on to differentiate between them, and to make it easier to monitor their progress.

Right from the word go, I had a feeling this was a rather special litter, . They were no trouble at all……. gaining weight daily, and just generally being wholly content. I particularly liked the look of both the boys and one of the black and tan girls. The boy I preferred was Mr Red collar and the girl was the only black and tan without a collar.

These two were kept back, as well as the other boy who eventually went to the US where he is excelling at Obedience and Heelwork to Music. One of the other girls – Miss Pink collar, went to Sheena & Diana Maclaine on terms and is the mother of my new black and tan boy, ‘Bruno Marrs’. I wish I could have kept them all for a while…..they really were a lovely litter.

As our names usually follow ‘musical’ themes I decided to call the boy I kept'Alfie Boe'. I am mad on Les Miserables, and Alfie had just appeared in the fantastic 25^th Anniversary concert.'Cilla Black' was a name I’d always wanted to use, but had waited for a reasonable time, out of respect to the lovely Ch Mossdown Cilla Black, a bitch I had much admired in her time.

ALFIE

Cilla

They made their debut in 2011 at WELKS under Kirstie McFarlane and 'Alfie' won 2^nd in a strong Minor Puppy Dog class, with 'Cilla' being short-listed in an equally strong Minor Puppy Bitch class. 'Cilla' was then held back for a couple of months to ‘grow up a bit’. 'Alfie' was consistently placed in his puppy career, finally breaking his duck and winning his last Minor Puppy class at Leeds, quickly followed by Best Puppy Dog at Paignton & Best Puppy In Breed at Welsh Kennel Club. In only 8 championship shows attended in 2011, Cilla won at Border Union, East of England - along with Best Puppy Bitch at the Northern Cavalier and Midland Cavalier Club champ shows.

ALFIE

CILLA

They had continued success throughout 2012, 'Cilla'ending the year with 14 championship show 1sts, her JW and a Res CC, and 'Alfie' with 12 champ show 1sts, 2 Res CC’s and the accolade of Top Winning Black and Tan as well as Best In Show at numerous breed Club Open and Limited shows

ALFIE

CILLA

However….the Best was yet to come! Not in a million years, did I ever dream that 2013 would turn out as it did……

Both started the year well….'Cilla' winning the Res CC at Manchester, and 'Alfie' the Res CC at West of England. Then came the CKCS Club show. I have to admit, one of my remaining goals in dog showing has been to win BIS at the Club show….and that dream came true!

Not only did 'Alfie' win his 1^st CC and BIS from an entry of over 400 cavaliers, but'Cilla' won the Res CC too. That was the start of what I can only describe as a spectacular run for both of them.
'Alfie'won his 2^nd and 3^rd CC’s in quick succession, gaining his crown at the Southern Cavalier Club Show.'Cilla' won her first CC with Best of Breed at WELKS, and her crowning CC at Blackpool, making them our 10^th& 11^th Champions in the breed.

In all, between them in 2013, they have won 15 CC’s & 8 RCC’s. Both have been Best of Breed 4 times, short listed in a number of Toy Groups and did the double twice at the Humberside Club Champ show and Blackpool respectively. They both broke the record for the amount of CC’s won by a Black and Tan– a record that had stood since 1948– and 'Alfie' is now the Top winning Wholecolour male in the History of the Breed.

Alfie

Cilla

Towards the end of the year, it seemed that'Cilla' was going to take the title of Top Cavalier and Top Black and Tanin the 2013 CKCS Club Points Annual Trophies, but by winning the CC at LKA and with 'Cilla' being placed 4^thin her class, 'Alfie' snatched the title from his sister by 4 points! This makes him the FIRST WHOLECOLOUR in history to win this accolade….with'Cilla' taking Top Bitch and only being beaten for the Individual Trophyby her brother.

It is lovely too, that their mother Harana Grace Kelly has been named Top Brood Bitch for 2013.

I cannot begin to express just how proud I am of these 2 very special dogs. I would like to thank everyone who has played a part in their amazingly successful show careers, To all the judges who have rewarded them, to my true friends who have supported me and cheered me on at every point of the journey….and of course to my Mum for everything she does – even to her expert handling when needed.