Decades of Shelties: Timeline of a single branch

S

Sparta

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I put this together for my blog, but I thought some of you guys might be vaguely interested to see it, too.

I've seen plenty of galleries of Crufts winners and champions through the years, but rarely come across those depicting the evolution of specific line. So when I had nothing better to do with my evening, I sat down and gathered pictures of all the champions in Sparta's branch of the BB line.

I began my timeline with Wallace, although he wasn't titled, as the son of the founding sire Butcher Boy, he is the earliest photographic example of this line.
After him came a line of 18 champion sires, ending (for now) in Sparta's grandsire, multich Microgården's Super Trouper.

Of the 17 remaining names, only one was omitted (Max of Clerwood, 1928, later moved to the US - but I understand most of his legacy remains British) because I couldn't dig out a picture of him.

The collage can be viewed HERE.
(Years refer to when they got their GB CH titles. Dogs are as follows: Specks of Mountfort, 1924; Eltham Park Eureka, 1926; Kinnersley Gold Dust, 1936; Helensdale Bhan, 1949; Helensdale Ace, 1950; Hazelhead Gay Wanderer, 1956; Penvose Brandy Snap, 1959; Riverhill Ratafia, 1961; Rodhill Burnt Sugar, 1968; Riverhill Ricotta, 1974; Haytimer of Hanburyhill at Hartmere, 1979; Shelridge Haywire, 1991; Lirren Hashbrown, 1992; Mohnesee the Sorcerer, 1993; Mohnesee the Illusionist, 1996; Rannerdale Ghostbuster, 2003.)

So at least now I know that my dog's chicken legs date back to 1959.
 
It's really interesting to see how the coat and skull have developed over the years.
Thanks for putting that together!
 
Thank for your big work.
Are Shelties getting smaller and smaller ore is it the pic. ?

I really like the color 2003 :yes:
 
Hanne said:
Thank for your big work.
Are Shelties getting smaller and smaller ore is it the pic. ?
Click to expand...

Thanks! I haven't been able to find a registered height on any of the dogs above except the very last (we talk a lot about size, but apparently we're not very good at writing it down.) If they appear to be getting smaller, I'm guessing it's just the pictures. From what we know about their history, however, there have been large variations from the start.

Two stud books came out of Lerwick in 1908 which split the breed into two groups, one book was for dogs between 10-12 inches (25,5 - 30,5 cm) and the other for those between 12-15 inches (30,5 - 38cm).
The 1909 standard set their height at "about 12 inches". Then in the first two decades of the 1900s, in order to strengthen the breeding material (which was also weakened during the war) and to create a steadier "type", they started mixing in collies. Wallace is a good example of this, as it was his mating to a small Collie bitch named Teena that brought the BB line on. With the collie crosses, the standard height crept upwards. The current height (FCI, 35,5/37cm) was set in 1965.
 
WOW... that is a great way to view the sheltie transitions over the years...
I am totally astounded at the lack of grooming from years past! :lol:

Thanks for sharing... what an eye opener! :yes:
 
This is definitely very interesting! Great job.

I am always interested to see the way the UK/European/Australian dogs differ from the US/Canada/Japan ones (and to consider which breeders went with which type, and which breeders chose to combine them). I have a picture in my mind of how the North American dogs evolved, and your collage has given me a picture of how the UK/Euro ones did, too.
 
Sparta said:
Thanks! I haven't been able to find a registered height on any of the dogs above except the very last (we talk a lot about size, but apparently we're not very good at writing it down.) If they appear to be getting smaller, I'm guessing it's just the pictures. From what we know about their history, however, there have been large variations from the start. Cut ----
Click to expand...
Thanks again.
I seemed Minni is so tiny little :lol::lol: she is now almost 8 months and approx. 43 cm (17 ") tall and weighs about 9 ½ kg. (20lb)

I chose her just because there was a chance she was too big compared to the standard:yes:
 
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