The Myriehewe affix was first registered in 1970. At the
time I was studying English ‘A’ level and in particular
Chaucer’s Canons Yeomans Tale. This was written in ‘Olde
worlde’ English and had a dictionary at the back to give
the modern translation of the word. At the time we had
2 bright golden sable Shelties and ‘Myrie’ ‘Hewe’ which
translated literally into ‘cheerful’ ‘colour’ was very
appropriate. When we added blues and tris, perhaps not
so!
Our first Sheltie who really wrote her name in sheltie
history was the tri Rodhill Elfin Moon. Born in 1974 and
a stud book number winner in her own right, Jenny came
into her own as a brood bitch. A granddaughter of
Striking Midnight at Shelert,Ch Riverhill Rather Nice,
Ch Monkswood Moss Trooper and Ch Riverhill Rash Promise
she was a perfect size, had a super neck and outline,
moved like a dream, had substance without cloddiness and
was a total extrovert. She just had a little too much
stop and needed a slightly flatter skull to take the top
honours. In her first litter to Lyngold Maestro of
Monkswood she produced the CC winner M. Magic Moments of
Milesend (Joyce Miles’s first Sheltie) and M Moonlight
and Roses who was the granddam of Ch. M. Witchcraft. In
her second litter (an accidental mating to the then
unproved and later to become Ch. Ferdinando of Myriehewe)
she gave us Ch. Myriehewe Spanish Galleon of Tracelyn
who holds the record for the number of appearances at
Crufts and won his final CC at 11years of age and Ch.
Myriehewe Spanish Romance. This young lady had her
mother’s size, substance and temperament but a flatter
skull and like her mum was instrumental in putting the
stamp on her progeny that made them instantly
recognisable as Myriehewes. Every Sheltie who carries
our affix today has this bitch in their pedigree even
the blues and tris as it was her daughter by Ch.
Kyleburn Golden Eagle that we took to Ch. Ruscombe
Silver Lining to begin the line that eventually went on
to produce Ch. Rosa Bleu. In Jenny’s third litter by Ch.
Merry Rustler of Myriehewe she gave us Ch. Myriehewe
Moonshine. Another with the correct size, substance and
extrovert temperament we had come to expect and like his
half brother won a CC at Crufts when he was 8 years old.
In the 1970s, our
kennel went from strength to strength. As well as Elfin
Moon we were fortunate to have a sable bitch who was a
daughter of Mollie Hall’s beautiful Ch. Drannoc
Susiley Spacegirl. Sired by Ch.Durnovaria Double Agent
she excelled for shape, conformation and movement but
was too big to show. Mated to Ch. Jefsfire Freelancer
she produced Ch. Ferdinando, a bright orange sable with
a classic head who although a late starter soon put his
mark on his progeny siring amongst others the gorgeous
sable Ch Monkreddan Royal Blend for Jack and Madge
Caldwell and our own Ch. Myriehewe Fantasia. Tracey I
think was the most beautiful bitch we have bred until we
managed to produce Rosa. She was spot on for size, like
her dad a bright orange sable, she had his classic head
and that sweet expression that screams ‘sheltie’.
At the same time we had another Ferdinando daughter, the
CC winning Rodhill Rosalinda. She was a stylish bitch
who absolutely hated the show ring. She would move
effortlessly round the ring, had a good neck and outline
but positively refused to use her ears!
Another dog who put his stamp on his puppies but was a
reluctant showman was Myriehewe Spanish Crown. This boy
was a son of Ch. Spanish Romance and was sired by Ch.
Cowellecot Crown Prince of Stormane. He won a Reseve CC
but would have Irene tearing her hair out as he stood in
the ring refusing to use his ears or putting first one
ear then the other prick! He had totally natural ears –
it was just his way of saying he couldn’t be bothered.
His ears were perfect and he could use them if we showed
him under someone who didn’t care for him!!!
Like his grandfather Ferdinando, he sired some beautiful
bitch puppies including the dual CC winning Fun N Games
at Myriehewe who won her first CC at the English Sheltie
but it was his son Ch. Crisanbee Goldsmith of Myriehewe
who stood out as a sire. Smithy had his dad’s beautiful
head and inherited his ability to put his stamp on his
progeny. It was gratifying for Irene and I to look round
the ring and spot the Smithy kids. He sired the most
stunning golden sable bitches including Ch. Seavall
Sheen who was winning well into her veteran years, the
Ch. littermates Sonymer Shimmering Gold and Sorcouress
who is behind so many Mohnessee champions and our own
Ch.Dalrannoch Gold Moidore of Myriehewe who when mated
to Ch Lythwood Steptoe produced Ch Myriehewe Shogun of
Lochkaren who was the first 5th generation
tail male champion for that line. Shogun’s litter
sister, when mated back to The Meadsman of Myriehewe
produced Ch. Myriehewe Entrepreneur who became the first
Sheltie to win the new Pastoral Group when he won at
Blackpool 99 under Harry Jordan.
Smithy’s last litter produced the golden sable
Sommerville Smithson. Very like his dad in so many ways
with a beautiful head and that same ability as a stud
dog, Alfie sired the Ch littermates Evad Sweet Sommer At
Sherbondale who has a champion daughter and Evad Sommer
Shadow who in turn has several champions and CC winners
to his credit.
The 80s saw us showing a sable son of Edencote Country
Beau x M. Uptown Girl (a daughter of Ch. Monkreddan
Royal Blend). Roly to his friends and Rogue’s Gallery of
Myriehewe to the Kennel Club he annexed a Reserve CC
before siring the heavily coated shaded sable Ch.Tegwel
Smuggler of Myriehewe. This handsome boy had many
admirers and in turn he sired the tricolour Ch.M.
Pirates Cove who won the CC under Rosemary Marshall at
the ESSC. Smuggler features in the pedigrees of several
currently successful kennels.
In the 90s, as well as having the sables doing so well
for us we had the tri boys The Meadsman and Ch. M.
Pirates Cove. The Meadsman’s tail male line traces back
through Swedish Ch. Shelandale Blacksmith and M.Double
Trouble to the mating of Ch.Silver Lining and M Spanish
Harlem (x Ch Spanish Romance). Moss won a reserve CC as
a puppy before deciding that he preferred the girls to
the showring and as we had several others who were quite
happy to have a show career his contribution to our
success is as a stud dog. As with Goldsmith his puppies
were instantly recognisable and it was with great pride
Irene and I would watch Smithy and Moss babies take the
awards. Pirates Cove was a more reluctant stud dog so
Moss was more than happy to step into the role when
Buster decided that he really couldn’t be bothered to
mate a bitch! To his credit Moss sired Ch.s Myriehewe
Entrepreneur and Orean Rainbow Warrior and the dual CC
winner Shelderon Oread Moonbeam who in turn was the dam
of Ch S. New Moon. He features in quite a few winning
pedigrees today.
And so to the star! In July 1993 the answer to 24 years
of hopes, dreams and prayers came into our lives in the
shape of Rosa. What can I say about this special lady?
Although not instantly the pick of litter, at 8 weeks
her brother looked the more promising, by 12 weeks we
knew we had something special that just got better and
better. At 16 weeks some Italian visitors to Irene saw
her and were captivated so we knew it wasn’t just us.
The rest is history! At her first show, the Mid Western
Shetland Sheepdog Club Open show she took 2nd
place in Minor Puppy and we were so disappointed but as
Irene came out of the ring Alida Cardinal (Marklin) said
to her ‘never mind, Irene, you’re the one with the
champion on the end of the lead’ and how right she was.
35 CCs, Breed Record Holder, 2 Groups at Crufts, Top Dog
in the UK 1995, a show career that we can never hope to
repeat again and so many friends and admirers across the
world. Even now, whenever we say our kennel name
everyone asks about Rosa. People would come to shows
just to see her. Overseas visitors to Crufts made a
point of coming to the bench to see her. We could never
have dreamed when we began our kennel back in 1970 that
we could achieve a Rosa Bleu!
In conclusion, I must just pay a little tribute to those
people who helped us with words of advice and
encouragement when we were just starting off on the path
that would lead to the stars. Without the help and
support of the Misses Rogers and Herberts, Josie Rae and
more than anyone our ‘mum’ we would not have been able
to achieve all this. It always helps if someone believes
in you!
Gwen
Beaden.
