East Anglian Collie Association

EAST ANGLIAN COLLIE ASSOCIATION

The East Anglian Collie Association owes its existence to a small group of fanciers, including Mrs Iris Combe ‘Tilehouse’, Mr and Mrs Fendley ‘Ralvera’ and Miss de Bell Ball ‘Killartry’, exploring the possibility of establishing a club capable of serving Collie fanciers in the region. Further meetings were arranged, often at the home of Mr and Mrs Parrot ‘Larkena’ before a steering committee was selected. With acceptance of their second choice of title Kennel Club recognition was granted in July 1957, with Mrs George H. ‘Bobbee’ Roos, well known to American enthusiasts for her ‘Wickmere’ Collies, as secretary. Forced to resign within the first year due to her husband, then an American Airforce Pilot, being recalled to his homeland base, the East Anglian Collie Association endured a succession of secretaries after Mrs Roos; stability eventually attained after Mrs Pat Barnard ‘Washbay’ took on the post in 1965 holding it for the next twenty-one years to become the club’s longest serving officer.

Initially the club concentrated on encouraging fanciers in its immediate area specialising in the then popular Sanction show, which would often be judged by experienced Collie specialist judges. Gradually a more ambitious approach was adopted and by the early 70s both Limited and Open Shows had been added to the club’s list of events.

CHAMPIONSHIP STATUS

1975 saw the East Anglian Collie Association hosting its first Championship show for which they had engaged two judges, one for each sex, a wise precaution when one considers 284 Collies were entered. The officers and committee’s justifiable elation at achieving Championship status were soon deflated when a change in the way the Kennel Club calculated Challenge Certificate allocation reduced the number granted to Rough Collies and three clubs, including the East Anglian Collie Association saw their status return to Open Show level. After a sustained degree of lobbying by both club and the Rough Collie Breed Council, plus a general rise in show entries and therefore Challenge Certificate allocation Championship status was eventually returned in 1984. The officiating judges Mr Jimmy Tait, ‘Aberthorne’, dogs and Mrs Freda Thomas, ‘Dundrennan’, bitches making up both Incredibly Blu di Cambiano and Chrisarion Corndolly on the day.

Dog and bitch Challenge Certificate winners at the first East Anglian Collie Association Championship Show November 1975 – where breed specialists Mr Alan T. Jeffries ‘Jefsfire’ judged dogs and Mrs Lyn Westby ‘Lowerpark’ judged the bitches:

Dog CC and Best in Show: Leepark Spring Venture winning the 2nd of his three Challenge Certificates.	Bitch CC: Jadetown Jannette at Pelcoles winning the 1st of her three Challenge Certificates
Both images donated by ‘Emmsmoor’ courtesy of Rough Collie Archive

PUPPY OF THE YEAR

Members of the East Anglian Collie Association have always enjoyed a strong social and educational side to the society’s activities. Eye testing sessions were once common place, and even to day you will find frequent educational events including seminars on various health issues, grooming demonstrations etc.

The highlight of the social calendar is the annual Puppy of the Year competition inaugurated in 1990 and originally designed to find the top winning puppy from the previous season. Combined with a gala dinner and dance it quickly became a focal part of the Collie Year. Today this competition, which is now confined to members, is a daytime event aimed at finding the Top Puppy and Best of Breed winners from shows staged within the East Anglian Collie Association area.

The East Anglian Collie Association has a single simple objective:

To promote the responsible breeding and exhibition of Collies (Rough & Smooth).

Pelido Blue Pavan at Samberry Winner of the East Anglian Collie Association’s 1st Puppy of the Year competition 1990

Image courtesy of: Mr & Mrs Clark ‘Samberry Collies’