An Overview of the Year 2001

2001 started off with many difficulties, the show scene had barely got underway when Foot and Mouth caused chaos.  The rescheduled Crufts did not seem to have the same atmosphere with many of the planned overseas visitors being unable to attend due to the change of dates. 

This was the first time that overseas dogs were able to compete using Pets Passport and they made quite an impact in many breeds, including ours when Int. Ch. Vizara Dazi Yardena, a dutch bred bitch won the CC and went BOB.  Later in the year she repeated her success by winning the CACIB, CAC at the Amsterdam Winners Show. 

Jack Selby’s African Import Ch. Ndege Shaka of Eilack took the Dog CC which made him up.  The Reserve Dog CC at Crufts became the overall Top Ridgeback for 2001 Ch. Imbali Kipenzi JW who took 4 CCs, 3 with BOB. The Reserve Bitch CC was won by the top bitch of 2001, Ch. Walamandengie Conquisidor, both were made up later in the year.

They say that it is “an ill wind that bodes nobody any good” and the rescheduled Crufts was certainly good for Ch.Int. Nord.Ger. Aakemba King Astor G’Fumo who came over to exhibit at Crufts and was also able to exhibit at the rescheduled SRRA Ch. Show where he took BIS and became the first Pet Passport Champion of all breeds.  It was especially exciting for us as we had driven to Sweden early in the year to mate our bitch and she became the first ridgeback to produce a litter by using the Pet Passport scheme.

A number of exhibitors have also travelled abroad, namely; Gordon Cunningham who took Ch. Walamandengie Conquisidor to Belgium and won the CAC and Charlie Wheeler who drove to Sweden to collect their Swedish bred, bitch Rex. Ventnor’s Farrah at Nyassa. 

It will be interesting to see if more plan trips next year, The European Dog Show and The World Dog shows are very accessible.

Other new Champions that won all their qualifying CCs last year were Ch. Hespa Hebe JW with 4 CCs, 1 with BOB, Ch Janak Sula with 2 BOBs  and Ch. Hespa Highlander of Africaner with 1 BOB. 

Champions winning 2 CCs and made up during the year were Ch. Voortrekker Bamba and Ch. Rex Ventors Beks at Nyassa. 

Ch. Sontraal Somali also took 2CCs with 4 RCCs.

There were two other new Champions who took their final qualifying CC namely, Ch. Tukela Umgaza at Sofala and Ch. Karaiba Fantasy of Rooniek.

Winning 1 CC during the year were Mangwe Lily Lion, Exhurst Siana, Nyassa Ranzi, Mirengo’s Mojomo of Osebeni,and Ousebay Star Wakim and not forgetting the Veterans Ch. Hespa Huenda and Ch. Tukela Muluku.

I believe the top winning puppy was Mangwe First Edition who won 4 Best Puppy’s and 1RCC but Ch. Mangwe New Edition won 3 CCs.  He took his first with Best Puppy and went on to win another BP with BOB.  From Junior Class at Darlington he took his third CC and BOB.

2001 saw 11 new champions 7 of which were dogs.  Some bitches on 2 CCs are still campaigning for that elusive 3^rd CC but the competition seems to get stronger with each new batch of young bitches.

Undoubtedly best win for a ridgeback this year was when Sue Craigie’s Ch. Imbali Kipenzi JW won the Kennel Gazette Junior Warrant Competition at Discover Dogs proving that ridgebacks can hold their own against other breeds at the top level in this country. 

So far European ridgebacks have had some success over here, but we have not been inclined to reverse the tables.  It could be that as their shows are spread out, making attending two or three in a trip difficult.  The cost of entry and ferry could also be a contributing factor.  I have also found that obtaining information on shows on the Continent is not easy.

Having just received the announcement in the news that we are now officially clear of Foot and Mouth we can perhaps look forward to our normal structured show scene, but the fact that we had any shows at all is due to the hard work and commitment of committee members to rearrange shows. 

Lindsey Barnes©

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