KLUB CHOVATELŮ

The very first bearded collie registered in the then Czechoslovak stud book was imported from Denmark. It was a blue bitch Prunella´s Blue Crowned Queen, imported by Mr. and Mrs. Karen in 1981.

At the beginning bearded collies were bred under the Collie and Sheltie Club. In 1990, when there were about 10 imported beardies and their pups in Czechoslovakia, a couple of enthusiasts decided to establish their own club only for beardies.

The Bearded Collie Club independent activity was started at a constituent member meeting on January 21st, 1990. The founder members were the chairman Mr. Jan Fiser, the secretary Iva Nejedlikova, now Kleinova (at present she breeds welsh corgi), vice secretary Jiri Tancer (a breeder of australian kelpie today) and the stud adviser Mrs. Anna Karenova (Modra affix).

Two beardie people have been the Club members from its establishment until today, when we celebrate the 20th anniversary. They are the owners of Vanilka kennel Mr. Bohumil Volek and Mrs. Dana Volkova. Mrs. Volkova has worked as the stud book administrator for many years and she has also been a member of the Club’s committee for a long time.

Jan Fiser, the first Club chairman, was followed by Jiri Tancer, later by Petr Polacek, Roman Dejmek, Eva Capnikova, Jaroslava Dejmkova. The present chairman is Mrs. Lenka Folget-Klimova.

The biggest number of the Club members occurred in the first half of the 90’s, when the breed happenned to be very popular in our country and the Club had more than 300 members. During the last 5 years the number of the members has kept under 100.

The number of the litters was connected to the number of the members in the individual periods. In the time of the breed’s highest popularity at the beginning of the 90‘ there were around 30 litters a year. During the last 10 years we have had some 10 or slightly more litters every year.

From its establishment the Club has been issuing the Yearbook, which sums up the stud and show ring information from the previous year. The Yearbook has developed from a simple booklet into the Club‘s representative publication during the years.

In the course of 30 years, when bearded collies have been bred in our country, 60 dogs have been imported (as of the end of 2009). After the separation of Czechoslovakia the most dogs have been imported from Slovakia (13) from various kennels. From Denmark, where the foundation kennel of Czech beardies comes from, 7 dogs have been imported. The same number has arrived from Belgium, 6 of which of Firstprizebears affix. From Great Britain, the country of the breed‘s origin, have been imported 4 dogs of two affixes – Natterjack and Breaksea.

Every year the Club organizes the Club show where a prestigious title of „the Club Winner“ is awarded. Thanks to the fact, that there is only one bearded collie club, the Club show is one of the most visited yearly event. The Club management has always tried to invite judges from the country of the breed‘s origin to this event, who are breeders themselves. Not every time the Club succeeded, nonetheless, there have come several well known UK breeders to judge the Club show. The first one was Mr. David Hyde in 1993 in Ceske Budejovice.

Apart from the Club show the Club used to organize the Club holiday in Pisecne nad Dyji each summer. Due to a little interest in the past years this event has been cancelled. However, it is worth mentioning taht the holiday used to be very popular and the participants – beardie owners – happily spent two weeks together under field conditions surrounded by their crazy hairy dogs. The holidays are nicely documented in the Chronicle, which was carefuly kept for a couple of years.

Over the years, the Club specialty was added among the Club‘s yearly events and some time ago the Club decided to add the 2nd Club show, where the title „Autumn Winner“ is awarded.

For already 10 years the Club has organized a yearly Bearded Collie Weekend with the agility championship. The date has become a tradition for the half of August and is very special because of the meeting of the truly show ring lovers with the agility fanatics. It is very nice to see very successful show dogs win also at the agility course.

Let’s wish the Club many beautiful and healthy dogs and wise and responsible breeders and owners to the upcoming years!

Lenka Folget Klimova