STUD DOGS

Memphis winning the Smooth Stud Dog class
in 1999 at the CCA National Specialty
in Springfield, Mass.

What qualities distinguish your stud dog, including conformation attributes, temperament, show career, etc.?
Memphis is a happy, outgoing, and loving dog -- he is always so happy to be in the show ring and he has that "HEY! Look at me," attitude, which immediately draws the attention of ringside to him.

He excels in head properties, including a lack of depth of head, leaness, and "clean as glass" on the sides with a correctly filled, cornered backskull. Memphis also has the correct balance of length between muzzle and backskull. As one judge has said about him repeatedly, her fingers don't fall off the back of his head.

He is also one of the "truest" collies being shown, coming and going, and he doesn't break behind the shoulders on side movement. Memphis is a true, blue color -- steely with an undercast of silver. He also has a melting expression, due to correct eye placement and a dark, dark eye.

Memphis loves puppies to sleep on the bed and jump on the trampoline. He is my constant companion and best friend who has been everywhere with me and is always at my side.

As for the show ring, his career speaks for itself and it's been one great time! He finished in nine shows with four majors under both specialty and all-breed judges. Memphis has seven specialty BOBs, fifteen BOS to BOB, and 40+ specialty BOV wins and over 75 BOV all-breed wins, several group placements, including two Group 1s.

He also has been a four-time AOM winner at the National and won the Top Twenty Invitational at Virginia Beach, the last time it was a competition. He also won the Stud Dog class in 1999 under
Judge Phyllis Autrey and was second in the Stud Dog class under Judge Helga Kane.

Memphis has been mostly owner handled, with a few shows being handled by some of his favorite people, Bob Myers, Debbie Holland, Cheryl Kobularcik, and Lynda Cox.

What should bitch owners know about your stud? i.e. eye check, pure for sable, etc.
Memphis is rough factored, non-white-factored. He has moderate CRH. He received his HIC at the tender age of eighteen months, despite never having seen a sheep before in his life. Memphis is an easy keeper, and his children seem to be the same way.

He has never had any major health problems and has a steady, even temperament. Memphis passes these qualities on to his children. In addition, he passes on his beautiful eye, exquisite expression and head properties to his get. They also excel in length and arch of neck, easy movement, wonderful drive in the rear assembly and his showing attitude. To see a Memphis puppy in the ring -- there is no need to check a catalogue to determine who the sire is. He stamps his puppies with an unmistakable look that shouts "MEMPHIS"!

Memphis won top honors at the National Specialty's
Top Twenty Invitational in Virginia Beach
in 1998. It was the last time the event was
held as a competition.

Please summarize in a paragraph or two your breeding philosophy and how your stud dog fits into that philosophy.
I am not a collie breeder. I am a collie enthusiast. I genuinely love the
breed. I have the greatest admiration for those who are true breeders. When I do a breeding, I do it for myself because I see something in both the bitch and the stud dog which can be a benefit to the breed and what I perceive to be the ideal collie. If I don't feel as if I can improve on the parents, then I feel as if that breeding should not be done or the breeding would be done in vain.

That said, here is how Memphis fits into that philosophy. Memphis is what I look for in not only a show dog, but as a lifelong companion. He can contribute to the breed overall, as well. He is producing beautiful backskulls, no depth of head (something I have seen as a problem, lately, in our breed), and the temperament he passes on to his get is that of an easy-going, happy, eager to please dog. His get all possess that happy temperament.

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