My 5 Favourite Heads

MY FIVE FAVOURITE HEADS by Claire Kay
(Published Boxer Quarterley, March 2010)

I’ve often wondered how this article comes about. Sometimes the title is heads, sometimes outlines or photos or just Boxers. When I received the invitation to select my favourites all became clear - the author gets to choose. When considering which one to tackle (I actually did all three at home) I decided against Boxers as there can be so many different reasons for choice. Along with construction there are such qualities as character etc. For instance, one would have to choose Ch Tyegarth Famous Grouse for the legacy he left us all. Outlines or heads? I surprised myself, and plumped for heads. I suppose because there is less ambiguity between the actual dog and the photograph. One of my best loved Boxer bitches whose outline was superb, so balanced she just flowed, had a media shot that just didn’t do her justice. So decision made, it was heads!

I first made the decision to confine my choices to UK Boxers. This meant leaving out dogs like the magnificent Multi Ch Olimpio Del Colle Dell Infinito, who I have only seen in photos, and the stunningly beautiful Swedish Ch Ringsides Chanel, who I awarded the CC and BIS to in 2000.

It was easy to draw up a short list of six dogs and six bitches. Even at this stage I was thinking of one or two excellent heads which were not making the cut. The hardest part however was still to come and that was selecting only five. I will admit to bringing “best photograph” into consideration when picking the final two of my five, wanting the favoured few to appear at their very best.

My dog line up was Ch Roamaro Fun In The Sun with Walkon, Ch Norwatch Sunhawk Wanneroo, Ch Ymar Admiral of The Fleet, Ch Mitchum Of Sunhawk Norwatch, Ch Tyegath Blue Kiwi and Ch Jenroy Pop My Cork To Walkon. The bitches were Ch Norwatch Slightly Sozzled who is lead representative for the several lovely headed Grouselets who could also easily have been included. Also Ch Roamaro Scotch Mist Of Winuwuk and her daughter Ch Winuwuk Hazy Daze at Roamaro, Ch Hamlear Hail To Glory, Ch Bucksteps Bittersweet and Ch Seacrest In The Wings at Alcomar. My biggest worry is that a senior moment may have caused me to forget one who should have been included. This is not such an easy article after all!

My five ultimate favourite heads are:

Ch Roamaro Fun in the Sun at Walkon

Royally bred, Buzz is by Ch Blueprint Beern Skittles at Walkon ex Ch Winuwuk Hazy Daze at Roamaro. Born in October 1998, he boasted virtually all the top producers of the time in the first two generations of his pedigree. His litter sister Ch Roamaro Diamond Lil also had a lovely head.

Ch Roamaro Scotch Mist of Winuwuk

Fun In The Sun’s glamorous granny (his dam was also on the short list making three consecutive generations of excellent heads - impressive!) Born September in 1991 by Ch Wrencliff Flying Scotchman of Winuwuk who was a combination of Brockbuster and the US imports Red Baron and Back in Town, both brought in by Marion and Ivor Ward Davies. Her dam was one of THE litter produced by Jenny Tonwshend when she mated Ch Jenroy Lot Less Bother to Ch Jenroy Pop My Cork To Walkon (another from the short list). Along with Misty’s mum, this litter also contained Bundy’s dad thus playing a unique part in British Boxer history.

Ch Seacrest in the Wings at Alcomar

Born April 1997 she was sired by Santonoaks Twist n Shout at Baisezan. Her dam was a Ch Bitza Shout n Roar daughter put to Ch Tyegarth Pacherenc at Seacrest, all line bred back to Grouse. The inclusion of In The Wings is by no means a token Seacrest choice. I consider her to be one of the best headed bitches ever to grace the ring.

Ch Norwatch Sunhawk Wanneroo

Born December 1990, sired by Ch Fletcher at Sunhawk Norwatch ex Ch Sheffordian Ruby Tuesday of Norwatch. He is a result of strong Tyegarth lines back to Grouse blended with Ch Norwatch Brockbuster, and a Dutch line in the shape of Pam Broughton’s Top Dam Anja Von Dommeldal.

Ch Ymar Admiral Of The Fleet

Last but not least, born October 1994, Sailor was sired by Scotch Mist’s litter brother, Roamaro Scot Free at Winuwuk and his dam was a combination of Tyegarth and imported Dutch breeding.