ARCHIVESCanada reported its first PBGV import in 1981 from the United Kingdom - VARON ZULEIKA (w. July 13, 1980 - ARILICA OTELLO OF JOMIL x JEANNEMART OF VARON). To our knowledge she was never bred in Canada. Other imports followed from France, Holland, Czechoslovakia, and the United States.
The first litter registered in the Canadian Kennel Club Stud Book (1985) was on October 25, 1982 (JOMIL PASCAL x WAKELYNS ANGELIQUE. The Breeder was Noreen Beasley of Belray Kennels in Ontario. From that breeding came BELRAY SIRHAN SIBELE, BELRAY PRINCESS PUFF, BELRAY TEDDY, BELRAY BARON BEASLEBUP, and BELRAY LADY MOLLY. Noreen Beasley later relocated to England.
In 1983 the PETIT BASSET GRIFFON VENDEEN FANCIERS of CANADA was established and worked diligently to get our breed officially recognized in this country.
The Canadian Kennel Club registered the first PBGV - VENDRIC DEJA VU (w. July 30, 1983 - JOMIL RIGOLO x TWINRIVERS CLOTHILDE AT VENDRIC) - on February 15, 1985. By March 1985 the CANADIAN KENNEL CLUB grants full recognition status and only 3 months later (May 1985) the first PBGV Breed STANDARD was approved.
It didn't take long for the breed to be shown in earnest with OAKTREES SIRHAN ALLEZ FRANCE (w. July 30, 1983 - VARON ZORRO x VENDRIC VALERIA "Coconut") winning the first Championship points for owner Audrey Benbow of Sirhan Kennels in Ontario. Sirhan was orginally established in 1945 to pioneer the Saluki breed in Canada. However the first Canadian Champion honours went to Ch. OAKTREES HERCULE AT TECKNIQUE "Herky" (w. September 3, 1984 - VENDRIC DEJA VU x VENDRIC VALERIA) in the same year. He was also Canada's first home-bred Champion from the Oaktree Kennels of Anne E. Snelling in Ontario and was owned by Mr. & Mrs. Harry Jeffries, Tecknique Kennels, in Quebec. Anne Snelling passed away on December 20, 1989.
In 1986 the import from Great Britain - Ch. VENDRIC DEJA VU (w. July 30, 1983 - JOMIL RIGOLO x TWINRIVERS CLOTHILDE AT VENDRIC) - won our first all-breed BEST IN SHOW and in the same year another GRB import MAQUISARD CASSE NOISETTE (w. September 17, 1985 - JOMIL RIGOLO x MAQUISARD BONAMI) won a BEST PUPPY in SHOW.
It must have been a good year for the breed with many firsts achieved, even a new COMPANION DOG title by OAKTREES SUNKING O'PADRAICS C.D. (w. July 30, 1983 - VARON ZORRO x VENDRIC VALERIA) for owners Dr. & Mrs. J. Patrick Cross of Padraics Kennels in Ontario. His first qualifying score was 188 points.
It didn't take long for the breed to make its mark in the show ring! We had to wait another 2 years for the National Club to hold the first PBGV Specialty Show and it was very fitting that the early trailblazer Ch. OAKTREES HERCULE AT TECKNIQUE won BEST in SPECIALTY.
Many individual achievements have been recorded and many records have fallen since then. While "Herky" owned the 1980s, our newest champion of the record books finished off 1999 breaking even more records. Alberta-bred Ch. AMONVHAR ALFRED (w. March 8, 1996 - TECKNIQUE SHANDRYDAN x TECKNIQUE ALSTERTALS AVANTI) earned 4 all-breed BEST in SHOWS and placed in the TOP 3 HOUNDS in Canada...the highest ever! "Alfie" was bred by Patricia A. Corsiatto of Amonvhar Kennels.
What a legacy these dogs are leaving.....
© 2001 Northcott Design Works
