KARENVILLE
BRIAN H WOOTTON
My first shepherd back in 1955 was an all-black inbred, Danko von Menkenmoor granddaughter named 'Karen' so I simply appended the rather cliched 'Ville' to produce my prefix.
My first involvement with Shepherds was as a schoolboy attending the BAGSD Wolverhampton branch with a neighbour's unruly young dog which I tried my hardest to train. At the same time I was encouraged to handle in the breed ring by a local breeder.
The first GSD I handled was a charismatic Avon Prince daughter - a real baptism of fire as her natural energy was a real challenge. This brought me into contact with the top dogs of the 5O's at the Ch Shows we visited. My first homebred winner (from my first litter by Ch Celebrity) was Jenette of KarenvilIe who did some useful winning at the few shows she attended. She subsequently produced the lovely all black Katrina, who won her class at Crufts under the late Mary Hester. Her daughter, Ch Ophelia CDEx made 3 visits to Crufts, winning her class each time and the CC on two successive occasions.
It's very difficult to choose a 'favourite' which may indeed not be the best one has seen,but one which has a particular personal appeal. I really liked the lovely bi-colour Ilk daughter Ch Melony Bethone. Regretably we don't see her type these days as modern lines don't seem to produce good bicolours of quality.
I don't really have a favourite male of UK breeding but I would have to rnention Ch Muscava's Rocky, whom I was privileged to see in his American home alter he was bought by the late Jack Ogren. His gait was unforgetable.
I have seen so many good animals abroad that I find it very hard to select just two. Instead, I would choose those dogs that 'hit me in the eye on my first visits to the Sieger shows in 1967 when I was impressionable, and less critical than I would be nowadays. Dogs like Caro von Schaafgarten and Troll von Schloss Ahaus, together Bodo von Lierberf had a masculinity and presence that bowled me over. Recently I think one would find it hard to see a better male than Sieger Kimon in stance and Siegerin Vanta certainly fills my eye.
