History Spotlight: DESIDERATA JESSIE OF DOKHAM
THIS IS THE STORY….
Courtesy of the Marja Huttunen collection.
I was her 2nd owner, and I owned her for just 2 years, after which she was pet homed ( due to the ongoing kennel jealousy of Ch Carrlea Lavender Lady of Reeberrich – who absolutely HATED her!). She went to live in a garden flat in London, opposite Kensington Gardens, with a lady named Robyn, who was in remission with cancer. Both of them lived to a grand old age together.
We are in the ballpark of 1987, so please have in mind where the breed was in development. Being honest, if I’d been sent her photograph and offered ownership of her, most likely I would have said, no thanks.
She resembled none of the stock in my very small kennel. I did already know her slightly though, because I’d seen her once at a show and she had later come to be covered by Ch Quinoa Pinstripe of Reeberrich, to whom she missed.
Her owner, Graham Newell gifted her to me when he came out of the breed. With some reluctance, I’m ashamed to admit, I accepted.
As we can all see from the picture, she stands wide in front and has an overworked backskull .
What one cannot see from the picture so well is that she was small, easily fitting under a 10inch measure. Her coat was amazingly dense, with a rollback quality, rarely found on ETTs.
On the move she had no end of propulsion behind, and did improve a little in front in kinesis.
She was fine boned in the forelegs but way too blown in ribcage, which was circular, rather than an oval.
Her temperament was perhaps her shining glory. She was the ultimate extrovert, loved everybody and everything. Marja Huttenen, described her as, ‘ such a very kind bitch’.
I described her always as ‘ gifted to me, but the gift that just kept on giving’.
She is, of course, DESIDERATA JESSIE OF DOKHAM.
Bred by Mrs Jessie Phillips, she was by Ch Richburn Man of Kent of Benhelmstone out of Stocott Pink Gin .
Since I’d come into the breed (1985) I’d been gathering information from various people, by writing and asking about specific dogs and if they could spare a photograph. Most, happily, positively responded.
A picture had started to emerge of 2 stud dogs that were the leading prepotent sires of their time. CH Quinoa Old Holborn (7 champion progeny) AND CH Richburn Man of Kent of Benhelmstone ( sire of 6 champions). !!
I had only two males at the time CH Pinstripe, a grandson of Man of Kent and by Ch Quinoa Merryman ( full brother to Ch Old Holborn).
The other being Ch High Holborn of Reeberrich ( as his name suggests, by Ch Old Holborn out of a Ch Man of Kent granddaughter).
As the two prepotent sires were represented I mated Jessie up to Ch Pinstripe.
From this mating came,
Reeberrich Pinball Wizard at Joruben
Reeberrich Roaring Meg
Reeberrich Furious Rose.
Furious Rose was way too small and too finely drawn, so went as a pet.
Pinball Wizard, an 11 inch dog showed tremendous promise but just wouldn’t coat up, ( Jessie’s only poor coated pup). Teresa Wright took him on, declaring his coat would improve, he won 3 reserve CCs as a young dog, but the coat never improved. As a stud he produced, though, the Joruben champions Beez Neez and Touch of Class at Amalek.
I retained Roaring Meg. She seemed to grow on too much for my liking, although she was a reserve CC winner before I lost my nerve regarding her size and pulled her out the ring for breeding. In her only litter she produced Reeberrich Dolly Mixture, dam of the Carlsan boys, Ch Candidate, and Home James to Reeberrich ( sire of Ch Reeberrich Xian).
It had seemed such a ‘ near miss’ litter.
A year later I decided to mate up Jessie again, this time to Ch High Holborn, who was a shade smaller than Ch Pinstripe and more finely drawn.
The result was 2 bitch puppies.
Reeberrich Brigitte – another too small bitch, the other a little chubby girl, I registered Reeberrich Katydid, who as she developed fined down and stopped at 11 inches. Her history is well documented already.
In her own lifetime Ch Reeberrich Katydid was the joint second all time producing dam with only 3 litters of her own.
Jessie passed her coat, temperament and hind action propulsion to all her descendants, but never her head type, neck length nor overblown ribcage.
By virtual accident she became the cornerstone of the Reeberrich kennel, her virtues passed on to generation after generation, and yet none of her faults. Through her own dam’s line she brought back breeding that was virtually already lost from the breed.
Photos.
1 Jessie
2. Ch Pinstripe
3. Ch High Holborn
4. Ch Katydid (at 10 months)
5. Ch Reeberrich Scarlett
6. Ch Reeberrich The End Result at Etruria
7. Ch Carlsan Candidate of Reeberrich
8. CH Reeberrich India (dam of Ch Twinstripe Proud Mary).
9. Ch Reeberrich Arrow
Other Jessie champion descends not shown.
By Johnny Richardson (Reeberich)