CH FAERDORN FINEAS FOGG

CH. FAERDORN FINEAS FOGG 1991 — 2005

The “Boxer Quarterly” tribute to an outstanding Showdog and Sire. http://www.boxerquarterly.co.uk

Spirit

Ch Faerdorn Fineas Fogg has undoubtedly earned his place in breed history as one of the most successful dual-purpose Boxers of all time. Born in June 1991, he didn’t make an immediate impact in the showring during his puppy classes, though he was admired from day one for his beautiful head and expression. However he was only a couple of months into Junior when he won his first CC at the Merseyside Boxer Club in November 1992. This was the last occasion that the Club had CCs and the judge was Rita Tucker who was judging her first Championship Show. His second then came the following Summer at Three Counties, shortly before his second birthday, where Valerie Garrett was judging the breed for what turned out to be her final time. At that show Spike had to concede Best of Breed to Ch. Roamaro Scotch Mist of Winuwuk, though he turned the tables on her a couple of weeks later at his ‘crowning’ show, when Andrew Brace had the same ticket winners at Crick. Spike had become a Champion, handled by Philip Greenway who always got an enormous amount of pleasure out of showing the dog: the dog’s spirit and his showmanship were right up Philip’s street.

Double

A couple more tickets followed in each of the following years. In 1993 Margaret Wildman gave him Best of Breed at Darlington and Pam Tuke sent him into the Group at Midland Counties, where it was a ‘Faerdorn double’ with Joe Chadwick’s Ch. Faerdorn Easy Lover at Lacreme standing opposite him. Into 1994, Derek Smith and Ann Ingram rewarded him with Best of Breed wins at Birmingham National and the Trent.

Unbroken line

1995 started strongly with the ticket and Best of Breed from Ken Broughton at the Anglian, immediately followed by the dog CC at Crufts. Interestingly, looking at the record books today you can see that Spike stands in an unbroken line of male CC winners at Crufts which stretches all the way back to the bitch, Gremlin Mere Magic (who was no slouch herself, being a Reserve CC winner at that most famous show). Mere Magic produced Ch Gremlin Summer Storm; he produced Ch Tyegarth Famous Grouse who then sired Ch. Faerdorn Pheasant Plucker who was Best of Breed there under Stafford Somerfield. In turn, Pheasant Plucker produced Ch. Bitza Shout and Roar who then sired Spike. Spike’s son, Ch. Hilthorn Gold Blend made up there in 2003 and his son, Ch Tartarian Gold Dust went Best of Breed in 2004.

Style

Sheila Cartwright gave him the ticket at the Mancunian later in 1995. It was then over a year until his next big win, but he returned in style winning Best of Breed at Blackpool in a fabulous entry under Doreen Scholes-Hall. Maurice Webb then did him at the Welsh where it was also a good day for his children with Ch. Sugarwood Didjano winning the Reserve dog CC and Winuwuk Dizzy Drizzle on Filrosma winning the Reserve in bitches. A few weeks later Ann Podmore then gave him his third of the year, with Best of Breed, at the City of Birmingham, and his daughter Winuwuk Hazy Daze at Roamaro won the Bitch CC.

Veteran

Rounding off his career, he returned to Three Counties which was proving such a successful show for him. Audrey Unsworth made him her Best of Breed there in 1997 and then at the same show in 1998 he won his 15th and final CC as a seven year old Veteran under Suzanne Carter. In between this long an illustrious show career he also managed to pick up 14 Reserve CCs, including Crufts 1996 under Andrew Thomson.

Made it

But his show career is only one half of the story. His potential value as a stud dog was recognised early on when a crop of lovely Spike kids hit the ring and it was not long before his children started winning top honours. Jane Clark’s Ch. Capel Molly Packs In was his first Champion, made up by Tim Hutchings at Manchester in 1993. The Greenway’s red boy, Ch. Freedom Fighter for Rayfos followed soon after. Ch. Sugarwood Didjano made it at Bournemouth under Audrey Palmer and numbers four and five were Janice Bracher’s Ch. Mulbrae McClair and Paul Russell’s Ch. Clyrocko Magnum Fizz of Rustar. Number six, Ch. Winuwuk Hazy Daze at Roamaro, is particularly noteworthy for a couple of reasons.

Record-breaking

Firstly, she came from Spike’s most successful litter which was to Scotch Mist. This litter contained six puppies: two became English Champions, one became a New Zealand Champion, another won a couple of Reserve CCs together with a Championship Show Group placing and the final two dogs both went on to sire English Champions themselves. Secondly, Hazy Daze’s subsequent influence on the breed has been nothing short of remarkable: she has been the Top Dam in the breed for many years, culminating in being the Top Dam in the whole Working Group one year. Through her, Spike can be particularly proud of his record-breaking grandson, Ch. Roamaro Fun in the Sun with Walkon. Indeed, looking at things today, it is clear that Spike not only had the ability to produce in the first generation, but that influence has continued down through the generations.

Twins

His seventh Champion was Mindenwood Wicked Brand, eight was Ch. Wildax Father Ted – who had a record breaking puppy career - and nine was Hazy Daze’s litter sister, Ch. Winuwuk Misty Morning. 10 was the homebred Ch. Faerdorn Starting Over with Mindenwood who won his first CC for owner Debbie Robey under Eddie Banks from the puppy classes at Leeds. Then 11 and 12 were the Steynmere ‘twins’, Just So and Just William. The successful sire Ch. Hilthorn Gold Blend was the 13th and the final one (at least to date) is the Simpson’s red girl Ch Panabolo Picture Perfect who was made up by Michael Boothroyd at Border Union in 2004. In addition to these, there have been another three CC winners (including Faerdorn Finnian who is currently having a successful career in Australia) and there are another three Reserve CC winners. Of course, over and above this, there have been Champions worldwide in Bermuda, Norway, Canada, the States, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and a couple in India.

Legacy

Ch. Faerdorn Fineas Fogg had a wonderful life and left a wonderful legacy on the breed both in this country and around the globe. His name will long outlive him.

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Ch Faerdorn Fineas Fogg —
a personal recollection by Sue Harvey

Fulfilled

Having persuaded Sue Drinkwater to mate her Ch. Faerdorn Whatever Next at Sulez to Ch. Bitza Shout and Roar and seeing the quality of the pups - only three, but both boys became Champions - I kept Whatever Next’s younger repeat mating sister. She should not have of stayed with us but we were let down by timewasters! The mating duly took place and we waited excitedly. Spike and his brother Matthew (Freddie Fudpucker) and three other siblings were born on 28 June 1991. They were all really lovely but Spike and his brother stood away. At a very early age Spike knew his name and appeared to only have eyes for me while Matthew was Bev’s favourite. As the boys grew they just seemed to get better but as pups they did not make a big impact in the show ring. Then when the heart testing became ever more important we found that Matthew was a grade two, so we made the decision to let him go into a pet home where he had a long and fulfilled life, dying just after his 13th birthday.

Depression

Spike was the most delightful dog to live with. We lived with him, not him with us and the respect for each other was immense. His favourite doggie friend of all time was his lovely daughter Mulbrae McCoist (better known as Ali). They were inseparable and when Ali became ill he seemed to understand what was going on. Ali eventually had to spend time in Cambridge Veterinary College and when it was time to collect her we took Spike along and when they met in the college corridor even the consultant and nursing staff had a tear in their eyes and said they had never seen anything so caring in a dog before! Unfortunately Ali did not have long to live and although we had her sister she was not the same and Spike went into a depression. I would not have believed it, had we not lived through it!

Cranky

We had always intended having Spike as a house dog eventually, the only problem was our cranky old male Lhasa Apso who not only thought himself bigger than life but he hated Boxers with a vengeance, so Spike had to wait! When Spike eventually came in the house he loved it but there was one problem - he had inherited stealing habits from his grandfather, Ch Faredorn Pheasant Plucker. He could reach the work tops for cat food and table tops for human food! Spike’s whole life was ruled by food. He even went one better than his granddad since he could open both oven doors so much so that he has removed roasts before they were cooked and had the turkey at Christmas! He found home cooked gammon tasty too, but in spite of all this he was a great dog a wonderful loyal companion. He was always there for me and as Philip Greenway has said he was a dog with soul. He always rose to the occasion and never let us down. They do say that great dogs only come round once in a lifetime. I feel very privileged that I have owned two and, who knows, maybe I might be lucky enough to find another?

Vibes

Through his wins and, more especially through his progeny, he became a legend in his own lifetime and even people in other breeds have heard of Fineas Fogg. He didn’t quite make it to the record, but he was not that far away. My great friend Barbara Greenway always said she had the vibes for Spike and she always said she felt he could be another Famous Grouse and leave his stamp on the breed. Maybe he has.