TONY REWSTON AND SALLUST GREAT DANES
My
involvement with the breed began in 1971 when I purchased my first pet Dane, a
fawn male known as “Gold” from the famous Oldmanor Kennels of Olive and the
Rev. Davies. I wasn't aware of the reputation of the kennel at that time; it
was just an accident of fate that was to change my whole life. At the outset I
had no thoughts of showing my Dane but following several unsolicited
suggestions that I should do so, I finally took the plunge, found that I
absolutely loved it and as they say, the rest is history. How fortunate I was
start with quality.
Two more fawns followed, including
another male, simply known as H, those two males and later Sallust Cabuchon, a
son of H’s, formed my foundation Stud dogs.
Some time later a fawn daughter of
the legendary Bencaross Beau Brummel was brought to Gold for his first mating.
That union produced my own Champion, Stranahan Golden Sable Of Sallust
and in the same litter a dog with 2 CCs and several reserves and a bitch with 1
CC and 2 reserves.
At the time that Sable was a puppy, I bought in a fawn Kontiki bitch (Chrissie) from Roy & Joyce Marshall, and had lots of fun and success in the ring with the pair of them. I later returned to Oldmanor and from the last litter they ever bred, I acquired my first brindle, a beautiful bitch Oldmanor Merry Kate at Sallust (Twiggy). She, Sable and Chrissie were my foundation brood bitches. Over the years I have rarely kept large numbers of Danes, preferring to keep the closer personal contact with my dogs which smaller numbers allow, however in the late 70s I did get up to as many as 13.
On the breeding side I only ever contemplated a litter, when I wished to
keep something for myself, a policy, which combined with regular employment
re-location, meant that my breeding opportunities have been very limited. The
last litter I bred was back in 1997.
Having started exhibiting with Gold
as a puppy in 1971, success with him led me down the road we have all trodden
in search for more.
I made up Sable and at the same
time gained three Res. CCs with Chrissie (she was beautifully made and a
wonderful mover but was a little short on leg). Sadly Twiggy disliked the show
ring but produced me the quality of her ancestors, which I line bred to when
ever possible.
Their various offspring won well at
all levels, including Crufts and most gained K.C. studbook entries and many
BOB’s. As stated, I have owned a
Champion, sired by my own dog; he also sired other CC winners. I have bred CC
and Res. CC winners but my limited breeding habit meant that I haven’t had the
good fortune to breed a Champion.
Never the less I have had my fair share of success in the show ring. In the 70s the home bred Sallust Cabuchon had five All Breed BIS to his credit, two of which he gained over one weekend. In the late 70s early 80s Sallust Moonstone (Rhoda - fawn) had two All Breed BIS’s and in the early 90s following a break with exhibiting of nearly ten years, Sallust Hollyhock (Holly), a brindle Grand Daughter of Twiggy was Best in Show at the same All Breed Show two years running. Sadly we lost her in July 98 at the grand age of eleven.
Just for the moment we are Dane-less. In January 2009 "Colin" our brindle constant companion on our travels around Europe and across the Ocean for the last 10 years, was given peaceful release at the great age of almost eleven. His ashes are sprinkled at his favorite lookout spot overlooking the waters of the Juan De Fuca Strait very close to his adopted home in Canada. Because of advancing age Colin's had not flown for a little while, which meant that mostly during that period of time Sheila and I travelled independently as one or other of us stayed home to look after him. We miss him greatly but his demise has meant that for a while we can resume our love of travelling, which in the last twelve months has taken us to Chattanooga Tennessee (GDCA National), France, Spain, Portugal, San Francisco and Canada as well as time back home to England. That said we both know that state of affairs is not going to be a permanent one and we would sacrifice that freedom in the blink of an eye, to still have Colin with us.
JUDGING - Something I love to do
I started judging Danes in March
1974. Since the beginning I have made a point of limiting the number of my appointments each year particularly in the UK where opportunities are less plentiful. Despite that I have
judged many hundreds of Breed classes. I
awarded Challenge Certificates for the first time in 1988 when I judged for Scottish Kennel
Club, that was followed by an appointment for two Breed Clubs, the South
Western Great Dane Club in 1989 and then the Pennine Great Dane Club 1992. Over
the years I have judged in some capacity for all but two of the nine UK Breed
Clubs and had to decline an invitation from one of those two.
In 1998 I awarded Green Stars in
Ireland for the first time at the Tralee International All Breed Championship
Show. In 1999 I judged both sexes at the Richmond All Breed Ch. Show. In 2002 I
did the Bitches at the Scottish Great Dane Club Ch. Show and in 2004 both sexes
at the Working & Pastoral Breeds of Wales show
In 1999 I judged in America for the first time at the Riverside show in California since then I have judged in the USA a further twice in 2003 and 2005.
In 2000 I was invited to Judge in Australia for the first time, a Specialty in Adelaide and on that same visit to the Southern Hemisphere was fortunate enough to also receive an invitation to judge the Great Dane classes at the LKA all breed club show in Auckland New Zealand.
In 2004 I visited Canada for the first time following an invitation to judge a
Specialty in Vancouver. We enjoyed it so much that the following year Sheila and I plus "Colin" returned there
for an five month extended holiday. We enjoyed the Canadian experience so much that in late 2005 we bought a house in Sooke on Vancouver
Island where we now spend some time each year.
As some of you will know I was due to judge in Australia again in 2006 but an unexpected spell in hospital early in the year scuppered those plans but by June I had recovered sufficiently to judge the breed in Ireland once more along with several other breeds and as always I had a wonderful time with the Irish.
In April 2007 I was able to fulfill my delayed appointment in Australia, judging a Specialty for the GDC of New South Wales and also paying a return visit to the North Island of New Zealand, this time for a breed Specialty with the Great Dane Club Inc. Auckland and enjoyed both experiences immensely.
In August 2007 I had the honour to Judge a Regional Specialty in Calgary Canada along with Sheila Nicholson my long time partner who judged all of the Stakes Classes.
In July 2010 I judged in Brisbane Australia for The Great Dane Society of Queensland Inc. and in August on that same trip I judged for the Central North & South Island Great Dane Club in Wellington New Zealand, both of which gave me a great deal of pleasure.
For those of you reading this that own and exhibit colours other than fawn or brindle and whom might at some time think about showing under me, please have no reservations about my personal choice of colours. When judging I have no particular favorite. I have given major awards to Blacks, Blues and Harlequins and on my first appointment in America gave the Reserve Winners dog to the then newly recognized“Mantle”
I also judge most Working and Pastoral Breeds at Open Shows. I have also judged the Working Group and BIS at that level.
PERSONAL INPUT TO THE BREED
On the administrative side of the Breed, I was a Committee Member of the Northern G. D. C. for several years in the seventies. I then became Chairman of the newly formed Pennine G. D. C. in the North East of England and remained in Office for some five years, in which time we achieved Championship status, the last Breed Club to do so. I then moved with my employment to the South West of England where I became Chairman of an all Breed Society, Bristol & District Dog Club. When I then moved into Somerset, I became a Committee Member of the South Western Great Dane Club. In 1995 the Secretary of some 19 years stood down and at the AGM of that year I was elected Honorary Secretary of the Club, an Office I held until 2004. During that time I represented the SWGDC on the newly formed KC Great Dane Breed Council.
Upon my retirement from that post, the Committee honoured me with Honorary Life Membership of the club. Later I was further honoured to become the club's first President
OTHER BREEDS
In addition to Danes, I have owned
and exhibited Shetland Sheepdogs, German Shepherds and Poodles in a variety of sizes.
TONY REWSTON