The
Collie Club of South Australia was formed at a pubic meeting in 1953.
Shortly after that meeting Mrs.Smith was asked to be Patroness of the
club ..
"because your name was held in such high esteem throughout the Collie
Fancy" Mrs.Smith later became Mrs.Lyng and remained the club 's Patroness
for an amazing fifty years, retiring from that position only after our
Collie Nationals in 2003, in consideration of her health.
Others attending that initial meeting included Mr.and Mrs.
Gil Sharman.
It wasn't long before normal dog club activities were under
way:
A breed lecture was held in the following April, and a Parade in May.
The first Championship Show was held in the July 1954. A pattern was soon
established of one Championship Show and two Parades each year, which
later. became Open Shows so that the Champions could be exhibited.
Within a short time judges were being contracted from interstate,
and in 1969 the first of many judges from New Zealand officiated at the
Championship Show. Several judges from the U.K. have given us their opinions....
Mrs. M Searle in 1983, Geoff Mildon in 1985, Audrey Chatfield in 1990
and Derek Smith in 1991.
In 1995 the club hosted the 4th National Championship Show, which
was judged by Mrs Hazel Hunt of the famous Rifflesea Kennels in the U
K. We had an entry of 270 Collies ( Rough and Smooth ) from all over Australia.
The Club is proud of its photographic record of the placegetters
in almost all shows held since 1967. When the older members say that the
Collies of today aren't the same as they used to be, it is quite easy
to agree with them
...
but . which are or were the better dogs is in the eye of the beholder
!.
The Club has been fortunate over the years to receive many donations,
including Perpetual trophies competed for at the annual Championship Show,
and at all shows, an extensive trophy table is displayed. Each year, the
Collie Club of S.A. donates handsome sashes to each Club in the National
Collie Register, it being our honour to donate Best Exhibit in Show
sash for the Sydney 2000 National Championship Show.
In recent years the Club has unfortunately seen the passing
of some of its life members who were its founders and 'guiding lights'
in its infancy:.
Mr. Gil Sharman ( in whose honour the club now presents a perpetual trophy
for Runner up Best Exhibit In Show at our Annual Championship show) .
Mr Geoff Whiteman & Mrs Audrey Jenner. They are greatly missed not
only for their contributions towards the betterment of the Collie breed
as breeders and exhibitors, but also as ambassadors of our Collies and
our Club.
Another Member who is deeply missed is past club secretary
and club steward Mrs Patricia Andrew. Pat continued to serve on the committee
right up to the day she passed away. Her great love of for our breed has
been extended in the awarding of a memorial trophy, dedicated in
her name to Top Collie (Rough) Puppy Of The Year.
Many Perpetual trophies have been donated over
the years and are competed for at the Annual Championship Show, with members
and non-members alike being eligible to win. Whilst it's not permissible
for the actual Perpetual trophies themselves to leave the state, the Club
always presents winners with a replica trophy to be taken home instead
.
In the club's proud 50th Anniversary year, we
had the honour and responsibility of hosting the 7th Collie National Championship
Show in Adelaide in May 2003. Our conformation judge was the U.K.'s Mrs
Valerie Geddes of Ingledene Kennels. To celebrate this prestigious event,
we were proud to present the first-ever Restricted Obedience Trial for
Collies to be held in this country, judged by Mr. Des Coyles, proving
once and for all that collies are not just a pretty face, but an intelligent
working breed.
At about this time too, the club became more involved in Rescue, aiming
to provide & encourage responsible guardianship and appreciation of
our beautiful breed within the community's changing attitudes to dogs
& dog-ownership, and with the dedication of its members, the Club
will continue to meet the needs of Collie lovers and Collies in South
Australia and beyond.
In late 2006 , we lost our long-time Patron, Mrs. Lyng, who, at the age of 104,
had held the position since the club's establishment in 1953 ...surely a record for
all clubs.
She will be missed at club events in future. Her attendance had understandably lessened
in recent years, but on important occasions she always maintained a dignity and sense of tradition that linked us
to our predecessors, and had a wealth of knowledge and anecdotes to share with anyone who was interested to talk about the past.,