Popsy’s story
Elaine somehow managed to persuaded me to have a puppy off our pals Brian & Sandra Bailey’s bitch, Daisy, she even paid for it. This was in 1983, we already had a Stafford – Sally (Topcroft Majorette) but she wasn’t exactly typical, sleeping all day and sleeping all night, she only came to life when food was around.
We’d also had a taster of potential things to come, or should I say a culture shock, when, a couple of years previously, we had taken delivery of Daisy’s sister (also called Daisy!) at around eighteen months old, although she looked more like an immature puppy in build, in complete contrast to her sister.
This Daisy led us a merry dance, a canine tornado, we just couldn’t contain her anywhere, escaping and causing general mayhem and attacking Sally at every opportunity making her life a misery. So, in Sally we had the laziest Stafford ever and in Daisy we had one of the liveliest ever (in retrospect the liveliest and we’ve had a few of those). I don’t think we were ready for this minor invasion and so eventually she went to live with Joan Bywater and peace once again reigned at our house, until now.
Daisy had her litter on the 19th March, so when the puppies were about four weeks old, off we went to see them. Katie, Brian & Sandra’s young daughter brought the two bitches in under her arms – “my two popsy’s” she called them.
After some discussion it was decided that we would have the black one, slightly smaller than the brindle one. Next, the name – Badger said that he always wanted to call a dog “Trailblazer” so that was it, our puppy would be called Popsy and her KC name would be Topcroft Trailblazer. (Daisy was still in Sandra’s dad’s name – Harry Latham of the Topcroft Kennels). So we, I include our two lads (humans!) Mark (aged 13) and Brian (aged10) were quite excited, even me, as we drove back home. Arrangements were made to deliver Popsy and it was only a short time later that Brian arrived at our house with her totally covered in sick!!
This time we were ready for another dog, instead of getting a manic adult we got a manic puppy! At least we could pick her up and put her away in her bed.
Popsy was adored by all concerned, maybe not Sally whose tranquil lifestyle was once more disturbed only to the extent of exuberant play and Popsy hanging onto her jowls with her needle-like baby teeth. The kids used to walk about the room on the furniture to avoid those teeth, but it wasn’t before long that Popsy could get up there herself.
Looking back I’d say she was typical, a real whirlwind, if she could have run along the ceiling she would have done. She more or less managed it in the car – Elaine foolishly left her in her car whilst going shopping and came back to a car full of seat filling with Popsy sat in the middle of it all, she had ripped it all out of the two front seats.
We went off on holiday to Pembrokeshire, Popsy had the time of her life at the farm site, causing chaos at a beach BBQ, eating a fisherman’s bait – no not maggots, it was spam
We even entered at a local exemption show – at the nearby Llanfallteg, and she won her class! I can’t recall what the class was – she was getting on for being 5 months old.
On returning home we attended the North West SBT Club’s summer rally, by now Popsy was 5 months old. As we entered the venue Harry was sat having a drink with Arnold Thomas and Rod Duffy. Rod was very impressed with Popsy, he offered us two of his bitches for her, don’t think he was serious, though.
The judge at the rally was Flo Latham, so her decision to give Popsy the puppy class might be interpreted as being a tad biased, but I don’t think so, she’s a model of integrity. During proceedings a young chap came rushing over, he seemed quite impressed with Popsy and asked me who the sire of our puppy was. I had to think for a second before replying. The sire of Popsy was Ch Black Tusker and this fellow was Norman Berry.
Whilst we were at the rally we obtained a schedule for the North West Open show, due to be held in early October, Popsy would be just over 6 months old, her first proper show
This event soon arrived; Brian & Sandra came along with the kids, so our party were 8 strong plus Popsy of course. Only one ring, bitches second on, the judge was one Arthur Johnson, a long time NW member. The Minor Puppy bitch class was called and was no sooner started than it was finished, with our Mark handling. The judge is looking around; he’s picking his winner – 1st Topcroft Trailblazer!!
What a brilliant start to what turned out to be an illustrious show career.
6 MONTHS OLD
This picture is of Popsy at her first Champ show 2 months later (in a similar pose to the one above, looking up at Mark) – the Northern Counties SBT Club – held at Rotherham in December. Popsy won both the Minor Puppy and the Puppy classes under judge Norman Entwistle – his critique ended with “should hear more of her” – indeed.
After the puppy class the handler of the second placed bitch (in both classes) came rushing over to congratulate us; he said that we had qualified for Crufts! We didn’t even know that you had to qualify. This enthusiast turned out to be Brian Aubrey, the bitch Jenabeck Gwenllian.
But what happened to all the Champ shows before that? Well, it never occurred to us to enter! Ok, we went to a few local Open shows but that’s the reason, the word local, I thought our dog showing would be restricted to the local area. It was only when our fellow exhibitors asked us had we entered such and such a show that I twigged that people were going all over the country, every corner of the British Isles in fact, to show their dogs. We at least managed Rotherham.
Prior to this show we’d had a few ups & downs, even thrown out with the rubbin rags (as Sandra put it), but on this occasion, winning both puppy classes – Fantastic, this is what people were forecasting for Popsy from Day 1 – what a day.
Crufts was next for us – she went 4th behind 3 future Champions – that made 4! And that was it as far as puppy classes were concerned, just two Champ shows.
We certainly made up for it after Crufts; she was entered for 18 shows in Junior!!
And not one first place, not one.
What happened to our world beater, the one with so much promise, were we being fooled, back in the summer when Popsy was heaped with so much praise?
Badger reckoned that the judges just preferred the others on the day, but surely at least one judge (out of 18) would like her enough to give her a first; so much promise, after all.
Of course in those days we wasn’t aware of judges differing preferences and types – we didn’t know about type. We certainly never really considered or understood why a dog should win one week and do nothing the following week – like innocents abroad, we were novices. We all have to go through it – surely nobody’s born with all this knowledge!?
Anyway, back to Popsy’s Junior experiences, we thought it was due to not getting the best out of her. However the photo above gives us a clue – as a puppy Popsy was kept a bit on the heavy side, plenty of substance and not much exercise.
We were regularly attending the NW monthly training class and were advised to get her fit – I remember Len Barton telling us to go on fast, short walks, no stopping, not even for a natural break (power walking before it was invented). So after tea that was my evenings sorted, relentlessly pounding the streets of Bacup with Popsy, in the dark.
The height weight clause became an issue – Popsy was 15.75 inches and 41 pounds! A lot was said at the time about standard sized dogs – still is, I suppose, but, hell, Popsy was miles out, she needed to be at least 7 pounds less to be in the standard weight.
So what did we do, we reduced her weight to about 37 pounds, still high but it had a dramatic effect, you don’t just lose weight around the waist, you lose it all over. So coupled with the exercise regime, there was now some rib showing, she lost a bit on the head – worst of all she looked long and slab sided. On top of that Mark showed her on a tight lead, standing back – Popsy decided she would lean forward, her chin almost on the ground. On one occasion after another drubbing, as we drove back from some faraway place I shouted at Mark about this leaning business – he cried. Oh dear, how guilty did I feel, he’s only doing the handling because we’re scared of doing it and we dare to criticise.
In the photo – right Mark, (aged 14) still in his Heavy Metal days, handling Popsy in the barren summer of 1984.
The white collar and lead – we were introduced (at that Northern Counties show in December) by Harry to Malcolm Boam, the co-owner of Ch Black Tusker (Popsy’s sire). Malcolm on seeing Popsy’s outsize and rather wide collar, said that they always showed Black Tusker in a white set and advised us to do the same and also, get one not so wide. So we did.
In the summer of ’84 we went under Norman Berry at an Open show – he placed her first but mentioned in his critique, published in the dog press some time after the show, that Popsy needed a bit more covering. So that was it, back to 41 pounds.
By then she was out of Junior, hadn’t qualified for Crufts, causing Elaine some despair – back then it was only first places that clinched a qualifier.
All was not lost though, at the East Midlands Champ show Popsy, now with her covering, won Post Grad, under an all rounder of all things.
1984 wasn’t all bad – we did Ok at the Open shows, Popsy won her first BOB under Maureen Ward, we were often in the cards even at the odd Ch show.
We also staggered over the line for Popsy’s Junior Warrant – on the last eligible day we had entered two Open shows, requiring just one point to get the JW, (back then, you could go to any number of shows every weekend, with Staffords scheduled at them all). We missed out at the first show, but made it at the second, the judge? None other than Arthur Johnson, who gave Popsy her first point! It was even at the same venue.
We also made a few friends, as you do – Archie & Marlene Bryden, Carole & Stan Atherton – I recall spending a sweltering hot day with them at SWKA, (then held at David Broome’s Farm stables at Chepstow) picnicking under a parasol, with Ronnie & Blanche Cooke, amongst others.
1984 was also the year that we acquired Tom (AKA The Irish Tomboy) from Bill McKnight. This was all down to Elaine – Bill brought over two puppies and Elaine chose Tom.
Popsy doesn’t look too impressed with this odd looking newcomer.
There’s more about him on Tom’s page.
1985 beckoned but we didn’t know what a year that was going to be; at least it would start with Crufts.
1985 – a special, seminal year
The judge elect for Crufts ’85 was Clare Lee, she’d not judged for a while, as you’re obliged to do when aspiring to those great heights; so we were very much looking forward to going. We went via Badger & Sandra’s leaving Sally & Tom with her, Badge came with us in Elaine’s car with her driving (in snow, it was early February) – a bit hairy, or in Badger’s case a bit scary, he’s a wus.
During the course of Popsy’s Junior career we developed a nemesis – one Mud Guts (handled by Eddie Leyland) – she beat us every time. So Elaine was quite pleased when, on studying the catalogue, she discovered that Mud Guts wasn’t entered. Come the class and who should appear – Mud Guts (she was entered in the Soft Coated Wheatens) – and she won the class with Popsy second. We were also in the next class, which we won, so not so bad.
Mud Guts went on to get the Reserve CC and we were benched next to the actual CC winner, Spadille Midnight Lace; a dollop of vicarious pleasure rolled in.
Clare’s critique was very scathing about the depth of quality in the bitches “frankly non-existent” as she put it. Our class – Special Yearling, she described as one of the best classes of the day with a nice critique of Popsy thrown in; mind you, she did refer to her “unfortunate habit of leaning so far into her collar that her neck appeared reachy (?) and her sternum sunk between her front legs”. Echoes of last year, but looking at the above photo it appears that she stopped leaning after she’d won the class.
The local paper did a feature of Popsy’s win, with a picture of Popsy and Mark – all in all not a bad start to the year – picture opposite right.
The next show was Manchester, under Ken Davies – if we didn’t know what he liked before we certainly found out at this show. Out of a class of 24, he thinned the dogs down to 22, throwing out Popsy and the Atherton’s Roras Rosie Red, both to become champions, but neither quite Ken’s cup of tea. Years later we got to know Ken, I remember having a right laugh about this show in the bar at SWKA, by then, we had found some stuff that was more to his liking.
And now we move on to Bath – though this weekend was a back to back with the Combined Clubs Ch Show – this was a joint effort (by a number of SBT clubs) of a show to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the recognition, by the KC, of the Stafford. To be held at the Newark showground the actual show came under of auspices of the Notts & Derby club, their first shot at running a champ show.
We set off with the caravan, staying near Malvern; Bath just a relatively short distance down the M5. The judge was Tony Lee and Popsy took the Reserve CC; our pal, Mud Guts, the CC; a fantastic result. Made all the more so as our Tom who won best puppy. We shot back to Malvern, hitched up and set off for Badger & Sandra’s (they lived not far from Newark). When we arrived the bunting was out, to add to the joy of a great day at the dogs.
Needless to say, both dogs got thrown out the next day. Still we enjoyed it immensely.
A couple of things about this Newark show – entered in the Veteran class was Ch Black Tusker, now aged 10 – he got a standing ovation as he paraded around the ring, quite a thrill. After the show a “do” had been arranged, all-comers welcome, a veritable who’s who of Stafford fanciers, we could only watch and gawp.
The SBT Club Golden Jubilee Show July 1985
This was the show that everyone wanted to go to, the entry exceeded 400 – the judge George Walton. We were optimistic about this show – George had given Popsy best puppy at a breed Open show last year. However, it was decided that the entry justified two judges – George elected to do the Dogs, the bitch judge was to be non other than Nap Cairns!!
Back then we were involved in a business that meant that we worked every other weekend, including Sundays ’til 1 pm. I got the short straw, Elaine off to the show at the crack of dawn with the lads, Tom and Popsy. I arrived just after 2 (nearly 100 miles in just over an hour!!) – the Alumwell Centre, Walsall, it was absolutely heaving. I was greeted by Elaine in great spirits – Tom was second in a gigantic puppy class.
The Limit bitch class started eventually, no sign of Mud Guts, Popsy came first. The winner of Open was Ch Tondoo Miss Moonshine, made up the previous day and was on a winning streak.
But not so today, because the CC winner was Topcroft Trailblazer.
On the photo above Mark has just received the CC off Nap Cairns; Tony Jones has his back to the camera with Ch Tondoo Miss Moonshine; and John Bird is congratulating Mark. Just to the right of Nap, seated and clapping with her hands above her head is Harry Latham’s wife, Flo (white top, blue dress).
After the bitch judging we had to go into the ring to collect all the booty that Popsy had won (it took three of us to cart it all back to the bench). Nap asked me who the bitch was – I told him, he said, in jest, “I wouldn’t have give it, had I known”.
The Dog CC was won by Cradbury Flash Boyo. The referee was required for BIS – Frank Burford marched into the ring – we groaned – he’d thrown us out at 3 Counties only a few weeks before, no chance. Well, revise that one; every chance – “the bitch” Frank was heard to utter.
Another pile of trophies, congratulations from all and sundry, I remember Fred Gadd saying that we had the best Stafford in the world. Today we had.
We’d arranged to call in at Harry and Flo’s (Latham) in Manchester, on the way home for refreshments. When we arrived the champagne was on ice, Bill McKnight was there to dispense the drinks – a happy end to a tremendous day, tumultuous I’d say. Dog showing – bloody hell!! (To quote a well known character in football circles).
Nap’s critique compared his two winners in the top two classes “Open bitch was won by Tondoo Miss Moonshine, very strong headed brindle put up a good fight for the CC today against the Limit winner Topcroft Trailblazer. It was a contest between a cloddy bitch with a low centre of gravity which lost points on balance and a good headed better proportioned one. They were matched for heads with Miss Moonshine’s perhaps the stronger all round with Trailblazers better proportioned and finished; she also scored in body and balance, presenting a more active and agile picture which enabled her to score in movement to win the CC, with Miss Moonshine Reserve.”
The next show was at Windsor under Terry Giles – ignominiously chucked!!
Now that’s dog showing for you, up one minute, down the next.
Popsy won a couple of Reserve CC’s in August – the first at Builth Wells, under Harry Robinson – a caravanning weekend supreme, a gathering of fellow Stafford caravanners/B&B’ers, where the social side took over and the show was almost a distraction. Not quite of course, as well as our win, one of our number took the Dog ticket – the Cookes with their Eccstaff Tuxedo Warrior – “our Max”.
Then the long haul up to Scotland, actually pitching up at Killin, next to Loch Tay, for the SKC show, under Betty Smith, for the second RCC.
Our story moves on to Darlington, the judge Joyce Shorrock – Elaine and I were not able to go (work) so it was arranged that Mark would take Popsy and go with Carole Atherton, on the coach – starting and finishing at Birch Services on the M62. Well we worked all day, then in the evening drove down to meet them. First off the coach was Carole, no sign of Mark – we asked her how had Popsy got on and she muttered something about being third, not sure. Next thing Mark appears with Popsy and he has a bag on his shoulder – it was a Pedigree Chum Best of Breed bag! (a brag bag as Tony Lee describes them). I spotted this, well you can imagine the reaction. Time for celebration – I knew a pub in Worsley – The Bridgewater, it’s just down the road. A couple of heavies on the door – no dogs – put Popsy back in the car – no kids or trainers. No pub, then – not been back there since. We didn’t care we’d got a 2nd CC!
The photo (right) is of Popsy taken in September 1985, in between getting these two CC’s. Joyce’s critique reads;- Topcroft Trailblazer, was truly her day, moved and showed superbly by her young handler, clean cut head of the right proportions, strong muzzle with plenty of under jaw, nicely placed round eye, clean lips, strong neck and shoulders, plenty of rib, short back, sound hindquarters, CC
We’ve not finished with September yet though – for the Northern Counties Ch show we once more took the caravan, staying just outside York. The bitch judge was Dorothy Berry, who had placed Popsy third previously, in a junior class (Manchester Champ show) when Popsy was only just out of puppy, so we were reasonably optimistic that Popsy might get placed at least – she did just that, winning a third CC, now a Champion – it didn’t seem that long ago that things started to take off, back in May at Bath.
Well, what a journey, Popsy had fulfilled all the early hope and promise, surviving, nay struggling throughout the year in Junior and now we’d made it, or should we say, she had. It’s a great feeling, ecstatic, even – we were so proud of her.
After fish & chips at Headingly (don’t ask me why we went there, normally it was always Harry Ramsden’s, at Guisley) I drove north to where, I don’t know, just driving along taking in the moment, cloud 9 and all that. Eventually I switched on to reality and we duly arrived back in York.
Phew!!
Dorothy’s critique reads:- Topcroft Trailblazer, close run thing between 1. & 2. (Devils Trill), Trailblazer carrying the day, good headed specimen, well boned legs, level topline, dark pigmentation, strong well muscled hindquarters, expertly handled by her young handler, moved well both ways, CC
Popsy picked up another RCC, at the Western under Bill McKnight and that was more or less it for this phase of her career.
Harry had always said that 3 CC’s is enough to make up a Champion and after that the dogs were retired. Elaine took this on board, so Popsy was retired from competition at age just over 2 and a half.
1985, what a phenomenally exciting year that was, Popsy achieving all the early promise, not quite as we thought it would be but how it usually is, with ups and downs, more of the latter. A lot is said about face judging and judges putting up safe options/friends/etc but this is a good example of how, in Staffords, total newcomers can make up a dog, in our case with a child handler. Simultaneously, the Cookes (Ronnie, Blanche and Julie) made up Ch Eccstaff Tuxedo Warrior, their first dog.
What next for Popsy?
Conversation around the ringside inevitably gets around to ” what are you going to use on her?” and we were certainly no exception – but the age old dilemma, which stud dog? Now I recall having this chat with Steve Halifax – he was showing Jackstaff Heaven Sent at the time, she was just a bit younger than Popsy. He had it all planned out, which dog he was going to use and even which dog he was going to use on the progeny. Us, well we had considered around 25 different dogs, contacting the owners for pedigrees; discussing with experienced breeders what to do – Line breed, outcross and so on. We even travelled to Durham to take a look at Ch Skean Dhu – very impressive. In the end we opted for Bill McKnight’s top winning dog Ch Belnite Blitzkreig, a dog that we first spotted at the North West show in 1984 – on that occasion he won Junior, another most impressive dog. We admired the Belnites, in fact we had one, our Tom, now 16 months old; we had competed against Blitzkreig’s litter sister, Belnite Belladonna, all in all a sound decision, or so we thought. Popsy came into season in late November, so it was off to Belfast just before Christmas.
A few things of note on this trip – on the outward ferry journey, I sat in the very large bar area with Popsy, all alone, in total contrast to the last time – Belfast show when you could hardly move for people, dogs and dog crates.
At the mating itself, when Blitzkrieg appeared I was shocked to see how much there was of him, he was several sizes bigger than Popsy – I said as much to Bill, who replied, 16″, 38 pounds, with a twinkle in his eye.
Popsy had been sick on arrival and continued on and off for the couple of days we were there – as we were boarding the return ferry, a couple of uniformed guys stopped me, presumably to check me out. Just at that moment Popsy was violently sick, mainly water, I hesitated wondering what to do, the uniforms changed their minds, one them said “get on the f***ing ferry” !! and waved us past – I gratefully edged past the pool of sick, Popsy licking her lips.
Time soon passed and before we knew it Popsy’s puppies were due anytime. But before that I’d made a whelping box using the guidelines in one of John F Gordon’s books – it resembled a small drawer!! I started again this time with contiboard. Elaine had been advised to procure a book on dog breeding – Hilary Harmar’s – Dogs And How To Breed Them. So when Popsy started, there we are, book open at the right place – watching Popsy with opened book in hand; putting me in mind of my car maintenance days – wasn’t any good at that either. After much thrutching and pushing, a bag appeared full of green liquid and that was it. Elaine called Carole (Atherton) – at least she’s had a couple of litters – get to the vets – caesarean here we come. Later, the vet presented us with two (dog) puppies via the reception area accessed by a gate, about 3 foot high. He told us that one of the pups, the brindle one (the other was black) had just fallen out of Popsy, no bag, no after birth – and still survived.
Popsy appeared after her ordeal, jumped over the gate and off we went.
Popsy didn’t take to the pups – she threw them around the box, puppies screaming.
We had to feed them by holding her down, three of us. In between times they were kept in the above small cardboard box (not too dis-similar in size to my original whelping box).
Popsy, totally frantic, us too.
After a couple of days, the vet diagnosed eclampsia, a quick calcium injection and hey presto, back to normal (well, what constituted as normal for her), she calmed down and fed her puppies, initially in the cardboard box and finally in the actual whelping box.
What a relief, no sleep for a couple of days, worse than having kids.
What did we call these puppies – Eric the black brindle and Derek, the brindle – yes, Eric and Derek.
What happened to these two? Well they started off pretty big and this continued with stonking heads. Derek, we kept and after his ordeal at “birth” we registered him as Tikkurilan Dark Survivor, seemed like an appropriate name and the affix just recently acquired. Eric was sold to a couple in Bury.
Ears seemed an issue with these two – Eric had two drop ears and Derek one. This latter was rectified when all hell broke loose when Tom attacked Derek – more about this on Tom’s page. Anyway Derek had reasonably acceptable rose ears after this altercation.
Popsy was later mated to Tom – well I say mated, it was more like a rape job as three of us managed to hold both dog and bitch down to facilitate the mating. This was another caesarean – this time not as dramatic, the pups still in their bags – 3 dogs and 1 bitch. We kept the latter – Tikkurilan Popsy’s Joy.
That was it for Popsy’s breeding program.
On the showing front Popsy was retired at the age of three and a half. Not strictly true as she had a remarkable career in Veteran, winning a CC at age 7, under Joyce Shorrock, her second under Joyce!! The following year at the same show – the North East club show – Popsy was awarded the RCC under Bill McKnight who had previously awarded her the RCC back in 1985, back in her heyday (when she was 2 years old).
Tikkurilan Staffords 