Ch Larkspur of Pocono CDX ROM

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History
Photograph
Pedigree
Champions produced

History

Ch Larkspur of Pocono CDX ROM is the top producing bitch in Sheltie history, having produced 16 Champions in 10 litters . Her first 7 litters, producing 15 Champions, were sired by Ch Merry Meddler of Pocono CDX ROM. The eighth litter, by Timberidge Tricolor, produced nothing that finished or carried on, and her ninth litter, by Meddler's son Ch Bil-Bo-Dot Blue Flag of Pocono CDX ROM, did not produce any Champions, either. The tenth litter, a repeat breeding to Blue Flag, produced Ch Larkspur's Finalist of Pocono, a dog who sired 9 Champions including Ch Larkspur's Replica of Pocono ROM, for many years the second top producing bitch. Larkspur lived from June 22, 1939 to either 1950 or 1952 (both dates are on the same page of my reference!), dying, probably of mammary cancer, in her sleep. One of her offspring took one of the top awards at Westminster every year from 1941 through 1950. Ten litters, a Championship, and a CDX - truly a busy career!

Quoting Betty Whelen's No Greater Love (Alpine Press):

"Ch Larkspur of Pocono was the result of a competely unplanned breeding. I wanted to start [Ch] Sea Isle Merle Legacy [CD] off as a sire and he was totally disinterested in the girls. He was a fastidious fellow and very embarrassed about such things. Merry Medley of Pocono was small and easy to breed and with her he was finally able to get the job done. They both had poor ear carriage, large and wide at the base, rather pointed, and placed on the side of the head. They both had round, rather large eyes, both were wide in backskull and both were cow-hocked. The result of this breeding was Larkspur...

"She was a really beautiful puppy at two months and had the sweetest expression. Her eyes were very dark and she had a medium sized blaze with very little black mottling on her face. She had a good neck and topline with a flawless front and shoulders, rich tan markings and lovely natural ears. Unfortunately, she was quite cow-hocked, but in those days this fault was common to many of the top winning Shelties, who, with skillful handling, won in spite of it."

Larkspur, or "Penny" as Betty called her, strongly influenced modern blue lines, almost all of which receive their merle gene in direct merle line from Ch Larkspur's Finalist of Pocono. Her influence is not limited to blues and tris - her non-Champion tri daughter Phantasy of Pocono was the foundation bitch at E-Danha, and Ch Alice Blue of Pocono, another daughter, was behind Ch Pixie Dell Bright Vision ROM and Ch Kiloren Cover Girl of Barwood (sables). Finalist, Larkspur's last Champion, was behind Ch Calcurt Luke ROM, a sable influential in Macdega pedigrees. Larkspur is in Line CHE Part III and Family 2 Part V.

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Photograph of Ch Larkspur of Pocono CDX ROM


Ch Larkspur of Pocono CDX ROM at 6 months of age

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Pedigree

               Artful Dodger of Anahassitt
          Grey Mist of Pocono CD
               Peabody Silver Phantasy (imported)
     Ch Sea Isle Merle Legacy
               Nutkin of Houghton Hill (imported)
          Parkswood Little Symphony
               Parkswood Patience
Ch Larkspur of Pocono CDX ROM
               Ch Peabody Pan (imported)
          Ch Merrymaker of Pocono CD ROM
               Ch Syncopating Sue of Anahassit
     Merry Medley of Pocono
               Ch Bodachan of Clerwood (imported)
          Sunny Girl of Anahassitt
               Ch Anahassitt Animation
 


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Champions Produced

1. Ch Alice Blue of Pocono (B) (by Ch Merry Meddler of Pocono CDX ROM)
2. Ch Blue Elegance of Pocono (B) (by Ch Merry Meddler of Pocono CDX ROM)
3. Ch Blue Petal of Pocono (B) (by Ch Merry Meddler of Pocono CDX ROM)
4. Ch Blue Talisman of Pocono (D) (by Ch Merry Meddler of Pocono CDX ROM)
5. Ch Blue Treasure of Pocono (B) (by Ch Merry Meddler of Pocono CDX ROM)
6. Ch Bluet of Pocono (B) (by Ch Merry Meddler of Pocono CDX ROM)
7. Ch Forget-Me-Not of Pocono (B) (by Ch Merry Meddler of Pocono CDX ROM)
8. Ch Larkspur's Finalist of Pocono (D) (by Ch Bil-Bo-Dot Blue Flag of Pocono ROM)
9. Ch Night Rider of Pocono (D) (by Ch Merry Meddler of Pocono CDX ROM)
10. Ch Pocono Carefree of Sea Isle (B) (by Ch Merry Meddler of Pocono CDX ROM)
11. Ch Pocono Pennyroyal of Sea Isle (B) (by Ch Merry Meddler of Pocono CDX ROM)
12. Ch Pocono Trinket of Windy Oaks (B) (by Ch Merry Meddler of Pocono CDX ROM)
13. Ch Pollyanna of Pocono (B) (by Ch Merry Meddler of Pocono CDX ROM)
14. Ch Shelmar Songbird O' Pocono (B) (by Ch Merry Meddler of Pocono CDX ROM)
15. Ch Tailor Made of Pocono (D) (by Ch Merry Meddler of Pocono CDX ROM)
16. Ch Valiant of Pocono (D) (by Ch Merry Meddler of Pocono CDX ROM)

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