The London & Home Counties Terrier Club are holding their Open Show at Maidstone on Sept.11^th. Entries close 14^th August. Three classes are scheduled for Kerry Blue Terriers and prize money is on offer for Special Beginners, CH. Stakes and RBOB Stakes. Schedules can be obtained www.lhctc.co.uk  Monica Barraclough is organising their Photographic Competition, the entry forms are either in the schedule or from Monica at wemoway@hotmail.co.uk and not as printed on the forms.

by Elizabeth Nagle

Mrs Patricia Margaret Anne Munro

“PAT” Rest In Peace

Pat’s funeral took place on Tuesday 14th June, 2016, 2pm at her local church, St John the Baptist, Pebmarsh. She was laid to rest in a beautiful Grave at the back of St John Church. (Trust Pat to find the best spot RIP)

It was a Beautiful service attended by her family and a close group of friends. Antony Salmon The Chairman of the Kerry Blue Association: wrote and read a lovely tribute to Pat which was very touching and had many of us In tears, it was very fitting indeed – Thank you Tony.

On our way to the church we had some terrible floods on the motorway but as soon as we reach our destination. The sun seemed to shine, just for Pat, which was a great comfort to the family and the rest of us.

The reception was held at the Dorringtan/Scenerios, Trinity St, Halstead. A lovely venue with good food and drink, plenty parking spaces a credit to Don & Family. We were introduced to Pat’s family, which gave me the opportunity to meet Pat’s sister Dawn for the first time, what a Lovely lady, who is also interested in dogs and horses. We had a lovely chat about Pat and her love of animals. Of course Pat was also interested in horses. Dawn gave me permission to use this Lovely picture of Pat when she use to ride many years ago. Dawn said, “It’s both their favourite Photo..! Thank you Dawn.

Many have paid tribute to Pat’s kindness and helpfulness to our next generation of exhibitors and show judges. Which I totally agree with. She was really amazing and a great assess to our breed.

Pat was a very much respected breeder, exhibiter and international show judge. I know how passionate she was about our Breed, she loved and adored the Kerry Blue Terrier. Her dedication to the breed has provided a legacy which will be hard to follow and in my opinion she will be right up there with the best.

Pat shared her life with her husband Don, Sons Kevin, Steve, David, and her grandson Albie. She was delighted when Albie took an interest exhibiting the Kerrie’s.

Pat and Don made up 48 plus champions and many international champions, I think there are more but I’m sure Don will put me Right on this? They are far too many to mention on here.

There greatest achievement was when Don handled UK/American & Canadian Champion Callaghan of Leander to Best In Show at Crufts 1979 the very first Kerry Blue to take that Title. It was a very proud moment for Pat & Don and of course it was fantastic for the breed.

Myself and my husband Con met Pat and Don in mid 70s, when our children were very young. We used to attend lots of Open shows and the kids loved it , we always got on very well and had lots of good times together, we attended many after show Dinner/Dance parties, Champion stakes and Pro dogs Stakes, all over the place , yes, we have some Wonderful memories.

Pat was always up for promoting and helping out at all our breed Show’s, myself and Con Served with Pat on the committee of the Association in the early eighties with our Dear friends Jimmy & Thersa Moreland. Pat was as active as ever back then as far as I can remember she edited several of the Kerry Blue handbooks, she also drew some wonderful illustrations for many of the handbooks. Nothing was too much for Pat when it came to helping our wonderful breed.

Yes, Pat was a sweet thoughtful funny creative talented person. She produced some beautiful works of arts for all the breed Clubs and her work was known all over the World.

What I admired most about Pat was her passion and pride for the Breed, she was so dedicated and always stood up for our wonderful Breed – The Kerry Blue Terrier.

She always supported and managed to get to all the breed shows, always looking very glamourous. Her Kerry Blues looked clean, shiny and with the help of her husband Don – Presentation was at its best. We solute you for that Pat… Our breed will feel your loss so very much and we will miss your beautiful welcoming smile…

Rest In Peace Our Dear Friend Pat.

Our Deepest Sympathies go to Don & Boys and all Pat’s Family. Liz & Con, Neil. Caroline & Myles are thinking about you at this very sad time, we are so sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you always

Liz Nagle

The Funeral Arrangements for Mrs Pat Munro are as follows:

Pat’s Funeral will take place in her home village at St John the Baptist Church, Pebmarsh, Braintree Essex. Tuesday 14th June at 2.00 pm

Church Address: St John the Baptist, The Street, Pebmarsh, Essex CO9 2NH

There will be Family flowers and all donations should be sent to Cancer Research

For further information you can contact: Rev Gay Ellis, The Rectory, Church Street, Great Maplestead CO9 2RG T: 01787 460273

You can also contact Lyndia Salmon if you have any queries via the Contact Form on this site

Written by Lyndia Salmon

Don Munro phoned me on Saturday with the sad news that Pat Munro had passed away. It was a great shock and very sudden. Pat owned the Arkama Affix which is well known throughout the world. Her Arkama dogs are found in the pedigrees of many kennels both at home and abroad. The foundation bitch for the Arkama Kennels was Downrite Denham Blue, she produced Arkama Denhams Follow up. Altogether the Arkama Kennels produced well over 50 UK champions plus World Champions and numerous Champions overseas and this from a limited breeding programme.

Pat was the secretary of the Kerry Blue Terrier Association for many years, but resigned in 2014 due to illness. At the same time she resigned at the Breed Correspondent for Dog World a post that she had held for many years. She first awarded CC’s in 1983, and has judged in Finland, Sweden, Spain, Ireland & the USA. She periodically wrote Breed articles for both Dog World and Our Dogs. She was very well respected in the breed and will be sadly missed by many. Pat had just had the all clear after suffering her second bout of cancer, she found the treatment very hard and was still suffering the side effects, but was hoping that her life would get back to normal now. At the Birmingham National she was in good spirits, but she was having a problem with her legs and was in a degree of pain with them, but was proud of her grandson’s handling of their young bitch.

I know that I will miss her, as we used to have many long conversations on the phone, covering a huge range of topics. Although I had known Pat for many years, and sometimes we had a difference of opinion, we only really got very close after I joined the Kerry Blue Terrier Association. Although sometime we agreed to disagree we had quite a few things in common. Pat was outspoken and called a spade a spade, she had no time for time wasters, but was always ready to give advice to newcomers to the breed. We were both interested in Craft, her Stuffies (model handmade fur Kerries) as she called them, were always a firm favourite when she brought them to Crufts to sell, and I know she was trying to fulfil orders at the time of her death. She was also a creative modeller of Kerry ornaments, and also she was a very talented painter. I have a few samples of her work at home. We also had a love of gardening (although Pat was more knowledgeable about the Latin names than I was) and would discuss what flowers to plant and what we liked. At one point Pat wanted a purple Rhododendron for a particular part of the garden, I picked one up for her, with a purple tag, but her son told her the tags don’t always match the flower. We waited 2 years for it to flower only to find out it was pink. Pat was always generous with her plants, and I have several in my garden that Pat gave me, and she also supplied some to Margaret Bradley. When she wasn’t with her dogs she spent a lot of time in the garden and it gave her great pleasure. The last couple of years she enjoyed going away in the caravan, and we always parked next to each other, and several times she and her grandson Albie came with us on trips. She was so glad that Albie was showing an interest in the dogs, and she hoped that he would continue to show their young bitch.

I know Don and her sons will find it difficult with Pat gone, as she was the rock that they relied on, and I’m sure that they will be really missing her. My sympathies go out to them, and I know I will miss her company and the talks we used to share.

Written by Carol Ramsay

Pat Munro (Arkama Kerry Blue Terriers) was a dear friend. We were shocked to hear of her sudden passing at the weekend.

Pat started in dogs in 1968… a lifetime ago, and by using an anagram of the name of her first show dog (an Airedale terrier) she registered the now famous Arkama affix. With a limited breeding programme, she went on to become a hugely successful breeder with over 50 Champions at home and abroad.

Along with her husband Don they became a formidable force and in 1979, a defining moment in Kerry Blues came when Don handled John and Wendy Streatfield’s Ch/Am Ch Callaghan of Leander to Best in Show at Crufts.

Pat had a natural ability to support newcomers to the breed which she kept right up to the end…

During Ron Ramsay’s early days of showing, Pat and Don gave him enormous support and friendship following his own bereavement at that time…

Pat’s father was a talented artist, and she really inherited that artistic flair. In the years before handmade cards became trendy…Pat produced the most beautiful hand painted greeting cards which were a delight to receive. She produced painted models and handcrafted gifts which she donated to the various Kerry Blue Breed Clubs to help raise funds.

Over the years, Pat was active as secretary of the Kerry Blue Club of England and later the Kerry Blue Association, she was an international Championship Show Judge and a regular breed note correspondent for both papers over the years.

I met Pat in the late 80’s, she was already successful in her breed, a hardworking mum who always managed to look glamorous in the show ring. I enjoyed her company on a number of trips to USA to the Montgomery Weekend…between shows, we spent hours trying on suits in Macy’s!

Pat mentored many newcomers to the breed, she actively promoted the ‘social side’ of dog showing organising the clubs dinner and dance for many years and little get togethers after judging…always with a warm welcome to all and plenty of food and wine!

She had her share of hard times amongst the good, and bravely battled cancer twice and won!

Most recently they had been supporting their grandson Albie, who has caught the ‘showing bug’…

To Don and the boys…we extend our deepest sympathy and we hope that little Albie continues to follow Pat’s footsteps.

If there really is an ‘Up There’….Pat will be in the great company of her very dear friend Judy Averis with a nice glass of red…

Carol Ramsay

Pat Munro (centre) Judging in Finland

You Will Be Missed – God Bless You

I’m sure all will join in giving Don Munro and Family and Friends our deepest sympathy and this very sad time.

Dog World Kerry Blue Terrier Breed Notes – published 20 May 2016

WE HAD a lovely day today at the National, although the day started off wet, it soon brightened up into a glorious day. Our breed was first in the ring, although due to an accident on the motorway the judging was delayed by a half an hour. Only one small grumble, why were the terriers put at both ends of the hall, to see friends in other terrier breeds was not that easy.

Geoff Corish handled the BOB and also won G4.

The results were as follows. DCC and BOB went to Dr R Young’s Ch Kebulak Lady Killer (Multi Ch K Born To Tease ex K Sticky And Sweet), bred by Cara Davani. RDCC was Mr R Ramsay’s Torum’s Cairo Fred (Ch Lemracdream The Navigator ex T Dallas Rose), bred by owner.

BCC was Ms C Walters Kebulak Queen Of Hearts at Kamaghan (Kebulak Only the Brave ex Ch Kebulak Striptease), bred by A Potts. I believe this is the second CC for Cherie with this bitch so hopefully it won’t be long before she gets her crown. RBCC was Mrs R and Mr P Ensell’s Nemiah Shades Of Grey (Ch Lemracdream The Navigator ex Ch N Born Of An Angel), bred by owners. BP was Ms C Davani’s Kebulak Wear My Kiss (Ch Kebulak Lady Killer ex Kebulak Kissalicious), bred by owner.

Joanna Jones also had a good day with her Kerry Arkama Harmony Miss D’Arcy winning VHC in the Good Citizen class and also second in her breed class. It is good to see a Kerry doing well in the Good Citizen class as not many terriers take part in this scheme. Joanna has also tried agility with Darcy and has really enjoyed it. So you Kerry owners out there have other exciting things to do with your dogs as well as showing them.

There was a get-together after the judging with many of the exhibitors contributing to the table, it was lovely to see some of the newcomers starting to join in and they were made welcome by the more experienced exhibitors. It is good that the clubs can work together to encourage new people to show, we have to try to expand our numbers, but unless we work at it our numbers will keep dropping. We have to promote the advantages of the social aspects, and the get-togethers we have had at the last couple of shows does encourage this, so I hope that it keeps going. Our condolences to Sue and Les Peacock on the loss of their daughter. It is always a hard time, but it was nice to see Les at the show. It was good to have a catch up on the news, and find out who is expecting puppies. So onwards and upwards. Next week I will publish the judges who I know for the rest of the year.

LYNDIA SALMON

It is fast becoming a welcome habit for us to get together after the Champ Show KBT Breed Class judging so here’s a reminder that we’re doing the same at the National Dog Show at Stafford County Showground on Sunday 8th May which is also the overall Best In Show Finale Day. We’ll post on Facebook KBTA group page and if you’re not showing but interested in Kerry Blues let us know that you’re coming and take a look at our Committee section on our website as there’s familiar faces for you to then seek out at the Show. We’ll make up a table in one of the benching areas and lets have a free for all on what everyone brings!!

Sunday 25th April West of England Ladies Kennel Society (WELKS). The weather was cold and dry which was good, and it was nice to see all judging was outside. Sadly we have no classes on offer for Kerries, Stuart Cooper and Jessica Pretty made the journey down with Stuart’s puppy bitch (Crystal Moonshine at Newcheshire). The judge for AVNSC terrier was Marion Sargent and she awarded Crystal Moonshine at Newcheshire the Puppy Bitch Class and also Best Puppy Bitch.