About Us the first family (photographs - see "the first family" tab). The first Wolfhound was Buckhurst Theresa, purchased in 1970 from Alan Hyett. When we visited "The Old Rectory" we were shown four generations of hounds back to Buckhurst Maisie of Eaglescrag, their foundation bitch, who lived to over eleven. Maisie's sister Ch Moira of Eaglescrag lived to over 12. Tessa died aged 11.5 in 1981. Tessa had one litter, to Ch Caio of Eaglescrag, from which Bron and Rosie were retained. When Rosie was 19 months she won her first CC and my first championship show first - from novice. She was a fantastic mover and a tall hound, in competition with a large group of Ch Caio offspring who mostly inherited their sire's height and good heads.You never saw a poor thin foot from Caio either, But you did see some long and ringed tails, like Banrion's own.Rosie reached her title and died aged nine as a result of mammary cancer. She was a completely easy and good natured hound who was a great pleasure to live with. In those days the fact two of the B litter ( Bron and Bane)developed entropion was declared a complete suprise to everyone, but later it came out that we had linebred to Ch Clindhu who had sired cases of it, and when i had access to minutes of the IWC ( when treasurer) i discovered more about entropion in the minutes.These facts were not bandied about in public, which invariably meant that new breeders felt they were the cause and originator of the problems which came up. How much better things are today in a culture of openness and sharing. I never produced another puppy with entropion and it seems uncommon nowadays. Rosie also had one litter, to Ch Outhwaite Hamish. Gaeltara won two res CCs, and had two litters. The first was the "L" puppies by Buckhurst McCafferty ( 1 CC) who came from Alan Hyett. "Mac" lived to 10.5 and his name can still be found behind hounds in the USA and UK. Gaeltara died of torsion at 8.5, shortly after she was diagnosed with the DCM which killed her sire Hamish in his sixth year. The second litter from "Tara" was the "V" puppies by Ch Witchesbroom Wizard, from which Valentinian went to Kennel Westmount and became a champion in Sweden. None of the V litter females were bred from.The Soderqvists were kind enough to send me a son of Valentinians from Sweden to continue the line. Westmount Xile of Mochras " Kobben" won reserve Ccs but could not hope to beat the big guns being shown at the time.He was much in demand at stud, possibly as his dam Int Ch Dixie D'Or was such an outstanding and long lived bitch and Kobben such a good fronted hound. He was over seven and retired from stud when it was discovered he was a PRA carrier. Xile leaves descendants all over the world.Until a test for PRA carriers is found it is important he is not doubled up on in pedigrees or blended with descendants of other carriers. The exceptions are descendants of Int Ch Solstrand Qvist, who was effectively test mated clear of carrier status. Now read about the other carriers and how to deal with the low chance of finding a PRA affected hound yourself on the page tab beneath "The first Family" photograph page. I realise one of the problems with openness is that one becomes associated with a problem being discussed: there are other Mochras family lines with no carriers behind them, and these are the ones I use in breeding. | The second family In the Mid 70's I had the opportunity to buy an Eaglescrag puppy from the "L" litter, which also contained the famous Ch Lysander, Liam, Linnet and Lapwing. "Lark" did better as a courser than as a showdog as she was rather nervy ( she hated applause!) and not substantial, although she had a lovely head and type. She was runner up at one of the last live hare coursing meets ( Michael Lyme was the judge) and enjoyed lure coursing when this started up. Larkspur was bred to Seplecur Christian ( later Am. Ch), a substantial and sensible hound, but litter was disastrous. Mochras the Brown Girl stayed home.She had an unreliable temperament and was never bred from.Larkspur died of osteocarcoma at 6.5 and Brown Girl of leukemia at 6.Most of this litter were put down before they were three for painful health related conditions such as osteochondritis in all joints and hip joint malformations. The longest lived of these bitches was not reliable and was diagnosed with epilepsy aged 6.She could be trusted with children of the family - but not children who came to play with them. This unexpectedly handicapped group of littermates completely explained Ruth Jenkins cryptic comment " breeding wolfhounds can be very difficult" and sent me looking for hounds who could be depended upon for soundness in mind and body. This was intended to be a second line to mix with the Buckhurst- origin family,but despite looking so good on paper it was not to be, and died out at this generation. The Third Family Through working with Betty Murphy on our joint interest of pedigree research I knew the Swedish and Irish lines she was blending at the time had great longelivity, so I was fortunate to be given Carrokeel Mochras Grainne ( Erin) as a wedding present.She was an accident being a brother sister mating! Erin was a wonderful hound at home, although feisty she was clever enough to let Brown Girl get all her own way ( that hound attacked other dogs the moment she met them out of jealousy). She won "Lure courser of the year" as a young bitch and also as a veteran. Erin had one litter, to Westmount Xile of Mochras ( Swedish Ch Mochras Valentinian ex Int and Nord Ch Westmount Dixie D'Or), a blend of Buckhurst and Mountebanks lines. She whelped rapidly and was a fantastic mother. The long life theme half worked - her four sons had all died by the time they were eight, but her four daughters all lived to between 9 and 12.5. Erin herself died unexpectedly of a heart attack aged 7.5. None of her offspring had puppies as by then we had discovered that Xile was a PRA carrier. Xile himself lived to nine and he had many offspring who followed long lived pattern of his dam's family. However, the third family ended here. The Fourth Family photographs - see the "Clonara Alia" tab I had admired young Clonara Klint ( later ch) tremendously, and was very pleased to be offered his daughter Clonara Alia. She was "Sulhamstead bred" at the time that kennel was reaching its end, just before Mrs Nagle died. Alia's sister Ch Ascara never conceived. Alia's first litter to Xile leaves progeny to the present day through her son Favonius's litter to Ch Caredig Zoe, and in Sweden through his sister Flaxen Favilla. Favonius carried the gene for blue brindle as well as wheaten and died of DCM aged five. Alia's second litter was better known as it contained Ch Mochras Ipse Facto, this litter was by Ch Seplecur Danny. Ipse Facto ( Maxim) sired champion bitches for Ravensbeech ( out of an Xile daughter) and for myself in Ch Solstrand Ex gratia Mochras. "Gracie" was the dam of Ch Solstrand Isadora In Black, and in turn Dora produced my Mochras Natalia ( 2 CCs), which is where the line ended.None of these bitches reached their seventh year because of osteo or DCM, yet often their littermates had longer lives. This was a family of strong boned and fantastic movers with size and strength. Years later Maxim has produced champions " from the freezer" out of Am ch Ch Carrickaneena Treise. He didnt carry the blue dilute gene - as of course he had a totally different genetic inheritance from his half brother. Now see the pages for Ch Ipse Facto and his son Am Ch Slieve Gullion for the update to the present day. |