Rangeaire Airedales - the 1970's

Royal Melbourne Show 1974Royal Melbourne Show 1974

The 1970's was not only a great time for Airedales in Victoria, but many new kennels were becoming established and enthusiastically breeding. This competition stimulated and inspired Rangeaire to keep ahead. So this period produced many champions amid fierce competition. But Ch Rangeaire Ringo Starr, Ch Rangeaire Raggity Anne, Ch Rangeaire Ramsey and their progeny certainly made their presence felt in this era.

Ch. Rangeaire Ringo Starr

Ch Rangeaire Ringo StarrCh Rangeaire Ringo Starr

'Ringo' was my first significant stud dog of the 1970's. He was the result of the carefully planned mating of 'Ben' to his daughter 'Ch Rangeaire Rangitaiki' ('Taiki'). The reason was to try to correct the inherited problems encountered with my Ben-Barbarell litter and at the same time, retain breed type.  Consequently 'Ringo' was responsible for laying down the foundation of our famous record.

Ringo was an outstanding puppy winning 7 Best Terrier Puppy awards and 3 Best Puppy in Show, one all-breeds and one at the Airedale Terrier Club of Victoria and Best Junior in Show at the Sporting Terrier Club of Victoria. He amassed 562 Challenge points including 7 Best Terrier and 5 Best Opposite Terrier awards. But to the detriment of his further show career as an adult, he produced such excellent progeny he was retired from the show ring to make way for these. Ringo lived till he was 12 years old.

Ch Rangeaire Ringo Starr Produced:

  • Aust & NZ Champion Rangeaire Roulette who won 16 Challenge Certificates totalling 234 Challenge points in Australia as well as the 8 necessary to obtain her Championship title in New Zealand. She also won 3 Best Exhibit in Group and 3 Best Opposite Sex in Group and one Best Opposite Sex in Show all-breeds.
  • Ch Rangeaire Raggs owned by Lyn Nethercott
  • Aust & NZ Ch Rangeaire Raglan Boy CDX all-breeds Best Exhibit in Show winner in both Australia and New Zealand
  • USA Ch Rangeaire Ruetta owned by Mrs Fern Miller
  • NZ Ch Rangeaire Revenge (owned by Bryce Woods)
  • Ch Rangeaire Ragtime Anne who won 3 Best Opposite Sex in Group
  • Ch Rangeaire Ramsey
  • Aust & NZ Ch Rangeaire Ringa Bell
  • Ch Rangeaire Rocka Billy (from Aireline Lady Amanda) owned by Ken Campbell
  • Strongfort Stringo who sired Ch. Strongfort Smartass
  • Ch Glenfailte Filigree (from Ch Tjuringa Cactus Flower) owned and bred by Wally and Myra Brown

Ch R Raggtime AnneCh R Raggtime AnneNZ Ch Rangeaire RevengeNZ Ch Rangeaire RevengeAust & NZ Ch R Ringa BellAust & NZ Ch R Ringa Bell

Ch Rangeaire Raggity Anne

Ch Rangeaire Raggity AnneCh Rangeaire Raggity Anne

The second litter from Ch Brentleigh Ben Nevis C.D. to Ch Brentleigh Barbarell produced the beautiful bitch, Ch Rangeaire Raggity Anne. She won 3 Best Opposite Sex in Show all breeds as well as 6 Best Terrier Exhibit and 15 Best Opposite Sex Terrier. Together with the additional 626 Challenge points including Adelaide Royal Show (twice) and Melbourne Royal, she would have gone on to gain sufficient points to qualify for the title 'Grand Champion' had this title been available in her time.

This was quite remarkable as she was very temperamental. Some days she was hopeless to show - just like her mother! But other days she would trot around the ring like the Champion she was! When I exhibited Raggity Anne, I always offered her a smorgasbord of chicken, cheese, liver and cabana to alert her.

Her litter brother was completely the opposite. Ch Rangeaire Rascoe C.D.X not only obtained his show title, he was always willing to please. He was trained through his Companion Dog Excellent Obedience title by his owners and also went shooting with them and would also retrieve across water just as well as their other dog, a Weimaraner.

Raggity Anne produced two litters to Ringo Starr and her third and last Ch Rangeaire Referee.

Ch Rangeaire Raggity Anne Produced

  • Aust & NZ Champion Rangeaire Roulette
  • Ch Rangeaire Raggs owned by Lyn Nethercott
  • Aust & NZ Ch Rangeaire Raglan Boy CDX all-breeds Best Exhibit in Show winner in both Australia and New Zealand
  • USA Ch Rangeaire Ruetta owned by Mrs Fern Miller
  • NZ Ch Rangeaire Revenge (owned by Bryce Woods NZ)
  • Ch Rangeaire Ragtime Anne
  • Ch Rangeaire Rolls Royce, all breeds Best Exhibit in Show winner and multiple Group winner. This dog would have qualified for the title 'Supreme Champion' had the title been available at that time.

Aust & NZ Ch R RouletteAust & NZ Ch R RouletteCh Rangeaire RaggsCh Rangeaire RaggsA & NZ Ch Raglan Boy CDXA & NZ Ch Raglan Boy CDX

Ch Rangeaire Ramsey

Ch Rangeaire RamseyCh Rangeaire Ramsey

When Ch Rangeaire Ringo Starr was mated to Ch Brentleigh Barbarell, the litter which contained the big winning dog, Ch Rangeaire Ramsey and his sister Aust & NZ Ch Rangeaire Ringa Bell (pictured above). Although Ramsey was sold to Alan Owens at 8 weeks and lived with Alan and his family, I groomed and handled him most of the time.

Ramsey was the ultimate show dog who won Best Exhibit in Group at Melbourne and Adelaide and Opposite Sex in Group at the Brisbane Royal Shows. Although verification of some of his wins may become lost between his two 'homes', I have verification that Ramsey won at least 5 all-breeds Best Exhibit in Show as well as the Specialty Best Exhibit at the Sporting Terrier Club of Victoria plus 25 other Best Exhibit in Group. So, he would have easily qualified for the award 'Supreme Champion' had this title been available at the time. I also have to hand another 48 Challenge Certificates which total 428 points. Ramsey only lived for 4 years as the gate at Alan's house was left open one day and he was tragically killed by a car.

Ch Rangeaire Ramsey Produced

Fortunately, before his accident he was mated twice to Rangeaire Rangelene and produced Malasian Champion Rangeaire Rajah Ramah from the first litter and NZ Ch Rangeaire Rebel from the second. He was also mated to Rangeaire Riot Act (see below) and produced the three Champions pictured:

  • Ch Rangeaire Rendez Vous
  • Ch Rangeaire Richmond
  • Ch Rangeaire Referee

Ch Rangeaire Rendez VousCh Rangeaire Rendez VousCh Rangeaire RefereeCh Rangeaire RefereeCh R. RichmondCh R. Richmond

Aust & NZ Ch Rangeaire Ringa Bell

Ch Rangeaire Rising SunCh Rangeaire Rising Sun

Meanwhile, Ramsey's litter sister, Aust & NZ Ch Rangeaire Ringa Bell (pictured above) was overshadowed by her litter mate, Ramsey. However she did win some 24 Challenge certificates totalling 255 points plus the 8 necessary to make her also a New Zealand Champion. He wins included 2 Best Exhibit in Group and 10 other in-group awards plus 2 Best Puppy in Show - one all-breeds and the other an Airedale Specialty under the famous owner of the English Jokyl Kennels.

Ch Rangeaire Risen ShineCh Rangeaire Risen Shine

Mated to Ch Rangeaire Rising Sun and she produced Ch Rangeaire Risen Shine 'Cindy' who deserves special mention 'Cindy was titled in WA by Mrs Pat Long in WA but because of the ill-health of her owner was later returned to us. 'Cindy' won 48 Challenge Certificates including two Royals and 4 Best Exhibit in Groups totalling 442 Challenge points, and among her big wins after she was returned to us was won Best Opposite Sex in Group at Sydney Royal and an Airedale Specialty Challenge.

Rangeaire Riot Act

Rangeaire Riot ActRangeaire Riot Act

Rangeaire Riot Act was produced when I realized that the compact bodies had been consolidated but some out crossing was introduced to Bengal lines from UK for the purpose of introducing their magnificent heads. So when Ch Bentleigh Ben Nevis C.D. was used on a grand daughter of Ch Bengal Crusader (Imp UK) an unshown dog from that litter called 'Tremorne Heres Ben' was mated to Ch Rangeaire Rangitaiki.

Ch Rangeaire Rag TradeCh Rangeaire Rag Trade

That litter contained:

  • Ch Rangeaire Rising Sun (above) owned and titled by Robert Bone. This dog sired Ch Rangeaire Risen Shine 'Cindy'
  • NZ Ch Rangeaire Ben Dayle, owned by Bryce Woods in New Zealand
  • Rangeaire Riot Act

Rangeaire Riot Act was a beautiful bitch who won the puppy class at Melbourne Royal and was also Best Puppy in Show at the Airedale Club in 1974. But she never enjoyed showing,  so never titled. However, when mated to Ch Rangeaire Ramsey she produced

  • Ch Rangeaire Rendez Vous (above), a beautiful bitch who won 24 Challenge Certificates totalling 195 points, 5 Opposite Sex in Group and 5 Best Puppy in Group including the Adelaide Royal
  • Ch Rangeaire Richmond (above) who was owned in WA firstly by David Bibbings and later by Marie Gerrett
  • Rangeaire Riannon was owned and shown by the Cochrane family in Ballarat but never titled. She produced one litter for us by Ch Rangeaire Rolls Royce, and one litter for the Cochrane's by their dog Ch Rangeaire Rag Trade under the prefix 'Ozaire'.
  • Ch Rangeaire Referee (above) when mated to Ch Rangeaire Raggity Anne, produced Ch Rangeaire Rolls Royce and when mated to Aust and NZ Ch Rangeaire Roulette produced Aust & NZ Ch Rangeaire Rain Mist

References and Further Reading

Jane Harvey, "The Great Producers" in National Dog Newspaper (Windsor NSW) July 1978 Page 8


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