Knight Crusader

Me and Stafford’s

By Ian Cook

I purchased my first Stafford in 1976 he was a black brindle and white chested dog who I named Knight Crusader. He was mainly from Rellim breeding having six lines going back to the world famous CH Rellim Ferryvale Victor. He did not like the show scene and did not enjoy traveling he much preferred being off the lead and out in the park or spread out in front of the fire. He did do well at our local shows his best day being under Ken Bailey were he won all of his three classes which I had enterd him in. He was a very intelligent dog and had a very good temprement totaly trust worthy as a Stafford always should be. Ihad him for fourteen years and have some great memories of him and remember him with great affection.

I had been in the breed about two or may be three years when I was asked if I might be interested in taking alook at a young bitch who an elderly gentleman had and was finding it difficult to manage. I said I would like to take alook and If she was good enough I would take her on. on arrival at the home of the gentlemen here she was tied to a waste pipe in the full impact of the heat of the sun. We decided regardless of her worth as a show specimen that we would take her simly to give her a good home. Actually she was not that bad she was well of the leg which suited me and had a decent body though she did lack strength of head. I named her Northern Lass as the old fellow had not done anything about her registration. She also was mainly from Rellim breeding with some Linksbury blood on the dam,s side of the peddigree. In all she had four litters all whelped freely she was avery good brood bitch and an excellent mother to her puppys. She produced me some very good stock one of the best being Philstaff Tribal Warrior who I showed and did very well with as a young dog. He won best dog puppy at the East Anglia first championship show under Mrs Hescketh Williams, best puppy dog under Mr Jim Bolton At the North West championship show,Best puppy dog at Manchester championship show under Mr Alf Tittle. He also won B.O.B. at many canine society shows. He was withdrawn from further competition after returning home from the Southern counties CH show with kennel cough which effected him quite badly his owner not wanting the same thing to happen again decided to call it a day as far as the show scene was concernd.

Ian with Philstaff tribal warrior

winning best puppy dog at the East Anglia first CH show

By this point in time all my origanal stock were to old for showing and still being keen I decided to buy in a dog pup. After much thoght and many enquieries about forth comming litters I decided on a pup from Norman and Dorothy Berry’s Rendorn line. They had mated CH Rendorn Devil’s Timpani to CH Skean Dhu who was and still is a great favorite of mine. Both were by CH Black Tusker and this seemed to me the right choice. I bought Rendorn Double Maxim in 1984, All the dogs I had up till then were easy to show and manage but how things were about to change.