Local collie wins Best In Variety Rough Collie at Westminster
Courtesy of Mary Lee Shingle
CGHG Pleasant Acre Blue Moon, also known as “Seth,” received Best in Variety Rough Collie at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show last week. He was bred and raised by Mary Lee Shingle of West Alexander. Shown, from left, are judge Nioma Stoner and handler Theresa Balantye of Michigan.
Courtesy of Mary Lee Shingle
Mary Lee Shingle poses with her rough collie, Seth, and the rosette Seth earned in May 2021 for a Best in Show win in Michigan.
Courtesy of Mary Lee Shingle
Mary Lee Shingle of West Alexander is shown with a collie puppy. Shingle has bred collies for 40 years. Her rough collie, Seth, won Best in Variety Rough Collie at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show last week.
A 5-year-old rough collie from West Alexander left the 146th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show victorious last week.
GCHG Pleasant Acre Blue Moon – “Seth” for short – received the “Best in Variety Rough Collie” after the weeklong series of canine competitions at Lyndhurst Estate in Tarrytown, NY.
Seth was bred and raised by Mary Lee Shingle of West Alexander, and lives with her.
He has co-owners in Florida, New Jersey and Ohio.
“It was real exciting. Especially when you’re the breeder/owner, it makes a difference,” said Shingle. “I bred his parents, I bred their parents – it’s been several generations of breeding. It’s very satisfying.”
Seth has competed in shows across the country to earn the American Kennel Club Championship status required to participate.
In 2021, Seth earned the top ranking for rough collies by the Collie Club of America based on points earned in the Hawkins Ranking System.
In March, he was awarded Best of Opposite Sex to Best of Breed at the Collie Club of America national speciality in Sandy, Utah. He was awarded the same honor in 2020 at the CCA National Speciality in Cheyenne, Wyo.
In December 2021, Seth won best of breed at the AKC Championship presented by Royal Canin in Florida. He also was awarded Best in Show in 2021 in Kalamazoo, Mich.
When not traveling to competitions, Seth “is just a dog,” Shingle said.
“He plays in the yard with other dogs, and he likes to come in to the air conditioning. He barks at cars and does dog things,” Shingle said, laughing.
Shingle has been breeding collies for 40 years.
She fell in love with the breed in grade school, after checking out a book about collies written by Albert Payton Terhune, who wrote books about his beloved collies.
“I took it home and read it, and I was fascinated with collies,” Shingle recalled. “I knew I wanted to have collies, lots of collies.”
When Shingle was 12 years old, she and a friend purchased a Christmas card kit and went door-to-door selling the cards to raise money to purchase collies.
“We each earned enough money to buy our first purebred collie. The cost was $50 each,” said Shingle.
Seth is the second rough collie Shingle has bred and raised that was awarded Best of Variety at Westminster. The other was GCH Pleasant Acre Creekwood Rock Star, known as “Rocky,” in 2016.
Lineage-wise, Rocky’s mother was Seth’s great-grandmother, Shingle noted.
Shingle also has been co-breeder for two smooth collies – the other variety of collie – which captured the Best of Variety award.
Seth’s parents still live with Shingle.
She’s delighted with the success Seth has enjoyed, especially the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show win.
“I’m really proud of him,” said Shingle. “He’s a great dog.”