Brenda Levick - Corriecas
 

Profile By
Sue Edwins

Corriecas Fagan
 

“Before 1981, only one Irish Setter had won a top honour at Crufts – this was Judd’s Strabane Sally, who won the Gundog Group in 1908,” says Brenda. “Seventy-three years later, Mrs Tuite’s bitch, Ch Astleys Portia of Rua, took the top honour by going Supreme Best in Show. Two years later my dog Corriecas Fagan won the Group and Reserve Best in Show. Fagan was born in June 1976, by Sh Ch Corriecas Baron out of Corriecas Marshall. Both parents were home bred. Corriecas Marshall was by Sh Ch Cornevon Lovebird out of Corriecas Desdemona. Fagan won his first CC in September 1982 and another in October 1982. Then came Crufts in February 1983. Brenda recalls that incredible day. “In all the excitement of this event I thought how wonderful it would be if Fagan won his third CC, to make him a show champion,” she said “Winning the open class was an achievement in itself, as the competition was intense. “Best of Breed came as a bonus and a great surprise. What a thrill it was to hear the loud applause from my fellow exhibitors – to have their approval, as it were, for Fagan to be the ambassador of our lovely breed in the Gundog Group. “Winning the group came as a complete shock – I was elated but could not really grasp the significance of it – that Fagan was to be considered for BIS at Crufts. “Running Fagan into the big ring with the other five dogs is a misty memory – all I remember thinking was ‘this is like an endurance test’ (for me, not for the dog)! “Mr Parkinson made his decision quickly, but before the moment he made the Afghan BIS I was seized with optimism as he strode over to Fagan for a last look. “I glanced at my noble Irish, continuing to show his socks off the whole time – what a showman! “I managed to stay calm when they announced the Irish Setter RBIS – after that I was in a dreamlike state of being shocked and stunned. “The reality of it became evident when the photographers rushed into the ring, like fans on a football field, swarming around – flash, flash! Smile! Look at the dog! Hold his tail! This seemed to go on for ever. “It is something I will remember for the rest of my life. My home-bred dog had become RBIS at Crufts! Would I take an open cheque for him? One look at Fagan and money could not buy him – he was my champion, my companion and my friend. The click, click of the cameras never perturbed him – he carried on lashing his tail and enjoying every minute of his success.”
 

Brenda’s Corriecas kennel was established in 1963. The affix is derived from a gully in the Cairngorm Mountains where Brenda, whilst on a skiing holiday, saw an Irish Setter for the first time.

The basic Corriecas bloodline stemmed from Raycroft/Hartsbourne/Brendower stock.
 

Brenda’s foundation dog and bitch were
Acornbank Buccaneer (born 1963),
by Sh Ch Brackenfield Hartsbourne Bronze
out of Raycroft Bayford, and Brendower Kontessa,
by Brendower Bronze out of Echo of Myre.
Put together, they produced Corriecas Desdemona
and Corriecas Sheba who, in 1969, when
mated to Sh Ch Wendover Gentleman,
produced Sh Ch Corriecas Baron.

Acornbank Buccaneer (Born 1963)
 

Corriecas Desdemona
 

Sh Ch Corriecas Baron

Baron won his first CC, best of breed, group and reserve best in show at Manchester in 1972. In all he won three Gundog Groups. “Baron was beautifully proportioned, well co-ordinated, with lots of showmanship,” says Brenda. “Among his progeny were
Sh Ch Corriecas Fagan, Corriecas Jamie, Sh Ch Raycroft Bo’sun, Irish Champion Corriecas Zavier and numerous championship show winning dogs.”

Sh Ch Corriecas Gideon
(Owned & shown by Judith Lynch)
 

Sh Ch Corriecas Gideon
(As a puppy right)

Descendants of most of these dogs are to be seen in the show ringtoday. These three Corriecas show champions are behind all of Brenda’s stock today, although being a fairly closely bred family, new lines have been introduced. Stock from this small country kennels has been exported to Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, Malta, France, America, Australia and Italy.  She has owned and shown numerous Irish Setters for 43 years. She chooses names for her stock from classic art and literature. But these days she is very careful to write clearly when she fills in her Kennel Club registration forms. “Years ago I applied for the name Corriecas Marsha,” says Brenda. “I guess my writing was illegible, consequently my lovely, feminine bitch was named Corriecas Marshall!”
 

                                       Brenda's First Championship Show Appointment

Brenda first gave tickets at Leicester in 1974, when she awarded the dog CC to Fearnley Firespark and the bitch CC to Sh Ch Marrona Meriel. Since then she has awarded CCs many time, and had the honour of judging bitches at Crufts in 1982. Brenda is an international judge and has judged at numerous championship shows abroad, including in Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, Malta and Germany, and she judged at the very first gundog show of the Association for Hunting and Conservation in Malta.
 

Brenda has served on the Irish Setter Breeders Club committee in the 1970s, and was treasurer of Edwinstowe & District Canine Society (Notts) for a number of years. Other Corriecas dogs that have been shown with success included Brenda’s Corriecas Blue Ribbon, full brothers Corriecas Jaytee and Corriecas Little Hobbit (Oldspring Trade Winds ex Corriecas Blue Ribbon), owned and shown by Cliff Norris, Brenda’s own Corriecas Donatella, Corriecas Bellini and Corriecas Giovanni (a class winner at Crufts two years running), Kirsty Williamson’s Corriecas Corinth and Corriecas Oscar, and Corriecas Chianti.
 

Corriecas Little Hobbit
 

Corriecas Donatella
 

Corriecas Bellini