Set against a background of dwindling entries and
interest in the years immediately following the first world-war a
group of senior fanciers from the principal Collie Clubs of the period discussed the possibility of amalgamating their resources. Agreement was reached by January 1924 and after Kennel Club approval the British Collie Club combined ‘The Collie Club’, founded 1881, the ‘Northern Collie Club’ and the ‘Rough Coated Blue Merle Club’ into one national society dedicated to promoting the Collie.

The British Collie Club prospered under the guiding hands of Messrs James Russell, W. Schofield and W. Grimshaw, president, secretary and treasurer respectively. Official Kennel Club recognition was swift with Championship status granted in 1925 when Mr W. Houghton awarded Best in Show, and with it the
world famous ‘Collie Club Challenge Trophy’ to Ch Thane of Athelney. Championship status continued until registration figures fell below 750 per
year, at which point the Kennel Club deemed interest was insufficient to
sustain any Breed Club Championship Shows, and the club was reduced
to organising Open Shows.

It was 1950 before Championship Status returned to the British
Collie Club, when Mr Fred Robson ‘Eden’, owner/breeder of
Ch Eden Enrapture, the bitch Challenge Certificate winner at the
first British Collie Club Championship Show, stood centre ring
awarding the Challenge Certificates to Heightlyn Firefly and
Hallmarsh Bloom, but there is no record of which went Best in Show.

Since 1950 the British Collie Club Championship Show has become a
popular annual event attracting exhibitors and spectators from around
the world, who marvel at a trophy table which includes many famous pieces
from their original founding clubs.

It had been sixteen years since Rough Collie owners, breeders or exhibitors
could boast of a breed club supported year or hand book when the British
Collie Club launched its own Handbook at its Championship show in 1994.
General acceptance was initially slow and not enhanced by a succession of
editorial changes during its first five years. This all changed when the then club treasurer, Mr Alan Staniland ‘Tashadon’ added the post of editor to his other duties before the publication of the 1999 edition. It was Alan who standardised the front cover which has since this date featured the world famous Collie Club Challenge Trophy, now presented to Best In Show at the British Collie Club’s annual Championship Show, reserving the back cover for a colour image of the previous year’s Best In Show winner. Today this popular handbook, largely reproduced in colour, is eagerly awaited throughout the Collie World.

Ever mindful of its slogan ‘With the Breed at Heart  – The Exhibitor in Mind’
the British Collie Club is today the only National Sub-Group Collie Club
supporting both Rough and Smooth Collies. Its current aims and objectives being:

To promote and encourage the breeding and exhibiting of pure bred Rough and Smooth Collies in accordance with relevant standards for Collies issued by the Kennel Club.

To support and organise exhibitions of Collies in addition to giving prizes these events.

To promote, protect and advance in every legitimate way the interests of the Collie and of the Members of the British Collie Club.

The function or activities of the Club shall be for the benefit of and
the further education of its members in management, training, exhibiting, breeding and every aspect pertaining to Rough and Smooth Collies.

Membership including Overseas Membership is open to all.

For more details about what the British Collie Club has to offer
visit our web-site.