Never more than a wealthy
lady’s hobby Miss Molony
joined the ranks of Collie
fanciers during the early
1920s basing her foundation
stock on direct descendants
of Mr Packwood’s famous
Billesley blue merles. Although
success was not immediate,
Westcarrs Blue Moon’s
Challenge Certificate at the
Ladies Kennel Association championship show in May 1929 ensured Westcarrs arrival was in style, with other winners following throughout the following decade.

Having dispersed the kennel at the outbreak of the second world-war Miss Molony turned to her friend and associate Nadine George at its close, purchasing the tricolour bitch Beulah’s Nightglamorous, who gained the Challenge Certificate at the first post-war Championship Show. Mating this Beulah’s Nightblack and Beautiful daughter to the dog Challenge Certificate winner at the same show gave Westcarrs its first Champion in Westcarrs Whitethroat.

Early in 1950 Lobelia of Ladypark, who traced back to the pre-war Westcarrs through her sire, was added to the kennel. She, when mated to Riffelsee Royalist, thereby strengthening the line breeding to Beulah’s Nighvictorious, whelped Westcarrs most famous litter siblings in Westcarrs Blue Minoru and Minerva. Minoru wrote his name in the ‘Collie Hall of Fame’ by becoming only the second blue merle, and first blue merle male to win the Collie Club Challenge Trophy by gaining Best in Show at the British Collie Club championship show in 1955,
Mr Arkwright’s Blue Ruin had been the first to gain this trophy some sixty-seven years previously in 1888. Miss Molony did not subscribe to campaigning champions so Minoru was retired shortly after gaining his title, and it is as a stud force that he earned his greatest accolades. His litter sister, Westcarrs Blue Minerva, herself a Challenge Certificate winner, proved to be an exceptional brood bitch, and can still be traced behind her grand-daughter Westcarrs Blue Myrobella, foundation bitch for the Carramar kennel.

For a little over half a century Miss Clare Molony was an enthusiastic supporter of the Collie, and although interested in all colours Westcarrs will always be associated with the Blue Merle. With Miss Molony’s close association with the ‘Rough Collie Breed Council’, and Westcarrs’ importance to the development, and survival of the blue merle colour few can be surprised that the affix was an early contender for permanent protection by the Council she helped to establish.

Westcarrs Blue Moon

winner of Miss Molony’s first Challenge Certificate and behind all subsequent Westcarrs’ blue merles

Ch Westcarrs Blue Minoru
                    and
Westcarrs Blue Minerva

Challenge Certificate winning
blue merle litter siblings

Ch Westcarrs Whitethoat

home bred sable and white bitch, and the first Westcarrs champion