Wondergirl Leanda - Degallo - Loosemore

Photo Ireland 2003 show
Photo Ireland 2003 show

'RUNNER UP' GIRL Leanda - Degallo - Loosemore

She's 15 years young.
She's a handler.
She's a breeder.
She's a judge.

 

Together with her great-grandmother Doris she runs the successful and famous kennel 'Degallo' in Scotland.

Meet Sheltie Wondergirl
Leanda Loosemore.

 


 

Straddling the small River Eden and surrounded by gentle hills there is CUPAR , the capital of Fife, Scotland and the hometown of Doris Scott, owner of the well respected ‘Degallo’ kennel.

 

Doris, who has been running the kennel with her late husband Hugh for over 45 years, is nowadays assisted by her great-granddaughter Leanda Loosemore. In fact ‘assisted’ is an understatement, where Leanda worked herself up in the dog world, her sister and brother show few interest in these things. Leanda chose to translate her love and interest in dogs into ambitious action. At the age of only 15 years she is an experienced handler, a breeder and a judge!

Degallo The Legend JW Four days a week, after visiting school, Leanda is at Degallo’s, where she looks after the dogs and outlines breeding plans with Doris. Ambitious plans, for the ‘Degallo’s’ have to keep up a reputation of producing top quality shelties. Their lines are based on shelties of the famous kennels of Sandwick, Lythwood, Herds, Sonymer, Mohnesee, Marklin, Myriehewe, Orean, Snabswood and Dippersmoor. Doris and Leanda keep up the typical Degallo type by line breeding in two/three generations with from time to time an outcross combination. Doris and Leanda share their opinion about to the ideal sheltie.

 

Degallo The Legend JW
Degallo The Legend JW

About the ideal sheltie. Leanda: “To me good structure is very important. Dogs should move soundly at both a fast and a slow pace. A refined head is also characteristic. Well-set, correct tipping ears, well placed dark almond shaped eyes and a strong underjaw are a must, and contribute to the sweet sheltie expression. Just as good bone and a fine, long neck also contributes to the ideal. Of course all these breed specific points should be in balance.”

 

Handling

Leanda started her ‘career’ as a handler. She became interested in showing properly at the age of 5 years and began to show in junior handling classes at the Scottish Shetland Sheepdog Club, where she became ‘Best Handler’ about ten times. When Leanda was 10 years old she was given a bitch puppy to show. As this bitch, Degallo Blonde Babe, who is now owned by Leanda, was winning more, Leanda began showing more. When Blondie became ill and was unable to be shown, Doris let her have the young dog Degallo The Hustler. He got his 3rd CC and BIS at the Sheltie Club of North Wales and thus gained his champions title.

 

Later on Blondie also finished her champions title and this time too her handler was …. Leanda. They then went on to gain her Show Certificate of Merit too! At Crufts 2000 Leanda entered the ring with Blondie, who got 1st in her class, and then in 2003 with Degallo The Legend JW again winning the class.

 

Degallo Look at me is her new hopeful and at 14months old has 1CC and 2RCC whilst being handled by Leanda. So far she has done more winning than any other Degallo at this age, with many Best Puppy awards.

Photo SCCC Carley (Degallo Look At Me) BIS 1 day off 13 months
Photo SCCC Carley (Degallo Look At Me) BIS 1 day off 13 months

Breeding

Doris Scott, with her late husband Hugh founder of  the Degallo kennel about Leanda:

“ I am proud of what Leanda has achieved both for herself and for the kennel. I hope she continues in these ways after working hard for it.”

 

Leanda and Doris concentrate on breeding sable shelties. They have two, three litters a year.

During the years Degallo produced a number of successful dogs and offspring in the U.K. as well as abroad. Shelties of Degallo went to renowned kennels as Japaro and Herds (U.K.), Mellsjøhøgda and Microgården (Norway), Yosemites (Sweden) and Ardlyn (Ireland). There are now 9 shelties at Degallo’s, three dogs and 6 bitches.
Leanda owns two of them: Degallo Smarty Pants (GB CH Degallo The Hustler x Degallo Ruby Tuesday), called Kylie, and GB Ch Degallo Blonde Babe Babe ShCM (GB Ch Mohnesee The Illusionist x Degallo Shimera), called Blondie. In fact she’s the one to decide on breeding with them, but of course she constantly consults on that with Doris. She mated Kylie with Degallo The Legend JW, one of the dogs she and Doris have in partnership, to produce newest baby, Degallo Talk O’ The Toon, Starr.
 


Ch Degallo Blonde Babe
Ch Degallo Blonde Babe

Judging

As if this isn’t enough yet, Leanda also started judging. Only fifteen years old she judged her first Open Show. Rough collies, border collies, bearded collies and shelties entered the ring to have themselves judged by U.K.’s youngest judge. Leanda did a great job. The owners of the dogs and the other exhibitors as well as club officials were very satisfied. Leanda really loved her performance in the ring: “I’ve really been sold”. I asked her whether she is going to beat Debbie Pearson in qualifying age as it comes to championship shows. Leanda laughs: “Well, I don’t know. I am not aiming at it at all. It just felt wonderful and I really enjoyed it. My goal is to judge all breeds in the pastoral group. After that we’ll see.”

Future

Believe it or not, Leanda is also visiting school. In the future she wants to become a veterinary surgeon, but in a later stage these plans might change. What she’s really sure of is the fact that shelties will always stay part of her life, professional or as a hobby.

I wish Leanda all the luck in the world and with me many sheltie lovers/breeders.

                         Ineke
                   
April 2004

Ch Degallo The Hustler
Ch Degallo The Hustler

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