Bayard’s Great Leap – CH Bayard le Tartare (ROMX Pending)
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Tartare winning WD/BW at DCA Specialty under Frank Hardy
From her start in 1953, Mary Howell had been successful in finishing several champions, but she had undertaken a novel strategy to realize the ‘look’ she had in mind for the Bayard longhairs. For the first few years, her standards had been a cross between the stylish vd Nidda line, provided through her foundation bitch, CH Split Rock’s Electra, and the sturdier German bloodlines of CH William deSangpur.
CH Split Rock’s Electra (1954)
Although these were excellent quality longhaireds for the time, Mary felt their fronts could be improved so she embarked upon a long range program to achieve better fronts by crossing some of her good longhaired bitches to CH Bencelia’s Native Dancer and DCA 1961 Best of Variety and Best of Breed winner CH Bencelia’s Intent, both smooth males owned by Ben Klimkiewicz of Washington, DC who was a major influence upom Mary Howell getting thr fronts she wanted on these Bayard dogs and bitches. Ben recognized her will and drive to get this accomplished.
CH Bencelia’s Native Dancer
While Mary never finished any of the smooth offspring from these matings, the hybrid produce of the next generation really started paying off. CH Bayard le Tartare was the result of breeding two of these second generation smooth/long crosses (CH Bayard Bardot ex Bayard Gigi). To my eye, he was the first example of the type and elegance which became the trademark of the Bayard name.
CH Bencelia’s Intent
Tartare was whelped on February 24, 1960. Although not heavily campaigned, he was Winners Dog at the 1961 DCA under Frank Hardy and sired Souvenir ROMO and Robert ROMOwho were Best of Variety at many of the larger Shows including a DCA BV for each of them as Souvenir won BV in ’67 and the great Robert ROMO in ’68. Tartare was a beautiful dark red with a gorgeous head and a long arched neck. He was beautifully set under himself and was long and low. He was an even more refined, correct and attractive version of his vd Nidda forebears and, again in my opinion, proved to be just as much of a positive, evolutionary force for the longhaired variety as smooths Favorite and Falcon had proven and were proving to be on the West Coast.
CH Bayard le Souvenir, winning at DALI under respected judge, Norman ‘Bud’ Lough.
Despite Tartare exemplifying the “new” Bayard look so well, the true impact of this dramatic change in type was manifested in his get and their succeeding generations. His two most heralded sons were CH Bayard le Souvenir and CH Robert de Bayard. Like their sire, neither dog was heavily campaigned but nonetheless managed numerous specialty wins at the most prestigious shows of the time. Souvenir was Winners Dog at DCA as a youngster and came back as an adult to win Best of Variety under Breeder/Judge John Cook. He also was Best of Variety at Westminster from the classes, as well as Best of Variety at DALI. As a producer, Souvenir is behind such top producing bitches as CH Han-Jo’s Lollipop L ROMO and Rose Farm’s Blackberry Buff L ROMO, among many others.
CH Robert de Bayard ROMO
CH Robert de Bayard was out of CH Katella of Lelou (ROMX Pending), a longhaired bitch whose four grandparents were of Gera smooth breeding. As a result, he really passed on those Gera forechests and bodies in his offspring. Although not quite as refined through the head and neck as his sire, Tartare, he more than made up for it with his substance and correct front. In the classes, CH Robert ROMO was WD and BW at DCA and the host Show as well as being WD at DALI. As a Special, he was also BV at DCA under Norman “Bud” Lough as well as being BV and BB at DALI under Breeder/Judges Carol Haight and Frank Hardy.
CH Han-Jo’s Flaming Flare L finishing under judge Phil Bishop, shown by John Wade
Robert’s most significant son was Hannelore and Joe Heller’s CH Han-Jo’s Flaming Flare L ROMO, a winning Special and, more importantly, a brilliant producer.
CH Bayard le Pernod and handler Lorraine Heichel
Robert also sired the beautiful CH Bayard le Pernod, owned by Peggy Westphal, as well as CH Bayard l’Aquilon and CH Bayard l’Avocat.
CH Bayard l’Aquilon, handler James Swyler and judge John Cook
The eight champion offspring of CH Sweethaven Suzi Chenille, owned Barbara Nichols, were also sired by Robert. All finished easily on the West Coast with big wins and Specialty majors.
CH Hasten Bayard Marianne, judge Norman ‘Bud’ Lough and handler Tom Coen
Another lovely Bayard longhair sired by Tartare was CH Hasten Bayard Marianne, WB and BW at DCA for her owners, the Moores and Tom Coen, who is now a noted Collie and Shetland Sheepdog breeder and judge. She was out of a bitch sired by a Marin dog, bred by the Chedas of northern California, going back to CH Antonio of Gypsy Barn, the first longhaired Best in Show winner.
CH Lucifer of Knocknagree, handler Dorothy Hardy and judge Winne Heckman
CH’s Satan and Lucifer of Knocknagree winning Best Brace in Hound Group at Westminster KC show in 1969.(photo courtesy of C.Fred Reifsnyder, handling)
Finally, Tartare sired Miss Delano’s two top specials, CH Satan of Knocknagree (BIS winner) and CH Lucifer of Knocknagree, who were the number one and number two longhairs, respectively, for the year 1971. They were campaigned by Teddy Young and the Hardys and were in the Top Ten for three years.
CH Robert de Bayard ROMO winning BV and BB at the DALI Show under Judge Carol Haight, shown by Mary Howell
More than the overall quality of Tartare’s offspring, the general shift in type seen in standard longs was his most significant contribution. After him, the Bayard ‘look’ was of an elegant dog with a little more length of neck and a prettier, cleaner head, along with a more prominent forechest and well set shoulders. Before him, it was rare that standard longhairs were competitive against the strong standard smooth competition, but, after the impact of Tartare, Robert and Souvenir, standard longs became equal and much more than competitive during the 70s, 80s and 90s. His influence is still alive today, since he and his sons and grandsons proved to be some of the best producers in standard longs. In fact, my own CH Boondox Panama Jack ROMO has 34 crosses to Tartare in his extended pedigree. It is obvious that so many of his prepotent qualities came down from CH Bayard le Tartare, a true game-changer in the longhaired variety!
Dan Harrison, July 2012
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See also:
The Beginnings of Bayard
Mary Howell’s Family
A Bayard Naming Key