25 Oct Remembering Eric Egerton of Ukwong fame
Today’s fanciers often seem to forget those who went before, providing the building blocks for their own breeding programs.Without any doubt, the most influential Chow kennel of all time was the Chang-Shi Kennels, owned and operated by the late Comtesse Mary de Changy of Belgium. There simply is not a single successful Chow in the world whose pedigree does not trace back to the Chang-Shi lines. It is therefore not surprising that the success of the Ukwong Kennels can be attributed in large part to their foundation of Chang-Shi lines. In fact, the kennel name was chosen in recognition of the famous BIS winner, Ch. (Int. & Eng.) Chang-Shi Ukwong.
In 1952, Eric and Joan, with young son Tony, went for a picnic in the famed Sherwood Forest, where they met Mrs. Charles Boot of Talifu fame, exercising her Chows. Although they had no previous experience with them, Eric had no doubt as to which breed he was to take up. They agreed on the purchase of a red male, T’Sen Kwo Sun of Talifu, who won a few prizes for them but actually was not a top dog. Mrs. Boot approached Eric and they agreed to mate her bitch,Tinka Bella of Talifu,to the top Chow of that time, the aforementioned Ch. Chang- Shi Ukwong, who Percy Whitaker was handling for the Comtesse de Changy and Mrs. Bird (Silverway Kennels). Percy handled the dog to BIS all breeds at the 1950 Welks show. The resulting litter of four reds, when shown at the big Blackpool show all placed in the top four places. Shortly after, Stan Smedley of the Junggwaw Kennels bred his bitch Phillida of Barwick to the same Ch. Chang-Shi Ukwong, which resulted in a litter of three males. Stan Smedley, Eric Egerton and Frank Watkinson of the very successful Minhow Kennels each picked a different puppy as their favourite. All three made history, finished their title and, al-though quite different in type, each owner always believed their pick to be the best. Each of these males had an enormous influence on the breed and established its own type for their respective kennels. But Eric used his pick, Ch. Emperor of Junggwaw, to its greatest advantage, even sending Percy to the Continent to add the FCI title to the dog’s English championship. It was then that the Ukwong prefix was adopted.
Eric persuaded the Comtesse de Changy to loan him a young male, none other than the famous multiple BIS winner, Ch. (Int. & Eng.) Astom, a grandson of Chang-Shi Ukwong, and a dog who can be found in the pedigrees of nearly all top winners of today. In return, the Comtesse received Emperor on loan. We personally were fortunate enough to be allowed to purchase Astom’s last son, Int. Ch. Chang-Shi Hong-Kwong, from the Comtesse back in 1964. This dog had an immediate and profound impact on all our future breeding successes. Astom was in England for only 10 months, winning 10 tickets and three BIS. He sired three English champions, among which was the red bitch, Ch. Dollarmaid of Ukwong, who was subsequently bred back to her sire. This mating produced a red male who, because of his exaggerated individual qualities, was considered a monstrosity by many of the English breeders at the time. However, through his offspring he brought the quality level of Chows in England to unparalleled heights. His son, Ch. Viking of Ukwong, sired the multiple BIS winner, Ch. Fairwood Fu Simba, who sired the multiple BIS winner, Ch. Ukwong Saul of Weircroft who in turn sired the perhaps most famous of them all, Ch. Ukwong King Solomon. This dog was practically unbeatable, as he won seven BIS and was top-winning dog all-breeds in England for two years in a row. After that we see the emergence of Ch. Taibel Texas Tiger of Ukwong, who became England’s top sire for two years in a row and was exported to the U.S. at around six years of age, where his potential was never realized as he was very balanced and without the exaggerations so in vogue in Califonia. We were fortunate to be able to use him on one of our bitches, which produced two males and two females. We kept them all and finished their Canadian titles within three months, while Ch. (Can. & Am.) Mi-Pao’s Viking went on to become Supreme Chow in Canada for 1984.
Ch. Ukwong Adventurer
This can only be a bird’s-eye view of this fascinating couple who were like family to us. Their dogs won more titles and produced more champions than any other Chow kennel in England. The Chow fancy is deeply indebted to these all-time greats, who set a standard of excellence in Chows which will be virtually impossible to match in the future. Eric may have passed away, but to us he will never be gone. May he rest in peace.
– F. P. A. Odenkirchen.