About Us

The Gladiator son who would propel the breeding program forward would be Am & Can. Ch. Tartanside Heir Apparent R.O.M.    A rather precocious youngster, this vibrant mahogany sable finished his title with five major wins from the puppy classes, topping the McCain Memorial sweepstakes along the way.  While at stud for only a short period of time, this dog went on to sire 21 American (and many Canadian) champions, among them, three Collie Club of America winners.

Tartanside housed a trio of sons of Heir Apparent, namely Ch. Tartanside Apparently, Ch. Tartanside Spellbound, and Ch. Tartanside Th’ Critics Choice.   Collectively, these three sons alone were responsible for producing 131 American champions.

Ch. Tartanside Apparently R.O.M. was shown sparingly, but did make an appearance at the 1985 Collie Club of American National specialty where he took the coveted Best of Breed award.  His full brother, Ch. Tartanside Presentation was WD that same year.  While at stud, he produced 31 champions.  During this same period, Ch. Tartanside Spellbound finished his title, and after siring well for us here in the east, went to Dallas, Texas, to Grace Kosub, where he sired several champions (18) before being exported to Japan.  But it would be CH. Tartanside Th’ Critics Choice R.O.M. (Jason) who would wind up having the greatest influence of the trio, siring 81 champions, and becoming the top sire of the 20th century.

By the time Critics Choice entered the picture, it was time to add some hybrid vigor back into the family, so a series of outcrosses were planned, as we concentrated on some of the best daughters of Ch. Tartanside Th’ Critics Choice.   In the meantime, Ch. Tartanside Animation was taken to Critics Choice, and that litter produced 8 champions, among them, one of our very best bitches, Ch. Tartanside Imagination.  At 10 months, she was Winners Bitch and Best of Winners, along with Best Puppy, at the Collie Club of America in 1991. She returned in ’92 for an Award of Merit.  Another important Critics Choice daughter for us was the Best in Show winning Ch. Tartanside Arabesque, along with her litter sister, Ch. Tartanside Ravishing.  These three girls, Imagination, Arabesque, and Ravishing, are behind all of the Tartanside Collies presently being shown.

From “Imagination” came the two important sires, Ch. Tartanside Illumination (14 champions) and Ch. Tartanside Raptorvale Rebel (16 champions).  From Arabesque came the two sisters Ch. Tartanside Audacious (2 champions) and Ch. Tartanside Aliage R.O.M. (7 champions), whose offspring have contributed tremendously to the gene pool, and from Ch. Tartanside Ravishing, came 3 champions including one of our most influential top ten winners,  Ch. Tartanside Foolproof R.O.M.

For the past several years, we have been working on combining the blood of these three bitches and their offspring, making judicious outcrosses when necessary in order to continue to produce dogs that are healthy, intelligent as well as beautiful.

It is our belief, that being a good breeder also means being a good mentor.  We feel fortunate in having met so many wonderful people along the way…mentors, peers…and newcomers.   As we feel our mentors were so generous in sharing information with us, we feel it is imperative to do the same.  For the last several decades, monthly columns and articles have appeared in a bevy of Collie publications including Collie Cues, Collie Review, and most recently Collie Expressions.  It was a great pleasure to co-author “The Magnificent Collie.

The current dogs which roam the property are reminiscent of all of those who have come before them.  Putting this website together became a truly meaningful experience.   Reflecting back on each pedigree and photo and working from the past to the present, we were reminded of the qualities that we felt were important to incorporate with each new generation.  It allowed us to view the obstacles as well as the success, and reminded us of what some of the hard to get virtues of the breed really are.

Reviewing each decade and generation, we were also reminded of all of the wonderful people we have met thus far in this journey.  People who have changed and enriched are lives by sharing in common goals and interests.  Today they are not just people but “friends” and are lives are deeply enriched by having them in it.

We have been members of the Collie Club of America for 40 years, and during those years have felt most privileged to be the recipient of several Collie Club of America Awards:

1972 - Ch. Tartanside the Gladiator, Top Ten, Hawkins System
1973 - Ch. Tartanside the Gladiator, # 1, Hawkins System
1974 – Ch. Tartanside the Gladiator, # 1, Hawkins System
1974 – Breeder of the Year
1974 - Top Sire: CH. Tartanside the Gladiator
1975 – Breeder of the Year
1976 - Top Sire: Ch. Tartanside the Gladiator
1977 - Top Sire: Ch. Tartanside the Gladiator
1978 - Ch. Tartanside the Gladiator, # 1, Hawkins System
1978 - Top Sire: Ch. Tartanside the Gladiator
1981 - Top Dam: Ch. Tartanside Japada Jasmine
1985 - Ch. Tartanside Apparently, Top Ten, Hawkins System
1986- Top Sire: Ch. Tartanside Apparently
1986 - Top Dam: Ch. Tartanside Fairwind Fantasy
1987 – Top Sire: Ch. Tartanside Apparently
1990 – Top Sire: Ch. Tartanside Apparently
1991 – Top Sire; Ch. Tartanside Th’ Critics Choice
1993 – Top Sire: Ch. Tartanside Th’ Critics Choice
1993 - Ch. Tartanside Cinnamon Elijah, Top Ten, Hawkins System
1994 - Ch. Tartanside Cinnamon Elijah, Top Ten, Hawkins System
1995 - Ch. Tartanside Cinnamon Elijah, Top Ten, Hawkins System
1995 – Top Dam: Ch. Tartanside Imagination
1995 - Ch Tartanside Imagination, Top Ten, Hawkins System
1996 - Ch. Tartanside Arabesque, Top Ten, Hawkins System
1998 - Ch. Tartanside Arabesque, Top Ten, Hawkins System
1999 - Ch. Tartanside Arabesque, Top Ten, Hawkins System
1999 - Breeder of the Year
2000 - Ch. Tartanside Foolproof, Top Ten, Hawkins System
2001 - Ch. Tartanside Foolproof, Top Ten, Hawkins System
2002 - Ch. Tartanside Foolproof, Top Ten, Hawkins System
2003 - Ch. Tartanside Foolproof, Top Ten, Hawkins System
2003 - RIGHT STUFF AWARD

……and the journey continues.  Each new day, each new litter, each new experience teaches us another lesson about the subtleties and nuances that make the Collie such an extraordinary breed.  We look forward to meeting more people as we continue in our quest, and look forward to sharing this great passion we call “Collies”!