We first started an interest in pekes in 1966 when Margo my wife became seriously ill, and after improving in health we decided that to take her mind off the traumatic experience we would look for a small pet dog.
As fate would decide one night ,we perused the local rag and under pets for sale there were two pekingese . Knowing nothing at all about pekes we were very lucky ,because the lady who was selling them was indeed a well known Pom breeder ,and a good friend of Hermoine Warner Hill the partner of Miss Mary De Pledge, (who was at that time deceased,)This was the great partnership which bred the renowned Ku Ku of Yam, still recognised as the greatest peke ever.
To cut a long story short we went to buy one puppy and landed up with two. They were sold as pets and nothing really happened until we bought a small handbook on the pekingese (Foyles) which was written by Hermoine.
On studying the pups pedigrees and glancing through the book we suddenly realised that we had a puppy sired by the great KuKu! Of course we then started to take a lot more interest in the showing and breeding side of these wonderful companions
Gradually we became hooked on the whole aspect of exhibiting and ventured out on our first important aquisition for the "ring" We had turned our eye to the beautiful pekes that Pauline Bull had been breeding " CHANGTE" and from there purchased a young male, with this we bred into Miss Ella Pilgrims line "CHINTOI" which had very glamorous coats and fringes
.We had several small successes but it was not until about five or six years of showing and breeding that we eventually started to come up with something that looked promising.We had bred a beautiful headed bitch Shihgo Silver Gem who started to win well at shows even though she would only walk in one direction --Typical Peke! After several good wins with Gemma we mated her to Pam Edmonds group winner CH: Tomdor Randolph of Singlewell.
From a lovely litter of two girls and one boy the star was CH: Shihgo Idle Gossip.
We knew he was special --an exquisite puppy of intense quality and breed type,everthing that our kennel had been striving for.He was best puppyat six months, won a RCC at seven months and won the Pekingese Club's silver medal for leading puppy of 1993.His first CC came at the British Pekingese Club from Eileen Maycock and in '95 (after seven reserve CC's) he became our first champion under Bert Easdon and Pam Edmond. in all he has eight CC's a Pekingese Club Gold Medal a Cruft's RCC and a junior warrant.
He has sired winners in all of his litters,whether they were linebred or complete outcrosses. It is often quite easy to pick out his progeny from the ringside as he is dominant for his famous head, superb body and above all his temperament. It is not often you get the privilege of breeding a dog of this quality who can pass on his many attributes and who gives so much joy and affection.
So far he has prduced five UK Champions two CC winners, two other silver medal winners ,three US Champions and other winners at home and abroad.
His 1998 winners include the Top Peke CH: Shihgo Idle Mischief, the joint runner-up, CH: Shihgo Juicy Titbit, CH: Shihgo Idle Dreams, (All with group placings), CH: Yingu Yesterday Once More at Jidoran, Jidoran Careless Whisper, and Shihgo Careless Talk. The other joint runner-up to top peke is group Winner CH: Yakee Sweet Caroline, a daughter of Idle Mischief .
1996 was a really great year for the Shihgo's,we started the year off on the right note by taking a novice bitch to Cruft's and coming home with the BOB ! Dreamer really was a dream, not only a beautiful peke but a wonderful showlady,and that was the start of another campaign with her attending most ch: shows that year, and continuing into 97 when she again won the Best Bitch at Crufts and finished up the year by attaining The Pedigree Chum Top Toy Award.
Following on from Dreamer we managed again to come up with another good dog which was CH: Shihgo Idle Mischief. This dogs body is something to really admire. Right from a puppy looking down on him you could distinctly see the pearshape of his outline. His conformation is out of this world with a ribcage that defines this outline. "Charlie" is still showing and managed to win the Pedigree Chum Top Peke Award of 1998.and obtaining Reserve Best in Show at Windsor All Breeds Championship Show.