Åh det smerter at skrive 'in memoriam'.
Min kære veninde og mentor er sovet ind. Minderne myldrer frem...
Our
Dogs. Breed Notes for 25th February 2022
TIBETAN TERRIER
Appreciation of Christel Hoppe by Mike Tempest.
This last week has been a mixed week of great joy and sad poignancy. The joy was brought about by the delivery of Hanne Mathiasen new ‘Centenary Edition’ of her book ‘Tibetan Terriers – The Little People’. It is an incredibly beautiful book with quality all the way through it – quality paper, quality design, quality typeset, quality photographs and of course quality text and articles. It is just such a joy to have the real book in hand, rather than viewing it on screen during the multiple times I read the proofs. And what did I do – I started reading it and enjoying the many contributions again – this time ‘in the flesh’ so to speak. It really is a must-read book which everyone with an interest in TTs will cherish having. I was surprised to receive a boxful of ten books, three of which are already spoken for, so I have seven available for purchase at the cover price of £50, which of course saves the buyer the postage cost. If anyone wants to purchase the book from me, send an e-mail to the address shown at the end of these notes. I am trying to find suitable flights to Crufts so that I may deliver them to purchasers there.
The
sad news this week was to hear of the death of Christel Hoppe of TT ‘Kennel von
Lu-Khang’ in Germany. It was poignant because Christel was Hanne Mathiasen’s
main mentor when Hanne came into the breed, and they have been great friends
ever since. It would have brought an enormous amount of pleasure to Christel if
she could have lived to have seen Hanne’s book in her hand. She did however see
a draft of the final version on-line, which would have brought her much comfort.
One of my favourite photographs in the book is of Christel with a litter of
pups, six sables and one black and tan, taken head on and showing such lovely
heads. It is on page 11.
Christel
was of course the doyenne of the breed in Germany and was also a good friend of
Judith Robin-Smith (Willowbrae) who lived in Germany for some time. Christel
worked passionately for the development of the breed in Germany and for the
Tibetan Breeds Club, the KTR. She was determined that the breeding of TTs
should enable the consolidation of correct breed type as she saw it. Christel
judged bitches at the TTA Championship Show in 1999 and gave a masterful
demonstration of judging to type. Her BCC winner was Roeneeka Pebbles at
Kinsie, owned by Diana Schofield and handled by Barbara Stringer; and her RBCC
was Tony and Valerie Hocking’s Yak Po Here She Comes To Tsering. She agreed with
Bob Gregory, the judge of 61 dogs, that BISS should be the dog CC winner Sara
and Pat Cross’ Ch Silgarhi Xerxes, RBISS should be the DRCC winner Ch Gandaki
Tsos Back To Black owned by Philippa Gilbert, and BP should be Jan Crampton’s dog
puppy Amonite Golddust. The full results and photographs of the main winners
are in the TTA Yearbook of 1999.
When
Nefertari Sinbad of Willowbrae was exported, destined for the then East Germany
but was stopped from entering that country by East German officials and their
rules and regulations, Christel Hoppe took him under her wing to prevent the
ordeal of him being sent back to the UK, which would have required him going
into quarantine. Christel guided him to Multi Champion status, and he became a
very influential stud dog. Such was Christel’s typical helpful effort for the
benefit of the dog and the breed in Germany.
Christel
helped organise the 2005 TT World Congress held in Oer-Erkenschwick, Germany,
at which there were 152 registered participants from 17 countries. This was
probably the largest Congress that we have had. At the earlier 1977 Congress at
Ede in The Netherlands, during the first auction that we had held after the
evening banquet, I bought a black and white drawing by Angela Mulliner, which
had been donated by Christel, and inscribed as such on the back of the frame.
This will be a treasured memory of Christel Hoppe.
