Tor was the 'Kennel Club's Kennel Gazette Top Junior Warrant Winner (All Breeds) 1999' and is the only Golden Retriever ever to be awarded this accolade. This is what the judge, Mr Leonard Pagliero, a top dog person and former Chairman of the Kennel Club had to say about Tor: ""Sixty four dogs had qualified for the final rounds and the semi-finals were judged by Harry Jordan and Zola Rawson. They had an interesting cross-section of breeds to go over and the overall quality of these dogs was encouraging for it clearly indicated that British breeders have not lost their skill and are still producing the best canine stock in the world. This competition is a splendid shop window and the KC and breeders generally have every reason to be proud of it. My co-judges presented me with an interesting final line-up of ten dogs - five selected by each of them. I went through the normal routine of individual examination and movement and narrowed my short list to five. But I had not the slightest hesitation in making my winner Tenfield Border Rambler, a 2 year old Golden Retriever dog. To me he was outstanding and one of the very best of his breed I have seen for a long time. In type, size, proportions and balance he is all I expect a Golden to be. His lovely expression indicated a pleasing steady character and he had an excellent rapport with his handler. In good coat, presented in hard condition, not carrying an ounce of superfluous flesh, his bone was good and his muscles firm. He looked every inch a working gundog which, I learned afterwards, he is. His movement was perfection, reaching out well in front and using his powerful quarters to drive behind and cover a lot of ground. I shall be disappointed if he does not gain his title and do a lot of top winning."
He has his Show Gundog Working Certificate and is a valued member of the picking up team for the Royal Artillery Shoot, Larkhill, who awarded him the accolade of best game-finding dog for the 2004/5 season. Not only that, but he has also passed both Stages of the Kennel Club's new Working Gundog Certificate along with his Junior Warrant winning grandson, becoming two of only a handful of Goldens to achieve this.
Multi-talented Tor also has his Kennel Club Good Citizen Bronze and Silver Awards and won his class at Crufts in 2004.
He has Open Show Best of Breed, Gundog Group, Best Puppy in Show, Reserve Best Puppy in Show, Gundog Puppy Groups and several Best Puppy awards to his credit, as well as Championship Show firsts in both breed and Stakes classes.
Tor has several of his progeny working for the charity 'Canine Partners' as assistance dogs, inlcuding 'Xyla' who is such a diva, they kept her as a brood bitch. Xyla produced the first ever Canine Partners litter in 2007. Tor's daughters have given demonstrations at Crufts and at many public events - Yarka bred by us has appeared at Crufts every year.
He has a CC & Best of Breed winning daughter, Junior Warrant winning son and has sired other winning puppies. Most of all he has many puppies who are adored as family members and have his loving yet clownish personality. He seems to be a hip improver and sires puppies of all colours, pale to dark, usually with his strong bone and cat-like feet.
Tor is elbow scored 0 and has sired several litters, but first and foremost he is a much loved member of the family.
Tor is now a great grandad and semi-retired from the show ring due to a broken toe suffered in the summer of 2005. He is still a fertile stud dog and had a litter of 11 puppies born in Germany in April 2007 and four of these made their debut in the German show ring recently, winning 1st, 2nd & 3rd in the Puppy Bitch class and 1st Puppy Dog & Best Puppy in Show, what a great start for his most recent progeny! He has another litter due in the UK at the end of October and we await their arrival any day now.
Kennel - TENFIELD
Breed - Retriever (Golden)
Hip Score - 6:5
Current clear eye certificate