Lorvaso de la Colina

The most important North American stud dog?

By Joe Gentzel

My answer to the above question is an unqualified yes. One might ask how this could be from a dog who is no where near the all time top in number of champions produced list? The simple answer is that breeders across the country choose descendants of Lorvaso de la Colina to breed that produced outstanding phenotype to a degree, even many generations later, that the top qualities of this dog are dramatically important even today. I will demonstrate many examples later in this writing. This happened, of course, at Quibbletown, but also occurred far and wide separate from Quibbletown. Dr. Jarold S. Bell, DVM, one of the top experts in canine genetics and breeding employs a genetic analysis that he calls Background Inbreeding. You also see this concept referred to as Back Massing and Gene Pooling. Basically this concept looks back many generations at the top sire’s and dam’s and their calculated influence on a particular dog or breeding. Dr Bell goes back as far as 25 generations in his analysis of this concept. I am getting ahead of myself here now, so lets look first at how Lorvaso de la Colina got to us both breeding wise and how he came to Quibbletown.

In the last article, I mentioned that the incorporation of Lorvaso de la Colina in the breeding program at Quibbletown was, to me, one of the marks of genius of Edith Smith. This, at a time when they had a dog, Champion Quibbletown Easter Token, winning back to back to back GPCA National Specialities. Seaver told a very cute story about the first time he saw Lorvaso. At the time in their lives Seaver was "on the road" working quite a bit. This one week when he arrived back home after a particularly hard trip, he observed a new adult dog. When he asked Edith who the dog was, he was told that was their "new stud dog at Quibbletown". His next question was "How much did he cost?" The reply of $300.00 was met with some grumbling by Seaver. This led to his being told to "be quite and go about your business". Seaver says he only made about $75.00 a week at the time. He always was aware that Edith knew what she was doing. He was quite and he did go about his business, part of which was helping Edith build arguably the greatest breeding program in the history of the breed. Champion Lorvaso de la Colina was a very important part of that success.

Lorvaso de la Colina was out of Vanosa de la Colina, by Champion Loramo de la Colina. It looks like he came to Quibbletown in 1955 sometime after his second birthday. Lorvaso de la Colina was of course bred by Dr and Mrs Seward of La Colina Kennels that we covered in detail long ago in this series. Lorvaso was whelped February 23, 1953. Although it was never said to me directly, I got the impression that "things" at La Colina were in severe decline at that time. I don’t think much came out of there for very long thereafter.

Seaver told me a few years ago that Lorvaso brought balance, oval bone, and soundness to Quibbletown. Seaver says Lorvaso stabilized the breeding program at Quibbletown. He was a remarkable dog genetically and in the hands of Edith Smith this led to his greatness.

Lorvaso de la Colina’s top gene contributors are respectively Lawrence of Combermere (3.125%), Basquaerie Lohilu (2.34%), Basquaerie Houx de Noel (2.34%), Ibos du Val d’Aure (2.05%), and Sultan de Soum (1.38%), all homozygous percentage calculations. These are all dogs we have covered previously in detail, A short recap is; Lawrence of Combermere was the foundation stud dog at La Colina and a dog Seaver and Edith admired greatly. Basquaerie Lohilu was the only brood bitch at the short lived but very important Canadian kennel Combermere. Champion Basquaerie Houx de Noel was the primary stud dog at Comberemere. Champion Ibos du Val d’Aure was arguably the most important stud dog imported by Mrs Crane and used at both Combermere and Cote de Neige, plus others in his short three year time in North America. Sultan de Soum was the foundation stud dog at de Soum of Monsieur Cazaux-Moutou in Lourdes, France, circa 1930's.

Lorvaso de la Colina was bred to ten bitches a total of eleven times (twice to Quibbletown Titian Beauty). The first breeding appears to have taken place at La Colina in 1955. That first breeding with La Colina Snow Queen produced a dog and bitch, Punkin PrinceValiant and La Colina Snow Queen respectively. La Colina Snow Queen left Get primarily at The Willows and Eszterhazy via La Colina Snow Queen II (by Cote de Neige Orpheus). Punkin Prince Valiant may have gone to The Willows as all the descendants from him appear to have come from The Willows. In the next few generations we see Get at Dar Jan, Maleen, Starlaxy (Galaxy), The Willows, Balibasque, Pyr-Haven (California kennel), Pooks Hill, Eszterhazy, Marwell, Costa Lota, Bryn Mawr, Pyreau, and in England at Tudwick, Pyrhaven, and Aneto.

That same year, 1955, Lorvaso de la Colina’s first litter at Quibbletown with Quibbletown Bouncing Bett produced the first of his premier stud dog sons, Quibbletown Andre. Champion Quibbletown Andre, bred only to Quibbletown Gina a total of four times left important Get going forward. The most notable offspring, Quibbletown Ariette, bred back to two Lorvaso sons that followed produced some of the most important breeding stock ever seen in the breed. Quibbletown Ariette bred with Quibbletown Good Time Charlie produced Glory Be, Jim Dandy, Merry Maker, Party Girl, Leo the Lion, and Nero the Great in three breedings. The other breeding, with Quibbletown Impresario, did not leave Get that comes forward in our contemporary gene pool. The descendant Get from this breeding was very important to kennels such as Tip’N Chip, Karolaska, Barqueill, Cavalier, Jonricker, Limberlost in Canada, Renefield, Euskari, VilleVieux, and others.

It must have been pretty interesting at Quibbletown to have both Quibbletown Impresrio and Quibbletown Good Time Charlie standing at stud at basically the same time. Quibbletown Impresario was whelped in 1959 out of Quibbletown April Sunshine. I think most of us consider Impy, as he was called, to be Lorvaso’s premier stud dog son. It certainly did not hurt that Impy was bred to Beau Kay Heidi, Beau Kay Chloe, Quibbletown Charlotta, Quibbletown Party Girl, and Quibbletown Melanie. All these bitches were excellent producing Dams. Seaver told me back in 1995 when I was doing the series on Quibbletown bitches that Beau Kay Heidi, Beau Kay Chloe and Quibbletown Carlotta were in his opinion three of the most important bitches at Quibbletown. I know that Quibbletown Party Girl is behind most of the Karolaska breeding. His daughter, Tip’N Chip Quibbletown Impy out of Carlotta went to Tip’N Chip. There bred to Judy Bankus’s (now Bankus Cooper) stud dog Tip’N Chip Mont Chanson (Sonny) produced her legendary brothers Champion Tip’N Chip Sonny’s Reflection and Champion Tip’N Chip Sonny’s Image. We will get to Tip’N Chip soon enough and talk about these two in much more detail. Besides Tip’N Chip and Karolaska, Quibbletown Impresrio was important at Cavalier, Galaxy (Starlaxy), Jonricker, Limberlost in Canada, Ralfrans in California, Barranca (California Kennel), Barqueill, Carabrae in England, Galesway, Aneto in USA, Pyrfection later splitting to include Pyrtection, Pyr-Haven (California Kennel), Kaskadian, Costa Lota, Summerhill, Coldcreek in Canada, Rivergrove, Dastekde, Skeel, Snowbear, VilleVieux, Roundtop, Renefield, Pendouglas in Canada, Basquaerie (when Mrs. Crane began breeding briefly again later in her life), Ventisquero in Canada, Euskari, Caspyr, Euzkotar, Elysee, Trottenfox, Es-Pyr-It, Marantha, Neigerie, Pyrson, Pyr-Layne, Pyr Haven in Wisconsin, and others. All this in four generations removed from Impy.

One only has to look at who’s been winning and especially those dogs who one appreciates as excellent examples of the breed to realize how important Lorvaso de la Colina is to our contemporary gene pool. Lorvaso de la Colina’s Homozygous Percentage influence on Champion Dieu Donne Impyrial Acclaim (Fame) is 2.9% . Fame has established an enviable show record and has brought credit to the breed via his breed type and very professional manner in which he has been presented to the public. Fame just made breed history by being the first Great Pyrenees ever to win the working group at the prestigious Westminster Kennel Club show held in February, 2005. Fame is linebred off his Grandsire, Champion Keneviews Tuff Stuff who is the only dog with a higher Homozygous Percentage than Lorvaso de la Colina at 4.69%. Lorvaso’s son, Champion Quibbletown Impresario is next behind Lorvaso de la Colina at 1.60%. Lorvaso’s great great grandsire, Champion Ibos du Val d’Aure is next at 1.49%. The others in descending order of Homozygous Percentage are Quibbletown Queeka Bear at 1.4600%, Champion Pyrson K’Laska of Summerhill at 1.4644%, Sultan de Soum 1.45%, Champion Quibbletown Sock it to Em 1.10%, Champion Jenstin’s Noah’s Inspiration 1.17%, Champion Wyndsong Windrift 1.17%, and Champion Pyramount My Cup of Tea-1.56%. Fame was Best of Breed at the GPCA national speciality show in 2004, plus Westminster the past three years, plus the Eukanauba National Championship show in 2005 and has 21 Best In Show wins as I write this in February, 2005. All this, at least partially, compliments of the genius Edith Smith through Lorvaso de la Colina. We have to credit all the good breeders who choose his descendants in their breeding program. Why? Because these descendants were good in their breeding program. Good enough that Lorvaso de la Colina would sum up all his genetic influences over 18 generations (he occurs a total of 1632 times from the ninth through the 18 generation back) to equal a very high homozygous percentage of 2.9% in Fame.

One of the top producing dogs and also a top winning Pyr was Champion Kaskadian Idyll Gossip (Jackson). Jackson was Best of Breed at the 1991 GPCA National Speciality Show. He is also a top producer in the breed being inducted into the Hall of Fame years ago. Bred by Mike Floyd in Washington State his top ancestors are Lorvaso de la Colina at a homozygous percentage of 1.49%, followed by Ibos du Val d’Aure at 1.37%. Any value of "1" or more is considered significant. Jackson was bred with several bitches and this included a large spectrum of genetics. He always seemed to throw his excellent type and soundness. He can credit much of this genetic strength, in my opinion, to Lorvaso de la Colina as is borne out by the homozygous percentage calculation.

Another top winning Pyr in the past 10 years was Rivergroves You Be The Judge (Supreme). Supreme’s top contributing ancestors are very tightly linebred Rivergrove Pyrs plus Pyrson K’Laska of Summerhill (Macho). But next in line with a very large homozygous percentage value of 3.00% is Lorvaso de la Colina and he does not show up until the 8th generation. Lorvaso de la Colina is the top and very most dominant ancestor in all the Rivergrove dogs and bitches ahead of him in the homozygous percentage calculation of Supreme and this is true of Macho as well.

The legendary brothers at Tip’N Chip, Tip’n Chip Sonny’s Reflection and Tip’N Chip Sonny’s Image have a value of 1.56% from Lorvaso de la Colina. This value is exceeded only by Quibbletown Bouncing Bett and Sultan de Soum. These two litter brothers at Tip’N Chip left a very important mark on the breed. Lorvaso de la Colina has a homozygous percentage value on Champion Tip’N Chip American Legend (Duke) of 2.87%. Duke is the latest in a long line of great Tip’N Chip show dogs. Champion Tip’N Chip Foolish Pleasure, one of the top winning and producing Pyrs at Tip’N Chip has a homozygous percentage from Lorvaso de la Colina of 2.35%. Lorvaso de la Colina is the top ancestor for Pleasure.

Champion Snowbear Leap of Faith, the last dog Seaver put up for Best of Breed at the 1997 GPCA national Speciality had a homozygous percentage value from Lorvaso de la Colina of 2.78% and is the top gene contributor. Who knew? Lorvaso de la Colina and Quibbletown had long ago fell off the end of the standard 5 or even six generation pedigree not showing up until the 7th generation.

Champion Pyrless Prime Time, one of the top winning dogs in past 15 years Macho is the top gene contributor at 6.25% (this is a huge number). Macho’s top contributing ancestor is Lorvaso de la Colina at 3.34%. Lorvaso as a homozygous percentage value in Champion Pyrless Prime Time of 2.86%.

The top stud dog at Pyrtection presently is Champion Ciel Don Diego d’Aneto who was many Champions finished in the past two years and many more to come. Diego’s top ancestor is Lorvaso de la Colina at 4.66%.

Lorvaso de la Colina is now so firmly behind the best dogs in the country that it is hard to find a top dog that does not go back on him as an important ancestor. His genetic strength was instrumentall in bringing the good qualities of these dogs to us today. Thank Edith Smith for this vision, she knew. Without her the breed would likely be much different today than what we find.

Lets briefly look at some of the Get from Lorvaso de la Colina and do thumbnails of how they impacted some subsequent breeding lines. His first important stud dog son, Champion Quibbletown Andre out of Quibbletown Bouncing Bett left many descendants at Quibbletown, but also Tip’N Chip via Tip’N Chip Quibbly Dandy. Quibbletown Queeka Bear the foundation brood bitch of Karolaska is a descendant of Quibbletown Andre. A son, Quibbletown Windsor went to California where he was paired with Quibbletown Lee of Ralfrans. This combination made an important impact with the "California Pyrs" of the day. While not always appreciated by some of the western breeders because of the size question, this blood survived to make an impact via such offspring as Champion Count Athos of Ralfran, CD, Jacqueline of Ralfrans and Lady Zsa Zsa of Ralfrans. Just a couple generations later we see Pyr Oaks Lady Eva the foundation bitch at Euzkotar descended from this genepool. Out of one litter with Beau-Kay Chloe was produced Quibbletown Carlotta, and Quibbletown Good Time Charlie. Both very important dogs at Quibbletown and subsequently many other kennels across the USA such as Tip’N Chip via Tip’N Chip Quibbletown Impy, at Cavalier in Washington State via Quibbletown Cavalier, to Canada via Quibbletown Bonhomme, and others. Bred to Quibbletown April Sunshine they produced the incomparable Champion Quibbletown Impresario (Impy). Impy left a strong legacy that included Quibbletown Falstaff, Quibbletown Cavalier, Tip’N Chip Quibbletown Impy, Quibbletown Patrician, Quibbletown Billy Wink, Quibbletown Impromptu, Quibbletown Queeka Bear, Quibbletown French Doll, Quibbletown Valkyrie, and many others. At this point in time Edith and Seaver essentially did not let outside bitches come for stud service. One had to buy a puppy to get the Quibbletown contribution.

There is so much more to cover, I fear it is and will become tedious to most readers, so just realize whenever one scratches the surface very much behind a very good Great Pyrenees bred in North America one is most likely to find Lorvaso de la Colina. If he is not the top gene contributor, he certainly will be a very important one and likely the most important ancestor to the important ancestors that have a higher value than himself. That is what one sees with Fame, since this is a timely topical dog at this moment, but it is repeated many times, to the point it becomes almost boring.

Want a quick and dirty recipe for producing great Great Pyrenees. Find Lorvaso de la Colina where he exerts a dominant influence on the overall pedigree for the Get and you will have a greatly increased chance of striking gold. One must also not use a line that has subsequent to Lorvaso and Quibbletown contracted epilepsy, luxating patella, dwarfism, and other increasing genetic problems in their particular line. When this occurs the line bred quality of some of these gene pools translates into a high likelihood of these serious genetic problems going forward. No sense having a top phenotypical Great Pyrenees line bred on Lorvaso de la Colina when it is infected with these serious problems. Who knows? Good question!!

For more information on Lorvaso go to:
http://www.pyrenean-journal.com/quibb8.htm