MINSHAW .....

[toblue 149]

You are correct Fuji I could remember he had a grand name just forgot how grand.

Victor was quite a showman and great promoter of both himself and his dogs. Quite a character, he had a motorbike with a side car for his dogs. Everything Victor had was the best in the world I had a lamp exactly the same as his, a Wipac car spotlight as big as a dinner plate run off an acid filled motorbike battery, but of course Victor always claimed his was the best , just a little bit brighter. He always fancied himself as a cross-country runner, god knows he had enough practice, he bought a pair of lightweight Derri boots when they first came out so he could still run, and of course they were the best boots available in the world!

 

Playing the numbers game was (depending on where we were going) quite a complicated affair. The land would be studied during the day to find suitable parking out of the way and decide who would be going where, meeting places etc (no mobile phones then). The idea was to pick the darkest windy night of the month early in the season so the rabbits/hares had not seen a lamp. If we didn't get the perfect night we didn't go to the best place and would just go somewhere else to get the odd 20 or so.

 

Secrecy was vital, open your mouth in the pub and that was it, someone else would be there the next night and a few days later news of their great catch would be announced. We would usually have 2 lamp men and 2-3 good dogs, doing a different part of the land each. If you were lucky the lamp man would also have a carrier. The rabbits would generally be hidden next to gates in batches of around a dozen to be collected just before daybreak and hidden again next to the roadside along with the lamps and batteries. We would often have all of the dogs in the van for the trip home (often 30-50 miles) and send a normal saloon type car and driver to pick up the nights haul and lamps as soon as there was a few cars on the road.

 

The weight of or more rabbits could not be underestimated we would often be carrying 11- 12 stone between us along with batteries and lamps. Exiting times but very often quite hairy as you can imagine.

Edited March 31, 2016 by toblue

[FUJI 17,187]

I'm pretty sure i will of met you at some stage toblue? I was never away from "the Hill" at Brigham listening to what Vic had been amassing in the previous nights out lamping,i still own two dogs today that Blue is the great great grandsire of or 4 generations away from him whatever you want to call it lol,both proved worthy grafters in the hours of darkness over the years.. I loved the "Minshaw" bred dogs ive owned over the years,they gave me my finest hours in this game,i owe them everything ?

[toblue 149]

I did manage to find a single photograph all be it not a great one. Can't really remember the night but the blue bitch in the picture belonged to my old mate from Workington.

 

The Handsome guy in the middle is Me

 

I had an album full of photos (-100) just like this sadly lost. A few with Minshaw on but mostly my mate from Workington and the Cleator Moor Lads, What a loss.

 

Edited March 31, 2016 by toblue

[Bosun11 537]

Some great posts to add to this thred Toblue, keep em coming!

And old photos are always welcome on the site.

[fifeman 164]

Some great posts to add to this thred Toblue, keep em coming!

And old photos are always welcome on the site.

As bosun said, cracking posts toblue. Had some cracking nights out with you cumbrian scorched earth merchants back in the day. Allways made us welcome and gave us some class sport. Especially hanging off the back of an old escort van lol. Great pic as well, thanks for sharing atb

[Ideation 8,216]

No most defiantly not collie x. They may have had some cur dog in them somewhere and some terrier blood. In them days almost all of the racing whippets had some terrier blood in them.

 

Victor told me he couldn't leave old rip in the house or a kennel it could not tolerate being locked up and would wreck the place tearing curtains down and eating anything wooden.

 

Old Rip looked like a mongrel. Nipper was slightly more refined but would never win a handsome dog contest. He was as rough as the roads.

 

Think that went straight over your head fella

[toblue 149]

Not sure what was over my head?

 

Collie and Cur are quite different animals. I have seen both, but only bred from Collie x, Only because I couldn't find a Cur.

 

Have bred collie x both ways, Sire Collie and dam Collie, no difference whatsoever. But this is with very limited experience of only 2 litters either way.

[Phil Lloyd 10,738]

Not sure what was over my head?

 

Collie and Cur are quite different animals. I have seen both, but only bred from Collie x, Only because I couldn't find a Cur.

 

Have bred collie x both ways, Sire Collie and dam Collie, no difference whatsoever. But this is with very limited experience of only 2 litters either way.

 

 

Me too,...no difference ....

Edited April 2, 2016 by Phil Lloyd

[Ideation 8,216]

Not sure what was over my head?

 

Collie and Cur are quite different animals. I have seen both, but only bred from Collie x, Only because I couldn't find a Cur.

 

Have bred collie x both ways, Sire Collie and dam Collie, no difference whatsoever. But this is with very limited experience of only 2 litters either way.

 

 

I was taking the piss mate, I know they aren't just collie x's. . . . . .the question 'what is a minshaw' always makes me smile. Its a lurcher, bred by a group of folk, to do a certain job. Whats in them isn't really that important is it.

[frankel 2,123]

Swift is only 3 generations from blue from her sire side.

[Flacko 1,742]

Handsome bitch that mate how old is she atb Flacko

[frankel 2,123]

Handsome bitch that mate how old is she atb Flacko

7 in a couple month. Done everything from the rat to the biggest beast. Day or night she has excelled for us.

[king 11,972]

 

Handsome bitch that mate how old is she atb Flacko

7 in a couple month. Done everything from the rat to the biggest beast. Day or night she has excelled for us.

Cracking looking bitch frankel.

And an excellent pic

[toblue 149]

Very nice bitch Frankel and in great order to.

[toblue 149]

 

Not sure what was over my head?

 

Collie and Cur are quite different animals. I have seen both, but only bred from Collie x, Only because I couldn't find a Cur.

 

Have bred collie x both ways, Sire Collie and dam Collie, no difference whatsoever. But this is with very limited experience of only 2 litters either way.

 

 

I was taking the piss mate, I know they aren't just collie x's. . . . . .the question 'what is a minshaw' always makes me smile. Its a lurcher, bred by a group of folk, to do a certain job. Whats in them isn't really that important is it.

 

 

Exactly right.