The Genesis of Tanlap kennels

The owners, Sheila and David Jakeman, purchased their first Chow in the spring of 1966. It was a fawn male Perkychow Tiny Tim but their first show Chow was a black bitch Black Bettina of Chasaki born in September 1966. This bitch was to be the first of their Chows to breed for them with a first litter born in 1967. Having a partiality for blacks they would always try to concentrate on this colour and would keep them, alongside the reds.

Success did not happen quickly in the 1970's as competition was so much greater than it is today with puppy classes often containing twenty or more exhibits. At those early shows Sheila was making her way to them by travelling with Mrs Bennett (Perkychow) as David was working. The new (and very young) exhibitor enjoyed showing amongst the older more experienced showers who had plenty of chatting and discussion.

The first Tanlap bred Chows

Over the next few years the kennel started to develop. The Tanlap affix was registered in 1968 then Sheila and David purchased Jean of Adel when Miss Buckley passed away as well as a red bitch by the name of Baytor Starfire who was the dam of Red Tanya of Tanlap.

So litters were bred and the first puppies run on. In 1971, Sheila and David bred :
- Tanlap Temptress (out of Red Tanya),
- Tanlap Black Thunder, a black puppy dog by a son of Jean out of Black Bettina.

Then they kept on breeding, going along the path towards Hanoi with some "Ukwong Saul" mixed in.

In the late 60's and early 70's show wins did not come easily, the rings were mainly dominated by Ukwong, Minhow, Hanoi and Baytor and everyone else had to work hard to achieve top honours but Sheila and Dave's turn was to come in due course. At the time, Sheila was campaigning Black Thunder, who was a regular winner, and annexed 3 Res CC's at the time when Solomon was in his heyday and winning his record breaking 72 CC's. She had to wait a bit longer for a CC winner, and it was Thunder's daughter Ch Tanlap Tamanda out of Temptress who was to win Tanlap's first CC at LKA in Olympia 1974, the judge that day being Mr Frank Watkinson (Minhow). She became Tanlap's first Champion - but like so many of the other Ch. bitches in the breed she did not breed on.

The kennel went on gradually breeding and improving and Sheila did a certain amount of exporting to overseas countries where there was keen interest in the breed. A black litter sister to Tamanda was exported to France while the other named Tanlap Tressta was shipped in Norway. In 1975, one litter of four Sheila and David bred produced a Norwegian, a N.Z. and a Portuguese Ch. the other bitch - Tanlap Tamermina - was retained and only shown a few times as she did not enjoy the ring, but she gained anyway her Stud Book entry. Their dam was Temptress and the sire a little known son of Ukwong Zenith.

So where could Sheila and David mate to improve their males ? They produced nice bitches but the males did not have quite enough. The decision was made to go and use Ch Hanoi Willie Wumkins, already a very successful sire. Tamermina was mated to WW and the litter contained one bitch, which was kept, and four males, decision time, this was finally made when they could delay no longer as the other 'possible' had to have his jabs before being exported to New Zealand so Tanlap Tristar was retained and Tanlap Typhoon went to N.Z. where he became a Champion.
 

Ch Tanlap Tristar

Tristar proved to be a successful sire, producing 6 UK Champions, not only for Tanlap. Tristar's sister Tanlap Tinkabella had one litter. Mated to Thunder she produced puppies which included a pale red owned by Miss and Mrs Brooks, later to become Ch Tanlap Tamjin of Michiko, the second Champion bred by Tanlap.

In 1982, Victor and Jacque Taylor (Taymith) used Tristar on their Ch Hanoi Tauna Dora. When Sheila and David went to see the ensuing litter, there was one little bitch that David offered 50p for, but Victor insisted it must be £1. Three weeks later at 8 ½ weeks old Ch Taymith Tia Dora of Tanlap was brought to Tanlap. Needless to say they did pay proper price for her ! She was a fabulous puppy. She was the only Chow so far who has been Best Puppy and BIS at the COTYS in successive years. She won her title at a youngish age and was a great favourite with many Chowists in the early 80's.

Shortly after her arrival at Tanlap the smooth black bitch that the Jakeman's had purchased from Ukwong had her first litter, there was only one survivor, a black rough coated bitch. She was kept and soon after Tia Dora dropped her puppy coat Ch Tanlap Twilight entered the ring. She won a number of Best Puppy awards to keep the Tanlap flag flying. She was to drop puppy coat early and was kept at home while TD got her title and then both were shown together. If both won their classes Dave took Twilight into the challenge and on two occasions he won CC's with her. She won her third at LKA under Joe Braddon at 14 months of age.

Tristar's offspring

In 1983 Rodney and Pat Oldham (Towmena) had used Tristar at stud and from the resulting litter they had kept a pretty typy bitch while her litter sister named Towmena Tis' Imagination went to Tanlap kennels. Whilst concentrating on the start's of Ch Fort Knox Here's the Tiger at Towmena's career the bitch the Oldham's kept had quietly grown up in the kennels and was well out of puppy when David and Sheila saw her on a Christmas visit. David suggested it was time they got her into the ring. On her debut at a Club open show she was Best Bitch in show and at her first Ch. show she won the CC from the Novice class ! The continuation of her Show Career is well-known, she was to become Ch Towmena Impudent Miss and broke the CC record for bitches in the breed (still unbeaten today) winning a total of 40 CC's and 22 Res CC's from 1985 to 1990.

Tristar has proved to be a good stud. He sired also Ch Wingwood Josh and of course TD's siblings which were used by the Jakeman's. Obviously Tristar did his way into Tanlap lines and Sheila began the 80's with, among others, Tis' Imagination and a black smooth bitch same way bred than Twilight. The black smooth produced a smooth male the Jakeman's kept while Tis mated to a red Champion known as Ch Shoulao Sher-Gar gave a bitch named Tanlap Trulove and a red dog Fr Ch Tanlap Tropical who was exported to France. Tropical became a French Champion and is still found in a big number of french pedigrees some 20 years after his arrival in the country.

Another mention of Tristar's offspring must be made of a red dog bred by Brian Hennessey, called Dk Ch Tanlap Chamcroft Christmas Star, out of a Tanlap bitch. After staying in England for a short show/breeding career, Chris was exported to Denmark where he became a Champion.

Treble Chance arriving at the Kennel

Fate plays a hand in the dog game though, and TD suffered a painful death after developing stomach ulcers which it was impossible to cure. Sheila, in particular was devastated, but because they had bitches in whelp the Jakeman's were encouraged to go on. Thus Tanlap history kept on going on.

In the late 70's, a dog born in the Ukwong kennel had had a meteoric career in the UK for American serviceman Stanley Williams but when Mr Williams returned to USA he exported Ch & Nord Ch Ukwong Texson of Taibel to Sweden to Mrs A. C. Ekengren, who already had a substantial amount of UK blood from Hanoi.

Sheila and David were one of the few breeders who had used Texson before he went to Sweden and had a daughter of him, by the name of Tanlap Trudy. When Rodney Oldham told Sheila he had imported Ch Fort Knox Here's the Tiger at Towmena from Sweden Sheila has said he will be a mate for her Texson daughter, Trudy, and sure enough she was in whelp, she kept a dog from the resulting litter named Tanlap Trailblazer and also had hoped for a black suitable to keep from another bitch who was in whelp at the same time, but no black dogs were born.

And that is how Chancer, as known as Ch Treble Chance at Tanlap arrived at the kennel. In conversation with Jacque Taylor, Sheila mentioned she was hoping for a black dog and Jacque told her about a litter in Birmingham sired by Willie son Ch Yueng Bimbo, so the Jakeman's went to see the litter and returned home with a black male who was born in 1984 on Sheila's birthday (fate again?). His dam was the full sister to Tia Dora. Named Treble Chance he also gained top honours and a total of 9 CC's, but it is as a sire he will be best remembered with ten champions in the UK to his credits to date. His influence is still commented upon by many, some twenty years later.

The influence of Ch Treble Chance at Tanlap

Tristar getting old, he had to retire and to let "Chancer" become the new star of the kennel. If you start to think and talk about Tanlap influence, then this dog is probably the main example as he was one of the greatest english stud. He sired a total of 10 UK Champions (an unbeaten record to date).

In the middle of the 80's, a red bitch called Ch Chamcroft Christmas Holly was Ch Towmena Impudent Miss main competition and notched up almost as many top awards. This bitch was a Chancer daughter (same dam than Dk Ch Tanlap Chamcroft Christmas Star). Chancer was also the sire of another famous Chow : Ch Miketilla Makata, Chow of the year Show winner '92 and '93, GB Top winning dog in '91, CC Dog at Crufts '91 and Top Utility Stud dog in '93 and '94. Makata was mated to a Tristar's daughter bred/owned by Ian Shaw. The Cruft's '97 BOB Ch Chowsan Made to Measure for Miketilla and Ch Chowsan the Charmer at Miketilla arose from that combination.

Obviously Chancer was used on Tanlap bitches as well. Ch Tanlap Tombola at Zigtar was one more Champion bred by the Jakeman's. Some offspring was sent overseas : Tanlap Thriller went to the Netherlands where he sired nice Chows, including the famous Int Be Dut Fr Germ (Club+VDH) It Lu Ch Radja van Mansjoerije in Belgium. Fr Ch Tanlap Top Hat was same way bred and shipped to France, where he achieved top honours in 1991.

In the end of the 80's Chancer was mated to Tanlap Trulove, a grand daughter of the old man Tristar. The Jakeman's kept a bitch by the name of Tanlap Tru Passion and they finished the 80's with two more wins as this bitch won best puppy at the Chow Chow Club of Wales Open show '89 and they managed to turned one of their bitches into a Champion, another Tristar daughter, Ch Tanlap Tapestry.

The Jakeman's involvement in the Breed

Let's do a little break in the chronological history to talk about the Jakeman's involvement in the breed. Soon after breeding her first litter, Sheila had her first judging appointments and she has officiated regularly eversince, in both UK and overseas. Alongside the showing and judging comes administration and Sheila has been a member of her local canine society committee for more years than she can remember and until recently was chairman.

She became a council member and has recently relinquished the Treasurers role and been elected Chairman of the British Utility Breeds Assoc. Since 1995 she has also been secretary of the West of England Ladies Kennel Society, so taking on what is almost a full time position, as they organise the WELKS championship show at the end of April each year. Although these tasks request most of her time she has never hesitated to help when help was needed and would turn her hand to any task if required.

From the start of her Chow life, Sheila has also always been involved in the affair of The Chow Chow Club, which is the parent Club of the breed in UK. She is a committee member for now more than thirty years. Having started as a Trophy Steward for many years before becoming Vice Chairman and then Chairman approximately ten years ago. With her depth of experience both as a breeder and exhibitor and also in Committee work, both at Breed Club and General Society level, she endeavours to lead The Chow Chow Club in the right direction, always with the benefit of the Chow Chow foremost in her mind. Sheila is not the only one to be involved in the affair of the Club as David has also been elected Vice President and together with Sheila, they are honorary life member of the committee.

And by the way, what about David ? He has never had a chow registered in his name at the Kennel Club but has been closely involved in the development of the Tanlap Kennels since he and Sheila bought their first one. He observes quietly from the ringside at shows and then when they need to think of a stud to use or where to buy a new puppy his input is never ignored, not only by Sheila, but by many others in the breed who take his opinions seriously. Approved by the Kennel Club to award CC's for the first time in 1985 he has officiated several times in this capacity and has also judged the COTYS in 1989.

Above : Tanlap Trumpcard born 1997, with puppies and the house at the back !!

The evolution of the breeding stock in the 90's

This bring us up to the beginning of the 90's and the introduction of a new red bitch to the kennel Daamschow Camellia at Tanlap. She has Ch Wingwood Josh 2 times in her three-generations pedigree, who was a Tristar's son. Tristar was once again on Sheila's mind : she used his son Taymith Tornado, a red dog who gained 2 CC's (and was TD's sibling). From the resulting litter Tanlap That'll Do was kept and his litter brother Aust Ch Tanlap That's Fine F'Minsimba was sent to Australia where he gained top honour and became Australian Champion.

Then Sheila tried something else with a bit of her Chancer behind. Whilst judging Cruft's in 1994, she was impressed by a red dog that she finally awarded Best of Breed. This dog was Ch Jowtrix Red Magnum - a grand son of Chancer - and he was mated to Passion to produce Tanlap True Target, one of the Tanlap stud dog in the 90's. Target was used inside and outside of the kennels. From him, Sheila kept Tanlap Twirl out of her smooth Slicker's daughter.

In the meanwhile, Camellia was mated to a black dog called Jodoka the Caller's Been to Zhukov. From that combination, a black dog was sold and he sired 2 years later the one and only Tanlap Take That, out of Twirl. Called "TT", he was another member of Tanlap stud team in the turn of the century. Shown at Cruft's in 2000 he gained the first in Limit class under Anita Westlake's judging. He also won one CC and several Res CC's before being withdrawn from competing as he really disliked that. In Sheila's opinion, he is probably the unluckiest of her dogs.

In 1998 Sheila and Dave mated Camellia to Target and kept a red bitch by the name of Tanlap Tru Tease. She had Chancer and Tristar several times in her pedigree.

The new millenium

Tanlap Tru Tease - called "Teasa" by Sheila - was the mother of a couple of interesting Chows, among them a cream bitch called Tanlap Tofu (sired by TT), who gained 1 CC and 4 RCC's and a cream dog : Ch Tanlap Tuftytitan JW.

Ch Tanlap Tuftytitan JW

Sheila tried to once again go to Ch Jowtrix Red Magnum (Chancer's grandson) by using a new addition to the show ring named Ch Jowtrix Black Jack of Senhi JW. Usually called Titan by his owners, he was the result of a strong line-breeding as he had Magnum three times in his three-generations pedigree. Sheila mated Titan to Teasa. The litter was born in October 2002 and Sheila chose to keep a cream male she called "Tufty Titan". This dog was quickly shown and gained "Junior Warrant". He won his 1st CC from the puppy class in August 2003 at Paignton Championship show and the 3rd one at Cruft's in 2004, thus becoming a Champion. He was the first cream Chow to gain his Champion title for a great many years in the UK. He also helped to make Creams popular as the number of creams really increased after his wins in the 2000's. Shortly after Tufty winning his Ch. Certificate his father Titan achieved this honour too, thus proving Sheila didn't make a mistake choosing him.

Ch Tanlap Tuftytitan JW was BPIS at COTYS 2003 and BIS in 2008. He was twice BOB at Cruft's (2004 and 2008) and won 3rd in Group at the same show in 2008. Another record was broken for Tanlap.

Tufty sired a couple of winners in the UK. For Sheila, he produced another UK champion called Ch Tanlap Tooqute JW (cream bitch). He sired offspring in several countries in Europe (thanks to science !), such as Germ Ch Moima Pretty Woman and Int/Germ/Austr/Lux/Fr/Swiss/It Ch Moima Night Boy, bred by Moira Stocco in Italy. Another bitch from this litter, Moima Black Angel at Puzzle Chinois was Best Puppy Bitch in Show "all-breed" at Luxembourg General Championship Show. Not so bad for her first show.

2006 on wards - more than 40 years in the Chow World

In 2004, TT produced a champion called Ch Senhi Sweet Sensation (BOS at COTYS 2007), owned by Buckley family, as well as Bishop's Shojo over the Moon, sire of 2 UK Champions.

In the meantime, TT's and Teasa's daughter, Tanlap Tofu had a couple of wins on the show rings. She was mated to a black dog imported from Mi-Pao kennels (descending from Can Ch Tanlap Thought Provoker). Sheila kept a black bitch Tanlap Toyah. She didn't like being shown but at last gained an entry in the Stud Book.

Toyah was the dam of Tanlap Top Ranka, born in 2005, that Sheila kept in her stud team. She was also the dam of Fr Ch Tanlap Tremolo shipped in France (BIS at 2011 Chow-Chow Club Français Championship show) and Jephcott's Tanlap Tried Twice. This black bitch produced an UK Champion + Sheila's new stud dog Maixing Dark Intentions amongst Tanlap. In 2016, this dog sired Tanlap Tarron, who won 3rd in Group at Manchester Dog Show Society Championship Show in 2019. Hopefully to be continued !

Written in March 2008 [updated March 2021]