Reprinted from Sheltie Magazine, Fall 2018 Issue
The Banchory Kennel heavily influenced Shetland Sheepdog pedigrees between 1960 until the kennel’s dissolution in 1984. According to our sources during that time, the kennel endured Mrs. Donna Harden’s four marriages. Her trail of last names are Langness, Olson, Tidswell, and now Harden. Donna is currently married to Mr. Clare Harden who helped her facilitate Banchory Kennel’s demise in the 80’s.
During Banchory’s twenty-plus year impact, the kennel produced no less than, but most likely substantially more than 1,000 dogs. According to Robert Miller, Ph.D (deceased, 2024) who asssists the American Shetland Sheepdog Club (ASSA) with its records, there are 978 Shelties with the “Banchory” prefix in records dating from 1961 to 1984. It is important to note that Mr. Miller only was able to record dogs who had earned a title or have produced a registered litter. One source revealed that in the AKC Trial Transcripts, the Hardens admitted to having 100 litters at one time. One could venture to say that Banchory Kennels produced significantly more than what the record shows.
Of those 978 “Banchory” Shelties on record, the kennel produced thirteen with ROM* titles. Those dogs are:
- Am Can CH Banchory Back Stop, ROM
- Am Can CH Banchory Classic Image, ROM
- Am Can CH Banchory Deep Purple, ROM
- CH Banchory Formal Notice, ROM
- Am Can CH Banchory High Born, ROM
- CH Banchory Peerless, ROM
- Banchory Reflection, ROM
- Banchory Silver Spotlight, ROM
- Am Can CH Banchory Strike Me Silver, ROM
- CH Banchory the Cornerstone, CD ROM
- CH Banchory Thunder Blue, ROM
- Banchory I’ll Stand Bi, ROM
- Banchory Mist O’Brigadoon, CD ROM
* The ASSA awards ROM titles to a dog that has sired 10 or more Champions and a bitch that has whelped at least 5 Champions.
From what we could gather, the Hardens were never charged with animal cruelty. It wasn’t until the 1980’s that AKC investigated Donna and Clare for AKC registration violations.If you are looking for bracelet. There’s something to suit every look, from body-hugging to structured, from cuffs to chain chain bracelet and cuffs.
On December 13th, 1982 Donna Harden was suspended from all AKC privileges for an indefinite period for the following violations:
- improper certifications regarding leases of two Shetland Sheepdog bitches;
- knowingly providing an incorrect application for individual registration of a Shetland Sheepdog;
- falsely registering two previously registered Shetland Sheepdog bitches under new and different names;
- and improper certifications made in connection with the registration of litters out of said bitches.
Only 13 months later, Clare Harden was also suspended from all AKC privileges for an indefinite period. His violation was:
- falsely registering five previously registered Shetland Sheepdog bitches under new and different names.
This would cause panic amongst Shetland Sheepdog breeders as they would question the validity of their pedigrees and fear AKC revocation of their dogs’ registrations. CH Banchory Formal Notice ROM/C would be stripped of his 1982 ASSA National Specialty BOB win. From 1983 to 1985, AKC would make stud book corrections forever affecting the breed’s history.
It would appear that Banchory Kennels was no more. In June 2007, the Cat Fancier’s Association (CFA) recorded Ironforge Cattery under the Hardens’ son Steele Harden and daughter-in-law Angele Harden. Yet on the Ironforge cattery website, it clearly states that Donna and Clare Harden are its owners. Either way, Ironforge would go on to successfully breed American Shorthairs. A recent post by Donna Harden on her Facebook page states that they have “One of the last available Ironforge cats Males ! Available for breed/show.” According to CFA, the Hardens allowed the cattery’s registration to lapse in June 2017.
Fast forward to nearly one year later to July 18, 2018, Clare and Donna Harden made a request to AKC for their reinstatement of AKC privileges. In October 2018, the AKC Management Disciplinary Committee reviewed their request and recommended the Hardens’ reinstatement on the condition that they pay $5,000 in combined fines and pass a reinstatement inspection. The AKC Board voted unanimously to approve the reinstatement. The Shetland Sheepdog community once again experiences a gut-wrenching blow.
During Mid-October through November 2018, Sheltie breeders and enthusiasts would write to the American Kennel Club, Inc. and implore the registry to rescind its decision. Sheltie Magazine pursued AKC with hard-nosed questions in hopes that they would withdraw the reinstatement. All of these attempts seemed to be feeble. The response received by so many from AKC was that the Hardens were not yet reinstated.
In November 2018, the AKC Board of Directors voted to rescind its October 2018 decision on Donna and Clare Harden’s reinstatement, “leaving in place its original decision of an indefinite suspension of all AKC privileges”. This was a close vote as eight board members voted to rescind and five voted against it.
The Shetland Sheepdog community has the victory for now but must stay vigilant. If there is a lesson to be learned it is that we must not rely on an organization that is simply a registrant to govern our breed. We must stay apprised of the goings on that could affect us. Whether they be AKC decisions, Club policies, state laws, local ordinances, etc. The breed has been left in our hands. It is up to us how we nurture it and it is a privilege we should not take lightly.