HISTORY

Nick

des Hauts de Bièvre

In 1964, thanks to the purchase of his first dog, the stud dog NICK des Hauts de Bièvre (s.r. HEROS du Clos Saint-Clair x R.e. Junon du Parc de Sceaux), was born in Normandy the Bois du Tôt Kennel.

A young and newly qualified Veterinarian, Dr Yves SURGET, took a very special and close interest for the Belgian Breed and took advantage of his first and recent moving in a house located in EU to acquire his first dog. Shows after shows, his interest turned into a real and deep passion, and therefore decided to have a kennel name and to go further in the breed. The kennel’s affix was decided because of the little wood located in the surroundings of Eu where Dr Yves Surget and his dog Nick had long and enjoyable walks together : Le Bois du Tôt was born.

At this moment, the dominant lines that Dr Yves Surget liked the best were, for the Tervueren variety, “Le Clos Saint-Jacques” and “Le Clos Saint-Clair”, and, for the groenendael variety “Le Chemin des Dames”. During his whole life of breeder, he consistently tries to preserve these lines, being faith to what he was attracted by at his beginnings, what was nice phenotype with a stable character. But from the beginning, he always tries to establish his own bloodlines, trying to improve it over the years , with some wise and needed outcrosses sometimes, but without forgetting his foundations ever.

The first brooding bitches were :

- R.E. PISTACHE du Clos Briselet (R.E. MILKO du Parc de l’Hay x MANON de Bonmoss), who is the dam of the first Bois du Tôt French Champion, RIALTO (Best Tervueren at the French Specialty in 1970), who himself put his marks on the Mavourneen Groenendaels (Through “Le Chemin des Dames), also influent on the Tervueren variety being the grand sire of R.E. Ch. ITOU des Horizons Boisés.

- R.E. RACHEL des Hauts de Bièvre (R.E. NICK des Hauts de Bièvre x EDA du Colombophile), purchased to get a good daughter of his first stud dog NICK. She is the dam of UDINE du Bois du Tôt, exported to Belgium to the “Of the Two” kennel where she produced R.E. ZARKA of the two, influent of the future of the breed thanks to his famous and well-known son R.E. Ch. GRIMM Van de Hoge Laer.

-SOLVEG du Bois du Tôt (R.E. NICK du Bois du Tôt x R.E. PISTACHE du Clos Briselet) who bred to ZAKI of the Two, has produced good dogs unfortunately mostly unknown, as OPHELIE, who was the foundation bitch of the kennel “La Réserve aux Loups” and ORIANE who was kept at Le Bois du Tôt to keep on the beginning lines.

- R.E. VICKIE du Mas des Oursons Noirs (R.E. ONIX du Chemin des Dames x R.E. PALES), acquired in 1972, to ensure an efficient outcross on lines which were already closely inbred on Nick, and to bring the blood of Onix. Bred to the best Nick’s son, R.E. PITOU des Hauts de Bièvre, she gives birth to LEDA who was a brooding bitch of the Kennel “De Sennepy l’Etang”, to LAMBDA who was the stud of the Kennel “du Puit’s d’Ombelle”, to LANCY who was not so much used but who keeps an influence through his great grand son, the groenendael Ch. REIG des Trois Réserves. But the best and most influent offspring of VICKIE is R.E. LYNX du Bois du Tot who made an impressive show career. He had been collected and his sperm is still available at the national Vet School of Maisons Alfort. We can also notice as Vickie’s offsprings, the red bitch MALIA who produced the best dogs of the kennel “Les Volcans d’Auvergne”, the red bitch MYSIS who has produced at the kennel “Le Val Mirak”, and the grey bitch OONA who is the dam of the excellent tracking bitch TAMA de l’Appel de la Forêt and who was Best Young at the French National in 1980.

- R.E. ISEULT du Bois du Tôt (R.e. MATELOT du Clos Saint-Jacques x RACHEL des Hauts de Bièvre) (RCAC French National in 1977), who is still one of the most influent and successful brood bitch of Bois du Tôt kennel, being the dam of R.E. MAJA du Bois du Tôt (CAC at the French National in 1980), still very present in the current lines through his son s.r. SAMOUR de la Javottière de Corberon, through his grand son R.E. Ch. ARES du Bois du Tôt, and through his great grand son R.E. CAREY du Bois du Tôt. She also produced the beautiful male LILKO who was exported to Belgium, the talented in tracking bitch LOLA, brood bitch of the kennel “Le Clos du Richaumoine” who has produced the famous and well known s.r. Ch. OURS du Clos Richaumoine. Iseult is also the dam of OLIVIA du Bois du Tôt, who produced one of the best dog of Le Val Myrak Kennel (at this time), RIO.

- JACEE and JALAP du Bois du Tôt (RE QUARRY van Nekkerberg Ter Leie x R.E. RACHEL des Hauts de Bièvre) : Jacée who unfortunately too early died but gave birth to NICKY (RCAC of the French National in 79), owned by “Du Castel des Biches” kennel. Jalap’s best offsprings were OWEN du Bois du Tôt who sired of the beautiful red dog RUDY de la Forêt de Compiègne and ORKA du Bois du Tôt who was the foundation bitch of “Val Holdenried” Kennel.

- ORIANE du Bois du Tôt (ZAKI of the Two x s.r. SOLVEG du Bois du Tôt) who, bred to TOMRICK du Sart des Bois, gave birth to ACTEON du Bois du Tôt, Best Working Dog at the French National.

- PERCA du Bois du Tôt (R.E. LYNX du Bois du Tôt x R.E. ISEULT du Bois du Tôt), dam of the beautiful bitch SCALA du Bois du Tôt, herself dam of the winning bitch BLONDIE de la Fontaine aux belles. Also the dam of URANIE, bought to be the foundation bitch of “Les Prés d’Isabrune” Kennel, UTICA who made an impressive show career, VIDAME first exported to England, then to Australia where he became a Champion, AREKS exported to Austria, ANEMONE who was one of the brood bitch of the french kennel “La Fureur du Crépuscule”.

- Then came the period of R.e. TEKSA and R.E. TIAKIE du Sart des Bois (R.E. Ch. OLRICK du Chemin des Dames x MIRBELLE du Chemin des Dames). Very attracted by this inter variety breeding, with the dog he considered as the best Groenendael ever, Dr SURGET decides to book one of the 2 Terv females born from this combination. The goal is to be able to make a new outcross, based on Chemin des Dames lines, what was already made in the 75’s by acquiring the bitch VICKIE du Mas des Oursons Noirs. When the time comes to pick the female, both are still available and “Bois du Tôt” decided to take them both. Wise decision if we consider what they have produced in the last 10 years....

- R.e. TEKSA, the red one, has always been bred to s.r. SAMOUR de la Javottière de Corberon. Most of people were very surprised by this choice, but speaking about type SAMOUR fits TEKSA perfectly well, and he allows to come back and to carry the bloodlines of MAJA. Thank to this successful combination was born the grey ARES du Bois du Tôt, Multi Champion, the only Tervueren ever to win the Championship CAC four times (French Championship 1987, 1988, 1990, French Specialty in 1987). He was also awarded Best Producer in 1991 and 1993 and he appears in lots of pedigree, in France and abroad. His influence does exist in the Tervueren, but also in the Groenendael variety, especially being the sire of R.E. Ch. GYLSON de la Fureur du Crépuscule who was one of the dominant Groenendael producer in the last years.

From the second repeat were born BROCCIO and BRISKA, the first one who was exported to England but finally went to Norway, at Fakaiser’s Kennel, when he was 3, the second one, mostly unknown, but very influent on the breed through his famous son CAREY du Bois du Tôt.

From the third repeat, the best dog was the grey s.r. CARY du Bois du Tôt, placed 2nd at the French National Specialty.

- For R.E.TIAKIE, the grey one, the breeding program was different. For her first litter, she was bred to s.r. ZARKA of the two, in order to come back on the previous lines through Zarka’s dam, UDINE. From this successful litter the best offspring was probably the bitch ACTEE du Bois du Tôt, owned by Van de Hoge Laer kennel, awarded Best Tervueren Bitch at the 100th Anniversary Specialty Show in Belgium, dam of the well known stud s.r.PAVOT van de Hoge Laer and her beautiful sister s.r. PERLA.

Then was decided to make a close inbreeding, and to breed TIAKIE to one of her sister’s son, BRISKA (Ares would probably have been chosen if he was not grey!). From this combination was born the famous CAREY, we will speak more about him later (part 2).

For her last litter, TIAKIE has been bred to R.e. DAY-DREEM de Condivicnum (RE Ch. ARES du Bois du Tôt x ADENA de Condivicnum), and gave birth to the influent and good producer R.e. FEMTO du Bois du Tôt and s.r. FLIKA du Bois du Tôt, dam of the s.r. Am Ch. JAIROUK de la Fureur du Crépuscule and his sister, European Champion JODYE, so as OURAL, multi champion and best producer in France for several years.

From the first litter of Tiakie, Bois du Tôt kept two bitches, ALCALA and AVILA. ALCALA’s best litter to keep in minds is, with no doubt, the one with the stunning winning dog R.E. CASHMIR de la Clairière aux Louves (sr ULYSSE du Parc de Pathyvel x ALTESSE de la Clairière aux Louves). It was a total but interesting outcross, giving birth to the ‘91 French National Specialty Best in Show ELDA du Bois du Tôt and to the ‘92 French National Specialty Best Tervueren ELDEE du Bois du Tôt. They both have put their stamp on the breed, Elda producing at “Clos de Jochnake” kennel, Eldée producing at “Val Mirak” kennel and being the dam of MALOU du Val Myrak, French Champion and Winning the Open Class at the French national Specialty in ‘98. As for AVILA, well, her production was nothing special ... all except her famous and outstanding son, RE FOEHN du Bois du Tôt (out of R.e. DAY-DREEM de Condivicnum), winner three times of the Championship CAC, twice Best in Show at the French National, Best in Show at the Spanish National.