Janterrs
is a story that begins in 1964 in Barrington Illinois.
It started with Welsh Terriers. My father Jim Koss and his partner Nyle Layman started with combining Carlano an American line with English. Ch. Alokins Acheivement was their first big winner but not soon after they purchased Eng Am & Can Ch Bengals Wiredot Welsh Prince. Dai was a Multiple Group Winner and one of the Top Welsh in his day. The combination of American Bred Welsh with Dai was very successful. Later in the mid Seventies they worked an arrangment to bring Int'l Ch Merthyn's Crackshot over from Holland. Now Dai daughters were being bred to Cracker which resulted in another success story. There were over sixty Welsh Champions from Janterrs. The kennel was disbanded in the early Eighties.
During the same time I was breeding Afghan Hounds under the kennel name Nickolej. I obtained some excellent hounds from Jim and Mary Nesbitt under the Mecca name. My first was Mecca's Evening Song dam of BIS Ch. Mecca's Mission Impossible. I also managed to get Ch. Mecca's Zeus. Zeus was used several times but his legacy is the cross to Mecca's Renaissance Rhapsody and then the crosses to Stormhill which produce exceptionally well. I sold Nickolej Royal Rajah out of Blue Silk litter sister which ended up on the East Coast with the Butherus's. Another great cross which I co bred was taking Falstaff's litter sister and breeding to Ch Amulet's Pinball Wizard. As a handler I took Ch. Elmo's Blue Graffiti to his Best In Show win his first time out as a Special. I retired from handling and went into judging in 1982. I owe alot to my mentors-the Nesbitts, Abrams, Gini Withington, and Babbie Tongren.
In 1985 after moving to Judging Afghan Hounds, I missed showing in competition. I looked to another breed which was Skye Terriers and to honor my father I use the Janterrs name for the Skyes. My first Skye "Sinclair" got me hooked on the breed. Annie Boucher-Roblyn Skyes took me under her wings and became one of my mentors. I have had several Champion Skyes- Ch. Roblyn's Big Band Jazz (co owned with Priscilla Zeller), Ch. Traeloch Janterrs Hi Thymes, Ch. Royalist Flirtation, and Ch. Lairdoglen Braveheart ("Torrey" was co owned with Gail Smith and Diane & Tim Brown). Torrey would go on to win 27 group placements including 2 group firsts and at the age of 9 he won Best in Specialty Best of Breed at the Skye Terrier Club of America at the Montgomery Kennel Club in Oct 2005. The first Janterrs bred Skye Champion is a Torrey son Ch Janterrs Royalist Showtime finished by owner Karen Jennings. In the beginning I was helped along the way by Walter Goodman, Annie Boucher, Sandra Goose Allen, Karen Jennings, and Donna Dale.
I am very excited to announce that I have imported a Finnish bitch from Meri Aalto. Yardican Bewitched arrived Nov 6th 2007. She is sired by Finnsky Ziroc out of Olivia Spirit of Sierras. Yardican Bewitched was shown at her first shows May 24th and 25th 2008 and went Puppy Group 2 and won Best of Breed both day for 2points. She got her 3rd point on July 25,2008 just 10days over a year old under Breeder Judge Cathy Nelson. At Montgomery County Yardican Betwitched won Best In Sweepstakes Oct 5th 2008 under Terrier Specialist Judy Thill. Thanks to everyone that came up and told me how much they liked her. You can find her pictures in the View Photo Album in her own album.
Janterrs is extremely proud and honored to announce the arrival of Finnsky Legend out of Int Fin, S, & N Ch SW-06 WVW-08 Finnsky Alan ex GB, JSY, FIN, S, N, & DK Ch WW-08 Finnsky Future. Ch Finnsky Alan better known as "Dennis" is one of the best Skyes I have ever gone over so this is just a thrill for me to be getting a son. Legend arrived on Dec 15th and is just a delight. Thank you Thea and Rolf for entrusting me with this wonderful puppy.
Well, Legend at 6 months and days went to his first show--The Potomac Skye Terrier Club Specialty and he won his first 4 point major! He has so many fans all over and I want to Thank you for the wonderful kind notes I received after this win.
We went to Colorado the beginning of Sept 2009 to the STCA supported entry shows. At Evergreen Kennel Club Sept 5 Finnsky Legend picked up his second 4pt major and Yardican Bewitched took Best of Winners for a 4pt major under Terrier Judge Jerry Klein VDM. The next day Yardican Bewitched took her 2nd major for 3pts under Breed Specialist Ken McDermott.
On Feb 20 and 21 2010 Finnsky Legend went to an IABCA Union Cynologie International e.V. set of shows and earned his UCI Int'l Championship. He went on to win Three Terrier Group 1s and One Terrier Group 2.
Our trip to Montgomery County was a good one. Finnsky Legend won Winners Dog at Hatboro KC and RWD at Montgomery County which was the STCA National. Yardican Bewitched won Winners Bitch at the STCA National under Breeder Judge Sandra Goose Allen.
Colorado is proving to be a good trip for us. At the Rocky Mountain All Terrier Kennel Club Sept 9th and Colorado Evergreen Kennel Club Sept 10th, Finnsky Legend finnished his American Championship going Best of Winners both days. Since he was the only class dog I showed him on Sunday Sept 11th and again he won Best of Winners for an addition major. He finnished with 5 Majors!!!!
Sammy won that last single point she needed to become Am. Ch. Yardican Bewitched!
This is a story that is not over with yet. More will come.