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Basco Kiki v't Heuske

by Cynthia Stevenot for the NAWBA Journal

Now why, you may ask, would I choose to write about a dog that did not achieve his KNPV title? Why would I consider a Bouvier, who did not pass at his attempt, as a "working dog of merit"? The reason is simple, Basco Kiki had the genotype and the phenotype that were needed in the Bouvier at the time. In fact, almost all of the major kennels in Holland and Belgium have him in their bloodlines.

Basco's sire was a dog named Spinks v.d. Remon Hoeve (NHSB 1610512). Spinks had come from one of the most successful combinations of his time. His father was Roy v.d, Schepershoeve, KNPV PH I met lof (NHSB 1265364). The Schepershoeve kennel had a good track record in producing KNPV dogs. Many of Roy's siblings earned titles including Arras v.d. Schepershoeve, PH I met lof (NHSB L243087) and Marco v.d. Schepershoeve, PH I met lof (NHSB 1265366).

Iwan vd Schepershoeve, Roy's brother

Basco Kiki v't Heukske (NHSB 1874118) was a huge, black masculine Bouvier. He was very 'typey" and many breeders used him specifically for that reason. While he was not a 'show dog' (his tail set was far too low for that) he was quite pretty amid the many working Bouviers at the time. Basco's hips passed with HD TC(equivalent to approximately OFA Good)

In addition to his success on the certification field, Roy had one of the highest number of KNPV offspring. Bred to a variety of bitches, he produced Boris, PH I lof (NHSB 1479908) and Rudo, PH I (NHSB 1414201) out of of Tanja (NHSB 1280152) and Prinz, PH I lof, Obj lof (NHSB 1418647) and Wodan, PH I (NHSB 1418649) both out of Shelly v.d. Meierinkshoek (NHSB 1303256) However, his most successful pairing would be to a bitch named Nora t' Greuske, PH I lof (NHSB 1362894)

Nora was reputable female in her own right and will probably be remembered as one of the top five producing Bouvier bitches of all time. To date, she is last Bouvier to participate in the Netherlands KNPV Nationals. Nora produced quality offspring when bred to Boedha Doescha Alsin hof, PH I lof PH II lof (NHSB 163O767) and Arras v.d. Statorhof; PH I lof (NHSB 1344305) but it was her multiple litters by Roy that are the most well known. The majority of pups from their litters went on to title in KNPV. Included in this bunch are Benno v.d, Remon Hoeve (NHSB 1610516), Remon v.d. Remon Hoeve (NHSB 1490344), Roy v.d. Ramon Hoeve (NHSB 1610515), Tinka v.d' Remon Hoeve (NHSB 1490347), Anoeska v.d, Remon Hoeve (NHSB 1610517) and Marco v'd' Remon Hoeve (NHSB 1610503) to name a few. The combination of Roy x Nora appears in most of the pedigrees of working Bouviers today, and through Spinks it appeared in Basco's.

Kiki Anebica v,t Heukske (NHSB 1704013) Basco's mother, also had a pedigree well stocked with noteworthy dogs.

 Kiki's father was a dog named Blitz PH I lof (NHSB 1276134). This bloodline from Arno (968380) was very successful in producing KNPV dogs and Blitz has several siblings that ioined him in the sport including Cindy v.d. Fokrohof PH I (NHSB 1324380) Iwan, PH I lof, PH II lof, Obj lof (NSHB 128250) and Boy, PH I lof (NHSB I276136).

Kiki's mother was a bitch named Anebica Dunja v.d. Statorhof (NHSB 1404541). She spent her life as a brood bitch and therefore did not get the opportunity to title, but her siblings Sarbo Dunja v.d. Statorhof, PH I lof (NHSB 148278), Astra Dunja v.d. Statorhof, PH I (NHSB 1448279) and Arras v.d. Statorhof, PH I lof (NHSBI 344306) did well.

Anebica was sired by a dog called Argos, PH I (NHSB 1084146). He was a very successful stud dog, siring the likes of Boris, PH I (NHSB 1350365) and Django, PH I (NHSB 1350367), Rocco Spoetnik v.d. Statorhof PH I (NHSB 1422122) and Bica Spoetnik v.d' Statorhof, IPO III, UV (NHSB 1456828). Bica was the mother of the successful van het Joramahof dogs, Senna, PH I, (NHSB 1728201) Roy, PH I, (NHSB 1728198), Argos, IPO III and Kelly, IPO (NHSB 1841438) to name a few.

Argos was a son of Argos v.d. Boerenhof, PH I (NHSB 801146) who came from a kennel that produced several KNPV dogs.

Dunja (NHSB 1159999), Anebica's mother, out of Christa was sired by Boris v.d. Aartro (NHSB 638306). Boris v.d. Aartro sired not only the aforementioned Argos v.d. Boerenhof but also Wilson v.d. Boerenhof , PH I lof (NHSB 801147) and Aron, PH I (NHSB 536237). Dunja did go on to produce KNPV titled offspring as previously mentioned.

While Kiki remained behind to be a brood bitch for Jan Janssen's v't Heukske kennel, she did have several siblings who went on to earn their titles. Boris Blitz v.d. Viana Hoeve, (NHSB 1641717) by Blitz out of Loes, PH I (NHSB 1130313), earned BOTH his PH I lof and IPOIII. Bram Anoeska v't Heukske (NHSB l743954) out of Anoeska, KNPV Cert (NHSB 1371269) not only earned his IPO III, but also joined the Police Brigade in Belgium. Vzorro Peggy v. Caya's Home (NHSB.1648956) out of Peggy, PH I lof, Obj, IPO III, VZH (NHSB 1090431) earned IPO III, CQN, VZH, UV and went on to become a successful stud dog for Caya's Home kennel.

So as we can see, Basco's bloodline was quite strong for working abilities. lndeed, his littermate, Remo Kiki v't Heukske, PHI lof, PH II lof (NHSB t874LL7) was chosen by well known KNPV trainer Anton Timmers (owner/trainer of Basco v Elton's Home and Zigo King v Assenrade)

I was sent a video from Europe of Basco Kiki preparing for his certification. I definitely saw, albeit with my naive eyes, a dog that seemed to have had the right stuff. So what went wrong at his trial? I ask this question of people all over Europe. I got back so many different answers that I ended up wondering if the people were talking about the same dog, Everyone seems to have "a cousin whose uncle's father's best friend was at the certification" and hence they "definitely knew what happened". I've also heard conflicting stories from people who supposedly saw the event themselves. I have heard he was injured on the stick attack and limped off the field into the woods. That could have happened. I was later informed that the dog never received a stick hit at all. Maybe that's true too. I was told that the dog had too much electricity run through him in order to 'clean him up' and he simply shut down. I could see that happening, as his only "out" on the tape I have is by strangulation. I've heard the training he received was not very good and done in a rush. Again, could be. I've also been told that the dog couldn't cut it, and was never any good to begin with and was run off the field. Although the dog training on my tape was very determined to engage the helper, this too, could nonetheless be true. Facts so easily turn into rumors and gossip and the truth gets lost in the translation. We'll never know for sure. Each of the people who supplied the above explanations legitimately thinks their version is correct.

What we do know is that Basco Kiki v't Heukske produced some notable offspring.

He was perhaps, used too much as a stud dog, as people are now having a tough time finding dogs without him in the pedigree. As a breeder, you can only line-breed so much before you need to get some "fresh" outside bloodlines to compliment your own.

Basco was used by almost every major kennel in Holland and he has KNPV as well as IPO offspring to his credit. 

Basco's children and grandchildren currently reside on both sides of the Atlantic and are doing well in a variety of disciplines.

In the KNPV field we have Shiba Gaby v.d. Brabohoeve, PH I lof, PH II lof, one of the highest titled female Bouviers of recent times, and Don Bobby Anka v.d. Fokrohof, PH I . Basco and Nora Dunja v.d. Remon Hoeve produced Doerack, IPO whose sons Dreke's Basco and Dreke's DeeJay have earned their PH I title.

When bred to Basco, Darcy Cindy v.d. Fokrohof produced Amo Darcy v.d. Fokrohof, BH,  Boudicca Darcy v.d. Fokrohof, SchH III, AD, and Cain Darcy v.d. Fokrohof, IPO II. Cain has now gone on to become the newest stud dog at the de la Genesis kennel.

Basco produced several IPO offspring, among them:

Griffen, SchH II out of Anka v.d. Ramonahoeve.

Yordy vh Drentsche Wold, IPO IU, UV and Pascha vh Drentsche Wold, IPO I out of Donna v.d. Vroomshoeve.

Turbo from Lobster's Home IPO IlI out of Mirza v.d. Vroomshoeve, PH I

Kira Sonja v.d. Weezestroom, IPO I out of Sonia.

Don Bobby Anka, Amo Darcy, Boudicca Darcy and Griffen are now all residing in North America.

So, while Basco Kiki v't Heukske may not have gotten recognition and glory on the trial field, he did, perhaps do something more noteworthy - he produced Bouviers with good working temperament.

Author's notes: Thank you to all of our friends in Europe who helped me research this article. Special thanks to Herman de Vos for proofing it and to everyone who has sent pictures to us over the years for our collection.  Copyright @ 2003