Rat Breeding Articles

NFRS Studnames: a bit of history and the definitive list

© Estelle Sandford

NFRS members have been able to register studnames since the formation of the society in 1976. In the early days of the NFRS we didn't have the methods of earning your studnames in the way we do these days and all you had to do was submit a unique name and hand over a pound and it was registered - we have records of 44 studs having been registered this way. A ruling was put into place in 1990 changing this to having to earn your studname by achieving championship status on a rat you had bred. Nicky Jones (then Chandler) was the first breeder to obtain her studname having had to earn it and since then over 64 breeders have managed to earn this status. The ruling has been tweaked a few times along the way to try and make it clearer and also in recent times, to try and ensure that it is earned by your own breeding and husbandry rather than the luck of winning on F1s from top breeders' lines.

In the last 10 years or so, more and more breeders have taken up keeping detailed family tree information and there are several software programs to aid with this, so it has become more important to recognise this and the NFRS achieved this last year by recognising ratteries and allowing these to be registered as the first step towards earning your studname. Current members stud and rattery names are listed on the NFRS website and regularly in Pro-Rat-a.

The below is what we think is the definitive list of all studs ever registered with the NFRS, it has taken going through old minutes and Pro-Rat-as and several long standing members' memory cells to obtain this information and there is always a chance mistakes may have been made on dates and we might have missed the odd one. In the next few Pro-Rat-a's I plan to continue adding to information on the history of studnames by detailing members' reasons for choosing their studname. I do have information for some of them, but if you have a registered stud currently or know of information on ex-members who were a registered stud in their day, could you please send any information to the fancy

The below is grouped into years - apologies if they are in the wrong order during that year, but some we do not have exact details on everyone.

1976
Thamesgrove - Geoff Izzard
Belmont - Les Suttling
Genesis - Sue & Steve Love

1978
Rivendell - Ann Storey

1979
Trinovantum - Nick Mays

1980
Aldbrickham - D & S Young
Cleroux - M & J Cleroux
pre 1981 (year unknown)
Wharfedale - Martyn Smith

1981
Pendragon - Sue Brown
Sakari - Jean Judd
Vulcan - Janet & Wendy Gregory

pre1982
Saxon (later changed to Samson) - Chriss Lown

1982
Samson (previously Saxon) - Chriss Lown
Pegasus - Pia Cleroux
Pinewood - Mr & Mrs Les Green
Shoreham - Ian Judd
Talisman - Bev & Audrey Bruges

pre1983
Kingsley - Tony Jones

1983
Trojan - Sue Vickers
Adur - Bob & Joyce Glover
Cyrano - Diane Schofield (nee Wildman)
Elidor - Sue Maine
Esthann - Tom Unwin
Harmony - A. M. O'Sullivan
Haven - Mr & Mrs C Henwood
Himbridge - Antony Bongiovani
Rhapsody - Bob Lyons & R. Grice

1984
Zeus - Steve & Jane Soloman
Harlequin - Darrell Higgins

1985
Gadebridge - S & J Griffiths
Lovelor - Stevie Loveday & Rick Taylor
Lucinda - Marianne Mays

1986
Vicinalis - Paul Threapleton
Tanglewood - Tilly Haycock
Kenfig - Rosalind Hearse
Tylney - Mick & Tina Brinklow

1987
Wallace - Steve & Sue Webb
Saffron - P & R Quaid

1988
Xandos - Joy & Eric Shurmer

1989
Thurstan - Joan & Roger Branton
Yulan - Clive & Elaine Peters
Apogee - Heidi Dixon
Olympus - Andrew Smith
Ubique - David & Barbara Cargill

1991 – all from now were earned
Holywood - Nicky Jones (nee Chandler)

1992
Borough's Oak - Peter Fox
Highfield - Michelle Guthrie
Isis - Tracey and Gary Clarke

1993
Camulodunum - Dave Potter
Pagan - Jeannette Knight
Swamp Rat - Rod Evans
Windjammer - Tina Gruber

1994
Halcyon - Lisa Grove
Kartusch - Cathy Ayres
Mirage - Clive Peters & Gina Croft

1995
Castle - Greg Baker
Galaxy - Carol Fisher (nee Steel)
Pilgrim - Davida Krill & Duncan Bourne

1996
Avalon - Keran Howard
Cardenal - Ali Carden
Sherwood Forest - Val Brown
Trinity - Ralph Woodcock
Wheatacre - Bernie Rappensberger
Kropotkin - Veronica Simmons
Taranis - Cat Russ
Adelphe - Fiona Barker
Classic - Carolyn Hill

1997
Flaxholme - Sheila Sowter
Artemis - Pip Walford
Apollo - Kit Walford
Blackstaff - Antonia Robinson (Nee Swierzy)
Cornucopia - Angela Horn

1998
Amirante - Gemma Foulds
Panya - Jenny White
Serendipity - Sue Threapleton (nee Foulds)
White Wolf - Fay Wolftree & Alexis Webb
Woodhaven - Robyn Walford

1999
Milo - Sarah Stevens
Pegasus - Kevin O'Sullivan
Phoenix - James Grove
Rowangate - Lian O'Sullivan (nee Vince)
Darkstar - Mel Goulder

2000
Chandon - Jon & Sharon Pollendine
Timbucktwo - Tim Chandler

2001
Alpha Centauri - Estelle Sandford

2002
Tennyson - Sandra & Graham Mobbs
Headstrong - Gill Thomas

2003
Epiphany - Joanna Pierre (nee Holmes)
Integrity - Judith Wilson
Laika - Gwen Hemsley
Rattenfänger - Colin Arundel
Thornvalley - Tracy Millburn
Valhalla - Julie Oliver

2004
Shunamite - Alison Campbell
Hosanna - Caroline Muncey
Alchemy - Michael & Carol Harrington-Read
New World - Deb Mallett & Ed Reay

2005
Templeton - Chris and Clare Ashworth
Ratty Rascals - Clare Holmes

2006
Hellstorm - Tina Williams
Tenaran - Jon & Kathy Morgan
Aphrodite - Fiona McBean
Asbru - Matt Creaney & Lucy Heath
Swiftvalley - Lisa Clarke

2007
Ratoon - Lizzi McIntee
Mercury - Rebecca Hinson

2008
Tenebrae - Doug Connor
Mackison - Neill Clarke
Cariad - Nicola Broadbridge
Comis - Jem & Michele Quarry
Topthorne - Holly Storey-Smith

2009
Hakuna Matata - Jenna Sutcliffe
Symphony - Rackie Powell

2010
Bog Myrtle - Sheena Stratton
Stillyrats - Janette Rogers
Yabba Dabba Doo - Ellie Cadman
Aquarius - Phil Neate
Campion - Vicki Morley
RCT - Lisa Harries

2011
Elkwood - Natasha Klus
Bohemian - Lisa Akrigg
Ionian - Tanya Rawlinson
Brandywine - Annette Rand
Blairwitch - Lisa Blair

2012
Hawthorn - toyah Leitch
Atlas - Kyra Murray
Zephyr - Mary Giles
Zappa - Fiona Coull

2013
Endeavour - Jannine Taylor
Lilliput - Lilly Hoyland
Mulberry - Jane Finbow
Destiny - Lucy Hunt
Rattray - Kate & Kevin Rattray
Ralston - Anna McKinnon
Seagull - Sharon Williams
Callisto - Katie van Zyl
Lovecraft - Lisa Maurin

2014
Shatterlings - Ellie Goddard
RattieAngels - Samantha Redgrave
Warrensark - Jayne Warren
Gemstone - Gemma Corfield

2015
Milliways - Angela Corrie
Beltane - Debbie Lauf
Black Lupin - Claire Roberts
Merriment - Nelly Brewer
Skatta Rat - Coleen Gruber

2016
Outlaw - Kayleigh Rickell
Gallifrey - Cat Mace
Shayilen - Ayla Stryder

2017
Isamu - Jemma Fettes
Kaiju - Laura Holt

2018
Ouzles - Patricia & Richard Burn
Renegade - Hannah Field
Carealot - Claire McIntosh
Kismet - Jem Quarry & Lew Wernham
White Mage - Amy Aindow

2019
Ellfin - April Hearnah
Kiwi - Keera Smith
Harkyle - Teena Madden
Cupcake - Amy Foxford
Feegle - Fiona Milton
Bayo - Stacey Young

2020
Beeghos - Kasia Zyber
Alpine - Emma McLean

2021
LeStrange - Helaina Derighetti

2022
Roman - Abigail Galbraith
Straw Hats - Maja Feline
Rattie Asylum - Jonathan Savage & Amy Black-Savage
Valkyrie - Jessica Millward
Galactic - Charlotte Scott
Rainmaker - Hayley Wainwright
Gemini - Jo Wall & Lee Spence
Mimble - Helen Belton
Esprit - Sam Swash
Goedric's Hollow - Charlotte Goedvolk
Kabuki - Holly Maguire

2023
Bluethorn - Caroline Scroby
Solveig - Elise MacDonald
Orchard - Leia Morrison
Arecales - Debbie Davis
Blue Apple - Marti Leimbach
Pipistrelle - Sarah Cudbill
Wildflower - Nicole Hunter

2024
Blaise - Katie Cracknell
Marigold - Sarah Davies
Reef - Katie Striplin