"Nothing happens by accident, so I believe it was destined."

That statement just about sums up the phenomenon known as Int. Ch. SunGlo's Pilot Light.

It Was Fate . . .

At one time we had a Boston Terrier sign on Redwood Avenue where Sunglo met with it to form a "T". Today, with coming urbanization, it actually forms a sort of crossroads breeched by new housing developments and noisy construction in nearly a mile's radius, not too mention bustling, speeding traffic; but in the mid 1960's, Sunglo Drive was a short, dirt gravel road with a handfull of houses surrounded by cow pasture and a Boston Terrier sign stood at its gateway where the main roadside simply became little more than a wide granite and gravel path. It was on an otherwise uneventful and insignifigant day in that era that what was destined to be, began to unfold.

On this same day, an Idaho couple by the name of Harry and Cleo Lentz were driving down Redwood Avenue to visit Harry Lentz's brother. Along for the ride was also a female Boston Terrier who went by the name of "Lentz's Kandy". Upon seeing the Boston Terrier sign, the car made a quick U-turn and moments later pulled up in front of the house, its passengers anxious to see the dogs represented by the sign, and also hopeful to take a male back to Idaho with them.

Here enters one Lentz's Skipper Regardless (Ch. Crusader Regardless X Top Brass Bonanza C.D.), who's dam later appeared on the cover of the "Boston Bulletin" (Apr.1968) along with Skipper and several of his siblings. Skipper wasn't for sale, but as fate would have it, was soon on his way to Idaho with the Lentz' in exchange for Kandy, who by this time (being on the timid side), had run and hid behind the couch in her new home and came out of hiding only after removing the couch and nearly having to peel her off the wall.

Lentz's Kandy was a beautiful, perfectly marked bitch with snow-white markings on black. As well, she had excellent station and a superb top-line and rear, not too mention a beautiful front. Her head, on the otherhand, could have been stronger. She was bred to Ch. Pilot's Glowing Torch C.D. and free whelped six puppies, who as a whole had a tendency to be extremely flashy in that they had very large collars and very wide blazes. Shortly thereafter, she was sent back to Idaho, to my great-grandmother who had Idahome Bostons.

In the meantime, Ch. Patience Reward C.D. had also been bred to Ch. Pilot's Glowing Torch C.D., which was a half sibling, double Top Brass Bonanza C.D. mating. Great expectations were had for this breeding, but in working with the accordance of fate, the result was somewhat less than expected. One gorgeous puppy was lost at birth; the other, a male, was SunGlo's Top Command. Command was a very undermarked dog and viewed as less than show quality even tho he had an outstanding body, but with the idea of simply keeping an access to him, he was sent to Grandma in Idaho as opposed to being sold as a pet.

Time passed, and once again, Kandy came into season. In considering potential breedings, it was decided that Command was the best option for a rather compensatory breeding on the grounds that he was so dark and that Kandy produced plenty of white. Once again, Kandy free whelped six puppies. Pilot Light was one of those six puppies.

At this same time, a letter arrived from a Boston Terrier breeder in Holland wanting to purchase a show type male. The breeder in Holland, the late Oetie Koudjis, sent a list of specifications that few dogs could ever attain. Apart from outstanding form, the dog would also require a full collar, perfectly even markings (one leg couldn't be dark and the other white and so on) and also be bred from a free whelping line, not too mention other criteria.  Pilot Light met this idealized criteria and she said she would take him. As his ears were a bit large, for fear that people would pick them apart, it was decided to have his ears cropped before the export. This meant keeping him until he was eight months old. In the meantime, he attended local matches for socialization sake. (He was never shown in an American point show). When his ears had healed, a single roll of pictures were taken and off he went. By this time, in knowing how the line developed, it had became clear that he was THE best one the line  had ever produced. He was sold at pet price, for $200, with the agreement, that in the future, we could buy one for import for the same.

The trip enroute to Holland was extremely hard on him. Pilot Light was enroute for some length of time due to flight delays and opposed to going directly into Holland, had to be picked up in Belgium. To make matters worse, there was a hassle over the paperwork and the Dutch government insisted that he hadn't received the correct rabies vaccine and he was only allowed into the country with the agreement that he be kept in isolation for 30 days. Due to the trip and the fact that he was in the so called "ghastly stage" which was typical of the line's development, by time he had arrived, he was "thin as a rail". Oetie's husband, Bill, later told the story (by this time, Pilot Light had been the #1 Boston in Europe for two years), that when Oetie had taken him out of the crate and saw him for the first time, that she sat down on the floor inside the airport and immediately began to cry!

Time passed and Pilot Light grew up. He began his show career in Germany in 1970 with the idea of gaining reknown in Germany before being sprung onto the Dutch circuit. Pilot Light's show career may be one of the greatest in the history of the European Dog Fancy. Within two years he was officially "Int.Dutch/ German/ Belgian /Swiss Ch. SunGlo's Pilot Light" and he also carried the titles of Germany's "Bundeseiger" for 1970 and 1971, "Hauptzuchtseiger" for 1970 and the Dutch title of "Winner" (effectively National Champion) for 1970 and 1971. As well, he was the #1 Boston Terrier in Europe for 1970 and 1971. To go further, as Europe lacks a "Specials" class, every show he had to compete against every Boston present throughout his show career, during which he was never defeated. In fact, as he was unbeatable, for nearly three years, no other Boston Terrier in Europe was gaining points. Suddenly, Oetie Koudjis' judging career picked up and she began to get a large number of judging assignments out of the country so that she wasn't at a large number of shows as an exhibitor. She said it: "greatly enhanced her judging career"! It should be added that Pilot Light was also a Best In Show winner over all breeds.

Pilot Light's complete record follows:

 In regards to the above record, Oetie Koudjis noted:

Despite being the most decorated member of the breed on the European continent, Pilot Light also had some eccentric habits. Before he was exported he would lie on the couch in the living room and attack sunbeams when they streamed through the window in the morning. In regards to his later years in England, Chris Knock states that she used to have to walk out her door backwards to prevent Pilot Light from nipping at her heels when she left the house. He was also notorious for "killing" metal water dishes. Being water crazy, he'd dump the dish, pack it around in his mouth and proceed to obliterate it! Count was lost of how many expensive metal water dishes he destroyed in Holland.

But on the otherside, Pilot Light could be a complete gentleman and was Oetie Koudjis' traveling companion. She bought him his own seat and he would board the plane riding in a TWA flight bag with his head sticking out. After the plane took off, the bag was unzipped and he would sit in the seat for the flight. He was also a big hit in the open air restaraunts of France and Italy.

Pilot Light was especially noted for his exceptional front and style which was the trademark of the Pilot line. He was also known for the precious ability to stamp those characteristics on his children. The extensiveness of his record as a sire will never be fully understood in the country where he was born, but there is no doubt that his impact on the breed is among the greatest in history. Among his many winning and champion children were included: Int. Ch. Pilot's Enchantress V.H. Zuidenveld (#1 Boston in Europe in 1972), Int. Nord. Ch. Chilka Pilot Flash, Int. Ch. Lindy Lu V.H. Zuidenveld, the famous Int. Dutch Ch. Judy de Regione Palustri, Int. Ch. Oranjelust Pilot's Pop Art, Int. Ch. Oranjelust Pilot's Punch, Archie by the Birds, Bonny Boy of Sturgeon's Town, Int. Ch. Beauty Cinderella by the Birds, Ch. Canis Pophorn Phoebe and Assy v.d. Shone Aug. This list includes only those Champion and CC winning children which we are aware of. Addittionally, Pilot Light had children exported not only back to the United States, but also to South Africa. His two children who came to the United States were Ch. Oranjelust Pilot's Yakima Girl and none other than Int.Dutch/German/Belgian/Luxemborg/ French/Monaco/ American/Canadian Ch. Oranjelust Royal Showman who held the distinction of being a champion in the most countries of any Boston Terrier in history. Among Pilot Light's great number of grandchildren were included: Am/Can. Ch. SunGlo's Magnificient Showman (who was exported to Japan), Ch. Pilot's Glowing Torch Again, Ch. Barton's Make Believe Countess, Ch. SunGlo's Bewitchin Masquerade, Eng. Pollard's Penny From Heaven, Int. Ch. Hazel H.V. Zuidenveld, Int. Dutch/Ger./Lux. Ch. Moonlight de Regione Palustri, Int. Ch. Pollard's Beau Gueste, the famous English sire Ch. Chilka Washington and countless others.

Just A Few Pilot Light Progeny
 

Int. Ch. Oranjelust Royal Showman U.S. Import Previously held the breed record with being a champion in the most  countries with 8 countries. *	Ch. Oranjelust Pilot's Yakima Girl U.S. Import American & Canadian Champion	Int. Ch. Pilot's Enchantress vh Zuidenveld The #1 Boston in Europe in 1972 Exported to South Africa
Int. Ch. Oranjelust Pilot's Pop Art A top Dutch Boston of the 1970's	Pollard's Solitaire Whelped in England Details unknown about Solitaire's show record Please e-mail if you have info!	A beautiful litter by Pilot Light & Oranjelust I Do I Do The puppy at right is Ch. Oranjelust Pilot's Yakima Girl

Just A Few Pilot Light Grand-Progeny
 

Ch. Chilka Washington   A famous English sire of the 1980's and a sucessful show dog bred by Wendy Barker who owned Chilka Kennels. Chilka Washington resembled Pilot's Light grandfather, Ch. Pilot's Glowing Torch CD a great deal and produced many outstanding Bostons in England.	Am/Can. SunGlo's Magnificent Showman Nifty was later exported to Japan, little is known about his impact on the early history of Boston  Terriers in Japan.     If any Japanese breeders have Nifty in their pedigrees, please contact us and tell us about it!
Int. Ch. Moonlight de Regione Palustri The result of a potent combination of a Pilot Light daughter and Ch. Redwoods Glowing Kid Regards

As Pilot Light got on in years and Oetie Koudjis produced children and grandchildren of the highest order from him, he soon went on to live with Mrs. Shephard at Pollard Bostons in England and later spent his last years with Chris Knock at Balleris Kennels in the UK until his death in 1981.

 And his descendents continue on in every corner of the world today...
 

(Originally compiled from the notes of Ann Spurling, Harriet Kolias and the late Oetie Koudjis. 
Later additions from new notes from Mrs. Chris Knock. Written by Kelley Spurling)

Note: this article originally appeared as the Centerfold feature in the Winter 2000 issue of
The Boston Quarterly Magazine published by Hoflin Press.

(Later notes: It has recently come to light from English information that Pilot Light may have been a champion in another three additional countries; including France, Luxemborg and Denmark, which would bring his total to 7 countries. Previously, we were only aware of four countries (Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland) and these three extra countries remain unverified, though it's unlikely that that the Boston Terrier Club in England would make a mistake. If anyone has any additional information about Pilot Light being shown in these other countries, please drop us an email.

In regards to Roy's record of eight countries, he also had CC's in two more additional countries, but as he had to wait a year between his next CC's to earn those two titles, we decided that 8 countries was adequate! Roy's 8 country record established in 1973 was finally beaten by Int. Ch. Barroca's Fifty-Fifty of Finland, 30 years later in 2003. It should come as no great surprise that this new record holder just so happens to be a direct male descendent of Pilot Light!

Today, we are lucky enough to have a nice stud dog that is a combination of both Pilot Light's American descendents (via the last of our Pilot girls) and his European descendents (via Barroco's Fifty Fifty). His name is Brody, (UWP Flying Ford Taurus Fifty CGC TT) and he is available at stud.