History (cont.)
Following on from the history of Kennels in the West Country here is a selection of kennels that have evolved over the years, to the present day.
In 1976 we first became very much involved with Golden Retrievers when we had our 1st bitch. Having already bred Cocker Spaniels for some years with considerable success we decided to buy our 1st Golden retriever puppy, Jodi joined us, she was called Loddenvale Hurricane, she was By Ch Davern Figaro, big and blonde she stole our hearts.
We had a great time in the show ring and eventually had a litter from her.This was the start of many years showing & breeding.
During this time, we purchased a puppy from Lyn & George Hennessy, she was called Ritzilyn Lizzy Dripping, Jess was the start of great success in the show ring. Jess was mated to Sansue Consolidator in 1985, produced to super bitches, Sh Ch Seruilia Society Splash and Seruilia Sica Sue, owned by Yvette & Dave Mannings. These two girls became very much the foundation of both our kennel and the Gatchells lines.
During this time, we purchased a puppy from Lyn & George Hennessy, she was called Ritzilyn Lizzy Dripping, Jess was the start of great success in the show ring. Jess was mated to Sansue Consolidator in 1985, produced to super bitches, Sh Ch Seruilia Society Splash and Seruilia Sica Sue, owned by Yvette & Dave Mannings. These two girls became very much the foundation of both our kennel and the Gatchells lines.
From these lines we have produced time and time again sound quality puppies over 6 generations, we currently have a young puppy who is our 6 generation of home Bred lines. A number of our present dogs have gained their JW and stud book numbers. A few years ago l was very lucky to purchase a puppy from Yvette & Dave Mannings, Gatchells Lone Ranger At Seruilia. I wanted a dog from a new blood line which l felt now was a good time to introduce to my own lines. Shown as a Puppy he has proved to be a winner and continued into his Junior and adult life. Shown now on few occasions due mainly to the huge coat he carries, has proved to be a very successful Stud dog, producing many winning puppies and he has passed on his lovely biddable temperment. He is a real character.
Over the years many people have brought puppies from me, some have started them off showing and contined the blood- lines, but most important to me is the people who come back for a 2nd or even 3rd puppy over the years.
Now living in in North Devon our dogs enjoying the surrounding beaches and countryside .
We continue to breed from time to time,our aim is to produce sound biddable puppies of good quality.
Glennis Hewitson.
Living in the heart of the West Country this wonderful journey began .My husband and I attended a low key dog show with our Rescue German shepherd dog Una. It was at this show that I saw this magnificent young male Golden retriever, which turned out to be 'Kojak' alias Portcullis Napoleon owned by Roy Cooper ( Plymco). We got chatting and I found myself asking if he knew of any puppies around like Kojak .To cut a long story short, I ened up with Roy's pick of litter from Miss Wilkinson Redavon Konda Vhan ( Rebel) This was in 1975.
We started to show dogs and I was hooked!! In 1976 Kojak gained his show title and became Sh Ch Portcullis Napoleon Roy had his first litter from Rooftreetop Daniella x Sh Ch Portcullis Napoleon (Plymco line established) I had a puppy bitch from this litter in 1978 Plymco Melody who achieved her stud book number and also went BIS at SWGRC Open show.
Still very much very much a novice and not knowing anything about breeding and bloodlines, we had the relevant health checks and decided to have our first litter. After along discussion with Shirley Crick I rang Margaret & David Balaam( Pinecrest) we used Ch Pinecrest Salvaldor who had the most wonderful calm and steady temperament.
I applied for the affix "Steval" Steve after my husband and Val after myself.
Our first litter was born in 1980 this litter produced a CC winner this being Steval Truman owned by Margaret Porter, also in this litter Steval Harmony (Rcc). Both Truman and Harmony had a lot of success in the show ring .In 1983 Harmony had a litter producing Sh Ch Steval Melody Maker who was owned in partnership but lived and was campaigned by Margaret Porter.
Steval Melody Maker produced Steval Im Your Man (CC), Steval Sonata,who in turn was put to Steval Truman produced Steval Fantango Of Trebell JW (Rcc), Steval Rhapsody and the mating to Lindjan Kyoko produced Steval Latest Edition (Cassie) All had good careers in the ring. Cassie was put to Amberland Ski-Hi and produced Sh Ch Steval Mickey Finn at Ivycrest,Can Ch Steval Semitone, Steval Shoestring, Steval Spinnet at Millwater and my own Steval Encore who went on to produce Sh Ch Steval Story Teller and Steval Soul Singer ( Rcc) Otis sired of my Lindjan Step in Line With Steval and Canaleigh Hot Gospel .
Ch Captain Finn at Steval was bred by Ann Smyth (Kakada), sired by Sh Ch Steval Mickey Finn at Ivycrest, out of a S Soul Singer daughter Princess of The Universe. Captain Finn has sired some lovely puppies that have done well in the ring here and abroad including Bel/Ger Ch Chinnordale Skydiver,Steval the X Factor and his latest two puppies Swinging on a Star at Steval & Hairy McClary at Goldrealm.
A lot of thought goes into my breeding programe and I've continued to line breed back to Pinecrest Salvador.
Val Tregaskis (edited by T Tricker) "by permission of the GRC"
The Darthill kennel was actually founded in the 1960s by Mrs Vera Brice. As a young child I lived close by to Darthill and not owning a dog of my own I spent quite a lot of my spare time exercising and caring for the golden retrievers and cocker spaniels living there. When I got a bit older I was allowed to handle a couple of the show dogs one of which was Andy of Darthill the pair of us winning a few cards at local open shows and also doing reasonably well in the junior handling classes.
Then in the 1970s Mrs Brice bought in Pennard Golden Rosalie of Darthill (Cedric of Yeo x Pennard Golden Amethyst) who when put to Sh Ch Potcullis Napoleon produced Darthill Joyful with whom I did a fair bit of wining at both open and championship shows.Joy was mated to Brylees Dartmoor King of Ortanique and in this litter was Darthill Lavender Lady.
Co-owned with Mrs Brice, Lady was a wonderful showgirl, always giving 100% in the ring she did a lot of winning amassing many BOBs and group placing at open shows and was usually in the cards at championship shows.
Crufts 1990 saw her win her first CC which was the first for the kennel and what a show to do it at!
Later that year she won number two and three and became SH CH Darthill Lavender Lady.
She was shown the following year in a strong veteran class she was placed 2nd and then retired.
Meanwhile I had taken out a separate interest in the Darthill affix and had bought in a bitch from the Gwedhen kennel in cornwall - Gwedhen Blonde Bombshell at Darthill ( Mugs Game at Moorquest x Ken Fancy of Gwedhen ) was line bred to the excellent stud dog Ch Moorquest Mugwump. Breeze when mated to Unavale Fortune of Okus produced the kennels 2nd champion in Sh Ch Darthill Wind In The Willows and three years later when mated to Ipcress Sea Bird she produced the top winning sisters SH Ch Darthill Lily of The Valley and SH Ch Darthill Lavender and Lace. In 1994 Breeze was award top brood bitch in the breed. Lily and Lace were probably the youngest litter sisters to have ever been made up into show champions in this country.
Willow was mated to Amberland Sky Hi and produced Darthill Sea Breeze who attained her Junior Warrent at a young age.
Lily had a litter to Perrimay Hugo of Fenwood and her daughter Darthill Pick A lily was also a Junior Warrent winner for the kennel.
Pick A lily produced Darthill Moonlight N Roses who again was a Junior warrent winner.
In 2008 I bought in a male Shearstone Renegade at Darhill who in 2009 became the kennels 6th Junior warrent winner.
All our dogs live in the house and are first and foremost family pets and with so few litters having been produced at Darthill I am proud of the success I have achieved..
Cheryl Bawden MBE