News: April - June 2008

Sunday 22nd June

Yesterday, I made the long journey to Blackpool with Lesley McCourt to show under judge Frank Kane. I can't think of too much to write about it other than to say it was a disappointing day in terms of showing and added to that, I left my decent show clothes at home, the weather was atrocious, we got soaked and filthy, our Travel Lodge was practically on the hard shoulder of the M6 so had no sleep. All in all another perfect dog show day!!?? Today, we went to Whitstable just with Lila, still on the hunt for elusive Junior Warrant points, to find that she was the only one in her class! Well done to Lesley and Isla for their Best of Breed and Group 3, however!

Sunday 15th June

Today Dave went to Border Union - a long nine hour drive up to Scotland yesterday to go under new judge, Marion Morgan (Kessmari). Seamus finished second in Limit Dog but little Lila made the trip worthwhile by winning Junior Bitch. Rattan was second to Lila but also won Novice Bitch so both the girls are now neck and neck for their Junior Warrants. Fingers crossed for them both!

Tuesday 10th June

A great weekend for us! At the Northern ESS Championship Show on Sunday, under judge Di Conrad, (Stratnaver), Seamus was awarded the Reserve Dog CC to Sh Ch Trimere Trading Places at Sheledams. Lila finished second in Junior bitch and went on to win Under Graduate bitch. We did have some professional photos taken and will put them on the website in due course. Rattan was third in Junior but also won Novice bitch so all round a very nice day for the Peasblossoms!

Yesterday, at Three Counties and this time under Karl Payne (Cepen), Seamus was Reserve Best Dog and Lila, Reserve Best Bitch. Our hopes of a Junior Warrant for her are still alive!!

Most of all, it was lovely to have the chance to go to the shows together, spending a night away with the two dogs, who unbelievably were absolute angels!

Tuesday 3rd June

Today, we can confirm that the All Breed Educational Day raised £1140 for the Hepatitis Research fund. Lesley and I are 'over the moon' with this and feeling very pleased with ourselves. Of course, it is a relatively small sum in the great scheme of things, but as they say, from small acorns, big oak trees grow!

This afternoon Dave took some photos of Kye and Mattie - see their galleries for those and also some short video clips of the dogs in the garden. Click here to view.

Monday 2nd June

Yesterday was the All Breed Educational Day organised by Lesley McCourt and myself. It went well and hopefully a good time was had by all. We think we have raised just over £1000 for the Hepatitis Research project which is fantastic news. Our thanks to all who attended, helped, organised, cooked and cleaned - it wouldn't have been possible without you!

As that project has come to an end, I felt that a new look for the website was in order. Hopefully, it doesn't look too 'gothic'!! But, as I spent the whole of today doing it, even if it does look a tad sombre, it will have to stay sombre for at least another six months! I have added a 'new' photo of Honey to her page - of course this isn't really new, but it is the first time that I have wanted to share this photo of her with the world.

Dave took Lila to Southern Counties on Friday. She was entered in three classes and won one of those, and came second in the other two. She is crawling her way slowly towards her Junior Warrant, but is starting to run out of time. Perhaps it would have been a good idea to have taken her to more shows!

Seamus' litter has been born in Sweden to Lea - five girls and one boy. All are doing well. We will be seeing them in a months time when we go out to Sweden for the World Show. Our own 'Puppy Register' has been updated today with details of a litter recently born at the Beresford kennel in Yorkshire. See details on the Current Litters page.

Sunday 25th May

Not too much happening here at present but Seamus has been busy of late and we look forward to finding out if he is going to be a father again in the not too distant future. Grynet has had her puppies to Dez out in Sweden - nine altogether, two boys and seven girls. All are doing well. Lea is due any day now to Seamus.

Mattie and Kye are fine. Kye, finally, has cracked the toilet-training concept. Mattie hasn't! In desperation, we bought some Puppy Training pads to try. Within five minutes she had shredded it - not quite what we had in mind. Sigh......

Friday 16th May

Click here to read about the All Breed Educational Day. Please come and help us raise money for research into Hepatitis. Our own beautiful girl, Honey was lost to this disease at only two years old and many other dogs have also been lost at too young an age. Please help us to help the research project by joining us for a great and informative day. You can read more on the Hepatitis project on Honey's pages (Go to In Memoriam).

Good news - Kye is getting the message!!! Matilda is still not getting it.....

Tuesday 13th May

No show news at least for our dogs, but on Sunday, Jacky judged at Mid Herts Gundog. BOB was Petranella Perfickly Dealt, RBOB Trimere Top Score and BP, Petranella Just Perfick. It was an unbelievably hot day - too hot really for the dogs and their owners who were all quite red by the time they had finished running round the ring several times!!

Matilda and Kye still have not mastered the art of toilet training at the advanced age of sixteen weeks. So far there have been only one or two pees (in their lifetime!!) outside in the garden and they save the rest for when they come back into the house. Perseverance, hopefully, is the answer, but if you hear a very loud cheer from Kent, you will know that we have had success!!!

Thursday 8th May

Good news today that at the National Dog Show in Birmingham, under judge David Shields, Rattan won both Junior Bitch and Novice Bitch! Well done Rats!!

Monday 5th May

Today we have added new action photos of Holly, taken at her second show in Sweden, where she finished Best Puppy In Show! It sounds and looks as though she had a great time!!! We think she is going to enjoy herself in the showring which is great to hear. Thank you Emelie for sending these pictures to us.

Also, a new photo of Rattan - this was taken at Crufts - and we thank Suvi Lindholm for allowing us to use it.

Wednesday 23rd April

Some new photos and information added today. Beautiful photos of Holly added to her gallery, taken the day before she was six months old....one of Seamus also added of him taking part in the Breeders Group at Vasteras. We do have some video footage of the Vasteras show, but need to work out how to get it from the camera to the PC first of all! Information and details of the decision made about Izzie's next litter. Go to 'Planned Litters' to read about that. We have said goodbye to Alfie who has gone to a 'forever' home with Alison and Phil Lanes we send him all our love for the future. Alfie and Grynet have 'been moved', sadly, to the Dogs From The Past section. As you can tell, not much housework has been done today.....!

Monday 21st April

Today we are back home after a flying visit to Sweden. Grynet, of course, was in whelp - her scan showed six puppies at least. We look forward to hearing good news in a few weeks time that they have arrived safely. Most of all, we want to say thank you to Helene and David for allowing her to come and stay with us and to Grynet, a big kiss for being such a sweet, sweet girl. We'll miss you 'Gryn'!!!

A weekend of mixed emotions - the sadness of saying goodbye to Grynet was made a little easier by the fact that Seamus is back home with us. It looks as though he has had a very hectic time as he has been fast asleep on the sofa since we arrived back in England several hours ago. While we were in Sweden we went to a show at Vasteras. All three litter mates, Seamus, Zola and Hope were entered at the show and all three needed only one more CC to become Swedish Show Champions. Zola and Hope were successful so congratulations to them. Seamus finished third best dog to his father Fritz and brother, Zola and will have to wait for another time to try for his Swedish title. Perhaps next year.....?? Seamus' mother, Kylie went on to win Best Bitch and BOB, and finished the day winning Group 2. The Barecho Breeders Group, consisting of Seamus, Zola, Hope and Olivia also won BIS! A great day all round.

It was also the first chance for us to see Holly, Barecho Qualified To Show, who will be joining us some time in the summer. What a lovely little girl. We did take some photos which we will download tomorrow, when we are less tired! It is such a long way to drive to Sweden - you cannot imagine! Dave did all the driving as I pulled a muscle in my neck while in Sweden, but I had been determined to see Seamus at the Vasteras show, and managed it, aided by plenty of painkillers and wine supplied by David! It was a particularly good trip there but longer coming back. Sweden looked as beautiful as ever - one day we will spend more time enjoying the scenery rather than just whizzing to Arsunda and back! The 'Sat Nav' failed us on the trip home, taking us a different way altogether, with a lot of roadworks and long delays. We drove the wrong way down a cycle lane in Gent, Belgium. scattering cyclists and pedestrians every which way! We are fully expecting to be featured on Crimewatch Belgium with CCTV footage of a 'white van man' with a very grumpy expression, woman with drug-induced grin and a dog resembling 'Scooby Doo' in the back! Well, maybe not...

Forgot to mention that Dave took Lila and Izzie to Windsor Gundog the day before we left for Sweden. The judge was Jack Elliot (Jonabar) and we were thrilled when Lila was awarded the Junior class and also Reserve Best of Breed behind Roandew Farr Frommit. Lila hasn't let her mother, Izzie, forget this!

Monday 14th April

Liam and Lila went with Dave to the ESSC Championship Show on Saturday. Both were third in their respective Junior Classes, under judge, Alan Bower (Bowswood).

Well preparations are under way to go to Sweden this coming Thursday - the Eurostar is booked, the currency is ordered, dog sitters on standby but we still don't know if Grynet is in whelp!! Her scan is arranged for Wednesday afternoon so we are praying for good news. She is looking quite plump and is permanently hungry but then Grynet is always hungry so perhaps this is not the best indicator. We have decided to go to Sweden with or without her so if there are no puppies, she will be staying in England for a bit longer and re-visiting Dez in a few months time. We hope to have a good weekend - seeing Helene and the family and of course Seamus and Holly. We can't wait!!

Friday 4th April

Good news from Sweden that Seamus and Lea have been mated, so hopefully some beautiful puppies will arrive in 9 weeks time. No more shows for Seamus now until 19th April and this time we hope to be there to see him! Still not sure if Grynet is in whelp but we feel a little bit like she might be.

Finally, important news of a Breed Educational Day that Lesley McCourt and myself are organising. The idea for the seminar came about as a way of raising money for the Cambridge University research project into Chronic Hepatitis. Of course, this is a cause very close to my own heart and it would be great to feel that we can help by contributing some much needed funds. Please click here for details of the Educational Day. We are sure that it will be a most enjoyable and informative day so please come and join us. Contact details for futher information are at the bottom of the 'Flyer'.