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Our History and News
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Our latest Australian Champion - Ch Benannand Bonnie Girl How it all started With Cairn Terriers We have always had terriers (Australian and Silky) as pets, however never been involved in showing them. We had purchased our last Aussie with the intention of showing however being newly married other things like house renovations etc. took priority during those years. When our last 2 were getting on in years we realised they would unfortunately not be with us forever and decided it was time to look for replacements and maybe this time try showing them.
The logical place to start was at a dog show where you would expect to see a good range of breeds. Even though we went with an open mind to look at all breeds we soon found ourselves among the terriers in Group 2. At this time we didn't even know there was a breed called cairn terriers until we met Fiona Ward with her Cairns that she was showing. We took an instant like to the breed and Fiona was very helpful in providing some information. We went to a few smaller shows and Fiona suggested we go to the Cairn Terrier Club of Victoria Champ show to see a good number of them.
After having our name down with the club for what seemed an eternity eventually Barbara Candela offered us with a Balbridie bitch puppy called Sugar NSpice who we called Candy. Barbara was very helpful with grooming assistance etc and we were suddenly in the dog show world. Showing Candy was a big learning curve for both Candy and us and initially I think Candy thought she knew what was supposed to happen more than we did, but over time we got there and she became the first Australian Champion that we made up.
Our Benannand foundation line
We wanted to have 2 dogs and were very keen on Ross, Kay & Fiona Ward’s English import Aust Ch Biorsadh Penpal (Ben) he also had a great personality and was full of life. We asked Fiona if we could possibly have one of his pups and we were offered Achnacone Designer Label (Susie) who has effectively become the foundation bitch in our Benannand line. Susie was our first introduction to the dramatic change to coat colour that can occur in Cairn Terriers. She started as a wheaten coloured pup with only a few dark hairs developing in a small patch on her back and now she is a very dark brindle.
The Wards were kind enough to allow Susie to be mated with their next English import Aust Ch Pinetop Dillon so we were about to experience our first litter and needed a Kennel name. The selected name should be Scottish we thought so we came up with Ben (as we live on a small hill) and Annand, which is the name of Greg's Scottish ancestors who came to Australia and put them together as Benannand.
Our first litter from Aust Ch Pinetop Dillon and Achnacone Designer Label (Susie) produced 2 pups. The first born we called Benannand Initial Design who was also the pick of the litter and was affectionately named Tammy.
Tammy was more successful in the ring at an early age and won several in-group awards and Runner-up in Show at the Cairn Terrier Club of Victoria Open show. She then had a flat period where she lost interest in showing and we eventually decided it was time to have a litter from her. We were very impressed by a local dog Ch Rebelglen Piano Man (Billy) owned by John Davidson. Billy had qualities which we felt would combine nicely with Tammy and John agreed to a mating which produced 5 healthy pups.
This mating turned out to be a good decision in more ways than one because we kept a dog, BENANNAND Take Note (Bobby), and a bitch puppy BENANNAND Uptown Girl (Bree) named after their sire, both have done well in their own right. Once Tammy had got over having the litter we decided to enter her in some shows again and she now seemed to have regained her vigour at shows, quickly gaining CC's and her Aust Ch title. She regularly obtaining CC's with the occasional in-group award, some in show awards and also won a Best Exhibit in Group. The 2 pups we kept have been very successful to the extent that they placed Tammy in second position in the Cairn Terrier Club of Victoria point score for Top Dam in 2003, made her Top Dam in 2004 and equal joint winner in 2005. We have been very pleased with both Aust Ch BENANNAND Take Note (Bobby) and his sister Aust Ch BENANNAND Uptown Girl (Bree). Whilst neither are perfect (and we have yet to see the perfect Cairn) they have both been competitive and successful in their own right and both have obtained their Aust Champion title.
Bobby and Bree now have their own offspring in the ring- Bobby's son CH BENANNAND Double Take (Toby)and Bree's daughters Ch BENANNAND Bonnie Girl and Ch BENANNAND Lady Sarah. They have all won multi BOB & CC's, In -Group & In- show awards and Toby has to date won a Best Exhibit in Group and a few R/up in Group Awards. Ch Benannand Take Note after winning Best Aust Bred in Show Ch Benannand Uptown Girl winning Best Exhibit In Open Cairn Show |
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