Gaytonwood Golden Retrievers
I owned my first golden when I was five. He was called Kim and was a present from my Grandfather who bred Goldens and Labradors in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. I had spent holidays with him during my childhood and loved being with his dogs. Kim died at the age of six by picking up some poison. We then had Amber who lived with us, on the farm until she died at the age of 10. We also had a yellow Labrador called Jenny and I know nothing of her origins or pedigree.
When I had a home of my own I decided to get my own Golden Retriever dog. Bourdon Silver Fir (Ben) was purchased from Bill and Christine. He was by Fernavy Diplomat of Bourdon out of Hardingstone Gold Harvest. He was not bought to show but as a pet. I trained him for obedience and he represented our local club in matches and demonstrations. I attempted to show him (when he was about five) but, by then, he was happier sitting down than standing and therefore did not do very well.
I decided I wanted a dog to show and we purchased Baccarian Mister Nibbles (Teak). He did well when he got to Junior and won two 1sts at his and my first Championship Show under Mrs. Iles-Hebbert. He won a BIS, BIG and numerous BOB's at Open Shows.
I then wanted to have a dog to campaign and bought Motlaisa Commander in Chief. (Dexter) Dexter was a dream to own and show. He wagged his tail, stood foursquare and moved well. He qualified for Crufts at his first Championship Show, gained his Show Gundog Qualifier, won a Reserve Challenge Certificate and numerous BOB's and BP awards along the way.
When it came time to buy another dog I spent some time looking and then realised that if I wanted to start my own 'line' I needed a bitch. I bought Jamescroft Kameo (Wispa) from Hilda James. She won well as a Puppy and into Junior but never quite hit the top spots. When I started to go picking up and beating for my gamekeeper brother, we found out what she was really good at!! She was a natural and after the first season, I decided to start to compete in Working Tests. She took a break for a litter from which we kept G. Gunner and G. Genevieve.
We struggled along for a while, not really getting anywhere and then after the next shooting season, we were 'taken in hand' by a man on the shoot who trained spaniels. He showed me how to train her and gave me lots of basics in order to get started. I worked solidly on the training of Wispa and attended more Working Tests where the two of us 'clicked' and we started getting placed. I then entered my first Field Trial. I went along to Eastern Counties All Aged Stake to help and to watch and learn. I then entered her in a few Trials. My nerves always got the better of me and although she was a good game finder, by the middle of the trial I made stupid errors and went out. She was never quite fast enough or stylish enough for trials but gave me lots of experience and fun competing.
The next year we started being consistently placed at Working tests but the elusive 1st place never came our way. We had so many 2nd's! I started training with Pat Taft and he got me thinking more about how I worked with the dog and she responded well to this, continuing to gain places along the way.
This year (2001) Wispa and I competed in the Eastern Counties Golden Retriever Club Novice Dog/Novice Handler competition and we won! Her first, first and I have now retired her from competition!!! (Unbeaten) We were second the previous year!!
We had Benatone Dexter's Rio from Dexter's first litter. She was placed whilst a puppy but she never really 'came on' as we had hoped. She went to the Dogs for the Disabled Charity where she passed her training and qualified. I believe she lives in Leeds with her new owner.
My brother had bred a young Labrador bitch which he found difficult to train as she was too sensitive for him! I asked if I could 'borrow' her to see if she would work for me. Jet of Stowe Wood came to live here and I took her to Pat for training as well. She and I started to click towards the end of that summer and against Pat's advise I did a lot of picking up with her over the winter. She made me more acceptable on local shoots (rather than a pale golden) as gamekeeper thought if I had a black Labrador I seemed to fit in better. She excelled as a game finder and her speed helped me get the runners and she became invaluable. I did 'lend her' back to my brother when her mother Bella was unexpectedly put to sleep to save her suffering from a liver problem.
To replace Bella my brother bought Sulleyshill Jake of Brindlebay from Mike Tallemy. He was about 15 months old, had won a puppy test and was just the right dog for my brother. I tried to suggest I competed with him during the summer time but after his experience of losing Jet this way he refused.
I decided to have a litter from Jet and Jake was the perfect choice to sire them. From this litter I kept Gaytonwood Bramble. I let Jet go and live with a friend from Cheltenham when she lost her beloved rescue Golden. She now has a life of luxury and sleeps in Elizabeth's bedroom.
G. Genevieve (Georgie) and G. Gunner were the terrible twins. By Dexter out of Wispa they changed our lives, but most of all the garden!!! They were shown and did well as puppies but Gunner went to live with my friend Debbie's parents to allow me to concentrate on Georgie. She tried picking up but will only do it when it suits her, she is excellent at beating and really enjoys that. (She has to be kept at heel for the first two drives to calm her down) She does obedience, in her own way, when she feels like it. She has produced four lovely litters. We kept G. Vegas and G. Vienna out of the first and G. Dazzler out of the second. The third litter was a repeat mating of Dazzle and nothing was going to stay. G. Sapphire and G. Sugar Plum stayed!!! The fourth litter was an accident when Georgie led my young dog, Flynn, astray and mated him when he was only 13 months - the poor boy never had a chance once this floozy enticed him around the corner and had her wicked way with him. I had intended to do this mating but not at that time. We didn't keep anything from this litter as we had not long moved into our new home and we had not intended to have a litter at this time.
Vegas and Vienna were placed during their puppy careers but the star of that litter was G. Victoria of Southernhay, owned by Jean and Ian Hay and shown by Mary Pickstock who owns Croombrand Blakely Heath, father of the pups. Vicky was consistently placed during her puppy career and won Best Puppy in Show at NWGRC Championship Show. She then went on to win her last points for the Junior Warrant and Reserve Challenge Certificate at Driffield Championship Show under Mrs. Joan Grimmett the weekend before she was 18 months old.
Vegas has won and been placed at many Championship Shows and has been awarded BP, BOB's and a RBIS award, qualifying for Crufts. Vienna has been placed at Championship Shows but prefers to be in the shooting field and working obedience. We lost Vegas in an accident just after his fifth birthday which was heart breaking.
Bramdale Riva with Gaytonwood is by Dexter out of Wispa's litter sister Jamescroft Kascade at Bramdale (Heidi) and was bred by Tricia Page. Sarah Jackson (Benatone) and I own her in partnership. She won Minor Puppy at her first Championship Show and was placed consistently throughout her puppy hood. She then lost her coat and has never been in good enough condition to bring her out when there have been shows scheduled. She should have looked lovely at Crufts, if it had been held in March - by May she would have looked better in the Labrador ring!
Dazzle was the next female member of the family. She was one of only two bitches in a litter of 11. She was pale, loud and fast! (Still is) She waltzed into ringcraft at 11 weeks and stood like she had been doing it for years. Nothing seems to bother her. She did well in her puppy career, being placed at East of England, Bournemouth, Leeds, WKC, Darlington, ECGRC, Gundog of Wales, SWGRC, BDCGRC, Gundog Breeds of Scotland and MGRC Championship shows and has won firsts and Best Puppy awards at many Open Shows including Leicester Gundog, Lincoln, Sedgely and Gornal, Tamworth, Dukeries, EELKS and Rugeley. She gained her Junior Warrant and KC Stud Book Number. Her litter brother Gaytonwood Daydreamer was placed 5th at Midland Counties, his only Championship Show and had a couple of 1sts and places at Open Shows.
We repeated this lovely mating in 2002. I wasn't keeping anything from this litter but Sugar somehow stayed with us and her sister Sapphire came back to us at 9 months old and didn't leave.
In November, Bramble produced a lovely litter to the newly crowned Field Trial Champion Barweston Apollo of Staftly, and these pups have all gone to their new families. Unfortunately Bramble was killed in an accident when we moved to our new home and this put my Labrador plans on hold.
In December 2001 we had an invasion from Scotland and Eyevalley Highland Flynn for Gaytonwood arrived here. He bounced in, became great friends with Dazzle and the two play constantly. Andy spoilt him when he first arrived but he only has eyes for me. He won well as a puppy and then as a gangly teenager with no coat he was consistently placed but failed to get just enough firsts for his Junior Warrant. He started to work and showed great promise.
In early April, Riva produced a litter of three girls to Ryders Pathfinder to Kennelridge and Gaytonwood Chaos was chosen to stay here. Her name came from my state of mind at the time of the whelping!!! Moving home, having pups, work ................... Chaos!!! She moved to live in Newmarket and is settled in with a lovely family.
Dazzle and Georgie had litters in February 2003. We weren't intending to have puppies until later in the year but I decided that I wanted a last puppy by Dexter and as he was soon going to be 10, I mated him to Dazzle on Christmas Day. Georgie and Flynn is another story!!!! Thyme stayed out of Dazzle's litter but although she was a beautiful puppy her mouth was not correct and so she went to live in Derbyshire with a lovely family.
In order to get another puppy from Dexter's lines I purchased a puppy from Eilish and Jimmy King of the Rostherne kennel and Rain came to Gaytonwood. She is a Dexter grand-daughter by Sh Ch Golmas Governor JW. She is a delightful character who leaps and bounds through life.
In March 2004 Saff had a litter to Sh Ch Ronjalee Rag Trade JW and we kept Ritzy. This little pale golden bundle has had a lot of success so far in the show ring in puppy classes and we hope to continue to have a lot of fun with her. Her mother Saff gained her Stud Book number in 2004.
Flynn gained his Show Gundog Working Certificate in December 2004, proving he had brains as well as being a handsome boy and he had sired some lovely litters and we hope to see some of his progeny in the ring in 2005. He gained his KC Stud Book Number in style, winning Limit Dog at Ulster GRC Championship Show in April 2005 and then went further and won the Dog Reserve Challenge Certificate. Many thanks to John Tiranti the judge on the day. He also went on to gain the first part of his KC Working Gundog certificate and competed in working tests. I lost him in August 2005 and I don't think I'll ever get over his loss. Luckily I had purchased a daughter of his Lanssonne Holly Berry by Gaytonwood from Susan and David Hailstone so his line will hopefully continue in our kennel.
His first daughter in the ring Roxali Lazuli Beauty was placed 5th at Birmingham Championship Show and has won a first at an Open show so far.
In 2005 we qualified Ritzy, Flynn and Berry for Crufts and the lows being losing Flynn.
In 2006 we had a successful year (see the diary pages) the highlights being Ritzy gaining her stud book number and then in December her Show Gundog Working Certificate, Xanthos Zinq with Gaytonwood arriving and starting his show career off by being Best Puppy In Show at Eastern Counties Championship show Pebbles and Paddy qualified for Crufts but Paddy decided showing was not his thing and so retired!!!! Thierry sired his first litters and hopefully some of his progeny will be in the ring in 2007. Berry and Rain had some lovely puppies who have settled in to their new homes and are bringing joy to their new owners. Gaytonwood Young Hustler for Toddrosa has had an excellent start to his show career with Pat Todd, qualifying for Crufts and being placed regularly at the shows he has attended, winning many Best Puppy Awards on the way and Di Roses' Gaytonwood Pollyanna for Azteca has regularly been placed but has not always carried a full coat to do her justice. She will be mated in 2007.
The Future
We intend to continue showing Ritzy, Pebbles, Zinq and Ellie in 2007 and intend to mate Pebbles, Sugar and Ritzy during the year.
The photo link at the side of the page will take you to some photo's of our dogs and their progeny.
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