March 2024

And so we find autumn here already and leave behind a summer that was truly a mixed bag! I’ve been here since 2001 and this is the first year the lovely cool sea breeze hasn’t been a regular evening feature. It was what made summers quite bearable, so I’m very grateful for the A/C the family shouted me…although I use it very little, it’s a real life saver when I finish feeding up and can have a cool drink inside! 

I sold a pup recently whom I’d willingly swap lives with….see photo above!!

Well, after the disaster of losing Gibson I had to revise stud breeding plans and make an effort to retain as much of his genetics as possible… Wills x Gin Fizz was his breeding. The last Fizz litter was to be her swan song, the pups were named with that in mind! Adios/Kelso is back home and I really like her no nonsense approach to work…her attitude to water is another matter! This video was taken not long after she got off the carrier from Cooma. 

We also hope to get another litter from Gossip by Barney; she was from the first WillsxFizz litter, Gibson and Flora Dora from the second and Gin Cruiser and Kelso from the third. Done’n’Dusted, also from the last litter, is looking really nice and there’s a possibility of getting progeny from her later on.

Thinking we’d have Gibson for a decade or so, I didn’t keep a bitch from his Livvy litter, but fortunately the lovely people who bought my favourite bitch pup are happy to consider bringing her back as she grows up for a look at stock and maybe a future mating. So I felt a wee bit better… but seeing the three Gibson progeny working this month just rubbed in what we’d lost. Emma was down for a few days and she started some pups including Sandy(Gibson x Sheps Sandy)and her brother Simpson. Both have eye and style, Sandy looks to have exceptional skill, had a run with Creed, then alone. Her litter named after deserts…

Our older girl Sun(Gibson x Elwanvale Sunny)blew us away. Only had 3 or 4 runs previously a few months ago and this is straight out of her kennel! She’s a very well grown bitch, I’m seriously thinking of mating her first heat, something I haven’t done for a long time. With only two bitches by Gibson I’m anxious to get some pups from them.

So after being pretty excited by the Gibson kids we gave a couple of Barney x Mina boys a look. We have Hackett, Perkins and Libby Trickett from this litter. Libby hasn’t started yet but the boys were lovely. Another dog pup Klim/Bravo is with Michael Croft at Leyburn, he’s very keen to work and snuck out recently and got the Angus bull to back up!

 

 

So when the sheep emerge from the jungle that is their grazing at present I’ll see how Libby and the three Naka pups perform. They’re nice pups.

The other boy from this litter has gone to his new home near Merriwa.

And here’s one of Sun who starred in the video above!

So to finish up this blog here’s one for those still trying to stay cool…the girl I sent to Japan in October with her new buddy!