Beldones Duchess of Dreams JW - Duchess
Geko De Midland Valley x Beldones Diamonds n Pearls. Hips 4:7

Well, what to say about Duchess. She came, she saw and she conquered our hearts.

An absolute character, in and out of the ring! She started off her career with Best Puppy in Show at 6 months on the day at Yorkshire Collie open, and has been consistently placed since. 3 Best Puppy in Breed awards at championship shows (Three Counties, West of England Collie and East Anglian Collie where she was also Best Puppy in Show,) and other class wins gave her a Junior Warrant whilst still a minor puppy. She was also Best Bitch, Reserve Best in Show and Best Puppy in Show at Northumberland and Durham open.

2016 got off to a great start when she won Best Bitch and Reserve Best in Show at Northumberland and Durham. At the prestigious British Collie Club’s Junior Collie of the Year, she was awarded top spot, then at their championship show she was announced as the winner of the Ladypark points trophy winner, awarded to the top winning puppy throughout the year. Quite an achievement.

Further class wins followed at open and championship level, before she took time off for maternal duties. In August, she gave birth to a lovely litter of 6 and was a superb mum.

Her return to the ring in 2017 has produced good results, with class wins at London and Provincial open and a Best of Breed at Newark & DCS and Heckington Agricultural. She was Reserve Best Bitch at WELKS, Reserve Best of Breed at Collie Association open and Best of Breed at East of England.

2018 started with her winning Best Bitch at Boston and she has been well placed since. In June she came into season and produced a lovely litter of 4 by my own Harry, Takhisis Trick or Treat.

During 2019 she was steadily well placed and became the first here to pass her KC Good Citizen Bronze, something we really enjoyed. 2020 got off to a super start with a BOB and G3 at Matlock CS, then RBB at London & Provincial Collie open and her Good Citizen Class at Crufts

As with many, Covid put a stop to a super start, but we did continue our training when classes re-opened and she was awarded her KC Good Citizen Silver.
When shows resumed in 2021, she was selectively shown with good results.
Highlight of her year was through her daughter, Takhisis Hope and Dreams with Gataj, who was awarded her 2nd CC at Blackpool and 3rd and crowning CC at Collie Association. We’re so very proud.

Takhisis Aphrodite JW Fr Jnr Ch - 'Amy'
Geko De Midland Valley x Beldones Pandora
Hips 3:3, CEA unaffected, MDR1 +/-

Introducing Amy, the glamorous one. The whole litter was lovely, but Amy appealed for her head and eye. As she is growing her overall shape looks promising and she is very outgoing.

Above March 2018

Her puppy career got off to a great start winning BP & BOB on her debut at Bridlington & DCS. Since then she has been BP at Retford CS and Nottingham Sherwood Foresters, where she was also PPG2. At championship shows she won her class at Midland Collie and Crufts, and was 2nd at British Collie, Scottish Breeds and Collie Club of Wales.

She then took BPIS at East Anglian Collie open and BPB at Northumberland and Durham Collie Ch before crossing the channel to compete at the ENE in France. From a class of 28, she won the Youth Bitch class and went on to being shortlisted to the last 3 for Best of Breed from all unbeaten class winners, then challenging the Youth Dog winner to take Best Youth – what a weekend!
On her return to UK soil, she was BPIB and RBPIS as Lancashire and Cheshire Ch, won her class at Bath and was BPIS at British Collie Open. This gave her the final points towards her Junior Warrant, before promptly losing her coat! Many thanks to all judges who have thought highly of her.

She has also passed her Kennel Club Puppy Foundation course, my first venture into obedience!

2019 has been a quiet year as she really needs a litter to finish her off. She was 2nd in MLB at N&D Ch show, and returned to France to take her temperament test, which she passed with flying colours to gain her French Youth Champion Title. The same weekend she decided to fully drop her coat, so it will be a while before she goes back in the ring again!

2020 got off to an exciting start when Amy finally came into season and produced a fantastic litter of 8 by Harry. I shall be keeping a sable bitch, Lily.

Once she’d recovered from her litter, Amy also started KC Good Citizen Classes and managed to achieve her Silver Award the weekend before the October lockdown. 2021 was a year to remember in her story. In February she had a freak accident and was hit by a tractor. Miraculously she only suffered leg injuries, but it meant taking it easy for a while. Then, just as she looked well enough to go to a show in April, she came into season. Anything to get out of going to a show! In June, she produced a super litter of 9 to Wicani Cloak and Dagger, chosen for his great set of DNA results as well as being a super example of a collie. I’ve kept a daughter, Dawn and look forward to seeing some of her siblings in the ring in 2022. And maybe getting her back in the ring as well!

Takhisis Lady of Illusions - 'Lily'
Takhisis Trick or Treat x Takhisis Aphrodite JW, Fr Jnr Ch MDR1 CLEAR, IPD CLEAR, GCS CLEAR, HIPS 3:3, ELBOWS 0:0

Introducing Lily, the long-awaited daughter of Amy. Given her parents, I was expecting good shape in this litter, and I was not disappointed. She reminds me of mum at this age, so I’m looking forward to seeing her develop.

Being born in the midst of Covid lockdowns, I knew I’d have to work hard at making sure she was well socialised. As soon as possible, she was enrolled onto the KC course, starting with Puppy Foundation and then Bronze. Once the winter lockdown was eased, she went onto Silver and passed after only a couple of classes. She’s also had a go at fun agility over the summer, but I don’t think this is her forte!

In 2021 Lily’s first show was as a Junior at East Anglian where she was 2nd and then promptly lost her coat. I showed her at Driffield where she won her class and then she came into season and was mated to Ch Magical Moon of Lowlands Green Valley for Chantique then, in November 2021 she produced a litter of 5 from which I kept a daughter, Mischief.

Once she’s regrown her coat, she was consistently well placed during 2022 and into 2023, gaining her stud book number at East of England by winning limit bitch under Jim Peach.

Takhisis Midsummer Dawn - 'Dawn'
Wicani Cloak and Dagger x Takhisis Aphrodite JW, Fr Jnr Ch,
CEA Clinically Clear (6 weeks) DNA CARRIER, MDR1 CARRIER, DM CARRIER, IPD CLEAR, PRA CLEAR
Hips 3:2, Elbows 0:0

Consistently well placed at all shows attended, she was Best Puppy in Breed at Paignton Ch show under Duna Jones and a frequent class winner throughout her puppy and junior career. At open shows, she won Best of Breed at Bridlington CS and Coventry Ladies Kennel and Reserve Best of Breed at Newark & DCS and Retford CS.

At just 18 months I entered her in Limit at Southern Counties hoping for a stud book number. She more than exceeded expectations by winning not only her class but also the RC under renowned allrounder Espen Engh.