Above Jade pottering in the field Autumn 2007, a contented old girl.

Her half sister, Radmillane Pandora at Katelands arrived in 1995. Jade was a completely different dog to Emma, larger, with a lot more bone, and far naughtier. When she came home in 1995, she had no whiskers because she had put her head into a bonfire where potatoes were cooking and singed her face. It really didn't get alot better, although I do admit that she did make me laugh and love her so much. She didn't have any common sense, did get too close to the big brown thing on several occassions, and was so accident prone because she ran first and thought later. We hadn't worked our dogs or done any stop whistle work back then, which is why we now know it is so important. Most of this has been caused by the desire for food, whether alive or dead. Rabbits were always fair game, and having had an irate father remonstrate with me because his children were upset to see her eat a rabbit will always stay fondly in my memory. (I said you're in the country , she's a gundog, but then she did gulp it down with a crunch and burped so maybe he had a point etc etc ha ha). However not funny because I worried about her getting bloat all the way home, and now teach all my dogs the stop whistle.
She had a great showing career, winning a Reserve Challenge Certificate, 2 Best in Shows at open level, many Group and Best of Breed wins at Open Level. We didn't breed from Emma, not wanting to rush into what I percieve as 'we have a winning dog, lets breed'. We felt at that time we weren't knowledgable enough to breed and to advise people. In hindsight, maybe that wasn't the right attutude as I can now appreciate how it feels to continue a beloved family line.

Jade had 3 litters, from the 1st we had out beautiful Katelands Carina. She won 17 Best Puppy in Breeds on the trot, won the Special Puppy Class at Crufts in 1999, and topped that by being awarded Best Puppy In Breed (Crufts 1999).  She was tragically taken away from us far too young, and left a huge hole in our lives.

In 2003 we were given the opportunity to buy a German Shorthaired Pointer from Fio Roberts of the Famous Isara Kurzhaar kennel.
When we went to see him I was bowled over! Not only was he a stunning dog to look at, he had the best of temperaments. He wasn't manic, he was quiet, calm, happy without being over the top, and had the most gorgeous eyes. He wasn't the typical GSP that I had seen around the rings at shows, and I knew he was something special.  I fell in love with him there and then and took him home with me.
Even Lindsay, my husband, didn't know about this until he saw his head peaking from around the door that night.
 So Isara Kurzhaar Innkeeper at Katelands, or Jack as he is so well known by, moved in. 
  He became my first Show Champion, winning 4 Challenge Certificates, 5 Reserve Challenge Certificates, Numerous 1st placings at Championship level, Best In Show, Reserve Best In show, Many Group wins and Best of Breed wins at open level.
He was awarded his Show Certificate of Merit in 2007 after only 4 months of campaigning to get it. 

Best of all, I decided that in order to get the best out of these hunting dogs, to prevent as many injuries and bad behaviour as possible, I had to start at least basic obedience combined with gundog training.
Jack surprised me, and everybody else, when in 2006 at the age of 2 1/2 we
started training for Gundog working tests and  how quickly he picked up what was expected of him. He has a very good nose, is a keen swimmer and marks his birds well. It is hard work and often very frustrating, but when it all comes together with the dog and yourself finally working together, it is one of the best feelings in the world.  
He was placed at Gundog working tests in 2006 and has had 3 very good runs in 2008, coming 11th out of 43 runners at the HV Working Test, and 5th in Open at the GSPC Retrieving test. He scored an outstanding 93/100 at the Hungarian Wirehaired GWT in August 2007.
He is also a proven Stud Dog who is passing on his brains and beauty to his offspring, both in the show ring and working events.

In 2005 Sireva Singapore Straits to Katelands, or Alice arrived. She is a happy, sweet Weimaraner who likes nothing better than being out in the field. She has a fantastic pedigree, as you look further back into her lines you find that she shares dogs and breeding lines that are the same as my first weimaraners Emma, and Jade, She is a fantastic dog with a loveable character. Due to my commitments with my other dogs, she isn't shown very often.
   In 2007 she had her first litter. I was the proverbial mother hen.  I spent 2 weeks sleeping next to her and the puppies, my attitude being, if you want something to turn out well, you have to put the effort in. This paid off in that after 8 weeks we had 9 fantastic pups, one of whom we kept.
 
 Hence Katelands Christmas Spirit J.W, Mina stayed with us.

In 2003 our daughter Kathryn asked if she could have a dog of her own to show, as being only 6 years old she found our dogs too large to handle.
I suggested a Border Terrier. A friend had just had a litter with an outstanding pedigree from show and working lines, and so Conor, or Germanus Red Tweed at Katelands arrived.
He is a perfect companion for Kathryn,  She thinks he is the best dog in the world and they dote on each other, although I do draw the line at the bedroom door!
He is a confident and outgoing dog, who may be small but thinks he's a Great Dane!

In September 2007 we were delighted to bring home Eshaldwell New Lexington At Katelands.
Bred by Stevie and Tony Allerton, she is out of Birkenwald Roni of Eshaldwell, a bitch who has 39 Field Trial Champions in her recent pedigree. Both her parents Field Trial and are shot over
 
In 2009 we had some very sad news. Our friend and mentor, Fio Roberts of the Isara Kennel passed away. We decided to give a home to one of her promising youngsters, so Promise, yes her name really is Promise, came to us for her forever home in March. She has settled in as though she has lived here all her life, and is a beautiful dog.
 
So things have come around full circle. In 10 years we have had so many highs, and experienced the lows that grief brings. Alice has given me a wonderful gift in Mina.
She is a full on dog whose love of life, exuberence, and joy is simply infectious. When I showed her at Crufts in 2009, after winning the junior class with her, the judge Mr Ford wrote that ' she moved around the ring with a degree of confidence.'
Really? I remember being pulled around at 90 miles an hour as I was saying steady, being hit on the leg by her wagging tail, and hoping I wasn't being filmed as I was sure she was going to pull me over. 
I now look forward to every show with her, and my other dogs, and hope that we have many more great times together to come.

WE ARE KENNEL CLUB ACCREDITED BREEDERS.

We are also  long-standing members of both the Weimaraner Club of Great Britain
and the Weimaraner Association.
We are members of the German Shorthaired Pointer Club and
the German Wirehaired Pointer Club.

I am also on several Breed Societies Judging Lists, and Judge all HPR Breeds.

I adhere to all the above clubs code of ethics relating to owning and breeding dogs.

We know you're leg's gone dead Kathryn, but we really are comforable.....
Don't laugh too loud or you'll wake us up.

Dogs.....Truly, 'You'll Never Walk Alone'.