The
Wassail prefix was started after a trip to the U.S.A. I stopped off
in a hotel in Somerset on the way home to freshen myself and in full
flow was a Wassail evening complete with apples. Drinking tea and watching
the events of the evening I soon thought that it was a good name to
have since as a 40th birthday present my husband gave me my own personal
registration number plate with this as the number.
In
the past I was never keen on breeding the Wassail collies so stock that
I have selected to show and enjoy my life with, have been chosen with
the help of professionals.
I
started showing in 1979 and I had my first pet collie from a moor farm
in Tavistock in Devon, a shaded sable that showed true devotion and
had the intelligence of a working collie. I have great memories of our
first collie enjoying an exemption show, close to our house, and she
picked up a 3rd place. I drove home feeling that she was the new start
in an adventure that has continued to today. Her breeding was Aaronwell
and the friendship I still have with her breeders is as good today as
it was then.
Over
the years the stock I have had has changed incredibly, with help from
Maureen Colbourne [Sundorne] I purchased a sable bitch called Sundorne
Secret Affair and that started my championship show journey. Always
the bridesmaid, never the bride, I was often reminded of this when I
stood 2nd to a well-known winning bitch of the time.
With
good advice Brian and Pauline Skyrme offered me Int.GB,Spn Ch Emryks
Sheer Elegance at Wassail. What a pity I didn't have the chance to take
her to such high heights, the Pelido kennels campaigned her to her crown
and thats the one I shouldn't have let go.
Aaronwell
lines have never been out of the kennels and I purchased the most beautiful
tri-coloured bitch Aaronwell Black Debutante at Wassail. This bitch
knew how to show and her presence until 3 years ago was a joy and privilege,
unfortunately she was put to sleep to save suffering at the age of 11.
Another tri that captured my heart was Triburle Golly Folly at Wassail
from Christine Collins. I had seen her at six months at Border Union
and pestered the life out of Christine to part with her. Just in her
prime, the builders were working on our house and left the gate open
and she was killed on the road.
It
took some time for me to start again as I had lost two friends within
9 days of each other and the heart break that this entailed took its
toll. Unable to face shows I was visiting Lyn Avery [Lynviews] and saw
this ugly looking pup staring out of the kennel. This was the start
again that I needed, I don't know what I saw in her, but didn't she
have the ugly duckling story edited.. After a year of training and help
[Pearl] Gemastra Pearl of Wisdom at Wassail took the RCC at the Collie
Club of Wales under Jean Morgan, Pearl was bred by Wendy Smith [Gemastra]
and is a very special dog to me.
With
numbers limited my favourite is always tricolour and looking for that
again I went back to Wendy and bought Gemastra Jammy Devil at Wassail.
Alfie is not keen on showing he prefers the run of the paddock and barking
at the cows in the field next door. He has been shown a few times and
qualified for Crufts.
The
memory of Triburle Golly Folly left etched the perfect tri in my eyes,
I looked again in search of something I could breed from. Maureen Colbourne
again helped and Sundorne Similarity at Wassail joined us last year
and what a joy to have her..Winning constantly before dropping coat
she has taken her seat next to me on the couch. Her last show was at
Bath and West Agricultural Show where she took BOB, and Group 1 under
M. Webb.
Having
the dogs and the enjoyment of the friends I have met over the years
is something I now could not do with out. As a small kennel I only have
selective litters but I do treasure the friends that we have made.
Di
Ware
Boulabeha
Moyne
Thurles
County Tipperary
Tele
0035350434915
Wassail460691@aol.com
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