HISTORY

In 1975, we saw an article in the local paper advertising a Bearded Collie bitch for sale. At that time we had 3 pet Labradors, a Sheltie and were on the waiting list for a Cairn Terrier. Because we liked the sound of this dog, we phoned. The people were only 4 miles away, and bred and showed Rough Collies. That night we went to have a look! Bonnie was 9 months old, blue and was a scruffy, lovable urchin who we immediately took to.

She had been entered in a few local Shows, so, never having even been to a dog show before, we took her to training. At her first show she was entered in AV Pastoral, in which she came third. She caused quite a stir amongst the local Collie enthusiasts, as whenever we had Pastoral classes, she would always win on movement. There were the odd shows, where the judges simply did not know what she was. The usual saying being ‘bring out your bobtail’. We used to travel miles to Open shows just to support the classes. From that day on we have never looked back. Strangely enough our Cairn Terrier came from Walter Bradshaw of the World famous Redletter kennels, just a stone’s throw from our famous Osmart kennels.

We decided on the name Coalacre, as our house used to be two miners cottages, which were built at the side of a coal mine. The field next to the house was known as the coal acre. The locals know it better as ‘muddy island!!’.

We bred our first litter in 1977, from which came C. Beachcomber, who is responsible for the head & expression of most of our Beardies today. From our next litter born in 1978 came C. Cadet, our first Junior Warrant Winner and also the winner of 3 RCC’s. He was from Ch Edenborough Blue Bracken. Since then we have bred a total of 22 Junior Warrant winners, 17 Champions in England, America, Norway, Holland, Spain, France, Ireland, Switzerland and Germany, and 13 CC & RCC winners. Am & Can Ch C. Just Johnny won the American Specialty in 1991 & Nor, Swed & Dan Ch C. Capability was Top Winning Beardie in Norway. Our own Ch C. Curiosity was twice Top Stud Dog here in England, but tragically went sterile at 6 years of age.

Apart from the Beardies, we have bred 2 Cairn Terrier Champions in America and had 1 Cairn here with 2CC’s. We have also bred an Affenpinscher Champion, the CC & BOB winner at Crufts 1996 and owned the Breed’s First bitch Junior Warrant winner who went on to be the breed’s First Champion bitch.

We have both awarded CC’s in Beardies & Affenpinschers. Mum first gave CC’s in 1987 and has judged in Luxembourg twice, judging the European Show in 1996, Sweden twice, Denmark, Holland and Switzerland. Her last Judging appointment was at Crufts 2004 where she judged Affenpinschers. Lesley has judged in America, Sweden, Finland, France, Slovakia, Holland & Denmark. I will be judging Affenpinschers at Crufts 2009 and Bearded Collie Bitches in 2010.

The Burmese came along when we bought a Red girl from Olive Mellors and everyone said that she should be shown. Candy is now Grand Champion & Premier (the neuters equivalent to a Champion), her daughter is a Grand Champion and won her first UK Gr Challenge Certificate at the Supreme 2004. The UK is only awarded at the Supreme and you need 2 to be a UK Gr Champion.

Since Mum went, I have decided to have all the cats neutered and do not show them anymore. It is too much to show both the dogs and the cats, so unfortunately I chose the dogs.