Page 64 - Aussie Magazine - 2023 Issue 2

Interview

At this time in my life we were living in Market a beautiful bitch who won a RCC but she didn’t
Rasen and bred Beagles, CKCS and Tibetan grow on enough and although she was just in the
Terriers. In 1989 we moved to where we are standard she was returned to the breeder.
now in Solihull, in the West Midlands but sadly,
I couldn’t bring Spook the pony with us as he was Jumping forward to 1993 when my first real
only on loan, so my riding stopped. My family took show dog was born, Ch Risepark Firm favourite
on a large boarding kennels and continued with aka Archie he was a Miniature Schnauzer so I
the Beagles the CKCS faded out but my Mum did down size a little from the giant but it was a
continued with the Tibetan Terrier’s although the great trade off. Archie was bred by the famous
Beagles were still the main breed. I was 11 at the Rispark Kennel of Peter Newman and Barry Day.
time but still wasn’t really interested in showing. Barry had bought the house next door to us and
Instead I would work in the kennels at weekends I was quite taken by the breed. I have a lot to
and holidays, saving up for my ‘big’ adventure thank Barry and Peter for as they gave me a lot
across the world someday. Occasionally, I would of support both showing and grooming. By this
go to the shows but I wanted my own dog to time I had left the Barbers and I was training
show. I didn’t want to show the Beagles as they as a Veterinary Nurse but I couldn’t get on with
were so ‘naughty’ and I wanted to show a big dog. all the studying, so due to my background in
I had in mind a Giant Schnauzer and Rottweiler barbering and my new found love for grooming,
to name just two on my list, which were both I opened my own salon at the kennels called
as hard. I ended up with a Tervueran. She was ‘Sham-Pooch’, which was very successful I

64 | A Worldwide Magazine for the Aussie • Issue 2/2023