Where it all began.......
I had my first Norwegian Buhunds in February 1983, when I was 10 years old. My mum and dad decided on the Buhunds as they were a sensible size and easy for a 10 year old girl to manage by herself. At the time, mum and dad had the 'STURTMOOR' kennels of Estrela Mountain Dogs and Pyrenean Mountain Dogs. With showing as many as 12 large dogs at all the Championship shows, they did not have time to be able to cater for me and my own dogs too, so I had to have something that I could manage by myself. The Buhund was the perfect answer.
My first two were bitches from Michael Quinney's 'ADORAM' kennels. Christie and Yanna (Adoram Christmas Rose and Adoram Holly respectively) came to live with us. I started showing them, and quickly had to learn a few things... like how to tell the judge that they are not a table breed, and how to get a dog to stand for food rather than placing its legs as I had been used to doing!
We had mixed success in the ring, but one win I remember extremely well was taking 2nd in a huge Pup of the Year Stakes class at Bournemouth Championship Show (August 1983) with Christie, I believe there were 168 puppies entered in the class that day, we also won £25.00, quite a large sum of money in those days!
I had my first litter of Buhunds out of Christie in November 1984, using Ch Knytshall Ockie who was a favourite of mine. We had 4 puppies and I kept my first homebred Bu, Atlantis Power Prince (Lanty). Lanty did me so proud in the show ring, he was considered to be a 'big' boy in those days, all though in the ring today, he would see a very correct size - how times change! In those days you had to qualify to be able to have your own Affix (kennel name), and Lanty did that for me. My new kennel name was 'YANNISTA'.
In December 1985 we moved from Salisbury up to South East Wales (Near to Blackwood, Gwent). It was a huge change for me as not only did we have to leave our wonderful place in Salisbury, but I also had to change schools! Being English and now living in Wales was challenging to say the least!
On the advice of Michael Quinney, I was told to put Lanty to Yanna (yes, an Aunty/Nephew mating which was perfectly acceptable back then). We had 9 beautiful puppies on 15 September 1986, a lovely even litter. Unfortunately a couple of the puppies had epilepsy, probably partly down to the close breeding (as we know much more about these things nowadays).
I kept a dog and a bitch to run on, Tan (Yannista Barak) and Bibbi (Yannista Bibiana). I ended up keeping Tan, he was my soulmate! Bibbi went to live locally and was shown very lightly, gaining a Reserve CC along the way, I like to hope that if she been shown to her full potential, she may have been my first home bred Champion, but this just wasn't to be.
By now the eye problems in the breed had reared their ugly head. Tan was eye tested on an annual basis, and passed every time with flying colours, yet was never used at stud due to his Grandfather (Ockie) being affected (something we did not know at the time of using him, back then - no one did eye tests!).
Tan won my first two '1st' places at Crufts in 1988, he won my first Reserve CC and also my first CC! He won several Best of Breed awards without CC's on offer, and did me proud at every turn. I continued to show Tan as a veteran and he also managed a very good 4th place in the Pedigree Veteran Stakes at Three Counties Championship Show in June 1996 aged 9.5 years.
I lost Tan at almost 12 years of age, he left a huge hole in my heart. I had a couple of other Buhunds before I lost Tan, I had Scott (Blaidd Bach) who was a wolf-sable bred by Norah Gander out of Bibbi and Ch Leitegard's Kong Olav av Frostisen (Imp Nor) - unfortunately he was affected with Cataracts. Then I had a bitch from Norah (Sofala Sophia of Sturtmoor) who was also affected with cataracts. Following this I decided to leave the Buhunds for a while, I couldn't take the pain that the cataracts issue was causing.
During the time between having Blaidd Bach and Sofala Sophia of Sturtmoor, mum (Marcia Dovey) had decided to allow me to have a 'separate' interest in her STURTMOOR affix. This was a great day for me to be able to share this world renowned kennel name (famous for Estrela Mountain Dogs).
I was lucky enough to live in American for 5.5 years when my then husband was sent to work out there. We started off in Springield, Missouri and ended up in Belpre, Ohio! I loved it in the USA and learned a lot about presentation, handling tips and thoroughly enjoyed working with handlers just as Michael Kemp and Susan Cook Markley. I left the USA in 2006 and when I came back I fell back into the Buhunds! It started with handling Bu's for other people, I was then offered to have Ch Kimura's Egon to stay with me to show in the UK for his owner Britt Marit Halvorsen. This totally re-kindled my love for the breed, and at the time, although offered a Buhund by Britt - I could not have one at that time.
Then I was thrilled when Di Stirling (Arnscroft) offered a partnership to me on one of her puppies, 'Ice' (who is now known as Ch Arnscroft Kiss and Tell Di for Sturtmoor). Ice is now owned by Sue Cale, myself and the Norman's. Her record speaks for itself!
I was then offered a puppy by Britt on breeding terms. This was to be Foxy (Bernegarden's Reve Enka av Sturtmoor (Imp NOR)). Foxy came to live with us in February 2011 aged 10 months old. I finally had my own Buhund at home again - it had been far too long!!
My next import was King - Ch Svartkonge Av Sturtmoor (Imp Nor). He came to us on the new pet passport system and was the first Buhund to do this. He arrived in March 2012 and was my first black Buhund. What a star he has been! I cannot thank May Birkeland enough for allowing King to come and live with us here in Wales,
We had our third litter in September 2013, these were out of Foxy and King and we kept another Black boy 'Lotto'. He belongs to Peter and has been totally trained by Peter - they are a great team and it gives me great pleasure to watch them working together in the ring.
On 15th August 2015 I was very proud to marry Peter Lambert, who is a huge part of our kennels and dad to all our babies!
The story will continue...... please read our Blog for any of the latest updates, and of course keep an eye out for any upcoming litters!
My first two were bitches from Michael Quinney's 'ADORAM' kennels. Christie and Yanna (Adoram Christmas Rose and Adoram Holly respectively) came to live with us. I started showing them, and quickly had to learn a few things... like how to tell the judge that they are not a table breed, and how to get a dog to stand for food rather than placing its legs as I had been used to doing!
We had mixed success in the ring, but one win I remember extremely well was taking 2nd in a huge Pup of the Year Stakes class at Bournemouth Championship Show (August 1983) with Christie, I believe there were 168 puppies entered in the class that day, we also won £25.00, quite a large sum of money in those days!
I had my first litter of Buhunds out of Christie in November 1984, using Ch Knytshall Ockie who was a favourite of mine. We had 4 puppies and I kept my first homebred Bu, Atlantis Power Prince (Lanty). Lanty did me so proud in the show ring, he was considered to be a 'big' boy in those days, all though in the ring today, he would see a very correct size - how times change! In those days you had to qualify to be able to have your own Affix (kennel name), and Lanty did that for me. My new kennel name was 'YANNISTA'.
In December 1985 we moved from Salisbury up to South East Wales (Near to Blackwood, Gwent). It was a huge change for me as not only did we have to leave our wonderful place in Salisbury, but I also had to change schools! Being English and now living in Wales was challenging to say the least!
On the advice of Michael Quinney, I was told to put Lanty to Yanna (yes, an Aunty/Nephew mating which was perfectly acceptable back then). We had 9 beautiful puppies on 15 September 1986, a lovely even litter. Unfortunately a couple of the puppies had epilepsy, probably partly down to the close breeding (as we know much more about these things nowadays).
I kept a dog and a bitch to run on, Tan (Yannista Barak) and Bibbi (Yannista Bibiana). I ended up keeping Tan, he was my soulmate! Bibbi went to live locally and was shown very lightly, gaining a Reserve CC along the way, I like to hope that if she been shown to her full potential, she may have been my first home bred Champion, but this just wasn't to be.
By now the eye problems in the breed had reared their ugly head. Tan was eye tested on an annual basis, and passed every time with flying colours, yet was never used at stud due to his Grandfather (Ockie) being affected (something we did not know at the time of using him, back then - no one did eye tests!).
Tan won my first two '1st' places at Crufts in 1988, he won my first Reserve CC and also my first CC! He won several Best of Breed awards without CC's on offer, and did me proud at every turn. I continued to show Tan as a veteran and he also managed a very good 4th place in the Pedigree Veteran Stakes at Three Counties Championship Show in June 1996 aged 9.5 years.
I lost Tan at almost 12 years of age, he left a huge hole in my heart. I had a couple of other Buhunds before I lost Tan, I had Scott (Blaidd Bach) who was a wolf-sable bred by Norah Gander out of Bibbi and Ch Leitegard's Kong Olav av Frostisen (Imp Nor) - unfortunately he was affected with Cataracts. Then I had a bitch from Norah (Sofala Sophia of Sturtmoor) who was also affected with cataracts. Following this I decided to leave the Buhunds for a while, I couldn't take the pain that the cataracts issue was causing.
During the time between having Blaidd Bach and Sofala Sophia of Sturtmoor, mum (Marcia Dovey) had decided to allow me to have a 'separate' interest in her STURTMOOR affix. This was a great day for me to be able to share this world renowned kennel name (famous for Estrela Mountain Dogs).
I was lucky enough to live in American for 5.5 years when my then husband was sent to work out there. We started off in Springield, Missouri and ended up in Belpre, Ohio! I loved it in the USA and learned a lot about presentation, handling tips and thoroughly enjoyed working with handlers just as Michael Kemp and Susan Cook Markley. I left the USA in 2006 and when I came back I fell back into the Buhunds! It started with handling Bu's for other people, I was then offered to have Ch Kimura's Egon to stay with me to show in the UK for his owner Britt Marit Halvorsen. This totally re-kindled my love for the breed, and at the time, although offered a Buhund by Britt - I could not have one at that time.
Then I was thrilled when Di Stirling (Arnscroft) offered a partnership to me on one of her puppies, 'Ice' (who is now known as Ch Arnscroft Kiss and Tell Di for Sturtmoor). Ice is now owned by Sue Cale, myself and the Norman's. Her record speaks for itself!
I was then offered a puppy by Britt on breeding terms. This was to be Foxy (Bernegarden's Reve Enka av Sturtmoor (Imp NOR)). Foxy came to live with us in February 2011 aged 10 months old. I finally had my own Buhund at home again - it had been far too long!!
My next import was King - Ch Svartkonge Av Sturtmoor (Imp Nor). He came to us on the new pet passport system and was the first Buhund to do this. He arrived in March 2012 and was my first black Buhund. What a star he has been! I cannot thank May Birkeland enough for allowing King to come and live with us here in Wales,
We had our third litter in September 2013, these were out of Foxy and King and we kept another Black boy 'Lotto'. He belongs to Peter and has been totally trained by Peter - they are a great team and it gives me great pleasure to watch them working together in the ring.
On 15th August 2015 I was very proud to marry Peter Lambert, who is a huge part of our kennels and dad to all our babies!
The story will continue...... please read our Blog for any of the latest updates, and of course keep an eye out for any upcoming litters!
