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The first Collie Rough to grace
our lives was Clan Ranald Alicia, bred by Mrs Bates.
Alicia shared my teenage years
and came with me when Peter and I married. Alicia
would holiday with Geoff and Lil Wightman who took
me under their wings. About a year after we
married, Elaine returned from overseas on holiday.
As he had no pups at the time, Geoff suggested a pup
from Cath Crossman. Devonglen Bonnie Lee was the
first of the Collies that were loved in pairs by Dad
over many years.
Our second was a handsome boy
bred by Geoff, Heathscott Roll The Dice. Luke was
an absolute joy and is still missed. He was an
intelligent dog with natural herding instincts that
would work my sable sheep and later, show the
Gundogs a thing or two about moving a herd of cattle
when visiting our friends’ diary at the Mount.
Arthritis has made the prospect
of owning another Rough a distant dream, though, had
we not been able to bring Casey, my IWS, over from
Ireland, I would have probably sought out a Smoothie.
One of these days my friend Naomi Jeffrery just
MIGHT relent and allow Nick (Grand Ch Seaview In the
Nickof Time), her stunning Smoothie, to come home
with me!!
Geoff was my mentor and friend.
It has been a great privilege to have been finalists
in the Geoff Wightman Top Open Show/Parade Dog of
the Year on several occasions with our Irish Water
Spaniels.
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