Fanmatrix a History A long time ago there was a dog called Penny (Kennel name ‘Lady Penelope of Kent’) a beautiful, intelligent, playful and adorable Springer spaniel. So adorable that we decided to let her have a litter, after much worrying and a lot of book reading and learning, she gave birth, with a little help from us, to three wonderful puppies. Two girls, Lucky and Glyder and a very handsome boy named Brecon. (Penny had walked/climbed the high peaks of Wales with us just a few weeks before she had the pups, hence the Welsh influence in the pet names for them.)They were all so gorgeous that in the end we decided to retain them all and so there were four. The renown 4 x 4s. They shared our home and our lives, kept us from harm and gave us so much joy and laughter we very soon could not imagine life without them. Many years passed and the 4 x 4s grew old and frail. Penny who gave us so much joy and laughter finally succumbed in her fifteenth year. Penny’s pups also lived long and happy lives. Shortly after Lucky went we felt the need to fill the house with the sound of lively dogs. Brecon & Glyder had become very docile in their old age.

At the Hookwood kennels two lovely little things caught our eye. So much so that we wanted to call them our own, one predominantly white the other predominantly black, but alas it wasn’t to be. Sue was retaining the little black one. A few weeks later we picked up the little white & black one and took her home, she snuggled into my neck all the way home, ahh! Later become known as

‘Snowdon’

The Springers, Brecon & Glyder, being what they were, welcomed the little one, of course a little hesitantly. After time the three settled down together.

In the new year we received a call from LesleyAnn saying that circumstances had changed at Hookwood and if we still wanted the second pup it was now available. After a short time deliberating we decided that we wanted her to join the happy family. So it was that Sylvia joined us in 2005. As all our dog names had something to do with hill walking and Wales Sylvia as a name just did not fit, so we being quick witted very quickly changed Sylvia to Silva, the compass (or pointer), sorry for the pun, but we liked it.

I had already started taking Snowdon to the local ring craft club so it followed that Silva would tag on. It wasn’t long before I went along to my first Dog Show held at what was to become my local dog show venue, Lockmeadow Hall, Maidstone in Kent. From these small beginnings things grew. Both Snowdon & Silva have since retired from the show ring, but their offsping Strider & Spirit continue in great style.

Snowdon and Silva have both had litters. From Silva we got Shadow & Spirit in 2007 and from Snowdon we were blessed with Strider in 2010. Spirit has since had a litter of her own and all being well we look forward to seeing her young one Holly (born Christmas Eve 2011) in the ring.