I have owned Old English Sheepdogs with my wife Carole Ellis since 1975. We are from Wales in the UK and emigrated to New Zealand in 1982 bringing our first pet rescue OES with us. When he passed away in 1986, we purchased our first NZ show dog which was co bred from the famous Kadesha OES (Judy Frater) in NZ.

 

We attended our first NZ Ribbon Parade and won ribbons, of course we were "hooked"!!! We went on to title our boy CH Cai Pendragon of Breage and decided to expanded our kennels by purchasing and then titling our first Kadesha bitch Ch Kadesha Snow Queen. We then imported from Australia a Hartwyn dog who we campaigned to 6 BIS in 6 months NZ & AU CH Hartwyn Royal Union who was sired by the great CH Hartwyn Royal Pageant (Pauline Hartwell). From the Hartwyn and Kadesha breeding we produced our first Grand Champion Royal Union at Snodragon. A Grand Champion in NZ requires 3 All Breeds Best in Shows and 50 CCs. We continued breeding, importing and showing and produced a further 6 New Zealand and Australian Champions.

 

We had a break from showing and breeding for 8 years, whilst still owning 2 OES we built up our day care and pet boarding franchise company Pets In The City. When we sold the business in 2015, we decided to get back to showing and imported a male from Nikolas Kanales and Matteo Autolitano in Italy, ITA CH Shaggybark American Lover of Aryakas at Snodragon. "Lover" went on to become a NZ Grand Champion (50 CCs 3 All Breeds BIS) a NZ Supreme Champion 75 CCs 5 All Breeds BIS) and now has 68 BIS1, 38 RBIS2. He won All Breeds Dog of the Year 2017 and 2018. Lover also topped the NZ point score All Breeds for 3 years and won the Victoria (Australia) OES Championship Shows X 2 under Colm Hastings Ireland (50th Anniversary) and Jackie Makenzie South Africa. When over in Australia he won every BOB and was Reserve of Group to the Best in Show winner at the Sydney Royal under Davor Javor. He was also short listed at the Melbourne Royal under Michael Forte. Lover has totally dominated the all-breeds ring in New Zealand since arriving. He now has progeny in New Zealand and Australia who are already Champions and winning in the OES specialty and all breed rings. He is also about to be crowned the first FCI all breeds International Champion in New Zealand.

I am qualified to judge all the Working Group breeds here in New Zealand and Australia. There is some slight variation with FCI Shepherd Dogs, Herding and Pastoral in certain countries.

I am so excited and honoured to be invited to judge your quality OES at your National Specialty Championship Show in Ribeauville France and look forward to meeting you all.

Regards, Rob Ellis