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.

** LITTER BORN - 5 AUGUST 2008 **

SIRE:  JAYNEZE PILLOW TALK
DAM:  WILLOWSTAFF BARBED WIRE (KC STUD BOOK)

[See 'Latest News' Page for Photo of Sire and Example Pedigree.
Photo of Dam can be seen on 'Show Team' Page]

[Both Sire & Dam are DNA tested 'Clear' for L2-HGA & HC
and eye tested 'unaffected' for PHPV/HC]

Genuine enquiries welcome: contact Mick & Jenny Smith on
Tel: +44 (0) 1332 781062 or email us: willowstaf@aol.com

* Mick & Jenny Smith and Sally Cox are Kennel Club Accredited Breeders *

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Jenny and myself purchased our first Stafford (a bitch) in May 1985, with the assistance of Brian Grattidge of the well known ‘Karjobri’ Kennel Name. She was a standard black/brindle bitch out of Ch Pegs Bolton Trip and Lady Black Bess. Shortly afterwards we purchased a dog out of Ch Karjobri Black Pepper x Moonlight Symphony, born 29 June 1985. Originally intended as pets, we decided to show our dogs on a casual basis and so began a ‘hobby’ which has lasted over twenty years and taken us all over the country and abroad to America, South Africa and Australia – some hobby?!

Needless to say, Beth (Beth Ann of Birkholme) and Buster (Buster of Birkholme) produced our first litter in May 1987 and we kept a bitch and named her Jemicks Black Siren (Becky). Becky did very well in the show ring despite hating every minute, and by then we had got the bug and so we purchased a dog from Bob Evans in the Black Country (now Councillor Bob Evans who has responsibility for the Black Country SBT Museum). Josh was out of Ghengis Arn (a son of Malstaffs Danny Boy and Yankeestaff Fandango [bred by Nancy Malec]) and we aptly named him Birkholme Bovver Boy. Josh was a successful show dog and in 1989 he was mated to Becky which produced the very first litter with the Willowstaff Kennel Name. There were 3 dogs and 2 bitches in the litter and owing to work commitments etc we didn’t keep anything for ourselves. We did however show two of the puppies: Willowstaff Guardian Spirit (dog) and Willowstaff Dark Crystal (bitch), who both gained RCC’s under June Bennett and Barbara Lacey respectively. These awards were gained despite the fact that due to circumstances beyond our control, neither was campaigned sufficiently to gain further success. We were fortunate to be in a position to buy back Willowstaff Dark Crystal (Millie) at 4½ years of age and mated her to Moosskel Medicine Man in 1994, which produced Willowstaff Warpaint. Mac (who was jointly owned with Mick’s Father – Frank) was a top-size dog who did a lot of winning and gained his Stud Book number. We also kept his sister Willowstaff Wild Child for her bloodlines and future breeding programme. Millie was mated for the second time in 1996 to Spirestaff Jimmy Jazz (who went on to become a Champion) and this mating produced Willowstaff Sheer Elegance, a multiple Stud Book winning bitch and also Willowstaff Tommy Gun who was campaigned in Germany and then Spain when his owners Frank and Gerlinde Weyand moved due to the introduction of the German BSL. Tommy Gun gained CAC and CACIB’s in both Germany and Spain.

Jemicks Black Siren (Becky) had one other litter in 1992 and the surviving bitch out of the litter we kept and named her Willowstaff Sugar and Spice (Tilly). Her father was Dustin Dan – a dog of superb conformation and athleticism. Unfortunately Tilly only ever produced one puppy and ultimately had to be spayed. Nevertheless she remains one of my favourite bitches who did a fair amount of winning and to date (2006) at the age of 14 years, is still going strong.

Willowstaff Wild Child (Annie) was mated in November 1996 to Ch Boldbull Black Jack and produced Willowstaff Night Guardian (D) and Willowstaff Sheer Delight (B). Willowstaff Night Guardian (Jake) was shown to some success but is predominantly a much loved pet, and Sheer Delight (Willow) was given to our good friend and eventual partner in the Willowstaff Kennel Name, Sally. Willow hated showing and was subsequently mated to a son of Bovver Boy in 1998 which produced Willowstaff Sheer Magic (Zola) who resided with Jenny and myself and who we showed spasmodically, mating her to Ch Polynesian Waka Navigator in 2002.

Prior to mating Zola, Willowstaff Sheer Elegance was mated to Steelyard Double Dash in December 2001, producing one of our most successful bitches: Willowstaff Poetry N Motion JW (Mollie). Mollie was given to Sally Cox but kept in partnership with ourselves. Zola produced a litter of seven in July 2002, 6 of whom were bitches, and we kept another winning bitch: Willowstaff Spellbinder JW.

One must not forget Steelyard Innovator at Willowstaff JW whom we purchased from Simon & Sue Hunt in 1999 out of Ch Boldbull Black Jack (the last litter he sired) x Steelyard Silken Steel. Zac has been a successful show dog gaining his JW/Stud Book and proving himself a most useful Stud Dog, Siring
(in addition to our own stock): Tittley & Bosanko's Garwstaff Nats Our Boy JW, RCC, John's Welshstaff Pearley Jack JW, 1CC & 1RCC, and a promising young dog: Hall's Willowstaff Black Prince - Best Dog, North West SBTC Open Show March 08

We therefore arrive at the present day when the Willowstaff Kennel Name is now campaigned in partnership with Sally Cox and there have been some recent additions:-

11 February 2005 – This litter was out of Steelyard Innovator at Willowstaff JW x Willowstaff Spellbinder JW and produced 3 dogs and 4 bitches, out of which we kept Willowstaff Barbed Wire (Bonnie) and Sally has had Willowstaff Evolution (Buster)

16 February 2005 – This litter was out of Veklorra on a Hy JW x Willowstaff Poetry N Motion JW and produced 4 bitches, out of which we had Willowstaff Poetic Justice (Meg).

Please refer to 'Latest News' page for subsequent updates.

In addition to campaigning dogs Jenny and myself have been members of a number of Breed Clubs for many years, but our main Club is the Notts & Derby District SBT Club. Jenny has been the Secretary since 2002 and I am the club Chairman. Jenny was also Public Relations Officer for the SBT Breed Council of Great Britain and NI for the four years 1998-2002. 

In 2007 Jenny was approached by the late Alec Waters (Ashtock) along with 4 other breed experts to write chapters in a NEW SBT BOOK.  The book has just been published (February 2008) as part of the Best of Breed range of books entitled: "Staffordshire Bull Terrier Edited by Alec Waters" (The Pet Book Publishing Company: ISBN 1-906305-00-5 - RRP: £12.99) and Jenny is proud to have been part of this project.  Jenny is the author of Chapter 1 (Getting to Know The Staffordshire Bull Terrier) and part-author of Chapter 6 - 'Training & Socialisation', having written about 'New Challenges' (see page 104 to the end of this Chapter).  Other Breed specialists who contributed chapters are Alec Waters (Ashtock), Jim Beaufoy (Wyrefare), Clare Lee (Constones) and Norma Vann (Vanoric).  The book is aimed at the informed enthusiast and new SBT pet owner and I can thoroughly recommend it.

Contact us if you wish to purchase a copy at the SPECIAL RATE OF £12 + P&P mailto:willowstaf@aol.com

We have both pursued judging careers and are now both on the A1 List of Judges. Jenny judged her first Championship Show in 2005 (Bitches at Potteries SBT Club), and I judged my first Championship show in 1999 at the SBT Club of South Wales (Bitches). I have since judged at Notts & Derby (Dogs) at their Diamond Jubilee Show in 2002 and Western SBT Society (Bitches) in 2004. I have also judged abroad in America and South Africa and both Jenny and myself had the great honour of judging the Inaugural Championship Shows of the SBT Club of Northern New South Wales Inc., in Australia in September 2005.

In 2006 both Jenny and myself judged at General Championship Shows:- myself at Leeds in July and Jenny at Midland Counties in October.  Our latest appointments took us overseas to judge in South Africa in May 2008 where Mick judged Staffords at the Northern Tshwane Kennel Club General Champ Show and Jenny judged at the North West SBT Club of SA.  Photographs will be added in due course.  Mick is judging Bitches in the UK at the Potteries SBT Club Championship Show on Saturday, 19 July 2008.  Jenny's next appointment is judging Bitches at the Notts & Derby District SBT Club Championship Show in July 2009.

So over twenty years on and here we are, still showing and thankful for all the memories and experiences the show world has been kind enough to present us with and may the Willowstaff Kennel Name continue to flourish.