Cavalier King Charles Spaniels

Photo by Dewerstone

Hi my name is Margaret Kirkham. Thank you for your visit I hope you enjoy my cavaliers.

Dogs have always been a part of my life. I started out breeding and showing Yorkshire Terriers. As well as Cavaliers I bred and showed American Cockers for 12 years and my greatest success in Yankies was a chocolate dog winning a first in the Junior class at Crufts beating all of the top breeders. Arthritis in my hands meant I had to give up breeding and showing them so I ,just carried on with my cavaliers

I first fell in love with Cavaliers at a dog show and started looking for one to own. My first one, a Blenheim bitch called Lucy, arrived in 1983. I received some help from the breeder Mrs Wildsmith who steered me in the right direction. Lucy was a lovely natured bitch and at her first show, the Southern Cavalier Club, we thought she was going to be a good show dog after she was placed 4th. We thought this was marvellous at the time but looking around at the other Cavs we realised she was not really show quality. Betty Slightam came over to us at the show and suggested we needed to find a good stud dog for Lucy and have her as a brood bitch. We did this and never looked backed despite Lucy being no oil painting.

Since then we have shown and bred all four colours with our greatest successes shown below. Lucy's first show dog was a gorgeous Tri Dog called Oliver that we did a lot of winning with.

My first Black and Tan bitch called Bea arrived in 1985 and was the foundation bitch for my whole colours. I mated her to the lovely Ch. Saleres Little Richard and I still have this breeding in all my whole colours. One of my top winning whole colour was my ruby dog Murphy; "Yorkland Mystical Dreamer at Moonstone". He died this year aged 16 and produced some lovely puppies in his time at stud. He was out of Ch. Harana Rock Star and Moonstone In the Mood at Yorkland. Over the past few years I have shown Tri's and Whole Colours but have shown all four colours.

I began judging in 1991 and at my first show, Portsmouth & Southsea, I had an excellent entry of 69 cavaliers. I have consistently judged since with an average of 2 shows per year and have been very lucky with good entries. I have judged over 900 dogs so far and have judged AV's and Toy Groups so I have a good knowledge of most of the Toy Breeds. For some years I have been one of the breed advisors in Dogs Today magazine. I was also breed advisor for the American Cockers.