After a long period of research, we acquired our  first Siberian Husky from Nikki Palin and Bob Jarvis's kennel in 1994. This was "Merlin" - Benbeau's Ontario for DreamCatcher. We learned a great deal about showing, working and Sibes in general from Merlin.

Merlin was from Canadian, American  and Danish lines. On the Canadian side, he was from the Hooker's Kimlan breeding which went back to Articlight and Yeso Pac breeding. On his Danish side, he had the Vargevass lines. Merlin was a brilliant, though lazy lead dog, who also showed well (he received his KC Stud Book number under Leonard Pagliero at Paignton Champ Show in 1996)

Far right - Merlin preparing to race at Aviemore in 1996.

We soon got bitten by the showing and racing bug and acquired  (not intentionally) three pups from the same litter. One, Sky, had been badly treated as a baby puppy and came to us with serious physical and emotional problems. We were very grateful to Helen Lightfoot, who, as a canine osteopath, worked on Sky for us to great effect. Thanks, Helen!!

 All three were from Neil Brassington's Naskapis Kennel. All three dogs had some success in the showring and the girls were great on the trail (Zak, the male was very fast over short distances but had absolutely no stamina whatever!), but we began to realise that they were a bit of a dead end in terms of where we felt the breed in the UK should be going.

Here you can see all three racing with Mick at Aviemore with Merlin in  Lead with Sky (Naskapis Kamala), while Chena (Nakapis Chena) and Zak (Nakapis Leeyod O'Cool) run in wheel.

The next major development in our kennel was the acquisition from Linda Searle of Ria (Linsea Winter Aria for DreamCatcher) who became, in effect, our foundation bitch. 

At about the same time we also acquired Linsea in the Red for DreamCatcher (Addie) - a Merlin grand-daughter. Addie was a fiery red girl with a big personality who excelled both in the show ring and n the trail - usually running as a pair with her granddad Merlin.  Addie is now an Irish Champion, living in Ireland with our friends Mick & Mary at their Magpam Kennel.

Centre: Addie racing with Merlin at Thruxton in 1999

In 1998, we took the next huge step of breeding Ria to World, International, Spanish, Portuguese, Irish & UK Ch. Articblue's Chancellor and this mating resulted in the litter containing Seiko, Asti, Harley, Bea, Jasper and Monster. This was an unpopular move with some who felt that the importation of "show" lines was against the interests of the breed. We felt that, on the contrary, the breed in the UK was moving so far away from the breed standard in the desperate attempt to present sprint racing as the only viable way to retain "working" attitude, that such importation was not only a positive move, but a necessary one for the future of the breed.  We had become increasingly appalled at the coatless, long-legged, big-eared, cow-hocked, sloping backed, curly tailed monstrosities which were winning under  "breed specialist" judges, and felt that this was the time to strike out on our own and do what we felt was best for the breed.

Above: World, Spanish, Portuguese, Irish & UK Champion Articblue's Chancellor

Below: The Ria/Chance litter (excluding Bea who was otherwise engaged that day.....

To be continued...........................

All photographs etc are the property of DreamCatcher Siberian Huskies