We are a small hobby 'kennel', where our dogs live in the home as family pets. We breed infrequently, but when we do, our priority is temperament, health, quality and type.

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My Mum bought her first Rough Collie as a pet from Kelly Shafique (Razda) in 1983 and with her background as a Veterinary Nurse, she soon became interested in genetics and breeding. Brilyn Supertramp was the dog we admired most and it was on one of the 200 mile trips to use Tramp, that my Mum was fortunate to be offered Lanteague Amanda at Brilyn. She was bought as a 3 year old for my tenth birthday present in 1987 for me to show. Amanda was the sweetest, kindest bitch imaginable. During my childhood, that dog was my best friend and we were an inseparable pair, well known in the show world.

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In 3 years I showed Amanda to her title, eventually winning 4 CCs & 1 RCC. She is the foundation behind the original Hanvale line. She was given sleep at nearly 15 years old, having never been to the Vets in the 12 years that she lived with us.

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In 2004 I married Simon who had always had dogs but never shown. I had a rough collie, Alanis, a granddaughter of Amanda as a pet. She was beautiful but hated the showring. We then added Harriet to our brood in 2002 and Dougal in 2006, Amanda's great great great grandson. We started showing Dougal as a puppy and hubby soon became hooked on the dog show world too and so it became his hobby as well as mine. It took a while, but Dougal became the first homebred Hanvale Champion in 2009. He gained a further CC from his very first veteran class and a RCC along the way.

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In 2012, we imported Florence from France from the Cabrenysset Kennel, which was established some 80 years ago. Florence has become quite well known in the U.K. and was a champion at two years old winning 9CCs and 4RCCs with the title of the British Collie Club Rough Collie of the Year 2013 and Runner Up in both 2015 and 2016. In 2017, she delighted us by winning an astonishing Open Bitch class at Crufts. She was crowned Veteran of the Year in 2018.

 

In 2014, we brought over Dora from the Cabrenysset kennel too who is Florence's niece. She has always been rather in her Auntie Flo's shadow but has enjoyed some good results herself including her stud book number, and is an absolute joy to live with. She isn't a great fan of travelling and shows though so now lives a happy life on our sofa as a much loved pet.

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In 2016, I went full circle and was offered 'Bella' by Brian Hawkins, who let me have Amanda some 29 years earlier. She is the image of Hanvale Winter Jasmine, who was Dougal's dam. Bella made her mark in the showring gaining her Junior Warrant at just 14 months, her first CC at 15 months plus two Breed Club Best in Show awards before giving us the most beautiful litter of three babies from which we kept Hanvale Polly Shelby. On her return to the showring at the end of the Summer of 2018, she took the RCC at Bournemouth, her first show, then another Breed Clubs BIS, the CC at Belfast and another RCC at Collie Association all before the end of the year. She started 2019 with BOB at Boston Championship Show, with a Group Shortlist, British Collie Club Rough Collie of the Year Best Bitch and overall Runner Up, before taking her Champion Title in style together with Best in Show at Northumberland and Durham Collie Club Championship Show in April and a further CC at London Collie Club in June of that year. We focused our attention on Polly for the rest of 2019, and then we all had the best part of two years out of the ring due to COVID. Bella had another year at home while we campaigned Polly to her title and then in July 2022, Bella came back out in style with best of breed at the Collie Association Summer show and by August she had annexed another three CCs (all with Best of Breed) and a RCC at four consecutive shows.

 

Hanvale Polly Shelby had an outstanding Junior career gaining her Junior Warrant before an amazing run of awards starting in quick succession beginning with a RCC, followed by 2CCs and another RCC within a matter of weeks. Lockdown then ensued, but once we were back out in the ring in 2021 and had refound 'our mojo', she gained her third CC for her Champion title, and then another CC at the next show she attended. She was Runner Up British Collie Club Rough Collie of the Year for 2021 completely out of coat and gained a RCC in Scotland before putting her paws up and letting her Mum Bella take the spotlight again for a while. Polly's brother Arthur Shelby gained a RCC in 2021 and their third sibling Tommy Shelby although living in a pet home, has joined us at a handful of shows where he has always been highly placed, including 1st at Crufts in 2020 in Mid Limit Dog. Arthur was the only 'Hanvale' to attend Crufts 2023, and delighted us by winning a very strong limit dog class.

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After a complete wardrobe change, Polly ventured back out into the showring at the end of 2023 and won three classes and two CCs. In total, the small, select Hanvale Kennel has now won 32CCs and 17RCCs with dogs in our own ownership (not including those others bred by us).

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I was granted my first judging appointment in 'my breed' when I was just 14 and have judged Rough Collies in England, Ireland, Scotland & Wales as well as in Spain, Belgium, Italy & Norway and very much enjoy judging abroad. I am approved also to judge Smooth Collies at CC level, and Border Collies and Shetland Sheepdogs at open show level. My degree is in Osteopathy (both human and canine) and I specialise in lower limb biomechanics - though I knew the anatomy of a dog long before that of a human. 

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Simon started judging Rough Collies after ten years with the breed, and is now approved to judge the breed at CC level and we both now serve on the committee of the Midland Collie Club, myself as Secretary, to do our best to 'put back' into the dog show world.

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Hannah Walder

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