January 2010 to February 2011

These annual updates always seem to begin with a lament on how fast a year goes. This time the push to put the year in perspective came from an enquiry that began…”Are you still breeding Deerhounds…?”  I was shocked. It was a year since our last web update! Only a year!! My admiration is immense for people who have the time to update their Facebook, their web site and twitter and blog away to their friends almost daily. Do you work too? Currently we are too busy doing, to have time for telling…but here is a start.

First, greetings from part of your Fernhill Welcome Committee!

                                                             Elegy,  Mojave,  Zephyr and Lyric

Mid-West Scottish Deerhound Specialty March 20, 2010 –  Louisville, KY

In March, Ed Shirley and Barb travelled to Louisville KY for the Mid-West Deerhound Specialty with Fernhill’s Huntly d’Lux (Fernhill’s Javelin X DC Nightwatch Islay Mist d’Lux) and his son Fernhill’s Bayard (Fernhill’s Huntly d’Lux X Fernhill’s Vesper). It was an indoor show, Bayard’s first and he handled it like a trooper winning his 6-9 month puppy class while Huntly went Reserve Winners dog. It was a nice way to start the year…except for the parainfluenza virus that we brought back that almost killed Lyric and Vesper who hadn’t been inoculated with IntraTrac II. Below are Huntly and his daughter Bailiewick burning off steam the sandy beaches of Prince Edward County shortly after the show (Photos courtesy of Cindy Crysdale).

Scottish Deerhound National Specialty May 11 – 15, 2010 – Basin Harbour Club, Vergennes, Vermont

The S.D.C.A. Specialty, the breed’s premier event was held in 2010 at our favourite venue, the Basin Harbour Club and Resort in Vermont. The location by Lake Champlain, the 700 acres and the ability to show and course at the same site within walking distance from your cabin makes this the perfect venue for a Deerhound event.

It is always like a huge family homecoming as so many of us have been in the breed and exchanging bloodlines for so long. To see some friends such as the California-Oregon crowd only once a year at this event means some very heavy duty partying for five days in addition to the stress of showing, coursing and whipping from one health clinic to the next in order to get Factor VII and ECG-Doppler tests done at the Specialty “great-rate”… an incredible boon to the serious breeder provided by the SDCA Health Committee.

What follows are some of the highlights of those wonderful five days for me, some which were caught on film by Steve Surfman…

Fernhill’s Bayard (Fernhill’s Huntly d’Lux X Fernhill’s Vesper) winning his 9-12 month class in the Futurity under breeder judge Joe Giles and then on to  Best Puppy in Futurity a very proud moment which I so enjoyed watching as his namesake Bayard Smith handled him for me. Then again a first in his 9 – 12 month class in the Specialty under Judge Ms Patti Widdick…

Huntly (below) with his puppies from Fernhill’s Vesper and Ch. Lehigh-Darkwynd Caragh …. winning Best Stud Dog in Futurity……

Fernhill’s Huntly d’Lux looking very handsome in the Open Dog line up……..

The irrepressible Fernhill’s Victor Moses (VM) (Aus. Ch. Thistleglen Neville X  Am. Can. Ch. Fernhill’s Roslyn) owned by Rich Paice and Deb and Gord McNaule and handled by our great friend Alistair Sutherland.

Our Ardtalamcu Mojave Man (Australian. Ch. Thistleglen Neville X Ardtalamcu Embers) with Madolyn McPhail handling winning both the Novice class and Junior Showmanship.

Our beautiful Fernhill’s Vesper (Aus. Ch. Thistleglen Neville X  Am.Can. Ch. Fernhill’s Roslyn)…..3rd in the Bred By

Then, the astounding two headed Fernhill Deerhound…… actually our perfect brace of Fernhill’s Zephyr (Ardtalamcu Mojave Man X Fernhill’s Amelie) and Fernhill’s Elegy (Ch. Christie’s Glen Fiddich X Am.Can.Ch. Fernhill’s Roslyn) captured by Barb Yaroski in this striking photo…..

And then our brace moving out (Photo: Steve Surfman)

And then YAHOOOOOOOOOO Team Fernhill!! (my side outward: Mojave, Zephyr, Vesper, Elegy)

It was such an amazing Specialty…perfect weather, warm memories and both a Canadian piper (Gord McNaule) and an American piper to lead in the Champions……with the BISS going for the second time to one of my all-time favourites and one of the breed’s great Deerhounds Ch. Foxcliffe Hickory Wind (Thistleglen Newell X Foxcliffe Summoning Charms). A well deserved win for Ceil and Scott Dove and Sally Sweatt; with a wonderful time being had by all…people and dogs!

Capital Area Sighthound Association Specialty July 18, 2010 – Kars, Ontario

Our next event was the Capital Area Sighthound Specialty on July 18th, 2010. Fernhill’s Bayard was a few days shy of his first birthday and we decided to ignore the reality that twelve months is possibly the most difficult age for a rapidly developing male Deerhound. Love is truly blind sometimes and this thought did flash through my mind as I watched a tiny perfect Whippet puppy place in the Hound Group at the associated all-breed show. What in the world made me think that an 11 month male Deerhound puppy would be competitive in a Sighthound Specialty Show against all those totally perfect and almost completely finished Basenjis, Whippets and Salukis puppies? However to my total surprise and delight Bayard was awarded Best Puppy in Specialty Show by Judge Mrs. Letitia Bett, receiving an obscenely large ribbon and rather cute stuffed tiger…which is now history!

Not only did Bayard cover himself with glory, but Ch. Caretta’s Mandolin (Am. Ch. Lehigh Yuill X Fernhill’s Reiba) won the All-Breed Veterans Show for her breeder Susan Trow and owner Alistair Sutherland handling her. This matched her heart stopping Veteran’s 7-9 class win over an entry of 13 grand veterans at the 2010 SDCA Specialty(pictured below).

Ch. Tannochbrae’s Iagan at Glencrag X Fernhill’s Elegy litter – August 8, 2008

In June we tried a “first” for us, a high-tech chilled semen breeding to Ch. Tannochbrae’s Iagan at Glencrag (Ch. Glencrag’s Blayne X Ch. Tannochbrae’s Gwynedd) with our high-tech Fernhill’s Elegy, a product of frozen semen from the 1990 Specialty winner and multi BIS winner Ch. Christie’s Glen Fiddich (Am.Can.Ch. Crannoch’s Fenris O’Fernhill F.Ch. X Am. Ch. Balnagown’s My Marnie) and our Fernhill’s Roslyn. With the encouragement of Joe and Joan Giles (Glencrag) who co-bred the litter with us and the support of Kris and Bayard Smith (Jeffcairn) and Judi Robinson (Willow) we arranged a date with FedEx.

Ch. Tannochbrae’s Iagan at Glencrag (Ch. Glencrag’s Blayne X Ch. Tannochbrae’s Gwynedd) below:

Litter of Fernhill and Glencrag – Pedigree of Iagan X Elegy “K” pups born August 8, 2010

Parents Grandparents G-Grandparents G-G-Grandparents G-G-G-Grandparents
Ch Tannochbrae’s Iagan at Glencrag Ch Glencrag’s Blayne SC Ch Sindar Megabuck Ch Lehigh Ross JC Ch Thistleglen Dalton
Ch. Lehigh Noreen
Ch Sindar Ianna ChCh Jaraluv The Future Factor
Ch Tamarin Classic Fable
Ch Glencrag Mariah SC Ch Glencrag Tyler O’ Fern Hill SC Ch Crannoch’s Fenris O’Fern Hill FCh
Ch Foxcliffe Cailleach, FCh
Ch Glencrag’s Darsey Ch Fernhill Taliesin The Raven, F.Ch
Ch Glencrag’s Lara
Ch Tannochbrae’s Gwynedd Ch Boardwalks Dr Findlay JC Ch Killoeter Ebony Ardkinglas Murdo
UK Ch Ardkinglas Nina
Boardwalk’s My Gracious Boardwalks Robert the Bruce
Outer Island Lassemista
Ch Tannochbrae’s Calapooya JC FCh Windshift’s Lord Greystoke Ch Lehigh Ulrich JC
Ch Ladybank’s Holly of Windshift
Ch Dhu Mohr Ayr’s Blaven JC Ch Dhu Mohr Ayr’s Tam O’ Shanter
Ch Dhu Mohr Cambus Piper of Ayr
Fernhill’s Elegy Ch. Christie’s Glen Fiddich Am.Can.Ch.Crannoch’s Fenris O’ Fern Hill, F.Ch Crannoch’s Ode Am.Can.Ch. Gwent’s Trefor O’ Fern Hill
Can. Ch. Crannoch’s Artemis
Can Ch. Crannoch’s Atalanta Ch. Lyonhil Claymore Of Evermore
Ch. Shanid’s Blue Belle
Am Ch. Balnagown’s My Marnie Ch. Evermore Noble Of Balnagown Ch. Lyonhil Claymore Of Evermore
Lyonhil Highland Forever
Balnagown’s Lochness Lummox Lyonhil’s Skye Of Balnagown
Ch. Highstone’s Aberdeen
Am. Can. Ch. Fernhill’s Roslyn Am. Ch. Lehigh Urquhart SC Ch. Sindar Munro Of Lehigh Ch. Lehigh Ross
Ch. Sindar Ianna
Ch. Lehigh Noreen Ch.Gayleward’s Buckeye
Ch. Jaraluv’s Freya Of Lehigh
Fernhill’s Camille Am. Can Ch. Fernhill’s Intrepid Fernhill’s Condor
Pennant’s Ondine O’ Fernhill
Fernhill’s Diva Am Can Ch. Fernhill’s Muldoon F.Ch
Fernhill’s Phoenix

The not-very-exciting trans cervical implant (for Elegy) of chilled semen was successful and on August 8, 2010 Elegy had 3 males 3 females. It was a trouble free whelping and Elegy proved to be a wonderful dam.

 Like clockwork, at four weeks Fernhill smallies are out of the box…. 

 Having long given up gardening and relegating my growth of fresh vegetables to dog proof planters, I was horrified to see not even planters are safe when smallies get moved outside! 

 

 Since this was a co-bred litter with Joan and Joe Giles, the preparations for the drive from Oregon to Ontario and then back after picking up the litter just couldn’t begin soon enough for us!  The Great Giles-Smith Cross Country Caper backed by the logistical and technical genius of Kris and Bayard Smith, left Fern Hill on October 31st and high tailed it across North America with a van full of 12 week puppies chased by winter storms. The trip was eventful and a success, written up by Joan and Kris for the SDCA Claymore (pp. 14 – 17, 37 – 39)….. a wonderful tale of Trans Continental Travels with Smallies and the “kindness of strangers”.

Below is Elegy’s last day out hunting with Kiann (Giles), Kenna (Giles), Kaelyn (Smith), Kinley (Heidenreich), Knick Knack (Robinson), Finlay (Williamson)….

Joan and Roger Creel Visit – September 10, 2010

During the year we worked with our dear friend Joan Creel on her latest sculpture…a leaping “Neil” (Mojave X Amelie) started in clay with the intention of being cast in life-size bronze. Never in thinking through logistics of our coveting this masterpiece, did we ever expect a bronze casting for Fern Hill to be delivered in person!

So, it was with great excitement that we welcomed Joan and Roger to Fern Hill with their precious cargo and then scampered about looking for the ideal spot for our new “maintenance free” Deerhound. We tried upstairs……………

We tried outside and settled on the perfect place…a pedestal in the centre of our patio area (below: Elegy supervising her Iagan puppies and Joan’s bronze “Neil”).

We had to giggle as our Creel “Neil” morphed into a Bedlington under the winter snow, but Joan’s bronze never fails to thrill us on a daily basis. (Oh yes…did we mention already the maintenance free aspect of this type of Deerhound ownership????????) 

   

Highland Cattle at Fern Hill  – September 14, 2010 : The End of an Era

The first Highland cattle came to Fern Hill in 1973. The beauty of Nellie and her calf “Druida” (pictured below) captivated me. My herd grew to almost 100 and the sight of them grazing in the fields gave me great pleasure and superb meat. As with all horned breeds, especially my semi-feral herd, they were never easy to handle and I came to dread the annual round-up and rodeo session when cows would shred our barnyard fencing with their horns in order to protect their calves from me leaping about with the terrible but necessary ear tattoo equipment. When we moved from custom baling our hay into small square bales that could be lifted, one bale in each hand, to round bales weighing around four hundred pounds that take a tractor and front end loader to lift, I knew that my days with Highland cattle were numbered.

On September 14, 2010 almost forty years after Nellie arrived, we shipped the last of our Highlands. Such magnificent animals…I really miss them. Richard rounded them up with great difficulty, while the drivers of the cattle truck watched from a safe position behind the fence, and then they all rolled down the driveway…. 

Ch. Fernhill’s Huntly d’Lux X Big Sky Anica O’Fernhill litter – November 16, 2010

It was an act of madness, we both realised it, but Julie, snug in sunny Texas and the advancing age of  Big Sky Anica O’Fernhill (Ch. Fernhill’s Azure X Ch. Highlander’s Zoe Cameron d’Lux) encouraged Fernhill and Big Sky to co-breed a litter…yes, a winter litter. Two males and five females arrived November 16, 2010. Beautiful puppies, no whelping problems and Anica was a dream mother that loved her babies.

Litter of Fernhill and Big Sky: Huntly X Anica born November 16th 2010 bred by Barb Heidenreich and Julie McPhail
Parents GrandParents G-GrandParents G-G-GParents G-G-G-GParents
Ch. Fernhill’s Huntly d’Lux Fernhill’s Javelin, JC Am Ch. Pyefleet Niall Ch. Beardswood Garvan Ch. Beardswood Eiryn
Beardswood Damask
Pyefleet Loyal Ch. Rotherwood Chad
Pyefleet Kiriana
Fernhill’s Dulcinea Ch. Lehigh Urquhart SC Am Ch. Sindar Munro of Lehigh
Am Ch. Lehigh Noreen
Ch. Fernhill’s Electra At Fitzhugh JC F. Ch. Am Can Ch.Fernhill’s Wyvern
Lyonhill Echo O’Fern Hill
Am. Ch. Nightwatch Islay Mist d’Lux F.Ch. LCX Am Ch. Foxcliffe Quidditch Am Can Ch. Pennant’s Mariner Am Can Ch. Fernhill’s Somerset
Am Can Ch. Fernhill’s Encore
Am Ch. Beardswood Freya Ch. Beardswood Eiryn
Beardswood Demelza
Ch. Rosebank d’Lux Vale Vue Am Ch. Scoresby d’Lux O’Fairyfort Ch. Pibroch Bruichladdich d’Lux JC FCh.
 Am Ch. Aberfeldy d’Lux
Am Ch. Joyous Alyssum O’Vale Vue Am Ch. Sungael The Harvester
Ch. Vale Vue’s Jouyous Dundee d”Lux FCh.
Big Sky Anica O’Fernhill Ch. Fernhill’s Azure Can.Ch. Fernhill’s Turbulent Indigo Can.Ch.Fernhill’s Intrepid Fernhill’s Condor
Pennant’s Ondine O’Fernhill
Am.Can.Ch. Fernhill’s Evangeline Am.Can.Ch. Foxcliffe Eclipse O’Fernhill
Ch. Gwent’s Crystal Windracer
Fernhill’s Dulcinea Ch. Lehigh Urquhart Ch. Sindar Munro of Lehigh
Ch. Lehigh Noreen
Ch. Fernhill’s Electra at Fitzhugh, F.Ch. Am.Can.Ch. Fernhill’s Wyvern
Lyonhil Echo O’Fernhill
Am. Ch. Highlander’s Zoe Cameron d’Lux Ch. Beaufort’s Black Tie’N Tails Ch. Salutary’s Buckingham Ch. Gayleward’s Buckeye
Ch. Gayleward’s Sydney
Ch. Sungael Jubilee Point Ch. Sungael the Harveste
Ch. Sungael Granola
Ch. Springbank d’Lux O’Fairyfort Ch. Pibroch Bruichladdich d’Lux, F.Ch. Ch. Pibroch’s the Hunter O’Vale Vue
Keely Campbell Ditto
Ch. Aberfeldy d’Lux Ch. Gayleward’s Happy
Ch. Vale Vue’s Chivas Regal d’Lux

They grew rapidly and were black and sleek with wonderful appetites!

The puppies spent Christmas exploring the house while we followed them about with a carpet shampoo machine.

The weather really was bitter this year. Endless days of – 20 C and mountains of snow. But these are tough Canadian puppies and to our astonishment they enjoyed venturing out in sub zero weather to scamper about in the snow. Richard shovelled trails for them and they hared about using them as Indy 500 routes.

The puppies finally left for Texas, Illinois, Louisiana, and California except for Fernhill’s Cardhu (left) and Fernhill’s Catriona (right) pictured at 8 weeks.

 Anica breathed a HUGE sigh of relief (below)!

Ch. Christie’s Glen Fiddich X Fernhill’s Vesper litter – November 27, 2010

It wasn’t just the Huntly X Anica litter that kept us busy; we also bred Vesper to frozen semen from Ch. Christie’s Glen Fiddich (collected October 5, 1991). We had used him in the past and had one vial left from our breeding with Roslyn in 2007 that produced Equinox and Elegy. We didn’t expect a huge litter and were delighted when Vesper produced three beautiful babies. She started with the two boys Talbot and Tavish but Barb Yaroski and I insisted that we needed a girl so on November 27th in the morning the last puppy, our little female Taegan arrived. Three beautiful puppies…two with matching white tips to their tails, so we had to keep those!

Pedigree of the Fernhill (Christie’s Glen Fiddich X Vesper) “T” litter  born November 27, 2010
Parents GrandParents G-GParents G-G-GParents G-G-G-GParents
Ch. Christie’s Glen Fiddich Am.Can.Ch.Crannoch’s Fenris O’ Fern Hill F.Ch Crannoch’s Ode Am.Can.Ch.Gwent’s Trefor O’ Fern Hill Am.Can.Ch.Geltsdale Beauly
Ch. Highstone’s Gael Mactavish
Ch. Crannoch’s Artemis Ch. Lyonhil Claymore Of Evermore
Ch. Shanid’s Blue Belle
Can Ch. Crannoch’s Atalanta Ch. Lyonhil Claymore Of Evermore Ch. Lyonhil’s  Angus Of The Isles
Lyonhil Ebonwood Peerless
Ch. Shanid’s Blue Belle Am.Mex.Ch. Shanid’s Jonathan
Am.Mex.Ch. Dalmahoy Shanid’s Shauna
Am Ch. Balnagown’s My Marnie Ch. Evermore Noble Of Balnagown Ch. Lyonhil Claymore Of Evermore Ch. Lyonhil’s  Angus Of The Isles
Lyonhil Ebonwood Peerless
Lyonhil Highland Forever Ch. Lyonhil’s Angus Of The Isles
Lyonhil Highland Fortune
Balnagown’s Lochness Lummox Lyonhil’s Skye Of Balnagown Lyonhil Highland Hunter
Lyonhil Highland Shadoplaid
Ch. Highstone’s Aberdeen Ch. Sandpiper’s Roy Of Highstone
Ch. Fern Of Highstone
Fernhill’s Vesper Australian. Ch. Thistleglen Neville Ch. Thistleglen Leeds Ch. Darkwynd Doublestar Ch.  Thistleglen Dalton
Ch. Lehigh Noreen
Ch. Thistleglen Gillian Ch. Jaraluv The Future Factor
Ch. Tamarin Classic Fable
Ch. Fernhill’s Thistleglen Tenille Ch. Lehigh Urquhart Ch. Sindar Munro Of Lehigh
Ch. Lehigh Noreen
Ch. Fernhill’s Electra at Fitzhugh F.Ch. Ch. Fernhill’s Wyvern
Lyonhil Echo O’Fernhill
Am. Can. Ch. Fernhill’s Roslyn Am. Ch. Lehigh Urquhart Ch. Sindar Munro Of Lehigh Ch. Lehigh Ross
Ch Sindar Ianna
Ch. Lehigh Noreen Ch. Gayleward’s Buckeye
Ch. Jaraluv’s Freya Of Lehigh
Fernhill’s Camille Am Can Ch. Fernhill’s Muldoon F.Ch Am. Can. Ch. Fernhill’s Caliban F.Ch.
Am.Ch. Gwent’s Crystal Windracer
Fernhill’s Diva Am.Can.Ch. Crannoch’s Fenris O’ Fern Hill F.Ch.
Fernhill’s  Phoenix

Fernhill’s Talbot (below left) at 11 weeks and Fernhill’s Taegan (right at 11 weeks) stayed with us and Fernhill’s Tavish travelled to Missouri to be with Dr. Dan DeFlorio.

Pennant’s Ghost 12 ½ birthday

We had a wonderful visit on December 19th 2010 by the Logan clan who arrived with Ch. Pennant’s Ghost (Ch. Fernhill’s Turbulent Indigo X Ch. Fernhill’s Encore). Ghostie at 12 ½ years was of course, the centre of attention and she clearly enjoyed every minute. However, she was perfectly happy to hop back into the car (unassisted) and head off to her own place where the world revolves solely around her…….

Glencrag and Fernhill “H” Litter (Ch. Tannochbrae’s Iagan at Glencrag X Big Sky Astrid O’ Fernhill) – December 20-21, 2010

Having fallen for the persuasive powers of Joan and Joe Giles and produced a litter for them, we then both got smart and found a surrogate for the next breeding. This time Joe and Joan leased Big Sky Astrid O’ Fernhill (Ch. Fernhill’s Azure X Ch. Highlander’s Zoe Cameron d’Lux) from us, but Astrid resides in Mill Bay, British Columbia with my great friends Gail, Andrew and Isla Lamb. The Lamb family decided that they wished an “experience”…just something a bit different from the usual Royal Canadian Mounted Police duties! So they trucked down to Oregon to do the breeding…..

Then using Skype video “we” whelped 5 males and 2 females and vicariously helped when we could by dishing out advice by email and Skype as the Lambs spent the evening of the Winter Solstice whelping puppies. This, we have decided is the BEST way ever to have a litter of Deerhound pups!! Yes! Joe and Joan are really on to something. While we may quickly run out of friends, we had a wonderful time listening to the complaints about the sleepless nights, enjoying the emails, cooing over the photos……….

Pedigree of  the Fernhill and Glencrag  (Iagan X Astrid) “H” litter  born December 20, 2010 Bred by Joseph & Joan Giles and Barbara Heidenreich
Parents Grandparents G-GrandParents G-G-GParents G-G-G-GParents
Ch Tannochbrae’s Iagan at  Glencrag Ch  Glencrag’s Blayne SC Ch Sindar Megabuck Ch Lehigh Ross JC Ch Thistleglen Dalton
Ch. Lehigh Noreen
Ch Sindar Ianna ChCh Jaraluv The Future Factor
Ch Tamarin Classic Fable
Ch Glencrag Mariah SC Ch Glencrag Tyler O’ Fern Hill SC Ch Crannoch’s Fenris O’Fern Hill FCh
Ch Foxcliffe Cailleach, FCh
Ch Glencrag’s Darsey Ch Fernhill Taliesin The Raven, F.Ch
Ch Glencrag’s Lara
Ch Tannochbrae’s Gwynedd Ch Boardwalks Dr Findlay JC Am.Ch Killoeter Ebony Ardkinglas Murdo
UK Ch Ardkinglas Nina
Boardwalk’s My Gracious Boardwalks Robert the Bruce
Outer Island Lassemista
Ch Tannochbrae’s Calapooya JC FCh Windshift’s Lord Greystoke Ch Lehigh Ulrich JC
Ch Ladybank’s Holly of Windshift
Ch Dhu Mohr Ayr’s Blaven JC Ch Dhu Mohr Ayr’s Tam O’ Shanter
Ch Dhu Mohr Cambus Piper of Ayr
Big Sky Astrid O’ Fernhill Am.Ch. Fernhill’s Azure Can.Ch. Fernhill’s Turbulent Indigo Can.Ch.Fernhill’s Intrepid Fernhill’s Condor
Pennant’s Ondine O’Fernhill
Am.Can.Ch. Fernhill’s Evangeline Am.Can.Ch. Foxcliffe Eclipse O’Fernhill
Ch. Gwent’s Crystal Windracer
Fernhill’s Dulcinea Ch. Lehigh Urquhart Ch. Sindar Munro of Lehigh
Ch. Lehigh Noreen
Ch. Fernhill’s Electra at Fitzhugh, F.Ch. Am.Can.Ch. Fernhill’s Wyvern
Lyonhil Echo O’Fernhill
Am. Ch. Highlander’s Zoe  Cameron d’Lux Ch. Beaufort’s Black Tie’N Tails Ch. Salutary’s Buckingham Ch. Gayleward’s Buckeye
Ch. Gayleward’s Sydney
Ch. Sungael Jubilee Point Ch. Sungael the Harvester
Ch. Sungael Granola
Ch. Springbank d’Lux O’Fairyfort Ch. Pibroch Bruichladdich d’Lux, F.Ch. Ch. Pibroch’s the Hunter O’Vale Vue
Keely Campbell Ditto
Ch. Aberfeldy d’Lux Ch. Gayleward’s Happy
Ch. Vale Vue’s Chivas Regal d’Lux

Our little girl Hailey (below left)…totally adorable despite being called “Yoda” by Andrew! And how about this picture…a Big Tough Cop (retired) filing smallie nails…….just don’t let the colleagues back at the RCMP Headquarters see this…….!!! 

What could be better than having someone whelp your litter and raise it for you that has as well,  a built in socialisation system…the BEST puppy sitter ever (drum roll) …… Isla Lamb!!!!!

So the year ended on a very happy note! Glencrag and Fernhill had their easiest litter ever! That most perfect of “H” litters has a Holly (Giles), Hailey (Heidenreich), Hector (Linn), Holt (Giles), Hart (Cohen), Hebridie (Heidenreich) and Hawthorn (Gamiz). We are all still friends. The smallies are gorgeous and head off to Ontario, Texas, California, New Mexico  and Oregon in early 2011. Welcome to a new concept in the world of whelping litters. Please contact us if you wish to do our next. You don’t even have to pay us for the experience!!!

Ch. Foxcliffe Hickory Wind makes history!

On February 16, 2011 at the 135th Westminster Kennel Club all-breed show, Sally Sweatt, Ceil and Scott Dove’s Ch. Foxcliffe Hickory Wind won Best in Show ! (Photo below courtesy of Steve Surfman). What more can one say. She is an absolutely stunning bitch bred by Ceil and Scott Dove and handled by Angela Lloyd with a quiet dignity befitting the world’s most beautiful Scottish Deerhound. She has an interesting pedigree. Her sire Thistleglen Newell is a full brother to Ch. Thistleglen Margot who won the hound Group at Westminster in 2006, and behind her are many exceptional Deerhounds blending some of the best of  USA, Canada and the UK bloodlines. Well done Foxcliffe!

Ch. Foxcliffe Hickory Wind
  Parents Grandparents G-GrandParents G-G-GParents
Ch. Foxcliffe Hickory Wind Thistleglen Newell Ch. Thistleglen Leeds Ch. Darkwynd Doublestar Ch. Darkwynd Domino O’Vale Vue
Ch. Joyous Starchaser O’Vale Vue
Ch. Thistleglen Gillian Ch. Lehigh Ross
Ch. Lehigh Nettle O’ Thistleglen
Ch. Fernhill’s Thistleglen Tenille Ch. Lehigh Urquhart Ch. Sindar Munro of Lehigh
Ch. Lehigh Noreen
Ch. Fernhill’s Electra at Fitzhugh F. Ch. Am. Can. Ch. Fernhill’s Wyvern
Lyonhil Echo O’ Fernhill
Foxcliffe Summoning Charms Ch. Pennant’s Mariner Am.Can Ch. Fernhill’s Somerset Ch. Pennant’s Halo
Lyonhil Echo O’Fernhill
Am.Can Ch. Fernhill’s Encore Am.Can. Ch. Fernhill’s Wyvern
Lyonhil Echo O’Fernhill
Ch. Beardswood Freya Ch. Beardswood Eiryn Ch. Kilbourne Shamus
Beardswood Breanna
Beardswood Demelza Ch. Rosslyn Argus
Ch. Beardswood Albertina

And now before everyone rushes off to get a Deerhound, have a look at Barb Yaroski’s Fernhill’s Cailean (below) doing her own Best in Snow and Andrew, Gail and Isla Lamb’s Fernhill’s Havoc Chace now over ten years old and still active enough to chase a deer on Christmas Eve and get kicked in the chops for his effort! This is really what Deerhounds are all about…that wild athleticism which is so breathtaking and is the essence of owning a coursing hound.

Non cogito, ergo zoom

Have a wonderful 2011 with best wishes  from all of us at Fern Hill !

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