Meet the Committee

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I have been involved with dogs for most of my life but around 14 years ago my wife and I fell in love with the Irish Water Spaniels and were advised to get in touch with David & Ursula Wilcox, which we did.  We got our foundation bitch from them in 2011, Fendrake Isla at Islacairn. As a result of Isla, we now have another 9 Irishers, 7 home bred and 2 that we have brought in from reputable breeders. I am actively out picking up on shoots every season with several of our IWS and have been a member of the SIWSC since the beginning of our IWS journey. My wife and I have plenty of experience with the breed and do our best to promote it at all times here in N.E. Scotland. 

I was introduced Irish Water Spaniels at the Midland Game Fair over 15years ago by David and Ursula Wilcox and Melvyn and Denise Hurst. After attending an event at Chillington and talking to others within the club I fell in love with the breed. Over the years my husband and I visited Melvyn and Denise in Sheffield many times and met their dogs, helped to dry off 11 puppies and enjoy their hospitality.  This was much to my family’s surprise as I was always afraid of dogs when I was younger, but these beautiful dogs have won my heart hook line and sinker. 

When we met Yeates who we loved and knew at some point we would have one of his puppies. Well that time came after meeting Roisin owned by Carol Jackson and in 2015 we got our very own IWS , Fenwick (Lachanstrand’s Dubhlainn at Janbry). My husband and I are both members of the Newcastle Wildfowlers Association where Nichol takes Gefrin and Hepple (Fenwick has retired) to shoots and where they enjoy entertaining everyone on the beating lines.  In 2019 Fenwick became a father for the first time when he mated Melvyn and Denise’s bitch Dee Dee and we got our second IWS Gefrin (Kirkmarsh Ferryman at Janbry). Being committed and passionate about preserving and promoting this amazing breed and the club. Fenwick went on to fathered a further 3 litters and we got our third IWS Hepple 

I've been involved with the breed since 2011 when we got our first IWS, Fendrake Isla (Isla), from David & Ursula Wilcox.  We now have seven, all of whom I adore.  Our dogs are worked regularly in the shooting season and they draw a lot of attention and interest.  I live in NE Scotland and one of my aims is to promote this breed to the best of my ability so as to hopefully help increase their numbers in the working field.