In memory of……

Today a group travelled to the beautiful Llantysilio church to say goodbye to Brenda Jones. In memory of Brenda’s enthusiasm for always being early for everything the arrival at Church was also an early one which gave time to enjoy the view of the Horseshoe Falls and the River Dee. Glen of Imaal Terrier, Sealyham, Cesky, Norwich & Norfolk people were all represented and it was noticeable that one pew full of people suddenly sat very taller when Brenda’s connection with a “sort of Irish Terrier” was mentioned. Be assured their hard stares happened after the vicar had lost his place. Glen of Imaal ranks were further swelled at the crematorium by an early returnee from their holidays who just had to come back so as to say goodbye to Brenda.

Unfortunately here we go again….

Only a few short weeks ago the unexpected death of Joe Welch was announced and now another one of us has gone; on Thursday Brenda Jones left the room. There are so few left that had Glen of Imaal Terriers in the late 70s and early 80s and Brenda’s passing, she had her first Glen in 1982, is felt very keenly. She came to Glens from American Cocker Spaniels & couldn’t believe how different it all was. A very formal Gundog life was quickly exchanged after her first show with a Glen. A well known Terrier man was the breed judge and he paused in the middle of going over her puppy to welcome her to Glens & the steward, on hearing the words of the judge, also told her what a great breed Glens were……the steward was Percy Whittaker. Brenda came out of the ring hooked.

Her favourite Glen was Bwyan and his over 50 Best of Breeds meant he obtained the accolade of being known by his first name to many in Terriers. The two of them adored each other and a bit of the heart went out of Brenda when he died; she believed there would never be a dog like him again and began to look more closely at Sealyhams and Cesky & had brilliant success in a short time with the Sealies.  She still loved Glens, owning a few oldies still, and had been really pleased to have been passed to award Challenge Certificates but unfortunately it is not to be.

We send sympathy and thoughts to her family and raise a glass to the memory of bonfires; singing and a dustbin.

Interesting mix but what criteria?

The terrier tent at the Game Fair was a very interesting mix but nobody seemed to know what it was. There were Glen of Imaals, Sealyhams, Smooth Fox, Skyes, Dandie Dinmonts, Manchester, Irish & Norwich so the first reaction was the “so-called” Vulnerables but where was the Kerry, Lakeland, Welsh and Mini Bull? It wasn’t working terriers either. Does anybody know?