Our life with dogs commenced in 1976 when we purchased our first golden retriever, Ben. We showed and bred golden retrievers successfully for a number of years breeding a best in show winner. In 1986 while on a trip overseas, we visited the United Retriever Club show at Stoneleigh in England where we saw flat coated retrievers for the first time. I can still remember the thrill of seeing the dogs with their coats shining in the sun and their tails wagging nonstop. On our return we hunted for a puppy and with the guidance of the Flatcoated Retriever Association of Victoria purchased our first flatcoat Ch Hadwin Blair Dooley from Donna Turner in Canberra. Dooley was a total character and we were captivated by our new breed. Over time the five golden retrievers and one flat coated retriever became five flat coated retrievers and one golden retriever. In December 2007 we lost our last golden to cancer at the age of thirteen. We now have seven flat coated retrievers.

We live on 10 acres about 15 kilometres from Devonport on the north west coast of Tasmania. We are both retired so the dogs get plenty of walks along the local country roads and free runs in our paddocks. While showing is our main interest, we also dabble in some obedience, tracking and retrieving training.

With our flatcoated retrievers, we have owned three grand champions ten champions as well as breeding a number of other champiions. From our first flat coated retriever litter we have Ch Firebush Dizzy Miz Lizzy gaining her championship title in October 2008 and her sister Ch Firebush Let It Be gaining hers in May 2009. Their litter brother BIS BISS Aus Supreme Ch Ch & NZ Ch Grand Champion Firebush Sergeant Pepper CD RRD ORA owned by Kirsty Blair gained his CCD and RRD in addition to his Australian show title before the age of two. He gained his NZ championship in 2010 in just two months of showing and in 2011 became the first flat coated retriever to gain a New Zealand Grand Champion title after winning his third All Breeds Best in Show award. On his return to Australia, Pepper gained his Supreme Championship title, the first flatcoat in Australia and New Zealand to hold both titles as well as obedience and retrieving titles.

All three are multiple class in group winners, with Aus Sup Ch & NZ Gr Ch Firebush Sergeant Pepper winning 15 Allbreeds Best in Show awards and 51 Best in Group awards. Their dam is Ch Bushman Dream Come True and their sire BIS Grand Champion Bushman The Deputy.

Puppies from Ch Firebush Dizzy Miz Lizzy and Disco, Grand Ch Explicit No Trouble At All (Imported Sweden), arrived October 21 2009. We kept a black bitch Firebush Billie Piper from this litter who has now achieved her championship title. In May 2011 our liver girl Ch Firebush Let It Be gave birth to 15 puppies using frozen semen from our Ch Bushman Live and learn. Twelve puppies survived. From this litter we kept a promising liver male called Wicked. Ch Firebush The Wicked truth gained his championship title.

In 2013, Ch Firebush Dizzy Miz Lizzy had a litter under the Kellick prefix to Boltiltorps Take It Or Leave It. From that litter our Ch Kellick Midnight Ticket ToRide has had a very successful show career. Our showing activities this year have been restricted due to me having major surgery.  We have just returned to the show ring..