The kennel name SKOVARD is named after a horse named Skovard who was a very special horse; he ruled at the farm Skovgård where I grew up. According to my mother, Skovard was my "nanny". He watched over me when I was outside sleeping in my pram. Sometimes, he went inside to the kitchen if the door was open and you can imagine it wasn't easy to get him out of there without breaking anything. It was my father's proposition to apply for the name SKOVARD as he meant a lot to everyone who grew up at Skovgård.
My first dog was a German Shepherd Dog; Vehregaardens Irja, she had a ltiter sired by Nord CH Ingodds Fokas in 1972. My sister Ann had Skovards Arno who became an obedience champion. Unfortunately, Irja had a very strong guarding instinct regards her own things, so when Beathe was born, and Irnja didn't allow any "strangers" to come near the baby, I chose to put her to sleep. Then my first Golden Retriever arrived; Spervikbuktens Petronelle (CH Camrose Cabus Christopher - Spervikbuktens Kristina). She was from the first "froxen" litter being born. After that come Avkrogens Chris (Davern Fergus - Westley Brianna), Åsebygardens Delicate Daffodil (CH Camrose Cabus Christopher - NUCH Åsebygardens Beesheba).
At a show in England I saw a Welsh Springer Spaniel and fell in love. Resulting in NUCH Triggers Peppy. NUCH Triggers Trixie (Triggers Echo-Triggers Just me) came to us as a full grown bitch. They gave us lots of good offsprings and we kept two; NUCH Skovard`s Handy Size and Skovard's Kristina who were later sold to Sweden. As my Goldens grew old, new ones arrived, NUCH Begora's Hitch-Hiker (NUCH Davern Lion Lotcheck - NUCH Dainty`s Please Love me). "Teddy" was a superdog for us, but unfortunately he had HD. At the same time, Markhyttens Camelia (CH Mjærumhøgda`s Classic Sound - NUCH Markhyttens Maggie Mae) arrived and NUCH Begora's Snapshot (NUCH Begora`s Personality - Begora`s Skyline). We kept puppies after these two, but they had HD. After a trip to England, Welsh Springer NUCH Hillpark Harlequin arrived, but it turned out he was sterile.
An old dream came true in 1994 when we bought shorthaired German Pointer; Stallogaisa's Brage ( NJCH Ajax - CH Måsans Daisy). We like hunting, and felt the time was right for a "proper" hunting dog and had lots of fine events with Brage. After a while Itza's Ailo (INT NORD CH Inka-Haugebjå`s Dbb Storm) arrived from Tromsø. I was in Tromsø to buy a puppy, but grew so fond of Ailo that I brought home a full grown dog instead. As Ailo`s breeder Anne Maj says: "There's noone like Ailo!" His personality and calmness has meant a lot, also being a super hunting companion. Ailo got visitors from Bergen; Krekehølens Yoko resulting in us getting Krekehølens Tyra.
Our newest family members are Golden Retriever,
Oleana av Vervik (Stenbury Waterwing
Shot - NUCH Dasty Golden Daffodil) and Pointer Valaskjalvs
Frøya
(NJCH Huldreveien Molle - Svarthetta`s Irpa).
There are no Welsh Springers in our home today, but it's nice to know that dogs from our breeding has produced nice dogs both in Norway and Sweden. NUCH NVCH Skovards Karisma at kennel Robins, Skovards Lad and Skovards Kristina has amongst others kennel Freckles had the pleasure of. Carina has also been a great inspiration for us with her great knowledge of the breed. There were more Champions too; Skovards Happy Charmita, Skovards Kornelius, Skovards Lobelia.