CLYNYMONA

We are a small kennel of top winning Bolognese and Australian Silky Terriers based in the Isle of Man owned by Virginia Dowty and her daughter Tanya MacKrell.  We have shown and bred Bolognese for 16 years and Silkies for 8 years, Campaigning both breeds with great success in Ireland, UK and Europe. Our involvement with show dogs goes back 25 years orginally with Ch Bernese Mountain Dogs and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.

Tanya MacKrell & Virginia Dowty - history of their involvement with Australian Silky Terriers

Their involvement with Silkies started 8 years ago, with a dog "DJ" who was campaigned to his International, Gibraltar and Irish titles, Int, Ir & Gib Ch Beechcrest Littlefoot. He was the first Isle of Man and British bred Silky to gain 3 International Ch titles. Prior to that Virginia was one of the first people to show and breed Bolognese, starting with one foundation bitch until she was joined in 2002 by Shiarita Lolita who went on to become Int & Gib Ch.

"DJ" came from Jenny Kelly, a Silky breeder based on the Isle of Man purely by co-incidence Virginia had set her heart on a Silky but had no idea there was in fact a top breeder literally on her doorstep. Tanya, her daughter had shown an early interest in showing dogs, by handling her mother's Bernese Mountain Dogs and Cavaliers, when she was only 8 years old, however after several years of being dressed in Swiss costume and participating in YKC handling including to the final at Crufts, she rebelled saying "that was enough", and her interest waned and she really lost interest in dogs. That was until "DJ" appeared on the scene, when she started to regain interest by accompanying her mother to shows again and handling her Mother's dogs, as her mother due to an accident was and is unable to drive. 

Virginia quickly realised that if the breed was to flourish and develop they desperately need to forge links with breeders further a field, in order to extend the gene pool bring in new blood lines. So entered Irma Leino from Finland (Bombix Moren).  It took a long time to establish a bond and friendship but as time went on she agreed to send some dogs to Virginia. Tanya also decided that she wanted to be a part of it having fallen in love with this enchanting breed. So Virginia took a female Bombix Moren Euphonia (Euro) who at her first show in the UK at just over 12 months old went BOB, Tanya took a male Bombix Moren Dosis Maxima (Marty) having persuaded her then fiance (now husband) Kieran they could have a dog at home. So in late Virginia and Tanya set off to Finland to see the Bombix Moren Silky Terriers and to get the seal of approval from Irma !!  In the heart of the Finnish cold winter they visited Irma and fell in love with their prospective dogs and soon became great friends with Irma. 

In the summer of 2004, Tanya and Virginia imported their new family members. Marty, Tanya's precious little boy "Marty", Int & Ir Ch Bombix Moren Dosis Maxima who is now one of the top winning Silkies of the new Millenium, and her mum’s Silky called Euro, who has turned out to be a wonderful brood bitch producing top winning puppies.

Marty BIG2 Cloghran Ch show Ireland 2005 Photo (c) Joyce Crawford-Manton

"Marty" is the apple of Tanya's eye and has made her even more dedicated to the breed, he is very strong willed a real little joker and great show man, they make a great little team. His wins inc Celtic Winner 2006, RBOB Crufts 2007, Gp 2 Toy Gp Blackpool Ch 2008 and many BOB wins in UK and Ireland.  Following on later came "Nitro", litter sister of Euro, otherwise known as Multi Ch Bombix Moren Ex Improviso she is co-owned with Virginia, Irma Leino, and Terhi Korhonen who handled her so successfully to BOB CRUFTS 2006 and in to the last 8 in the Toy Group. Nitro remained in England for the summer taking residence at the MacKrell household were she quickly became a loving member of the family. She was due to return to Finland after the summer, but everyone had become so attached to her, that in September 2006 on Tanya's wedding day, Irma announced that she could stay in the Isle of Man. Beau (Clynymona Aina) was born in 2006, sired by Marty out of Euro. Beau is very special being from the first litter that Tanya had been actively involved in and had over-seen, she was always pick of the litter.

Euro's lovely puppies include little Lucy (BombixMoren Timanteilla), born in December 2007 and Int, Fin, Swed, Lat, Lith, Est, Span, Dan, Nordic, Baltic, Gib Ch Clynymona Inari whose wins incl Best Male in breed at World Terrier Show 2008, and multi Group placings in Europe, he is co -owned by Irma and Virginia. This stunning dog sired by DJ was born on the Isle of Man and then returned to Finland to stay with Irma from where he has travelled far and wide, through Europe, and back, handled always by Irma Leino. He has also sired some lovely puppies including the TOP WINNING Puppy in BREED UK 2008 Limartine Judge Dredd, winner of BPIS Day 1 Leeds Ch 2008.

Tanya after Winning Best In Show-puppy with Beau at Irish Toydog Ch show 2007

 
Tanya with Nitro, Beau & Marty July 2007 // Tanya with Nitro and Marty (from left) June 2006

For Tanya, who spends a lot of time in Ireland (her husband's family are from Ireland) the dogs are her family too, she loves the time she spends with them whether they are out walking in the countryside, or training for the next show, and they are a happy family. The Silkies are also very welcome visitors at the care home where her Nanna is, and much loved by the residents and staff there.

Virginia does not handle or show the Silkies due to injuries suffered in an accident so she leaves that side to Tanya, but she is very much involved in the planning, the breeding, and everything that goes in to making the Clynymona Bolognese and Silkies a successful show team. The team is often helped by Terhi Korhonen from Finland who has spent 3 summers helping out, showing and handling this small but busy kennel and also by Jill Dickinson, the dog groomer. With shows almost every week in Ireland or the UK during the summer there is a lot of preparation to do and without their help it would be impossible.

Showing is an important part of Tanya and Virginia's life and has brought them into contact with some incredible people that have become firm friends. Without Irma they would not have progressed the breeding and produced the wonderful dogs that they have and also with the help and advice of  Kathleen Whiteford in Ireland whose wisdom and knowledge is unsurpassable. For Mother and daughter to share such a passion for their dogs and to have the same interests is a blessing.

_______________________

Quote:

Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly. -Robert F Kennedy