V2.9 © Lynda Nicholas and John Carter 2014 (merrycockers.co,uk and main49.co.uk) site updated 05/04/14
Cockers on Crete
Nickarlyn
The Kennel Name (or affix) NICKARLYN was/is owned by KARen & LYNda NICholas and was issued by the Kennel Club in 1978.
The interest in dogs started with a well-worn saga of watching the movie “Lassie Come Home”, and saying "Mum, Can we have a dog?" the answer was always "When you are older"…
So "older" arrived and our first Rough Collie - Copper entered our lives. He was the one that introduced us to dog grooming, obedience training and most importantly shows. Whilst he was never going to be a big winner, he had great qualities and with him we moved through ringcraft classes to open shows.
At the ages of about 8 and 6 the sisters started to enter and win junior handling competitions at shows. One dog and two handlers meant that dogs had to be "borrowed" - any breed and any dog. Absolutely the best way to learn the ropes of handling and grooming.
You have to remember that these were the days before the Internet & E-mails, electronic banking, digital cameras, SatNavs etc. So showing was very different to what it is today
Soon after came Scott (Damirayan Double Diamond at Nickarlyn 1976), and then our brood bitch Gemma (Matai Golden Days at Nickarlyn 1977), and Zoe (Chaiquinta Cleopatra at Nickarlyn 1979) and then our last bought-in bitch Tasha (Chaiquinta Carouselle at Nickarlyn 1980)). Then we had only our own breeding in the kennel. All were very successful at both Open & Championship shows:
Scott - CRUFTS 1981 - 1st Graduate dog / RCC Birmingham 1981 / JW
Gemma - CRUFTS 1979 - 1st Junior, 1st Yearling, 1st Graduate, RCC / JW
Nicky - JW
Nicolette - CRUFTS 1984 - 1st Junior / JW
Naughty Naughty - JW
Karen & Lynda were very familiar faces on the show scene - competing against more senior handlers and famous well established kennels. In those days the "cute" factor of a youngster handling did not exist. If your dog was good enough it was placed, if it wasn't you left the ring unplaced.
Their success story crossed "The Pond" and The Collie Club of America published a double page article in their 1980 yearbook - highlighting the wins and achievements of the Nickarlyn sisters.
Zoe's first littler in 1981 produced Nicky (Nickarlyn Never Say Die) , our first homebred stud dog to carry the Nickarlyn name. And so we became very interested in line-breeding.
Weeks were spent observing dogs at shows and reviewing pedigrees before an appropriate
stud was selected. (Please remember that these were the days before the ease of Internet
research). We had at one stage 4 generations of Nickarlyn's at home. Many Nickarlyn
dogs can still be found at the 5th generation of many rough collies especially on
the continent. We exported Chaiquinta Cleopatra at Nickarlyn whilst in whelp to Holland
- a very brave move for a hobby kennel all those years ago.
Junior Handling
Both Karen and Lynda were incredibly successful - winning many, many prizes at both the younger and older age group. Showing not only their own collies but also many borrowed dogs - mostly working or terrier groups
Both sisters won the UK Junior Handling Semi-Finals held at Richmond Championship Show to progress on to the Finals stage- a very rare achievement for a small family kennel
- Karen won a 2nd place in the prestigious Finals in London 1981 - the prize being a trip for the family to the Amsterdam Winners Show
- Lynda never actually made into to the 1982 Finals ring - stopped by very heavy snowfall on the night before the finals in London, so had to stay at home. C’est La Vie!
Both sisters left home for university at the age of 18. No more dogs were added to the kennel - those already there lived out very happy lives with Mum & Dad. Mum can still be seen at the Collie Club of Wales shows - just watching (as she always did).
Karen still has dogs (but not pedigree) and has been a vet for over 20 years and is a partner is a very large vet practice in South Wales.
She enjoys surgery, ophthalmology and has a special interest in canine reproduction. She is also able to use acupuncture where appropriate. Karen has been involved with the regional British Veterinary Association for some years and is a past president of the South Wales division.
Lynda has swapped collies for cockers in 1994, and is visible again on the show scene.