Dogs have always been a part of my life, my
earliest experience of exhibiting was at the age of four with the
family wire fox terrier at a local fete. However, I took a more
serious approach when I grew up and initially did a little bit of
competitive obedience during the late 60s and early 70s with my
Labrador and Cocker Spaniel. I became involved with breeding when I
decided to have pups from one of my spaniels. Unfortunately she
suffered from “fading puppy syndrome” and only ever produced one
surviving puppy who wasn’t of sufficient quality to show.

It was then that I had my first English Setter.
Hurwyn Chorus Girl (picture) arrived at Mariglen in June 1979 and she was
to be the foundation of my kennel and is behind all Mariglens today.
She had a classic pedigree for line breeding, her grandfathers were
the famous litter brothers Sh Ch Suntop Starling and Sh Ch Suntop
Nightingale (exported to Sweden).
Hurwyn Chorus Girl had a reasonable
show career, though never quite making the big time and she only ever
had one litter. Mated to the influential Hurwyn Flight Master
in 1981 she produced the lovely blue belton bitch Sh Ch Mariglen
Highlight. Highlight was a winner of 6 challenge certificates,
her first along with BOB won at Crufts in 1985 and RBIS at Gundog
Society of Wales first championship show. She was BIS at the
English Setter Association championship show in 1986. She produced
five show champions from three litters, a record held jointly with Sh
Ch Tattersett Was I Right. Her first litter to the all Hurwyn bred
dark blue belton Keningale Adonis Blue produced the blue
belton bitch Sh Ch Mariglen Silent Prayer. Highlight was
subsequently mated to Sh Ch Latest Dance At Bourenhouse
and produced Sh Ch Mariglen Pace, Sh Ch Mariglen Precious
Gift to Gemsett, Sh Ch Mariglen Prelude at Elswood and RCC
winner Mariglen High Spirits. From her third litter to the
mainly Suntop bred Imberset Carlsberg At Lorien,
Highlight produced the group winning Sh Ch Mariglen Fallen Angel
and RCC winner Mariglen Silent Angel. These two bitches
won the CC and BOB and RCC respectively on the last occasion Miss
Margaret Barnes (Suntop) awarded CCs.
Highlight daughter Sh Ch Mariglen Silent Prayer
and her half sister Mariglen Silent Angel (picture) were both mated to their half brother Sh Ch Mariglen
Pace who was a son of Sh Ch Latest Dance at Bournehouse.
From the Silent Prayer litter came Sh Ch Mariglen Talking Pictures,
Sh Ch Mariglen Silent Sensation at Balvenie and the dual CC
winner Mariglen Silent Movie At Christter.
Silent Prayer was also mated to
Beechanger Wood Tiger ar Roydi and produced the two bitches
Mariglen Diamond Dust in Cumbersett and Mariglen Forever Amber
in Cumbersett who between them became the foundations of the
Cumbersett Kennel. From this mating also came the dual CC winning
Mariglen Gold Dust in Gemsett and Mariglen My Blue Heaven,
winner of 1 CC.
Meanwhile Silent Angel’s litter to
Pace produced Sh Ch Mariglen Sets The Pace with Gemsett
and the Stubbingtons’ Mariglen Silence Is Golden At Bondgate,
winner of 1 CC and a good foundation for the current successful
Bondgate Kennel. Mated to Sh Ch Bournehouse High Treason,
Silent Angel produced David Wilkinson and Rachel Ludbrookes’ CC
winning Mariglen Field Of Dreams.
The next generation of successful breedings were
Sh Ch Mariglen Talking Pictures. Her first litter to the all
Suntop bred Walshaw Stormbird produced the pre-potent
stud Sh Ch Mariglen Valentino, Sh Ch Mariglen Gilded Prayer
at Caleydene and RCC winning Mariglen Another Gift.
Talking Pictures second litter was by the
other pre-potent stud of the late 90s Roszarke Romantic Pursuit.
This produced the successful brood and CC winning Mariglen Say A
Prayer For Fishwick , who is behind the current winning Fishwick
kennel and the international champion Mariglen Midnight Sun
(Iceland)
Her third litter was to Sh Ch Elmwood
Escapade from Quensha. This produced my Sh Ch Mariglen
Steals The Scene, who for some time was owned in partnership and
occasionally show by Di Morgan (Meandi). Steals the Scene’s
most successful litter was to Sh Ch Cumbersett Aira Force with
Mariglen from which came Polish Champion Mariglen Water
Lily and Mariglen Steals The Heart of Meandi.
Silent Angel daughter Sh Ch Mariglen Sets The
Pace with Gemsett was mated to Sh Ch Mariglen Valentino
and this is the point where to two lines from Sh Ch Mariglen Highlight
come together. This litter produced Mariglen Striking Diamonds
With Gemsett. Picture of Striking Diamonds This bitch
won 1RCC and was a successful brood producing dual CC winner
Mariglen Gershwin of Hayworth and Mariglen Glitters (5RCCs)
by Roszarke Romantic Pursuit.. Sets The Pace
also had a litter to Sh Ch Cumbersett Aira Force from
which came the Lux/Dutch/Gib Ch Mariglen Force The Pace with
Becksett
Mariglen Glitters
(picture) was mated back to her
grandfather Sh Ch Mariglen Valentino. From this came
Sh Ch Mariglen Time To Shine With Gemsett. Glitters then had
eight puppies to Sh Ch Bournehouse Royal Colours.
From this litter an orange belton male went to
Norway, Mariglen Flambeau. Though little shown he has been
successful with two CACIB and group placings. A blue belton male
Mariglen Holy Moses went to Finland and has won well throughout
Scandinavia and eastern Europe. The blue belton and tan male Sh
Ch Mariglen Get Carter Balvenie 3CC, 1 RCC and the bitch
Sh Ch Mariglen Princess Royal at Gemsett 3CC, 1BOB, 1RCC have been
consistent winners for their owners. Tragically, Glitters passed
away at only six years of age the day after her orange belton daughter
from this litter, Sh Ch Mariglen Flaming Colours won the CC,
BOB and with it her title at Crufts in March 2006. At the moment
Flame has 24 challenge certificates, 10 BOBs and group 3 at Blackpool
2006, group 4 Birmingham 2007 and ended her show career as Top English
Setter 2007 and overall fourth top gundog in the ratings.
So, this is the main history of my kennel. There
have been other breedings, some not quite as successful. There
have been five dogs brought into Mariglen. The High Treason
daughter Sh Ch Cumbersett Aira, bred by my friend Sonia Clarke
ex Mariglen Diamond Dust in Cumbersett 1RCC and her grandson Sh Ch
Cumbersett Aira Force with Mariglen ex the Pace daughter Mariglen
Hiborn For Cumbersett who has been a useful stud.
Sh Ch Wistaston School Breeze at Elswood was
a great show dog winning eighteen CCs. Bred by Glenis Williams his
grandmother was Sh Ch Mariglen Prelude at Elswood on his sire’s side
and his dam was a daughter of Prelude’s brother Pace.
Sh Ch Gemsett Dark Forces at Mariglen, a
son of Aira Force ex the Valentino/Aira daughter Mariglen Fallin For A
Dancer at Gemsett JW 1RCC and bred by friend Linda Harris had a very
successful show career and became a show champion at just two years.
The orange belton bitch Sh Ch Fenston Arabella
at Mariglen, bred by the late Wing Commander and Joy Field, by
Roszarke Romantic Pursuit ex the Pace daughter Fenston Fenella, after
a successful show career, in November 2005 produced four blue sons to
Fin Ch Moon Magic Po Pengtsson (picture) including the
successful show/stud Sh Ch Mariglen Pengtsson’s Legacy. Mated
in December 2006 to Sh Ch Bournehouse Silver Dreamer she
produced the orange belton bitch Mariglen Francesca Fenston
who has had a great show career to date. She was the top English
Setter pup for 2007 and a “Pup of the Year” finalist. She won her
title at sixteen months of age to become the breed’s youngest ever
show champion and was the top winning English Setter for 2008 and
2009.
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