A little bit about Craigycor & Tasarnia ….

Craigycor & Tasarnia is based in the scenic setting of Moira, Co. Down, Northern Ireland and it is on our small agricultural farm that Corgi's are reared for show and pet homes. We also run boarding Kennels, a Cattery and Pet Crematorium.

 

Craigycor was established by the late Mrs. Margaret Anne (Gretta) Matthews and up until her sudden death in early 2005, the breeding & show programs were managed by her and are now the responsibility of her sons Alan, Robert and Ian and daughter in-law Sarah.

 

The kennel name Craigycor comes was derived by taking the name of the Craigy mountain which was closely situated to where Gretta spent her childhood and the first three letters of her favourite breed.

 

Since 1952 and over the years The Matthews family have met many great people throughout Ireland and the UK and further a field and the love of this great breed is what we have all in common. 

 

Our aim is to breed quality Pembroke Corgi's and to help achieve this we have over the years used the top Stud Dogs available in the UK and brought in stock from top Kennels in England and more recently the USA.

 

Craigycor is the home of English, American, Irish and many other overseas champions and achievements include Best in Shows at General Championship, Breed Championship and Open Shows along with many group and specialty event wins such as:

  • #1 Pastoral Dog in 2003 with Suzy aka BIS Eng. & Ir. Ch. Craigycor Dee Ream; 

  •  #1 Pastoral Dog in 2004 with Monty aka BIS/BISS Am., Ir., Eng.,   Swe. Est. & Int. Ch. Maplecreek Montgomery;

  • #1 Pastoral Dog in 2005 with Sam aka BISS Ir., Russ., Bel. & Urk. Ch. Craigycor Dream Quest;

  • #1 Pastoral Dog in  2006 with Brad aka BIS Eng. & IR. Ch. Whitepoint Dream Weaver for Craigycor (CW '06) along with Best of Breed at Crufts; and

  • Best of Breed at the PWCCA National Speciality with Bailey aka Am. Ch. Craigycor Irish Cream whom we own with Donna Francis & Sandy Wolfskill, Chardon Ohio.

Craigycor are the first kennel to import an American Campion Corgi and make it an English Champion, this being Multi. Champion Elfwish Leprechaun at Craigycor.   

 

Our dogs incorporate UK breeding lines (which includes Pemland, Forestop, Belroyd, Courtlyn, Shavals and Blands to name but a few) and the American/Canadian breeding lines (e.g. Elfwish, Maplecreek, Hum'nbird, Sandyshires, Tallyrand, Stonecroft etc.) with our own lines.

 

Tasarnia began as a Boxer show kennel, following on from the Walert kennel owned by Sarah's father.  Lhasas joined the family in 1994 with IR. CH. Tirkane Pansy Potter during a successful Junior Handling career and has proved a valuable founding bitch as well as member of the family. 

 

 Our recent addition is an Australian Shepherd Dog who we are having fun with and we bred our first litter in Autumn 2006.

 

Our aim is to breed quality Lhasa Apsos with correct type, conformation and temperament.  To help achieve this we have based our lines on the top winning Saxonsprings kennel in England, founded by the late Mrs Jean Blyth and continued by our dear late friend Mr Ken Woosnam, and laterly by Mrs Pam Shekyls.  We would like to thank Pam for her continued friendship and confidence in us, and for letting Matthew and Freddy come to Tasarnia in recent years.

 

We aim is to build on these lines and develop our own.  All our Lhasas enjoy free running and a happy life, showing in their great characters and affection for each other.  It is a pleasure to be owned by each one of them!  

 

 We feel that to own a corgi and lhasa is a privilege not to be taken lightly but once smitten you are lost forever   ...........

 

The late Mrs. Gretta Matthews,

founder of Craigycor Kennels

pictured in 1953 with

BIS & BISS Ir. Ch. Cravat of Cowfold.

 

 

Alan Matthews with (left to right)

Ir. Ch. Craigycor Dream Lady (Cindy),

BISS Ir., Russ., Ukr. & Bel. Ch. Craigycor Dream Quest (Sam),

BISS Ir. & Am. Ch. Craigycor Elle Vation (Elle) and BISS/BIS Am., Ir., Int., Swe., Est. & Eng. Ch. Maplecreek Montgomery (Monty).

 

Alan & Sarah's wedding day on 30th March 2005

 

 

Sarah with (left to right)

Ir. Ch. Saxonsprings Orinoco at Tasarnia (Freddy), Ir., Fin., Est. & Int. Ch. Tasarnia Midas Touch (Jamie) and Ir. Ch. Tirkane Pansy Potter (Pansy).

ã 2004, 2005 & 2006 Craigycor Pembroke Corgis

 

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