My love of dogs came from my parents they always had at least 2 dogs, they were country people that ran a small holding with a few pigs, chickens and a field of vegetables and a fruit orchard, all of which were grown for our consumption and to sell, my Dad had a Labrador for gun work and they had Pekingese and Pugs as pets, although they were bought from a breeder/exhibitor my Mum was not interested in showing, no matter how much the breeder crazed her too.

I was first introduced to showing when we moved next to a breeder/exhibitor with boarding kennels when I was 12 years old, which is actually where I live now, my parents sold our small holding and had a bungalow built in the grounds of where my Dad was a gardener.  I started helping in the kennels, doing the normal jobs as well as grooming and helping them get the dogs ready for the shows.  I was delighted when they asked me if I would like to go to the shows with them, they had Pekingese, Norfolk, Norwich, and Smooth Fox Terriers.  The first dog of my own was a GSD with whom I did more obedience than showing, I bred from her and kept a pup, which I did quite well with in the show ring. 

My first real love were horses, I had some top quality show hunters, some bought in some home bred, my stallion was home bred, he produced some very good offspring, so although this was a different type of showing and breeding the ‘bug’ had bitten me. When I started having back problems the horses became very difficult to look after at times (and I will not have any thing I cannot look after properly), with a full time job mainly HGV driving, 8 horses and my dogs at home I did not get much spare time, so I decided that I would have to cut down and eventually had to give up my horses which was not easy I had never thought of being without horses of my own, this took some time and careful rehoming but I did it.  I then started looking for some quality dogs, I already knew what breeds I wanted, I originally saw a Swedish Vallhund in my early years of showing the hunters, this was a Kirkholme dog owned my Mr. and Mrs. Rawdings and bred by Rosie and the late Gerry Peacock and as they did not breed very often I could not get one from them. After about 2 years of looking I found one unfortunately she was not destined for the show ring although I tried very hard, unbeknown to me when I got her, she came from lines that produced very shy dogs, she went to live with a friend of my daughters and is now loving just being a pet.

 I then managed to get one from the Starvon Kennel who I made up to a Champion at about 2 years old.  In the meantime I bought 2 Lancashire Heelers, a great little breed with a sense of humour that is to die for, I achieved a Junior Warrant with one of them, she then decided she did not want to show any more. Then I found a Vallhund pup in Ireland, that’s my “Secret” and she really was the start of something big. That is when “Mystarz” really began to hit the shows.                             

Stella Coombes

Originally bred to work cattle, being known as the Ormskirk Terrier helping the drovers by nipping at the cattle’s heels or running across the backs of the cattle to get to the front and barking at them to bring them back, nick named the “ nip and duck” dog for obvious reasons.  Very intelligent, eager to please “big dog in a little dogs jacket” with a great love of people and children, loves cuddles and being a lap dog sometimes, is always ready to help with anything “or not” being very agile and quick on their heels they are very good mousers, they are also quick enough to catch rats and rabbits as well if given the chance.

 The Heeler is known for it’s fantastic smile and continuously wagging tail, they should always have a happy outgoing temperament and a “wicked” sense of humor, with bundles of energy, that makes them great family pets, for the young get up and goer’s and also the older person who wants a more leisurely lifestyle, the Heeler fits in with both.  They do not need a lot of grooming; chamois leather together with a quick brush is normally all that is required.