Velvet
Alberica Cavaliers is a small hobby kennel established in 1996
in Nottingham, England. Always striving to breed for soundness, type, health,
good temperament and soft expression.
All our cavaliers are pets first and are lovingly and lavishly
socialised indoors, with health testing carried out for hearts and
eyes.
We rely on our reputation and the dogs themselves to speak for
us via recommendations. These web pages have been constructed for the purpose
of celebrating our dogs.
We do not export cavaliers without references from other
Cavalier Club Members or appropriate Referees.
We are Members of the Cavalier Club and we strongly advise
anyone wishing to purchase a cavalier in order to avoid heartache to buy from
clear heart and eye tested parents wherever possible and to see puppies with
their mother.
Purchasers should try to buy from a Cavalier Club Member or
from a reputable breeder on a recommendation from the Cavalier Club or Cavalier
Club Member,
STORY OF ALBERICA
Having a childhood growing up with all kinds of animals
resulted in dogs being my favourites and I grew up with terriers and poodles
and much later on in the 70's had labradors.
In the late 80's one of my sons developed an allergy to our
beloved cats so we were all heartbroken when they had to be re-homed with my
brother- in law. We then set about finding a family pet to console us all and
to love.
I first set eyes on the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel on a
visit to Markeaton Park, Derby when visiting with my children. It was love at
first sight.
I read all I could about this wonderful breed and we decided to
offer an older cavalier a home as there would be plenty of people wanting
puppies. We had no intention of breeding Cavaliers.
At the time nothing was available via Cavalier Rescue or the
RSPCA but luckily a lady connected with this had a friend wanting to re-home an
older cavalier.
This was our Rosie, a beautiful, blenheim girl. Her breeder
told us that she had not been easy to get into whelp and had been mated but the
Vet had said she was not pregnant and thought she would be better in a pet home
as she liked being one of a few dogs.
Four weeks later a local Vet examined her to make sure and also
said she was not pregnant. Two weeks later after a long walk and returning
panting and as I had delivered many kittens I felt Rosie might be in
labour.
Both Vets were wrong and Rosie gave birth to 1 little blenheim
girl .We called her Daisie and thus began our deep passion for the
cavalier.
Rosie was a very well bred young lady being a daughter of
Ricksbury Special Edition and a grand- daughter of Champion Crisdig
Cracker.
We showed Rosie's daughter, Juette Secret Rosebud ( Rosie's
surprise bud) who won at Group Level and also had a Toy Group win at Open Show
Level . My son Alexander qualified twice with Daisie for the Westminster Finals
in Junior Handling.
Alexander and Daisie
Daisie our surprise puppy when mated to Kindrum Roscius
produced the first Crufts qualifier we bred, Alberica Rockafella owned by June
Barraclough who also won some Championship show placings and Best Toy and Group
awards.
Around the show circuit whenever I picked out a beautiful
cavalier,I discovered that even as far as four generations away it was always a
descendant of Champion Alberto of Kindrum.
I asked to see his picture and he at once owned my heart
completely. I fell in love with his beauty, majesty and nobility. His beauty
brought tears to my eyes. I make no apology for this and Alberto remains for me
the most timeless, perfect and stunning cavalier of all time.
I longed to see him in the flesh and a visit was arranged for
me when Alberto was 10 years old. He was even lovelier in the flesh and I
treasure my visit.
Shortly after this the Lucas family were offered the very real
privilege of having Alberto's two sons, Kindrum Walnut (Ruby) and Kindrum
Roscius (Tricolour) as our family pets and the even greater privilege of being
allowed to breed something from them in order to keep a part of
them.
Their two blenheim sons, Alberica Walnut Cherubino (Cherubino)
and Alberica Kindred Spirit (Orlando) are my two most treasured cavaliers and
will respectively be 11 and 10 years old at the end of 2007.
We did not rush out and buy in bitches but worked very slowly
over the years with the two little girls that we had. Later on I took up an
invitation to join the Cavalier Club and was encouraged and inspired by other
breeders.
I later contracted M.E. and had other health problems so am not
able to do the arduous long journeys that all the hard working and intrepid
exhibitors make to shows and so I stay at home with the dogs being content with
the challenge of trying to breed something nice.
Until the end of 2005, my affix partner,Janice Blamires
(Wykebank/Alberica) who was also a Championship Show Judge was the show arm of
Alberica and together we had a separate joint interest in Alberica although my
son Alexander and I still continued and continue today to jointly own most of
the Albericas under the original part of Alberica.
Sadly in early 2006 Janice passed away suddenly after a short
and serious illness and is greatly missed but is not forgotten.
Our tricolour bitch, Alberica Midnight Velvet who Janice and I
owned jointly , qualified for life at Crufts in 2005 winning 2nd Limit Bitch
and gaining her Stud Book Number first time out in Limit. Velvet was kindly
campaigned for us both by Linda Flynn.
Velvet had numerous Championship Show placings and went on to
win the Bitch C.C at the SKC in 2006 under Judge Mr.T.Mather. Janice would have
been so proud to see the realisation of this dream and would have wanted us to
continue.
These days, Velvet is now owned jointly by myself and my dear
friend Linda Flynn who bred her sire, Linjato Ace of Base who will be 14 years
old in 2007. Both are spoiled rotten by Linda
Alberica Kindred Spirit (Orlando) returned home from being on
loan to Sweden for a year and won the Dog C.C. and dual higher CACIB award in
Finland with his daughter Alberica Rocstarlet (Olivia) winning BOB and at Group
Level and 3rd Best Bitch In Show and Orlando's son and daughter whom he sired
in Sweden for the Aspbackarnas Kennel are both RCC winners.
Alberica Kindred Spirit's half brothers, Alberica Rock-A-Bye
Basie, Alberica Blues Connotation and Alberica Baton Rouge, all born in 1997
were multiple BOB winners and Alberica Baton Rouge for Alawago won the DOG C.C
at Bath Championship Show and was also a R. Green Star Winner in Ireland.See
Home Page and Gallery.
Our ruby bitch Alberica Champs Elysees (Sienna) won her puppy
classes and BPIB awards and recently qualified for Crufts and has had her first
puppies in 2006.See Sienna and Dakota's pages.
Another of our ruby girls I am proud to have bred is Alberica
Focus on Red who is owned by Diane Whitfield . Lexie won the prestigious award
of Best Puppy Bitch In Show at the Cavalier Club Championship Show at Malvern
in 2005 under judge Mr.K.Town.
In 2006, Lexie gained her Stud Book Number and has won many 1st
and 2nd Championship Show placings. She won Reserve Best Bitch in Show at
Northern Cavalier and has also won Best Ruby and Best Wholecolour awards and
Cavalier Club Points Trophies for Best Ruby. Lexie recently won 2nd Graduate
Bitch at Crufts in 2007. See Girls Page.
Alberica Focus on Red made us very proud by winning
the RCC at East of England Championship Show under Mrs A. Oliver-Wyles.
Her first puppies with our black and tan boy Catemmsal Whirlwind For Alberica (
Harley) can be seen on Harley and Lexie's Pages. We wish success to
Harley and Lexie's daughters Bevelmount Leona (b/t) and Bevelmount
Leilani (ruby).
We look forward to the future with our cavaliers and are
pleased to see some of our cavaliers in the ring sired for other breeders by
our boys and to see some of our dogs breeding on nicely for their owners in the
U.K, America ,Italy and Sweden.
Sienna and Dakota's daughter, Ricca, Alberica Cocoricca at
Aldoricka owned by Mr. and Mrs.D. Bailey continues to fly the flag and
has won Several Best Puppy Awards and is winning her classes. See Sienna's
page, News Section and Dakota Page for Ricca's placings.
We enjoy keeping in touch with the lovely families who have
given our dogs loving pet homes. See Gallery
See our home page for more details on our dogs
