HISTORY

WELCOME TO KILFINAN

Kilfinan is the home of Chris & Tony Burscough, 8 Bearded Collies and 3 Skye Terriers . We live on the edge of a small village called Whitford, North Wales, near Holywell. We  have lived here for nearly a year having moved from a properrty 2 miles away so that we can give the dogs some space for free runnng. We previously lived on the Wirral when the dog population of 6 Beardies and 3 Skyes were beginning to outgrow the small semi we lived in at that time.
Back in 1987 we shared our lives with a 12yr old Old English Sheepdog, Cinders, and a horse called Leah. Life was fairly peaceful and we trundled along oblivious to the fact that all would change one day when Tony, visiting his parents, was introduced to a young dog owned by the next door neighbour that was looking for a new home. The dog was a Bearded Collie called Bixie or Stowbourne Bixter his KC registered name. It was 21.3.87, his 1st birthday, and we bought him for £50 little knowing the journey we would travel as a result of falling under his spell!
Bixie's breeders Jackie and Ken Stow, lived locally and introduced us to the world of showing, agility and obedience. Bixie had a go at all 3 disciplines and dragged us along behind him trying to learn quickly. He had a wicked sense of homour and a zest for life which taxed us to our limits but undeterred, and a lot younger then, we added another Beardie to our family. At 6 months old Ceilidh, also came from Jackie and Ken and taught us a lot about obedience and agility. She was sweet soul, the only brown we have owned, and sought to please, doing very well in very lowly competition with a keen but novice handler, Chris. Together they gained the Senior Working Test after a few attempts which must have gone straight to our heads as we then added another puppy bitch to the growing brood.
Skye, Wellknowe Skara Belle with Kilfinan, was our foundation bitch; she was all we could have asked for and more and her legacy lives on at Kilfinan. Skye had the best of Beardie temperaments, being outgoing, lively, cheeky and yet sensible. She was a great mum and lived a long and healthy life until she sadly left us at the age of 15 and a half.

Our foundations :

Ceilidh and Bixter

Welknowe Skara Belle of Kilfinan (Sw.Ch. Wellknowe Hill Man at Whistbrae x Wellknowe Ryth)

Ch. Kilfinan Countryman JW (Ch. Wellknowe Shepherd Boy x Wellknowe Skara belle of Kilfinan)

Ch./Ir. Ch. Kilfinan Harvester (Holtend Royal Mint at Arachenza x Wellknowe Skara belle with Kilfinan)

Ch. Kilfinan Farmers Boy (Holtend Royal Mint at Arachenza x Wellknowe Skara belle with Kilfinan)

Ch. Osmart lizzie's Country Lass with Kilfinan (Ch. Kilfinan Countryman x Ch. Osmart Storm's Blue Muslin)

Ir. Ch. Kilfinan Country Girl (Ch. Wellknowe Craftsman x Ch. Osmart Lizzie's Country Lass with Kilfinan)