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Belleville I got my first Norfolk as a pet in 1987. I had never seen a Norfolk before and had found them in a book in the library, liked the look and the sound of them, so set out to find one. My ‘affix’ was registered in 1992 and was the name of the house that I was living in at the time. In 1990, without knowing what I was doing at the time, I bought a bitch (Malbis Jenny Wren) from a small pet breeder. It later turned out that she was by Lowmita Nutcracker, a son of Ch Ragus Whipcord (sire of 16 English Champions), whilst her mother was a granddaughter of Ch Ragus Songbook, also a son of Ch Ragus Whipcord. Although no great star herself, Jenny had great breeding. She turned out to be the mother of my first homebred Ch, Belleville Cloudscape and grandmother of Ch Belleville Cloudvoyager, who is in the pedigree of every Belleville bred Champion except his mother, litter sister and full brother! The reason that I was so successful in my first few litters was that the first “real” breeders that I made contact with were Lesley Crawley and Marjorie Bunting (Ragus) and Michael Crawley (Elve). Lesley and Marjorie educated me in line breeding, Marjorie would sit for hours and tell me about dogs in the pedigrees plus she still had Ch Ragus Songbook as a very old dog. It was through their advice that I mated Jenny to Ch Elve Cloudyhead (ultimately the sire of 8 English Champions and who had Whipcord as a Great- Grandfather 3 times and a GG Grandfather 3 times) and who was consistently siring nice puppies to lots of different bitches. This produced Cloudscape. In addition Michael Crawley let me have Ch Elve Willow Goldworthy with him in partnership and she was my first CC winner and my first champion. She was a Cloudyhead granddaughter through her sire Eng. Ch Salette Gold Bullion and, when mated to Cloudvoyager, produced my first Champion show Group winner, Ch Pirouette at Belleville Since those early days Belleville has been Top Winning Norfolk Kennel in the UK every year but one since 1994. We have made up 32 Norfolk and 10 Norwich Champions. We won Group 2 at Crufts in ‘04 with Ch Belleville Sweet Nothings (2 x BOB at Crufts including ’03 where she was also BPIB). She was also BPIS at the National Terrier Club Championship Show in ’04. She won a Group 1 and several other Group placings. Ch Pirouette at Belleville won 2 Groups and a RBIS. Ch Belleville Magic Flute won a Group and several placings. Ch None Stop to Belleville won 2 Groups. Several other have won Group placings. We have also just won our first CC with our Portuguese water dog. I was secretary of the Midland Counties Norfolk Terrier Association for 10 years. I am an accredited breeder and a member of the Kennel Club. I also wrote breed notes in Dog world for both Norfolk and Norwich for several years. Published with permission from the Norfolk Terrier Annual 2010

Barbara Fournier & the Bethways Norfolk Submitted by: Barbara Miller

She was a constant at Westminster Dog Show even when her health didn’t cooperate. You could find her easily in a crowd; black cowboy hat, turquoise jewelry and the usual cowgirl jacket. It wasn’t always that way as Bobbie, as she was called, was born and raised in Bethany, Connecticut. It was in her home state that she fell in love with the Norwich Drop Ear and became an early successful breeder. Bobbie trained her Norfolk, groomed them and was proud as punch exhibiting each of them. Not too long ago I stumbled upon a photo of one of her famous dogs, Ch. Bethways Ringo. What a chunk! I wish he were around today because I’d certainly use him on one of my bitches. For the most part the early Norwich and Norfolk were a bit fine boned but not Bobbie’s. She had her breeding program down pat. Ringo did his owner/breeder proud by going group 4 at the Somerset Hills Kennel Club, while the club’s president, Mrs. Anne Winston looked on. Bethways Norfolk covered both coasts as they were well represented in California by Ch. Bethways Miss Chops at both the Ventura and Santa Barbara shows in 1970. On an Easter Sunday with her friend Monika Doerk the two women packed her grandmother’s motor home with their belongings and dogs and headed for Santa Fe, New Mexico, in 1974. The kennel property was being sold and they had about six weeks to shut down and move out, sort of like the early pioneers. The move opened her heart to the sun, warm climate, less pressure and lots of horseback riding. She was a transplanted easterner turned cowgirl. Jane Anderson of Mystic, Connecticut offered to take on Bobbie’s retired Norfolk, including Miss Chops. Ch. Bethways the Red Baron was at Jane’s and I so much wanted to breed to him. Off I went to Mystic and the Baron but unfortunately the breeding didn’t take. Ringo went with Bobbie to Santa Fe along with puppies and about eighteen adults. All the furniture, horses and farm equipment headed out west in a commercial van. Bobbie became a member of the Norwich Terrier Club in the early 1950’s and remained a staunch supporter until her death. Her early friendships in the breed included Anne Winston, Mary Baird and Joan Read. She was an outstanding judge and played the game fairly; judging the dog, not the handler. She was with me in the mid 1990’s when I judged an Open show in England. She was a good friend to the Norfolk and their owners. This cowgirl didn’t have a mean bone in her body and a good word for all. Her friendships traveled near and far. Anyone who visited her in Santa Fe was sure to be taken on a trip to the Grand Canyon. She was generous to a fault. Her niece, Holly, sent me her black cowboy hat. It’s a treasure as she was. Published with permission from the Norfolk Terrier Annual 2010 Bobbie pictured here with Duke and Duchess Contributed by Missy Wood The first Norwich Terrier Club Sweepstakes classes were offered in 1965 at the Greenwich KC Specialty in June, judged by Miss Gene Simmonds. Although at that time the regular classes were not divided by ear type, Sweepstakes classes were. There was no Best In Sweepstakes, one showed in 6 to 12 month or 12 to 18 month classes, divided by ear type, both sexes competing in the same class. Of the 7 present in the 6-12 month Drop Ear class Bobbie won with Bethway's The Dutchess. With 4 present, Bobbie went on to win the 12-18 month Drop Ear class with Bethway's John. Reprinted from the Norwich and Norfolk News Jubilee Issue: Barbara Fournier-Bethways I started with Kedron Cobblers Biscuit given to me by my friend Elizabeth Spykman in 1950. Though I didn't know the breed, it didn't take long to become fully devoted. For the most part I learned by doing - actual experience showing and a long learning process. Puppy training was easy. It is natural for a Norwich or Norfolk to trot along beside you. In the early days I would take pups to obedience classses to socialize. Four to six dogs would go along to participate only in the stand for examination. Sometimes I would take six to eight to show (entry fees were only $5.00 then) all by myself. At ringside I had everyone I knew and didn't know helping me switch numbers. I don't know how I managed. Catherine Thayer, Club secretary in 1950 took a look at Brigham Young, my first champion, at the Eastern Dog Show. She couldn't do much for him that day, but she gave me some valuable advice. I can remember Sylvia Warren sitting on the benches massaging ears to help them drop and Mrs. Bedford with her knitting on her typewriter. And of course there were the handlers - Len Brumby, Tom Gately. A handler by the name of Jack Warren gave me my first tips on grooming. Looking back I believe we had to work hard at breeding out bad mouths, mainly undershot with missing teeth. Monorchids seemed to stem from imports. There were a few normal breeding problems, but puppy loss was minimal and I have had fewer than a dozen Caesareans in all my yers of breeding Norfolk. I am most concerned with breeders or exhibitors not recognizing existing problems that their dog might have. There have been some great dogs in the past, as there are today, however there are those of poorer quality that should not be promoted in the show ring. Now with ease of transportation and other advances it is possible to carry on a careful line breeding program without maintaining a large kennel. Selecting the right home for the right dog is most important and can often insure the future of the breeds. Perhaps the best suggestion I can make to the newcomer is to acquire the best Norfolk or Norwich whose qualities adhere to the Standard. It is not long necessary for anyone who really has the desire to bred good dogs to start with one that is mediocre.