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Historic Norfolk Breeders/Kennels
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next next previous previous Chidley: Joan Read’s Biography for Norfolk Yearbook             When I lived in Virginia and bred Labradors, I knew Mrs. Read as a preeminent Labrador judge. I came to know her as a friend and mentor through her son Curtis who of course had Labradors and lived near me in Virginia. Joan and I first co-owned a lab she bred who was winner’s dog at the national. We became even closer when I became involved with Norwich and Norfolks when I moved from Virginia to Long Island. She owned my first Norfolk sire Elve Pure Magic bred by Michael Crawley. TG had a short but influential career as a stud dog in the 70’s. More on TG>> Mrs. Read was born to a life of privilege in New York, her family being one of the most important in New York if not the country. Both President Franklin Roosevelt and Theodore Roosevelt were her relatives, Franklin being her cousin. In her early years she was a great sportswoman actively involved in showing both horses and dogs, both in the field and in conformation. She apprenticed judging under the great Percy Roberts and her keen mind and eye for a dog made her a great student. Her career as a horse woman and Labrador handler in the show ring and field was cut short by Polio contracted while she was in her 30’s. She turned her attention to a breed whose size suited her, Norwich, in the early 50’s. She bred prick ears for many years with great success and introduced a line of drop ears in the 70’s. First with Shenanigans of Chidley her foundation bitch followed by the purchase of TG from Michael Crawley, his first litter of Norfolks. TG was a very influential sire in his time forming the foundation for many of the early and current breeders, Abbedale, Surrey, Venerie, Yarrow, Greenfield, and Glenelg and the Allright Kennel in Germany. Mrs. Read was never one to campaign a dog she only wanted to exhibit at the meaningful shows. Having her dogs gone to the shows every weekend did not appeal to her even if you told her she had a good chance to win the group she would say I would rather win the breed at Montgomery or one of the important shows where Norfolk breeders gathered. She was a great dog person who studied pedigrees and progeny and could be relied upon to give a fair, if no-holds-barred appraisal of a dog or litter or prospective breeding. She had great success as a breeder herself in Labs, Norwich, and Norfolk. Her CH Royal Rock Don of Chidley is unsurpassed in influence as a Norwich sire producing close to 100 champion offspring as well as 2 Westminster Best in Show winners. I think Norfolks won her heart because they are so game and determined, both qualities she shared with her beloved dogs. This love was demonstrated by her writing the definitive book on the breed “The Norfolk Terrier”. This tome took years to complete and occupied many of her waking hours. She was thorough in her research and sure of her facts and managed to produce one of the most comprehensive breed books available. The Norfolk Terrier was a true labor of love. Besides believing Norfolks should have a book of their own she believed Norfolks should have a club of their own. When the breed divided she felt so strongly that there should be two clubs that when the NTC became the NNTC she founded ANTA, still an active Norfolk Club dedicated to the complete Norfolk, Show dog , Earth dog, and companion. ANTA still holds annual events at which many Norfolk people gather to learn more about their breed and enjoy the day of showing, working, and doing all the things Norfolks love to do.  Joan’s legacy is not just her fabulous book or ANTA but more importantly the many people she introduced to the breed and those of us in Norfolks she nurtured and helped develop. So many people who are important breeders today owe a great deal of their dedication and knowledge to Joan. I for one will always be in her debt as she was both my mentor and friend. The many hours I spent in the evenings talking to her about dogs and the dog people who first introduced and bred Norwich and Norfolk was invaluable to my understanding and appreciation of the breeds. I only wish I had the foresight to record only a part of all she had first hand knowledge of. Those of us that knew her were privileged.   Joan was as determined as the little dogs she championed and it was this determination that helped her overcome all of life‘s obstacles. I feel privileged that she counted me as a friend and shared her love of our breed with me.  Published with permission from the Norfolk Terrier Annual 2010   Joan is also credited with helping Linda Plummer found the Wenwagon Norfolks. Linda and her husband Ed owned King's Prevention Belinda.  Reprint from The Norwich and Norfolk News Jubilee Issue by Joan Read - Chidley I started with Norfolk I guess when Barbara Fournier moved west in 1973, and I took a Norfolk bitch from her - it proved to be a false start because I never got puppies from that one. My foundation breeding stock came from Haggerty's estate. I got three puppies. Len Brumby was helpful in every way getting me underway. The pups were Bethways by Newry. I'd been watching Norfolk and Norwich, when they were one, a long tine you know. I knew a lot already, but Barbara Fournier helped a lot. I ordered a bitch puppy from Mrs. Bunting and got a six week old male puppy instead. A friend brought him back on her lap on the plane. I've never had problems with whelping or breeding Norfolk. For breeding I just let them out in the runs, no problems at all, and my bitches whelp easily. There don't seem to be any general problems with the breed except of course watching mouths and ears. Lots of peole have ear placement prolbems with Norfolk and always have had. And these dogs have loose teeth early, I don't know why. Also one thing, the Norfolk correct overbites as they grow up which is not true often in Norwich. The whole dog show world has changed over the past ten years. Most of us did not use handlers. Our breed is a "ladies breed" and needs sensitive hands in my opinion. Also we shouldn't expect a lot of group placements with our little dogs. Now there are these cluster shows and when I see that something like 72 Norwich and Norfolk have become champions in one year when the total registered are something like 250 I think it's ludicrous - we have a lot of champions who don't deserve to be. I've bred about twenty litters and about eight or nine champions. Home breds mean much the most to me and I haven't won big from them. I suppose Magic Marker is the most exciting in terms of recent wins, two BOB at Montgomry, etc., but I want to stress that the most fun and rewarding thing to me is to see my home breds out there. I pick the stud with great care! A lot on pedigree and mostly on prsonality. The HAVE to have nice personalities. And then...convenience. I am not crazy about shipping, though I do do it. I plan ahead a generation, that is why I got Mark's father (Dusty Daffran). He turned out luckily for me to be a dominant sire and I got pretty heads, which I needed in my breeding. When having a dog at stud I do not select bitches for him. Anyone can breed to him. He's at public stud. Unless of course, it is an impossibly bad bitch. In selecting puppy buyers I want a loving home. The puppy has to be getting a better home than he or she would have with me or the puppy stays right here! The biggest problems I see for the dogs is mouths. The tendency to have teeth move around and lose teeth early. The dog of which I am most fond are "Mark's" grandmother (Shenanigans of Chidley) and his mother, Chidley's Pooka. They are both with me all the time and wonderful. The best advice I can give to breeders is: Try to breed to strengths not weaknesses, and most of all keep our breed sound and happy, watching with utmost care to whom we sell our puppies.