CRACKNOR (Elisabeth Matell) The Scandinavian countries are home to many breeders. The first Norfolk imports were from England in 1964 when two Colonsay dogs arrived for Mrs. Hammerlund, a well known Dalmatian Breeder, Ickworth Kythe, bred in England and sent to Sweden, was the first Nordic Champion. He was returned to England at the age of six where he sired several CC winners. Int.CH Cracknor Capricorn was a Nordic Champion and was also sent back to England to become the first foreign bred Norfolk to win and English CC. Int CH Nanfan Sweetcorn was well known in Sweden as a winner and a good stud before he and his owner Elisabeth Mattell, emigrated to Britain in 1976 where he continued to produce winning offspring. In addition to the Swedish winners, Norwegian and Finnish breeders have also joined the ranks of the Swedish with winning Norfolks. When Elisabeth Mattell lived in Sweden, I had never heard of Joy Taylor or of her Norfolk Terriers. It wasn’t until I was reading Dog World, where I came across her black and white advertisement detailing a lovely photo of a young CH Nanfan Heckle, and I fell immediately in love, then thought “There’s the breed I’ve been looking for all my life”. I quickly wrote to Mrs. Taylor and ordered two bitch puppies. I was completely put out when I received her response saying that I would have to wait a few months. Eventually my Nanfan puppy, a daughter of Heckle and Needle, joined my Swedish bred who was of Colonsay breeding. In 1967 at Crufts Dog Show I met Joy Taylor for the very first time and was completely taken with her and her dogs. She won Best of Breed with Heckle’s brother CH Nanfan Hayrake. After hours of happy interesting conversation, we had reached a mutual decision that I would leave Sweden for England to add my hand as a kennel maid later in that year. My arrival at Standhall Cottage in July looking after the legendary Nanfans which then turned into four and one-half months, where I learned so much, but felt inferior that I cold not come up to Joy’s exacting standards, so I left a bit earlier than planned. When I returned to Sweden Joy and I did stay in touch, she had sent a couple of influential stud dogs to me, CH Nanfan Spikeman and Heckle’s last son CH Nanfan Sweetcorn. Whenever (which is often) I think of the marvelous, wonderful, clever, funny and infuriating Joy and when I visited Standhall Cottage, Joy was the consummate hostess serving delicious food and drink. She’s let me go through her beautiful dogs. At the time she had a strong stud team of six or seven champions, several champion bitches, every year another couple of outstanding youngsters. All the dogs were in perfect coats, show dogs, veterans and puppies; you never saw a shaggy Nanfan or one out of coat. When I moved permanently to England in 1977, Joy and I became closer and I came to look on Standhall Cottage as my second home, never dreaming that one day I’d be living there with my dogs. I spent many hours learning from Joy Taylor how to trim a Norfolk how to read pedigrees, I was proud that my record holder Ch Crachnor Call My Bluff was three-quarter Nanfan bred and the well know Eng/Am Ch Cracknor Cause Celebre (“Coco”) half Nanfan bred. The superb breed type of the Nanfan Norfolks is etched into my memory, the lovely head with smallish dark eyes, neat little ears, the large teeth, good bone, thick well-padded feet and the harsh three-layered red coat. I have learned that you only get out what you put in, to aim for the best, not settle for second best, and that success doesn’t happen by chance, you have to work hard for it. Norfolk terrier owners should have fun with their dogs! Not only do they thrive on organized activities but they also love to be a part of the family, going for rides in the car, fetching a ball, and helping in the kitchen by keeping the floor clean---and then cuddling up for a nap on the bed when the day is done.