DOGS NSW Registered Breeder 2100065016
Meet Nicola
Born in the North West of England some four and a bit decades ago, my love of dogs started at a very early age and even as a toddler I preferred their company to anyone else's.
A passion for horses soon followed and I spent the first thirty or so years of my life involved in all things equine, though never without a dog or several at my side. Over the years my family and I have owned Border Collies, Border Terriers, English Springers, Boxers, Lurchers, Labradors and of course Staffords. My first introduction to dog showing was through Angela Brookes who taught me to ride and let me help out looking after Alice Linakers' Welsh Pembroke's - I was around 11 at that time.
My first Stafford was a rescue from Leigh Cats and Dogs Home in around 1995, a dark brindle and white rather tall boy called Jinx, totally fearless, rather bold and always in trouble, which is probably why he was surrendered in the first place.
I emigrated to Australia in 2008 and for a variety of reasons, the horse activities slowed down though my passion to be in the ring did not and so I took up showing Staffordshire Bull Terriers, being lucky enough to acquire "Kash" (Champion Brohez Black Soprano) from Fiona McBride in mid 2011.
Following the passing of my Dad in March of 2012, I became acquainted with Melissa McCoy of Joden, who provided me with a great opportunity to campaign Ch Joden Chipshotnblazin and then the puppy Joden Shezaten"Demi", and I successfully titled both Kash and Demi, also achieving great success with both in the Breed Specialty arena.
In 2014, Fiona graciously allowed Jorja to join me. Brohez Protector of the Realm (AI) is everything a matriach should be, tenacious, loyal, fiercely protective, sharp as a tack, driven and bold, yet affectionate and craving of human company and attention as all good staffords are. In 2016, "Krow" Ch Brohez Watcher on the Wall (AI) followed his auntie Jorja to Binjura, at the foot of the Snowy Mountains, and though lightly shown, enjoyed great success with numerous class in show wins and a reserve specialty dog CC to date as well as achieving his Australian Champion status.
As a qualified Dogs NSW Steward, and a horse judge of over 25 years experience, whilst the thrill of the win is always a nice moment, my true motivation is in fair and honest competition. The thrill for me is always in either the giving of, or receiving of honest opinion. The breeds future is dependant on the transfer of knowledge, the sharing of opinion, the interpretation and awarding of standard virtue and the abandonment of ego in favour of advancement of the breed as a whole. The day we believe that we have learned all there is to know, or claim to have bred the best staffords there are, is the day we put our egos before the breed, and therefore the day we become irrelevant. Stay humble. We owe it to the dogs to do so.
Yakindow was created to honour the memory of my Dad, the great King Dowie Yates, whose words and values echo in all I try to do.