"General"

Sandy:
CKC member since 1960; CKC Life member;
Founder and Life Member of LOC.
Founder and life member or LRCC.
Founding member of EPS Training Assoc. and current Chairperson.
Approved by the CKC to judge:
all Obedience classes,
Retriever WC-WCI-WCX field tests;
Retriever JH-SH and MH tests;
Tracking TD,TDX,UTD, and UTDX,
all Rally classes.

Author of several books, including "The Labrador Retriever in Canada" and "Training The Multi Purpose Labrador".

Sandy's parents purchased a black female Labrador about 1946, sired by a dog of Kin George VI's Sandringham lines. Unfortunately, her registration papers were lost, and the only info we have is that she was born in Dec. 1945, and part of her registered names was "Holly". We called her "Tessa" and she came to Canada with us by sea, and travelled with us from coast to coast. She died in late 1956 when we lost her to cancer in Vancouver, BC.

Having worked in a boarding kennel in England before coming to Canada, Sandy knew she wanted to breed and train dogs from an early age. A job at a Veterinary clinic in West Vancouver gave a good grounding in handling sick and injured animals. After moving back to Ontario, she worked in a large breeding/show kennel (Eileen McEahern's Internationally famous Tailteann Kerry Blue kennel) near Toronto and learned grooming. When this kennel closed due to the sudden and unexpected death of the owner, worked at Paragon Kennels (Bouvier des Flanders, and Manchester Terriers,. and become manager and later handler, at Kennels of The Rouge in West Hill.(Bullmastiffs, Westies, and Papillons). Owned by Dee Daniell-Jenkins,(an all breed judge). The "Rouge" dogs also had basic obedience training and were shown in Canada and the USA.

In 1960 Sandy started her search for a Labrador to be the foundation of her breeding program, and purchased "Blyth's Niska", at 9 months of age, from the well known judge and field trialler, Bob Blyth. "Niska" was the first foundation bitch for "Wimberway", and had Dual Champions as her sire and grandsire, and was from a repeat mating that had been succesful. In 1960, Sandy joined the original Labrador Retriever Club of Ontario, and went to their monthly field training trials. "Niska" had two litters by Ithaca's Teak Wood, a grandson of Dual Ch Killarney Sheba, and two other litters, before we lost her. She completed her Championship and her CD in obedience, and while enjoying working in the field, did not place in any licensed trials. The Hunt and Working Tests did not exist then.

From Niska's first litter, born in Sept 1962, Sandy kept a male and a female: Am,Can Ch, OTCh Wimberway's Wateaki Am CDX (Teaki) and Am,Can Ch Wimberway's Wanda CDX (Wanda). 'Teaki' completed his Champsionship at 12 mos of age, owner handled, had points towards his FT Ch, was the top winning Labrador in Canadian shows in 1965, and runner-up in 1966, all while competing in the Open field trial stakes at the same time. "Wanda" was not only a Best Puppy in Show winner, but first homebred Champion, finishing her title at 11 months of age. She was Best Opposite Sex at the Labrador Owners Club Specialty show when ten years of age. "Wanda" was a great brood bitch and produced a number of Champions, many of whom also had obedience titles.

In the ensuing years Sandy purchased a black bitch of field trial lines, Ch Kranwood's Tessa of Wimberway, bred by Frank Attwood of Sudbury, and two yellow bitches: Ch Xena of Briarley CD, from England, and later Am,Can,Bda Ch Sunnybrae Ben Y Vrackie CD, a lighter yellow from Scotland. "Xena" was a dark yellow and produced the four time Best In Show winner and three time top winning Labrador in Canadian shows, Am,Can,Bda Ch Wimberway's Friendly Freddy. 'Vrackie'was also a good producer and we were able to breed her to Eng Am Ch Sandyland's Midas, producing a litter where 5 of the 6 pups completed their Championships and most earned obedience or working titles as well.

In 1966, Sandy was instrumental in founding the Labrador Owners Club, as a training club where people could train their dogs for obedience and field work. From small beginnings, the LOC has grown to a large club with members from coast to coast, and hosting large Specialty shows, annual Field Trials, as well as running obedience trials, WC and Hunt tests, and tracking tests. Sandy held many positions on the executive of the LOC before moving to Powassan.

Some years later, she was instrumental in starting the Labrador Retriever Club of Canada, that hosts the nationals Specialty show annually in various parts of the country.

After moving to Powassan, Sandy started EPS Training Associates in 1987. This club has hosted performance events such as Tracking Tests, Retriever WC and Hunt Tests; Agility trials, Obedience and Rally trials, and also held Field trial Conformation shows several times. Currentrly the club offers Tracking and Rally trials twice a year.

Sandy served 3 terms as an Ontario Director for the Canadian Kennel Club in the 1980's, and chaired several Committees including: the Stud Book Committee; Frozen semen committee; Breed Standards; WC Test committee; Basset FT committee; Schutzhund Committee, and Sled Dog committee, and worked on the CKC Book of Dogs committee.

Ivan Member of: Canadian Kennel Club

and judges WC-WCI and JH retriever tests.

Ivan has been involved with dogs for many years, having several different dogs (Brittany Spaniel, Yorkshire Terrier, Golden and Labrador Retrievers) when living in town and his sons were growing up.

His "primary" breed is the Golden Retriever, but he also has several Labradors, and had a hard working Border Collie.

His first Golden was linebred on an Enlish Import, trained and handled to her CD by then teenaged son Steven, and raised several litters for him.
His younger son Billy trained and handled "Toto" (Labrador) to her CD with a High in Trial.

In his breeding program he has always looked for temperament and working ability, preferring the "darker" coloured Goldens when possible.

Ivan has used the "Wimberway" kennel name when registering his dogs since 1986, although he bred several litters of Goldens before that.

He works with his own dogs, training them for field and obedience type work. He has judged at Retriever Working Certificate and Hunt Tests, and also uses the dogs for hunting. He regularly guns and throws birds for training sessions and trials.

Ivan is the Secretary and often the "event secretary and superintendent" for EPS Club's events.

He looks after the "farm" animals: Charolais cattle,Boer Goats, laying hens, geese, ducks, and swans.

One or both of us are members of: The Canadian Kennel Club (Sandy: Life member) CKC Labrador Owners Club, (Sandy: Life Member) LOC Labrador Retriever Club of Canada,(Sandy: founder and Life member),LRCC Canadian Border Collie Association CBCA Border Terrier Club of Ontario. BTCO Border Terrier Canada Golden Retriever Club of Canada EPS Training Associates. EPS East Parry Sound Cattleman's Association , Ontario Goat Association Ontario Federation of Agriculture OFA

The gang out for a run in the fields

WIMBERWAY was registered as a kennel name with the CKC in 1960, and became permanently registered in their records a few years later. WIMBERWAY is also used as a herd name with the goats.

Our kennel building was built in 1996/97, with some major inside renovations done in early 2014. It features in-out kennels, with completely covered runs on the east side. Dogs can let themselves in and out from their inside pens to their outside runs. All breeds of dogs are accepted for boarding and training. The kennels have been designed and built with safety of the dogs, ease of managing, and dog's comfort in mind. For visiting dogs, there are individual covered runs and heated inside accomodation in winter. Our own dogs have in-out pens overlooking the big west pond, and go for runs and swims most days. We prefer to do our own kennel chores as this helps us keep an eye on the condition of the dogs, as well as watching for any damaged fencing.

Before embarking on a lifelong passion for breeding and training, Sandy worked in several breeding, and boarding kennels, as well as for a Vet. clinic. She studied structure/conformation of dogs, and was a member of the 'guinea pig' group that was the foreunnerm of the Canine Science Course. Sessions were held at OVC and later, in church halls. The course got refined, and expanded, and later became available to those interested in learning. Sandy, and the founder Casey Gardiner, frequently travelled together and worked with their respective breeds (Labradors and Kerry Blue Terriers) in moulding the different parts of the course and anatomical sketches. Sandy also took courses in obedience trial judging, and has attended, and given, seminars on training for obedience, field work, tracking, as well as obedience judging.

A 10,000 sq foot fenced area, with its own parking area,is used for training for obedience, rally-o, and basic field training/classes. Ot has also been used for conformation shows, obedience trials, CKC & AAC Agility trials, CARO & CKC Rally trials, and fun matches. With 4' chain link fencing around the perimeter, and canopy tents up on the north end through the season, people can relax and watch as well and have some shade on hot days. The fields and ponds are used for field training, tracking, Working Certificate and Hunt Test training, and trials. The parking area is beside a large deep pond, complete with ducks, geese, and swans, and also opens onto space to walk and exercise dogs.

Located near North Bay, Ont., 'the gateway to the north', we are easily accessible by major highways from Ottawa, Toronto, Sault Ste Marie and Timmins. We are on a paved road, east of the town of Powassan.

The dogs get regular "pack runs" on the home farm and adjoining crown land. In the fields, bush, and rocky outcrops, they learn to run, jump, turn, weave, use their noses, track, swim, play, and live together.

The farm is a working farm, cleared over a hundred years ago, and originally there was a saw mill on the creek behind where the barns are now. The cattle graze the fields keeping the cover at a suitable height for training the retrievers and running trials/tests here. Their curiosity also makes them a great distraction. The original beaver ponds have been enlarged and improved to provide suitable training water for very young pups as well as more advanced work for the older pups/dogs. The ponds also enable our own dogs, as well as reliable boarding dogs, to have relaxing swims in hot weather.

The rock piles and remains of old stone fences intrigue the terriers. There are local foxes and groundhogs that leave interesting smelling burrows that have to be checked out regularly, as well as tracks of other wildlife visitors such as moose, deer, bears, foxes, wolves, and cougars.

The Border Collies are kept to work the livestock, and there are many days when they work long and hard. We do do not trial them, but they are excellent 'extra hands' when rounding up, and moving the cattle and goats. Chuffie,was a red/white medium sized dog that came from parents that work regularly with sheep. She died in early 2020, and we now have a young female from the same breeder learning the ropes. Chuffie's daughter, Jet, (black/white) was herding the goats when 5-6 weeks of age.

We train and handle our own dogs in Obedience and Rally trials, Working Certificate tests, Hunt Tests, Agility trials, Tracking tests, and a limited number of conformation shows each year. We have not kept count of how many titles dogs we have owned or bred have accumulated, but "Penny" (1997-2009) accumulated 32 titles alone. Several dogs we have bred have become the top Obedience Labrador in Canada, trained and handled by their owners. We have also bred and/or owned dogs in the top ten all-breed conformation shows in Canada, and in the top 5 for the breed in Rally trials, and handled 3 Field Trial Champions, for their owners, to their show Championships to make them Dual Champions. See our "Recent Winners" section for "Wimberway" bred or owned dogs' current wins and titles.

While we like to meet new owners, we can ship puppies across the North American continent if required, although some people prefer to make a holiday of driving to us and picking up their new family members. Shipping is getting more difficult with changing Airline and Covid regulations. In the past, we have shipped to France, Germany, Italy, England, Bermuda, Grenada,and Spain. We ship with Westjet out of Toronto. If they are being shipped internationally, pups have to have a rabies shot at 3 months of age and can't be shipped until 30 days aftere the vaccination. Shipping has to be done from Toronto airport which is a 3 hour drive each way for us. Many of our customers have become friends, and some families have had many repeat visits to get pups for members of the family, or to get another themselves. With some 'original' customers from the early 1960's, we are now seeing their grandchildren coming for pups for their families.One extended family says they have had 17 dogs from us since 1965....some pups, some retirees.

We do not speak French or German, but have people who can translate for us. We do not blog, or twitter, but do have a Facebook site under Wimberway Kennels & Farm which we access now and then but do not use heavily. We do NOT respond to requests for information on Facebook. Please EMAIL us.

A cool dip on a hot day

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