Where did this all begin?

Well, it started with my choosing our family pet at the age of ten. She was a

Golden Retriever, called Nellie.  Nellie lived to be 16 years of age 

and saw two generations of children grow up in our household. 

She was loved by all.

She died when I was twenty six.

In 1969, I married an Irish man.  He  promised to buy me a

Golden Retriever for a wedding present; provided I would agree to go

home to Ireland to live.

Hence, "Yeo Gem" came into my life. This was the beginning of the journey

into the world of breeding and the Dog World as I came to know it.

She was bought from the famous Breeder, Mrs Lucille Sawtell of the Yeo

Kennels in England.

Her name was as her registered name "Gem".   She was the first of many.

Gem had just the one litter by Irish Champion, Beau Brandy Snap. Due to

difficulties in the delivery of her puppies; she had to be spayed. So she became

the family pet., until she died at an early age of 7.

Then, in l976, we purchased our second Golden Retriever from Mrs Jenny Hill.

Her name was Quetta Princess; litter-sister to Irish Champion, Quetta Lucky Charm.

Her call name was "Peggy".

She was shown for the first time in 1977, at the St Patrick's Day show in Ballsbridge,

Dublin.  This was our first  experience in the show ring. What an entrance!

She won Best Puppy in Breed and Best Novice. At the time, I did know that I had

to be a member of the Golden Retriever Club of  Ireland to be given the trophies

for such wins.  Anyway after a big fuss and creating quite a scene, I was allowed to

borrow the trophies to have some pictures taken of Peggy with the trophies. .Shortly

afterwards I became a member of the Club.

Peggy, went on to achieve her Championship title in Kenya in 1978.

In 1977, we purchased our third Golden Retriever from Mr. & Mrs. T. Maloney

from Cork of the Greenview Kennels. Her name was "Greenview Gypsy". 

Her call name was "Nellie". Nellie was to go on to become a

Champion in Kenya, in 1979.

That same year (1977) we also purchased a male from Mr Victor Robinson

of Mountlaurel Kennels in Northern Ireland.  His name was "Mountlaurel Samuel;

call name "Sam".

Sam also, achieved his Championship title in Kenya, in 1980.

In 1977, we emigrated to Kenya, taking with us Peggy, Nellie and Sam who

were to be the first  three Golden Retrievers in Kenya.  From these three dogs; the

beginning of the Breed in Kenya emerged. A gentleman from South Africa arrived

on the scene in Kenya bringing with him a handsome male. The first litter of Golden

Retrievers was from our Peggy to this "David" producing ten healthy puppies. 

We kept a bitch from this litter and her name was Conart Dlesdumor; fondly

referred to as Sheilagh.  She was to become the First Kenyan Bred Golden

Retriever to achieve her Full Championship. Sheilagh was then bred to our

Sam and produced two more Champions. 

Our Nellie also achieved her East African Championship.

Some of the dogs that we bred that gained their Championship title were:

1)E.African Champion  - Sheilagh of Conart.

2)E. African Champion  Molly of Conart

3)E. African Champion  Fionna of Conart

4)E. African Champion  Seamus of Conart

5)E. African Champion -  Siobhan of Conart

During our time in Kenya, which spanned over ten years, we organized field trials for the Sporting group. We watched the breed grow from our three dogs to number some 130 Dogs in that time.

In 1988, circmstqnces were such that I was to leave Kenya; so I sold my kennel and all the dogs to a Dutch Doctor, who carried on the Kennel name of "Conart" in Kenya.

In 1990, I emigrated to Canada, after a short stay in Ireland. 

In 1991, I could not stand to be without a Golden Retriever, so I purchased my one and only Canadian bred Golden, Ambercroft Ardmore Shannon. Fondly called Shannon. 

Then In 1991, I contacted Mrs Harkness of the Mandingo Kennels in Northern Ireland and purchased "Mandingo Traveller"  -  Travis who went to gain his Obedience Title in a short time. Being slow to mature, Travis went on to gain his Canadian Championship at the age of 7 in 1999.  Travis is also certified as a Pet Therapy Dog. In 1996, he was awarded a trophy usually awarded to a person for their compassion and care to terminally ill patients.

In 1995, I purchased another male, named Mandingo Seafarer from Mrs. Harkness, fondly referred to as Liam. That same year I also went back to Ireland to purchase a female named "Kerwall Quick Penny" commonly referred to as Nora.

Both Nora and Liam achieved their CD in Obedience.

In 2000,Nora achieved her Canadian Championship.

In 1995, I purchased another dog from Mrs. Harkness. This time a female named Mandingo Mairead, fondly referred to as Mairead.

The Mandingo Kennel has been very influential in my first Kennel "Conart" and today's Kennel "Lueo". It marks the type of Golden Retriever that I endeavor to produce.

So 1969, marked  the beginning of

                                         

                                        "Four Decades of relentless pursuit of excellence, 

                         in breeding Golden Retrievers with  both beauty and brains". 

                                                              Today, the Pursuit continues on!

All of my original dogs were of Mandingo bloodlines and went back to the Famous and First International Dual Champion," David of Westley", who is pictured above.  They all had working ability and excelled in the field as well as the show ring.

The name "Mandingo" was derived from Mrs. Harkness' reading of the book by the same name. In it was a description of  the handsome, muscular physique of the African, that best suited the type of dog she was striving to produce.

The name LUEO is the name of a Kenyan tribe of soft spoken , gentle people. They have slender and well musculed bodies. They  are also the intellectuals of Kenya producing doctors and lawyers. The description of th Lueo tribe best describes the type of Golden Retriever that I strive to produce.  The original spelling of the name in the tribal language is LUO. But in the main Kenyan dialect it is spelt LUEO.  When the word is broken down; LU  means Love and EO,  my initials. Thus came the name LUEO for my kennel. It is pronounced LU O.

With Nellie, 1966

History of Lueo

History of Lueo