In 1958 Eric and Mollie Thomas decided that the Pointer was the breed for them. Labs, Cockers and a St. Bernard had been mainly family pets until then: but with the arrival of their first Pointer things changed. The liver and white bitch Stonehenge Aida along with the ‘show bug’ arrived. Vicky as she was known did not really take to the show ring and in the early sixties Vicky was mated to Orange Flash of Eastlands and a liver and white dog puppy called Friar Jasper was retained. The liver and white bitch Erica’s Flair was sold much to the young Erica’s sorrow. But she went to live a long and happy life with the local horse vet. Jasper enjoyed his showing and the success he achieved made the Thomas family want to be more involved. A black and white bitch called Shanta of Eastlands was purchased from Pat Shakespeare at 10 months and then things really took off. Shanta is in the pedigree of most Pipeaway stock through her son Pipeaway Black Rod.

In 1968 Shanta was mated to Stonethorpe Blakeshay Buccaneer (brother of Avant Tout - RBIS at Crufts) and on August 5th produced 12 pups all alive and well. These pups were in great demand as Buccaneer had been exported, and this was his last litter in England. Pipeaway Black Rod and Pipeaway Lady Samantha were retained and several of the others joined well-known Kennels enjoying success both showing and breeding. Black Rod and Sam were winning from the start and both had successful puppy careers. Black Rod gained his Sh. Ch. title at seventeen months by winning his third CC at Crufts in 1971. He then went on to qualify for his full title as a three-year-old, and followed this by winning the Northesk Trophy for the best working gundog at Crufts on two occasions, and in 1975 he again won the CC at Crufts.

Black Rod was a very successful and widely used Sire. He sired two litters from Trebaros Pheasant (Cassius of Eastlands x Grousemoor Crookrise Vicky - litter sister to Crookrise Vogue) who was owned by Mr & Mrs Black and from whom Erica purchased a puppy from each litter to take back to Pipeaway. One was the CC winning Black Velvet and the other Black Jack. Unfortunately Black Velvet never bred as it was discovered that she had a growth in her uterus, she was therefore spayed and lived happily to be fifteen years of age; whilst Black Jack proved to be as potent as his sire.

The mid seventies were a turning point for the Pipeaway Kennel, as Eric was now very ill and Mollie acted as his constant nurse, there were only three Pointers in residence - Black Rod, Black Jack and Black Velvet. A family decision was therefore made to continue Pipeaway in the partnership of Mollie Thomas and her daughter Erica Parsons (who was now married to Steve Parsons whom she had met through her other hobby - horses). Erica had always been involved and had infact chosen Black Rod from the nest. Erica and Steve took over the showing and any travelling and Mollie ran the home front.

To continue it was necessary to purchase three bitches - the first was picked by Erica as she was born - Woolmers Apricot Lil of Pipeaway sired by Jed of Crookrise ex Dalric Harriet.

The second was Preseli Fleur-De-Lys of Pipeaway (Ch. Crookrise Flint ex Preseli Black Orchid) who was also picked as a puppy. To complete the trio Cicely Robertshaw kindly obtained a two year old orange and white bitch for them to buy - Crookrise Faithful of Pipeaway (Crookrise Guy ex Crookrise Faith).

Apricot Lil enjoyed a very successful show career from the start, winning many top awards finishing with her Sh. Ch. title. In 1978 she was mated to Black Jack and produced two puppies Pipeaway Jack Flash, a RCC winner; who was owned and shown with great success by Mrs Tame and the other was to become a legend, the great - Pipeaway Tiger Lily - Top Brood Bitch in 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990.

Faithful was mated to Black Jack and from the resulting nine puppies three were run on and shown with much success, two were to join other kennels and the black and white dog who was retained was shortly to become Sh Ch Pipeaway Imperial Wizard.

Fleur-De-Lys was mated to Crookrise Firedragon and a black and white bitch Pipeaway Madam Spitfire was run on. Spitfire had many wins as a puppy, and went to join the Trendmere kennel as a successful show and brood bitch.
These litters formed the basis for the future.

Tiger Lily was shown very successfully as a puppy, but she did not enjoy the travelling.
It was hoped she would successfully breed on.
Imperial Wizard was the first dog to be used and the litter was superb, Sh Ch Pipeaway Hello Gorgeous as she was quickly to become was retained, a very feminine bitch with a lovely free driving action and wonderful ring presence, her show career was as spectacular as she was.

Tiger Lily then had two litters by Ch Crookrise Flint and many winners were produced including Sh Ch Pipeaway Phinneas Finn, Pipeaway Captain Midnight, Pipeaway Honky Tonk Angel and Pipeaway Charles Rex. Charles Rex was to become an important and influential stud for Pipeaway.

Seven puppies were produced when Tiger Lily was mated to Hazelbarrow Larry, two were not shown and the other five all became Champions - Sh Ch Pipeaway Haysi Fantazee, Am Ch Pipeaway Pineapple Poll, Sh Ch Pipeaway Purdey of Hazelbarrow who joined the owners of the sire as a puppy and eventually became the cornerstone bitch for the Robippa Kennel.
Sh Ch Pipeaway Crazy Shades who was top winning bitch in 1989 and also a producer of Champions and top Brood Bitch 1992, and of course the Group winning Sh Ch Pipeaway Scritti Pollitti - Top winning pointer in 1988, 1989, & 1990. Winning CC’s at 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8 years old.

Tiger Lily then had another litter by Wizard and Pipeaway Holy Smoke became a good winner for the Mallysmar Kennel with Pipeaway The Haughty Lady becoming a good winner and foundation brood bitch for the Pentworth Kennel.
Tiger Lily’s last litter produced two puppies by Holy Moses, the extrovert Pipeaway Kryky Moses who joined the Stukeley Kennel at 14 months old and where he gained his Sh Ch title. Pipeaway Golly Moses joined Angela Haylor where she was a successful show and brood bitch.


The power that Tiger Lily had as a brood bitch was fantastic; she produced Champions by each dog that she was mated to, line bred or out-crossed, and her progeny have bred on to produce Champions. She enjoyed life to the full and was ‘Queen of Pipeaway’ for 14 years.

Going back to Apricot Lil, who had produced two more litters; one to High Toby and the other to Imperial Wizard. The Wizard litter giving the winning Pipeaway Gingerbread Man who was a BIS winner in Ireland and Pipeaway Jersey Lily who became the foundation brood bitch for the revamped Shordale Kennel. Jersey Lily was mated to Sh Ch Peakdale Badger producing Sh Ch Shordale Pepperbox. When Pepperbox was mated to Holy Moses one of the puppies was exported to the States and became AM Ch Shordale Memento from Pipeaway who went on to produce many Ch’s for her American owners.

The first export for the Pipeaway Kennel had been Am Ch Frebelle Black Jack of Pipeaway who had enjoyed great success as a sire as well as in the ring with the Rustic Woods Kennel. He was joined a year or so later by Apricot Lil, on the understanding that she be mated to Black Jack and a puppy would be sent back. This was duly done and a black and white bitch Am Ch Rustic Woods Porsche of Pipeaway (a full sister to Tiger Lily) arrived at Pipeaway. It is interesting to note that several Porsche offspring were exported back to the States.
Sh Ch Pipeaway Haysi Fantazee had two litters by Wizard a black and white bitch was retained and a black and white dog exported to the States to join the Marjetta Kennel. Marjetta had already imported Pipeaway Pineapple Poll who was a group and CC winner in England, both quickly gained their titles and Poll became Top Producing Sporting Dam.

Sh Ch Pipeaway Hello Gorgeous was also doing her bit for the breeding program. When mated to her half brother Charles Rex it was decided to keep a black and white dog puppy; who at 8 weeks looked wonderful between 3 and 8 months looked awful and at 9 months the ugly duckling decided to become a swan, and at 10 months he was BPIS at the Southern Pointer Club.
His title quickly followed and he was top winning dog in Britain, having won BIS at the Pointer Club Ch show, groups and he was a very successful sire. He was then exported to the States where he became a top-winning dog and continued to produce top winners.
Two years later he was on the move again, this time to Japan and even more success where he was first Pointer to win BIS at an all breed Ch Show.
He was of course Jap Ch, USA Ch & Sh Ch Pipeaway Holy Moses one of the breeds great ambassadors, and a dog the kennel was proud to have bred.

Charles Rex was mated to Sh Ch Pipeaway Crazy Shades three times. The first produced Sh Ch Pipeaway Crazy Daisy (who along with Pipeaway Polly Flinders became the foundation brood bitches of the modern Hurwyns) Pipeaway Glory Be became the foundation at Segev and many other winners. From the second litter Pipeaway retained Sh Ch Pipeaway Champers Galore, Pipeaway Be Dazzled joined Merrycourt and Pipeaway Butterfly Bill was a CC winner after he joined the world famous Glenglide golden retrievers. Th e third litter produced the charismatic Pipeaway Ginger Roger whose show career was cut short by injury, but is proving a powerful stud, his sister Pipeaway Flaky Dove is unshown but has been a super brood for the kennel producing winners at home and overseas, notably USA Ch Pipeaway Holy Roller a blanket marked black and white like Black Rod.

Champers Galore went on to produce four litters (three by Scritti Pollitti and one by Ch Crookrise Old Glory) The first litter produced the evergreen Pipeaway Dashing Blade of Woodfleet who is still winning veteran classes for myself, and two bitches were exported - one to Switzerland who was BOB at her first show from the puppy classes. The other Pipeaway Crowning Glory went to Finland and was European Champion Bitch 1991 at eighteen months old and continued to win and produce winners.
The second litter by Old Glory produced a host of winners and producers Pipeaway Culture Vulture, P. Holy Angel, P. Nighthawk, P. Totally Awsome of Stukeley and P. Blushing Storm over Ridingswood.

The third litter produced Sh Ch Pipeaway Focus Fascination who has gained her title in the Fortieth Year of the Pipeaway Kennel, and is already the dam of a US Champion; Pipeaway where shattered and heartbroken when on the 4.1.99 Focus Fascination died of cancer after only a week long illness.

Pipeaway have produced over thirty Champions world-wide and many other CC winners. The Pipeaway’s have become Top Studs and foundation Broods around the World, as they have the ability to breed on and produce Champions for their new owners. Pipeaway bloodlines have been and continue to be a major factor in winning Pointers here and overseas.

The Pointers continue to be bred at Pipeaway along with their very successful Arabian Horses and in this the 40th year they have seen Champions in the USA, South Africa and England.
The kennel has continued breeding Pointers that come up to their own very exacting standards of type, style, class, soundness, and temperament - regardless of what the current fashion tries to dictate.

Joan Huxley.

Apologies to the people and the dogs that I have omitted, that I know have all played an important part, but 40 years is a long time and I have just tried to produce an outline of the main breeding rather than the individual wins.

Please click on the links to see a selection of photos of some of the dogs mentioned in this article and kindly sent by Erica Parsons.