More Committee members:

BOB LILLEY

I have been associated with the breed for 12 years under the watchful eye of Maurice Marshall and I breed wires under the affix of Wyregait. I also currently serve on the Birmingham Fox Terrier Club Committee.

Outside of the dog world I worked for Rolls Royce for 40 years before I took early retirement. I was a keen cricketer and captained for my club for 25 years. I am the club chairman for the local Sports Club.

affix - WYREGAIT

SHEILA STEADMAN

Sheila has had a life-long love affair with wires. Her parents always kept one as a pet and, being an only child, it was her constant companion, but it was not until she met her husband, Ron, that she became interested in showing them. Ron and Sheila bought 2 wires and off they went to Birmingham National Dog Show where they were fortunate enough to be introduced to the one-and-only Bob Barlow of the world-famous Crackley Wires. Bob took Sheila under his wing and told her that the most promising of her dogs needed to be properly trimmed so, every Saturday she and her dog went on the bus from Birmingham to Meriden where Bob gave her lessons in presentation.

Sheila took a break from showing whilst her two daughters were growing up until one day she took a wire to exhibit at a combined horse and dog show where she met up with Sarah Jull. Sarah, learning of Sheila’s daughter’s interest in ponies, gave her a good deal of advice and help which resulted in Shelley showing several ponies with success. Sheila produced the ponies just as expertly as she does her dogs and nothing was left to chance. Sheila gives her heart and soul into preparing and handling her dogs and has enjoyed considerable success – latterly with Ch. Sarabel Just Susie for Sarah Jull with great success, being awarded 9 CC’s and 4 Res.CC’s. Sheila’s dogs are still her constant companions and her love affair with wires goes on and on.

Sheila awards tickets in both coats and in 2003 was President of the Association.

affix - BEAUWIRE

EDWARD ALLEN

I have been involved in dogs all my life , and owned my first wire in 1984. Ch. Fly the Flag for Rayfos was owned by me and she won her first CC at the Wire Fox Terrier Association show in 1990. I currently show Welsh terriers and am Chairman of the local canine society which runs training classes for novice exhibitors. I consider it an honour to be elected on to the WFTA committee and will do my utmost to help promote the breed and to encourage new exhibitors.

affix - PENPARC

COLIN SHAW

The least experienced committee member of the Wire Fox Terrier Association, I only became a wire owner in 1996 when we travelled to North Wales to acquire a friend for our Welsh terrier - although I had a lifetime of hearing about the wires my mother was brought up with in the 1930's !

My wife, Kath, and I soon found that owning a wire did not mean that we just had a lovely pet; a breeder and exhibitor who lived close by somehow found out about our wire and came to visit her. The next thing we knew we were taking Daisy to our first breed show. There we were amazed to be told that "You can't take her into the ring looking like that", whereupon other exhibitors proceeded to turn our woolly pet into something that resembled their beautiful dogs.

The next big step was a decision to let Daisy have a litter. We were lucky that Bill Browne-Cole's Ch. Sceftsbr Consul at Travella was available and Bill then helped us choose a puppy to keep. At 7 months, Wylyefox Special Addition came 1st in Minor Puppy at the Wire Fox Terrier Association Championship Show and, five months after that, took Best Puppy in the Breed at Cruft's. Her daughter, also by a Travella sire, followed her to a second Cruft's win and we now look forward to her daughter starting on the winning trail in 2005.

Throughout the last eight years we have been constantly amazed and delighted by the support, advice and friendship offered by wire breeders and exhibitors, most of whom you know you are going to be "up against" in the ring shortly after. The breed has a wonderful collection of experts, all of whom appear only too happy to share their knowledge, experience and skill with a beginner.

I am pleased to say that our dogs remain pets that we show and can most often be found chasing rabbits and deer through the fields and hedgerows around our village, or joining me in a visit to the pub!

I am honoured to have taken my place on the WFTA Committee where I hope to have the opportunity to support the interests of the less-experienced and give encouragement to other newcomers.

affix - WYLYEFOX

MARCIA FORMAN

My wire fox terriers were established several years ago starting with Seawire and Brockley lines, my first brood bitch coming down from Sceftesbr and Louline breeding which, of course, goes back to the well-known Penda affix. Over the years I have bred many litters of quality puppies by my Ch. Beemaid Tyson who was Best in Show at the Wire Fox Terrier Championship Show in 1994. I then introduced Travella lines which gave me Ch. Beemaid Trouble who gained Group 4 at Crufts the following year. Most of my stock is now Travella-strong, but I like to think I maintain my own stamp, all of which have won on a regular basis at championship and open shows over the years.

affix - BEEMAID