The Malibu Poodles were founded when the affix was registered by Bette Sillito-Pearson in the early 1960’s. Bette had owned Irish Setters and then Shih Tzu’s  when she first married and had always been desperate to be a dog owner, being mad about dogs as a child (in Longridge, Lancashire),she was always bring stray dogs home to look after much to the consternation of her Mother!

 

The first Standard Poodle arrived in the household in the very early 60’s. This was a cream girl called ‘Honey’. She was officially Frenches Heather’s Girl and bred at the famous Frenches kennels owned by Mrs. Rita Price-Jones. She was quickly joined by the black girl Sylphic Dark Charmer – the Poodle ‘Bug’ had well and truly bitten!

  Frenches Heather's Girl and Sylphic Dark Charmer

 

In 1959 daughter Kim arrived followed by Donna in 1962. Both girls adoring dogs, but although Kim caught the ‘showing’ bug – Donna preferred her dogs not to be ‘show’ minded. Donna owned for 16 years the last Ch. Captain Cuttle son, a gentle black Standard Poodle called 'Cesare' whose ‘boots could never be filled’. Donna and her family are now well and truly dominated by two gorgeous Hungarian Viszla’s from Rainscote lines.

....Standard and Human toddlers!! The first Malibu litter from Honey? photo from early 65?

 

In the mid 1960’s Bette enjoyed much success with ‘Charm’ and even attained the heady heights of a Res. CC!!

 

Meeting Anne and John Beswick at the shows (who were just really starting out)  with their beautiful ‘Samantha’ Vicmars Legacy of a Legend. Samantha was a daughter of the famous Int. CH. Bibelots Tall Dark & Handsome out of Vicky Marshall’s Pethmelys Bracken Brown . The opportunity arose to have a bitch puppy from Samantha by Ch. Springett Darken Democrat. Malibu Balnoble Grandma’s Legacy (Belle) was the full sister to the legendary Ch. Vicmars Balnoble Royale. ‘Belle’ was a great character who excelled herself by producing beautiful children – but more of her later!

 

In the early 70’s a local breeder Audrey Bowden had a litter by Ch.Vicmars Balnoble Royale out of her CC winning Bibelots Call Me After Dark daughter ‘Dawn of Olingbourne’ whose dam Ch. Annabelle of Olingbourne was from old English lines. Bette went to look at this litter and immediately fell in love with a dog puppy!

 

A very precocious fabulous coated cobby black boy called ‘Skipper’ arrived at Malibu and ‘Abendow Captain Cuttle’ stormed on to the show scene winning consistently from Puppy (see picture to the left) and many BIS wins. ‘Skipper’ became Bette’s first UK Champion. 

 

He was the ideal partner to Malibu Balnoble Grandpa’s Legacy and their progeny had an impact the moment they hit the International show scene.

 

Int. Nordic Ch. Malibu Onedin Line and Int. Nordic Ch. Malibu RazzMaTazz went to Scandinavia in the mid 70’s and both had an immediate impact on the show scene there, both becoming International Champions with many BIS wins to their credit. They both produced wonderful children who became stars in their own right. Their influence is still being seen in modern day show rings with many of the current successful kennels having several lines back to Onedin Line, his son Int. Ch. Play it Again Sam and RazzMaTazz. In fact Onedin Line along with a RazzMaTzz son (Int. Ch. StarLines Donavan) are in the pedigree of the Crufts BIS winning white boy Ch. Topscore Contradiction!

(more formal photo's of these dogs will appear in the Champions pages)

 

 

Back at home Ch. Abendow Captain Cuttle was becoming a very capable sire. Listed below are just a few of his winning children. Most importantly ‘Skipper’ produced wonderful kind temperaments who were happy and healthy sound moving ‘kids’ who gave their owners many years of love and fun. Even now, breeders from around the world still ask after and remember fondly ‘ The Skipper’!

 

 

 

 

Mum with 'Emma' - Ch. Captain's Lady from Malibu

 

 

 

 

 

Back home, Belle alias Malibu Balnoble Grandma’s Legacy after her first litter to Skipper and excelling herself with Onedin Line and Razzmatazz was then mated to Jill Ashwick’s black boy Sarcell Pacemaker Romulus who was a Bibelots Tall Dark & Handsome son - out of Vulcan Champagne Rosabel.

Also in the Romulus / Belle litter was Malibu Fancy Pants and Sarcell Cover Girl.

Belle had a litter with Ch. Camalotian Lancelot of Supernova and produced 'Tiffany' and 'Guy' who were to become Malibu Wait N See winner of 2 CC's and many Res CC's (owned by the Nathan's) and Malibu Vindicator owned by the Parker family. Also in the litter was Malibu Liberty Belle who did a great deal of winning for her novice owners.

Belle's final litter was to the black Ch. Vulcan Champagne He's a Hobo which produced the handsome black boy Malibu Beachmaster. 'Rory' did lots of winning and went to The Leighbridge's. His ability to produce browns was to secure his place in Brown Standard Poodle history!

Kim's interest was becoming more keen, and she had started to show in the Junior Handling classes as well as occasionally being allowed into the Championship Show rings. Puppy / Junior classes etc were won with various dogs....but there were always family arguments about how to trim and how to show etc etc...SO....when Kim was 11, Anne Beswicks 'Samantha' was mated to Ch. Josato Georgie Best and there were some brown puppies (and Kim had always loved brown poodles since Ch. Sylphic Fiddler in the mid 60's we think that's him in the photo below) in the litter!! Kim went to stay with John and Anne Beswick in the school holidays and was allowed 50 guineas as a Birthday present to chose a brown bitch puppy!

 Kim at Windsor in 1965

'Kola' was the choice and was to start a lifetime passion for brown poodles...the 'brown clowns' of the dog world!

Kola was called this because we had applied to the Kennel Club for the name Malibu Bacardi 'n' Coke....but it wasn't allowed so we had to chose another name...that year Christian Dior did his Autumn Collection in a 'bracken tweed'...so Kola formally became Balnoble Bracken Tweed of Malibu and ventured into the show rings with a 12 year old Kim.

She won very well and is even featured in Shirley Walne's book on The Standard Poodle. She won 1CC and many Reserve CC's but her biggest (and more succesful) rival was her playmate the above mentioned Ch. Captains Lady of Malibu - who had a full page picture herself in Shirley Walne's book!

Kola never did make her title but she had the last laugh as she was the founder of the brown line!  When the above mentioned 'Belle' son Malibu Beachmaster was mated to Kola - they produced 'KIzzy' who was better known as Champion Malibu Light My Fire.

 above Kola as a baby (aged 4 months)

    Kola grown up - at about 15months!

 Kim and ''Kola'....you can date the photo by the 'flares'!!!!

 

 Kola's daughter 'Kizzy' had a wonderful show career and when the time came to find a husband for her - we chose a virtually unshown boy 'Leo's Lovely Lad' who was a Malibu Fancy Pant's son (Fancy Pants being the sister to Ch. Malibu Beach Boy). This liaison produced Champion Malibu Too Hot to Handle ('Chilli')  and Malibu Playing with Fire ('Fern' owned by Freda Hughes). Chili produced.......and Fern was the mother (by Leighbridge Leprecaun - a Malibu Beachmaster son) of the Top American Producer Am. Ch. Maefare Barclay

to be continued....