Our Story begins many centuries ago in a Kingdom far far away......

I remember sitting in my bedroom and my mum saying "were going to look at a litter of boxer pups". Well this wasn’t anything unusual for mum, she was always up to something.

Some weekends we would be at motorbike racing, maybe car racing or some other event where it involved getting soaked to the skin. We set of in the families Ford Anglia, real style in them days you know!! We travelled the 20 miles or so to a small village were we where ushered into a building resembling a green house. Looking back now, it was like a scene out of a Hundred and One Dalmatians, but in this case Boxers. My mums eyes lit up like torches, I was waiting for her to say "I'll take that one, and that one." I can just see her trying to explain to dad who was still in the car trying to tune in Radio 2. 'Buy one get one free' might work ? Maybe not.

Mum kept being drawn to a Fawn dog, she did buy the pup for the huge sum of £5.00. Going back to the owners of the litter, Joan and Eric Jarden, (EJIROS BOXERS, and BOSTONS). A few years later Joan won the CC in Bostons at Crufts. Getting back to the story! We started to attend dog shows, my sister and I both entered into the children’s handling classes, I with a boxer, and my sister (Carol) with an Irish Water Spaniel. There was quite a few children about as there is today, and the competion was fierce at times. A lot of the people showing then are sadly no long with us, or retired. There was of course the INGRAMS, Ann like myself was a young girl, of course her mum used to show then to, running up and down the ring with the rest of us. I had got my first dog a Boston Terrier as a Christmas present in 1971, I did show her for a time but then the family got involved in obedience. I started entering into Obedience classes, was I the only person doing Obedience with a Boston, I don’t know ? It was tough going as madam (MITZI), had a mind of her own, and to her own choosing was stone deaf !! As Bostons can be. It was around this time my mum was granted her kennel name and so Berndrews was born, although her kennel was small she did have some quality animals. Mum did not drive and with dad working alot she was not always able to get to shows, so some good dogs were wasted. Never the less she done very well from Best in Show all breeds to Green Stars in Southern Ireland. I would always go to shows with mum and dad, I would often handle dogs for Tommy Sherrard (BENEVENAGH), as he always had a few entered. I must have done alright as he always gave me a dog to show, or maybe he was to polite to tell me any different. In the mid 70's I got married and had 3 children, sadly the marriage did not last. I still loved the Boxer but was unable to attend shows as every penny was important, but I still kept my boxers as pets.

When my eldest daughter Michelle was about 14 my mum gave her a male boxer BERNDREWS JIMINY CRICKET, (TIM). It was around this time that BERNDREWS CITY SLICKER made his appearance Bruce was a gift from my mum. He was never really got for show but things aways seem to have a way of coming back to the ring one way or another. Anyway Michelle had heard all the stories about dog shows from me and her gran and was keen to start showing Tim, need I say any more ! I learnt to drive, but I was slightly unsure about driving to different places and could not park to save my life. I remember going to a show one day where parking was very tight, I had said to the kids "I cant park this car, what do I do," turn on the charm that’s what!

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There was a man walking by, I asked him could he drive ? "I can drive any thing", he said looking very proud of himself, I said "could you park this car for me" "certainly" he said, on one condition that I give him a kiss !!! Straight up he did. So he parked the car, got out handed me the keys, and stepped forward to receive his reward, which was a peck on the cheek !! My knight in shinning armour galloped off into the sun set on his trusty stead. Them was the days.



Michelle is now grown up and shows under my mums kennel name which now belongs to her and her partner Kaling. Michelle has had her first litter, loves her breed passionately as I do, she showed at Crufts in 2007. Of course l was there, with my other daughter Naomi, cheering her on, doing the thing we all love best.

The Founder Members of Lisburn & District Dog Training Club

Me with the Boston, Mum is beside me, and Carol with the other Boxer.

(The picture appeared in the local paper in 1972)

Me with‘Mitzi’ (Madam) at a training class

Me winning a childrens handling class with Bruce (my mum's dog), my sister Carol beside me with Lucky the Irish Water Spaniel in 1973

© 2007 Lynshanes Boxers

Mum in the late 70s with one of her special dogs

The Family beside The Famous Ford Anglia on holiday in 1967

Me in 1960 with the Shirley Temple hair do! The family pet Prince is in the background.

The family on holiday with Bruce taking center stage

Carol as a young girl with Bruce and another trophy

Mum with a young hopeful

A fun photograph with mum and my children. From left to right Shane, Naomi & Michelle