​Skyehaven & PowerOn Flat Coated Retrievers
Skyehaven History
We have been involved in Flat Coats since 1990, our first Flat Coat Sovanna Black Bessie CDX (Gemma), was and still is the top Obedience Flat Coat in South Australia, she was placed in every trial she competed in. Her wonderful temperament is what hooked us on Flat Coats, Gemma passed away at 12 1/2 years old. Our second Flat Coat came to us in 1994 Ch Sovanna Black Skye CDX(Skye), she also was placed many times in obedience trials and was the first dog I competed with in Dog Shows, she gained her title with ease, but at the time there were very few Flat Coats in The Show ring. After gaining her title I decided showing and breeding quality Flat Coats was what I wanted to do. Skye was not of a good enough standard to be breeding with, so after much research into the breed, I got my foundation bitch from Bushman Kennels in Victoria, who had brought in outstanding Flat Coats from Almanza Kennels in Sweden.
Bushman Tempted To Tease (Ash) arrived in 1996, she gained her Australian champion without any problems, she was a lovely mover, with a beautiful head, she won some class in groups along the way. In 1998 Bushman Better Be Boss (Forrest) our foundation stud dog arrived, he had a slow start to his career, but as he matured he just got better and better and became the first Australian Grand Champion Flat Coat in South Australia, winning A Best In Group, 6 RU Best In Groups and 2 Australian Bred In Shows along the way. Forrest In his retirement show at nearly 9 years old, won RU BEST IN SHOW AND BEST VETERAN IN SHOW, at the Gundog Club of SA.
In 1999 we mated Forrest and Ash and kept a dog (Skyehaven Mightnpower) shine and a bitch (Skyehaven Just A Dash) Starr, these 2 went on to do great things for the breed. Starr just won challenge after challenge and a few class in groups along the way, she then made history in South Australia by being the first Flat Coat to win a Class In Show, she then created more history by being the first Flat Coat to win a BEST IN GROUP!!! This was just wonderful for our breed in this state. Shine like his sire was slow to start, but all of a sudden he made history by winning the first BEST IN SHOW for a Flat Coat in South Australia in a Gundog specialty show, he then gained his Grand Champion title with a BEST IN GROUP!!! His biggest win however was at our prestigious Royal Adelaide Show, where there were 651 Gundog entered, Shine won 3rd BEST IN GROUP!! Under a Swedish judge. Shine is was the top winning Flat Coat in S.A. history taking over from his Sire and litter sister.
In late 2000 Bushman The Marshall (Marshall) came to stay with us in partnership with Bushman Kennels, Marshall went on the become the top winning male Liver flat Coat in Australia to date. Marshall was a sensational moving dog, who would add liver to our lines, Marshall gained his Australian Champion with ease and won many class in groups along the way, his head wasn't his greatest asset and probably stopped him from being a great winner. Also joining us from Bushman Kennels in early 2002 was Bushman Skys The Limit (Envy), Envy was one of our biggest winners as a youngster, winning multiple Class in SHOWS and in Groups, she also gained her Australian Champion title with ease.
In 2002 we mated Marshall to Ash for our second litter, from this we kept a dog and bitch, Skyehaven Poetic Justice (Flip) and Skyehaven Legal Eagle (Karma), Flip's biggest win on the way to his title was PUPPY IN SHOW at the Flat Coated Retriever Ass. Champ show 2002, he was just 6 months old and beat 10 month old males and a top winning 11 month old bitch. Flip also won class IN SHOWS and in groups on the way to his title. Karma's biggest win was PUPPY IN SHOW at just 6 months old at the Gundog Club of South Australia's Champ Show, she beat many gundogs breeds many over 11 months old. Karma also won many class in Groups on her way to her title.
2003 was a busy year for us, our first mating was between Ch Bushman The Marshall and Grand Ch Skyehaven Just A Dash (Starr), we kept a bitch Skyehaven Just A Star (Wish) from this litter. Wish is to date our biggest winning Skyehaven bred youngster winning many Class In Shows and Class In Groups, she also won RU Best In Group at a open show at just 9 months old!! She gained her title an an incredible 14 months old. Wish in mid 2006 joined the 500 Club for the Flat Coated Retriever Ass. Of Vic for gaining 500 Challenge points.
Our second litter in 2003 was between Grand Ch Bushman Better Be Boss (Forrest) and Ch Skyehaven Legal Eagle (Karma), this produced 9 puppies, from this litter we kept a dog Skyehaven Adrenalin Rush (Caos), was only shown for a short time, but he still won quite a few class in Groups, he was just did not want to be a show dog, he is a very sweet dog and is living in a lovely pet home. Our 3rd litter in 2003 was between Grand Ch Skyehaven Mightnpower (Shine) and Ch Bushman Skys The Limit (Envy). This was a lovely litter, from this we kept a dog Skyehaven Up The Ante (Cruiz) and a bitch who went to good friend Kirstin Gurner in partnership Skyehaven Fortune Shines (Zada). Cruiz won a few baby in groups, the day he turned 6 months old he won a 15 point Best Of Breed, against many quality adult Flat Coats, Cruiz's career was delayed by an injured shoulder which hampered him for nearly 6 months, but he got back on track and gained his Australian Champion title at 22 months old, like his sire and grand sire, is slow to mature, but won BEST IN GROUP at just 22 months old, the youngest Flat Coat In SA to do so, Cruiz went to live in Victoria with his mother Envy. Zada (The Wonder Dog) as we call her, gained her Australian Champion title easily, she is dominated the bitch's in the ring at the time, and was short listed for group at just 16 months old!! Zada like her Sire and Grand Sire proved she just got better and better with age, when she became our 5th BEST IN GROUP WINNER and 2nd bitch BEST IN GROUP WINNER, In 2008 she won RU BEST IN GROUP, she went on to be our 2nd Grand Champion Bitch, and is still one of the biggest winning Flat Coats in SA.
In early 2005 we mated Grand Ch Skyehaven Mightnpwer (Shine) and Ch Skyehaven Legal Eagle (Karma), Shine's second litter, and he again produced a sensational litter. A dog in partnership has gone to long time friend Colin & Lyn Ross, Ch Skyehaven Shine On (Blade). Blade is a beautiful dog , but slow to mature and gained his Australian Champion title 31/12/06, he beat many older dogs on the way to his title. Blade is now retired from the show ring, but has proved he can hold his own with his biggest challenge 15 points at the Prestigious international Festival.
In July 2005 Ch Flatterhaft Steal Or Borrow (imp swd) (Dare) joined us from Flatterhaft Kennels In Sweden, Dare was a stunning looking puppy who will help us to continue breeding quality Flat Coats, Dare had already won 4 RU BEST IN GROUPS, 25 Class In Groups and 5 Class In Show's at 3 years old. He also won his first BOB at Just 6 months and 12 days old!! Dare Gained his Aust Ch Title 1/10/06, 2007 was fantastic with Dare picking up 410 points tin one year , a RU BEST IN GROUP & he had an Intermediate In show and 3 Intermediate In Groups in 2007. And his best is yet to come!. At our trip to Victoria against the strongest Flat Coat competition in Australia at the Sunbury weekend Dare won BOB 2 out of his 4 shows and won his class every show, he was res dcc at the Flat Coat championship show, where there were 40 Flat Coats entered, the only male to beat him being a much older dog. Proving himself as one of the strongest Flat Coats in Australia at that moment. The last show of 2008 Dare won his 1st BEST IN GROUP and followed that up only 4 weeks later with his 1st BEST IN GROUP for 2009 under highly respected Gundog Specialist Mr Frank Kane (UK), what an exciting 2009 turned out to be, Dare in 2009 won a BEST IN SHOW, A RU BEST IN SHOW, 5 BEST IN GROUPS, and multiple class in shows and class in groups, Dare was the first Flat Coat outside of Bushman Kennels to win SHOW DOG OF THE YEAR, for the Flat Coated Retriever Association Of Victoria., Dare is now enjoying retirement with us at Skyehaven.
From Flatterhaft Kennels in Sweden, Flatterhaft Choklad Pralin (imp swd) she joined us in late August, (Lava), is a liver bitch, with a lovely pedigree, which would fit in well with our Almanza/Bushman lines as well as with our other import Dare. Lava won Puppy In Group in one of our big shows in 2006, and also finished 2006 with 2 Challenges. In 2007 Lava won 4 Junior In Groups, and Gained her Australian Champion title at 17 months old. She had puppies to Ch Skyehaven Up The Ante (Cruiz) and came back from her break after recovering form her 13 puppies, in April 2008, still a little out of coat, but looking lovely, she took out Challenges whilst still out of coat, proving she can match it with the best, at the 2008 Adelaide Royals show she was reserve bitch, whilst completely out of coat, in a strong field of bitch's. She won a lot of Challenges in 2009, and was only lightly shown in 2010, Lava is now retired from the show ring after her 2nd litter.
2/10/06 Ch Skyehaven Just A Star (Wish) had 11 puppies to Ch Flatterhaft Steal Or Borrow (Dare), we kept a bitch here with us Skyehaven Let It Rip (Rippa), and dog in partnership with good friend Kirstin Gurner, Skyehaven Flying Drunk (Bailey) this is a very exciting combination with some lovely moving dogs in this pedigree. Skyehaven Let It Rip won Baby Puppy In Group at her 2nd show & now has her Australian Champion title, having to beat very strong older competition to gain her points,her biggest win to date is RU BEST IN SHOW at the Flat Coat open show, Rippa was only shown very lightly in early 2009 due to having 13 puppies in March. Rippa retired from the ring in 2011 and will have her last litter in 2012. Skyehaven Flying Drunk(Bailey) won DCC under Swedish judge Mr B Skalin at just 9 months old, and now has a RU BEST IN GROUP, and multiple class in groups to his name, he gained his Australian Champion title with ease at 19 months old, having to beat his beautiful and highly successful sire Ch Flatterhaft Steal Or Borrow (imp swd) and several other older dogs to do so, Bailey despite his success wasn't all that keen on showing, so is now retired from the ring.
Beauty Nights Diamond Dog (Kei)!! Arrived late Sept 2007, after 30 days in quarantine after arriving from Sweden. He started his show career in style already winning 3 CLASS IN SHOWS and 9 CLASS IN GROUPS!! This boy was a stunning puppy and we looked forward to a good career, he was much slower to mature that Dare, but we expeced he will mature into a beautiful boy. Early in 2008 he had won Puppy in groups and 2 BOB's over very strong competition! He had also taken out many RUBOB's. Kei at the 2008 Adelaide Royal, at just 15 months old won DCC & RUBOB from 17 entries, and was now over half way to his title. Kei also won BEST IN SHOW at the Flat Coated Retriever Open show in 2008, at just 17 months old. Kei was titled in March 2009 at the Autumn International, proving he saves his best results for the biggest shows. Kei has picked up 2 Intermediate in groups in 2009 and short listed for Best In Group on several occasions, his BOB's being very well earned, having to beat our top winning Grand Champion to do so. He started 2010 well with an Intermediate In Group at the first show for the year. Kei did very well for us, and now he is living a spoilt life in a pet home as he was a dog, that thrived on one on one attention, we have semen stored from him.
Ch Flatterhaft Choklad Pralin (Imp swd) to Ch Skyehaven Up The Ante, had puppies 25/11/07. Kirstin Gurner kept a black bitch, Skyehaven Krakatoa (Kraka) in partnership with me, she won a puppy in group and won several challenges at a young age against strong competition, but she found showing all a little boring and wasn't quite what we were looking for in a breeding bitch so she is now in a much loved pet home, and we also kept Liver dog, Skyehaven Ring O Fire (Archer), he was a multiple class in Group winner, Archer won PUPPY OF BREED at the Adelaide Royal and PUPPY IN SHOW at the Flat Coat Championship show in 2008. Archer was leased to Christine Clarke of Firebush Kennels, where he gained his Australian Champion title. Archer now enjoys life as a much loved family pet.
We acquired another import O'Flanagan Go For Broke (Tackla) she was going to add to our lines, bringing in new and exciting dogs into our pedigrees, her mother is a lovely bitch, who captured our hearts, and her sire from Toffedreams a well respected kennel in Sweden, has mixture of English and Swedish lines. Tackla was a very promising bitch, with lovely movement. She started her career well, with multiple class in groups and BEST PUPPY IN SHOW at the Gundog Championship show. She was one of the better bitches we have owned, but sadley we lost her to a severe illness in June 2011 before we had the chance to breed from her. She will sadly missed, especially be Kirstin Gurner who also owned her and looked after her.
Ch Skyehaven Let It Rip was mated early 2009 to Grand Ch Bushman Better Be Boss, I was very excited about the possibilities from this combination, as Forrest is an 11 year old dog, and done very well in his time in the show ring. Rippa is the first of Dare's progeny to have a litter. Rippa on 14th March 2009 had 13 puppies 8 girls and 5 boys, from this litter we have kept a bitch in Skyehaven Better Believe It(Tango).
Skyehaven Better Believe It (Tango), Tango titled easily at just 17 months old and won BOB at the Royal Adelaide Show in 2010. She won a lot as a young bitch with class in shows and class in groups, she could hold her own against the other bitches in South Australia, after over 400 challenge points is now retired and living with one of her puppies in Victoria.
We decided to get a puppy off Sonja Pfister (Fetchitup Kennel) in WA, out her her imported bitch Dual Ch (T) Flatterhaft Kajsa Bergqvist (imp swd) CD ET(Kajsa), she was mated to our lovely Gr Ch Flatterhaft Steal Or Borrow (Imp swd)(Dare), we were not going to have one, but when a lovely boy Fetchitup Man Of The Hour (Rebus) became available at 8 weeks old and I saw how much like his sire he was at the same age, I just couldn't resist, so we now have He was a super puppy, with a class in shows sand many class in groups, he won PUPPY IN GROUP at the prestigious Royal Adelaide show, Rebus titled easily and and became the 2nd youngest Grand Champion Flat Coat in Australia, has now 2 BEST IN GROUPs AND 2 RU BEST IN GROUPs .
Our Next import was Almanza Jamaican Rum(imp swd), he has a fabulous pedigree, that would add to our gene pool, just couple of months in Australia he h notched up a Class in show and several class in groups! He is a slow maturing boy, but we believe he will be one of our best dogs yet, we just have to be patient. And it is now slowly starting to pay off, even in his immaturity judges are seeing his potential when at just 18 months old he won RU BEST IN GROUP AND INTERMEDIATE IN SHOW. He won his first BEST IN GROUP in 2013.
In 2011 we had a litter with Ch Flatterhaft Choklad Pralin (imp swd)(Lava), sired by our stunning boy Gr Ch Flatterhaft Steal Or Borrow (imp swd)(Dare), Lava had 10 puppies 4 dogs and 6 bitches. From this litter we have kept a bitch Skyehaven Dare Devil Miss (Ziva),
In 2012 Bushman Fire In The sky (Stellar) a liver bitch joined us from Bushman Kennels, she a bitch with plenty of potential in the show ring, and will add some new lines to our kennels, her sire is the Biggest winning Flat Coat in Australian History Supreme Champion Explicit Heaven's On Fire (imp swd)(Bling) and Dam was the Biggest winning Puppy in Australian History, Gr Ch Explicit No Trouble Flying (Fly).
In late 2012, Bushman Power To Shine (Flare) joined our team, Kirstin whelped the litter for Bushman Kennels and the late Judy Kennon-Wray, this was to be Judy's last litter before her passing and Jasmine Wray was to continue the bushman legacy. Flare is doing Judy and Bushman Kennels proud being titled by just 9 months old including a big Best Of Bred at the Adelaide Royal Show at just 10 months old, she is campaigned by Kirstin Gurner (PowerOn) in partnership.
In 2013 we mated Ch Almanza Jamaican Rum (Jethro) to Ch Skyehaven Better Believe it (Tango) from this litter we have kept a bitch Skyehaven All About Me (Tickets) who won several baby in groups and Minor Puppy in Groups in 2013, and looking very promising, Meaghan O'Shannassy in ACT has her Brother Skyehaven All Guns Blazing (Blaze) who has had some good Sweepstakes placings and 8 class in groups in 2013.
In 2014 we mated Ch Poweron Tails Of Wonder (Homer) and Ch Skyehaven Dare Devil Miss (Ziva), from this litter, Skyehaven Never Tell Tales (Hugo) went to the Canberra, to Melinda Sawers, so far he is doing very well with multiple class in group wins
In 2014 we mated Gr Ch Fetchitup Man Of The Hour (Rebus) and Ch Bushman Fire In The Sky(Stellar)
From this litter we are currently running on 2 promising puppies, Skyehaven Man On Fire (Denzel) and Skyehaven This Girl Is On Fire (Astra) time will tell how they go. We also sent Skyehaven Honky Tonk Man (Rory) To show in New Zealand with Julie-Anne Harris.
In late 2014 O'Flanagan Fermosa Oolong (imp swd)(Tilde) joined the Poweron/Skyehaven team, she will add new lines for us, she lives at Poweron with Kirstin Gurner.
And 2015 our new stud dog joined us from Czec Republic, Skye Power Black Brianta (Westhoff) kindly sent to us from Lenka Smutna, he is looking very promising, and was 1/2 way to his title after just 4 weeks of showing, he also won 2 Junior in Groups in this time.
