TENFIELD

** On just our third weekend back in the show ring, I was absolutely stunned and delighted when Shula -Tenfield Sparkling Sunrise JW, won her class at the Golden Retriever Club of Scotland Championship Show on 12th April 2025 and was then awarded the Bitch Challenge Certificate followed by Best in Show. Her nephew Dingo was once again Best Puppy Dog, an absolutely unforgettable day! Following in the footsteps of her great granny Pepper who was Best in Show at the Northern Golden Retriever Association Championship Show in 2009 **

*** After a 9 month absence from the show ring we attended the Scottish Breeds Championship Show on 29th March 2025, where baby Dingo made his debut and thrilled me winning Minor Puppy Dog and Best Puppy Dog. His sister Wombat was 2nd in Minor Puppy Bitch qualifying for Crufts 2026. Auntie Shula decided to let her coat go down the plug hole during her pre show bath, but was 3rd in Post Graduate Bitch. And best of all, the puppies' mum Rocket won 3rd in Limit Bitch and achieved her Stud Book Number, my 22nd. What a fantastic return to the show ring after such a long break! ***

*** Incredibly proud and humbled to be the breeder of Crufts 2019 Friends for Life finalist Emma the Golden Retriever, representing Dogs for Good with her best friend 8 year old Milli ***

In November 2018 we moved back 'home' to the beautiful market town of Barnard Castle, just over the border from North Yorkshire, with easy access from the A1 and M6 via the A66. Barnard Castle is a dog friendly tourist town with some beautiful scenery and great dog walks. Prior to this we lived for 22 years on the edge of Salisbury Plain near Stonehenge.

I have been owned by Goldens continuously since 1975 and before that owned a Beagle, adding a Basenji in 1978, who was my first real show dog. With my first Golden I competed in obedience and agility and started showing my second Golden in 1985. 'Ramble' won a Reserve CC at two years old and later became a Champion when I moved to Germany on marriage. She also produced my first litter in 1989 and all of my current Goldens have Ramble in their pedigree.

The Tenfield Goldens are known for their constantly wagging tails and happy personalities. Biddability is most important to me, I have usually chosen stud dogs that have proved they can work in some way, but temperament always remains my number one priority.

All of my dogs live in the house and share the sofa in the evenings - they are often borrowed by friends for walks, days or short holidays, they are extremely tactile ....... to know them is to love them!

There is always a waiting list for a home reared Tenfield Golden Retriever puppy as I only breed occasionally - genuine enquiries are welcomed. I ask all buyers to sign a contract and encourage owners to stay in touch. A permanent loving home is my first consideration and I am delighted that many families over the years have returned for a second, a third, fourth, fifth and even a sixth 'Tenfield' puppy. They are very collectable!

My dogs are pets first and foremost and I show very infrequently compared to many kennels, but I have owned three Champions, two CC winners, three more Reserve CC winners, the Kennel Club's Kennel Gazette Top Junior Warrant Winner (All Breeds) 1999, a PetPlan Junior Stakes Finalist, nine Junior Warrant winners, several Best Puppy in Show winners and most of the dogs have been Open Show Best of Breed and Championship Show winners. Four have won Championship Show Stakes classes. Overall I have owned or bred dogs in the UK who have won between them 9 CCs, 12 Res CCs, 11 Junior Warrants and 22 stud book numbers, even though we go to shows only infrequently.

I firmly believe all dogs should be capable of doing the job for which they were originally bred. To this end, most of my Goldens have been trained to the gun and in years gone by I always had a number of dogs who worked picking up for a local shoot. I have competed successfully in obedience and agility in the past, and 'Tor' passed both Stages of the Kennel Club's Gundog Working Certificate, one of only a handful of Goldens (including his Junior Warrant winning grandson) to have done so. We were presented with our Certificate at the 2006 Game Fair. He is one of 8 Tenfield Goldens to have achieved their Show Gundog Working Certificates.

I endeavour to produce sound healthy dogs from parents who meet all of the requirements for health as laid down by the Kennel Club/British Veterinary Association. All of the Tenfields are fully health tested and have also contributed DNA to the Animal Health Trust for various research projects over the years. I have strived to produce an old fashioned type of Golden, sound moving, hopefully long lived, active and brainy who also conform to the Kennel Club Breed Standard!

I am delighted that the handful of dogs bred here that have entered the show ring for others, have all won awards for their owners, including overseas Champions, CAC & Best in Show winners, UK Stud Book Numbers, Res CCs, Junior Warrants, Crufts qualifiers, Open Show Best of Breeds, Best Puppy & Group winners. Tenfield All At Sea won a Ch Show Veteran Stakes class and Ch Unavale Kitywake of Tenfield was Best Veteran at a breed club Ch Show age 12 years; Tenfield Brandysnap of Crowshott was Reserve Best In Show at the Northern Golden Retriever Association Open Show in 2004 and Best Veteran In Show at the United Retriever Club Championship Show in 2005, proving that the Tenfields are 'lasters'. Many Tenfield dogs have excelled in obedience, the shooting field and agility, proving their all round capability. Tenfield Sea Patrol JW was awarded 'Guns Choice' at a Field Trial and his son Tenfield Night of Thunder for Maddouse is a Working Test winner. I am most delighted that the majority are much loved family pets and give much pleasure to their owners. This is what dog breeding should be about!

Rex is currently at stud with excellent health test results - he has produced several Championship Show winners including a CC winner, Junior Warrant winners and now has winning grandchildren. Over the years my boys, including Rex, have produced puppies for 'Canine Partners' and 'Dogs for Good' as well as show winners, working gundogs and most importantly much loved pets.
Champion Tamu was the sire of the top Basenji Puppy 2010 who quickly gained her Champion title and a further two Champions in his two subsequent litters. Most of the top winning Basenjis in the UK today have my little shadow Tamu in their immediate ancestry.
The Tenfields have had a long association with the Charities Canine Partners and Dogs for Good, having produced breeding stock and a demonstration dog for the former and having several dogs partnered for the latter. We are also very proud of Ollie and his owner Gemma, who was our first qualified Veterans with Dogs assistance dog.
This is a part of dog breeding that gives the greatest reward, knowing your dogs are helping to transform another person's life.

I have been judging at dog shows since 1982 and have awarded Challenge Certificates since 1994. I was delighted to judge Golden Retriever bitches at the Golden Retriever Club of Scotland Championship Show in April 2009, as well as judging the Basenji Owners & Breeders Association Championship Show in October - a pinnacle year for me as a judge with my two special breeds at Club shows. In 2012 I judged Golden Retriever bitches at Southern Counties Championship Show and Basenjis at the Welsh Kennel Club, another pinnacle year. And in 2026 I am doing both breeds again!
I have judged many Hound and Gundog groups at Open Shows, also Terrier Groups and Best in Show and have judged both Goldens and Basenjis overseas in many European countries, most excitingly Goldens in Calcutta, India and Russia.
In 2018 I was honoured and humbled to be voted by the membership to judge Dogs at the Golden Retriever Club breed centenary Championship Show and then came the pinnacle of any judging career, the absolute honour of judging my beloved Basenjis at Crufts 2023. In 2024 I was equally honoured to judge Basenjis in Australia, a long held ambition and I was not disappointed in the dogs or the country!

Sadly our last Beagle Crisp passed away in 2019 and just a year before that I lost my beloved Tamu, who was my last Basenji. Having had some serious health issues in the past few years, I made the conscious decision not to have another, as I don't want to leave anyone in the position of having to rehome a Basenji if anything happened to me, these special and unique little dogs are completely devoted to their people.
But there are still plenty of easy going Goldens here!

If you have a Tenfield Golden Retriever or close relative, please look for the Tenfield Golden Retrievers Extended Family (Closed) Group on . This is an active support group for owners and also a place to share photos and stories.
We are a happy and inclusive family!