We live on the waterfront in the seaside suburb of Malabar in NSW Australia.I have owned and shown Great Danes for about twentyfive years but my acquaintance with and love for the Breed goes back much longer. In 1984 we went through the heartbreak of losing a dog to bloat and I decided then 'no more dogs'. That resolution lasted about six months and in 1985 we purchased a male fawn puppy from the Raatu Kennels. I had no interest in showing, but a neighbor, a exhibitor of Boxers and Afghans, encouraged me to show the puppy. We had a very rocky start, I was an absolute novice handling a very headstrong dog, experienced ups and downs and against all odds made up my first champion," CH Raatu Alwyn". I was hooked.

Three years later I purchased a fawn puppy bitch to show. Unfortunately she got sick and after she recovered could not be shown but had a happy and active life with us until she died at nearly nine years of age. In 1990 CH Raatu Alwyn was mated to a brindle bitch Raatu Diablo and I took a brindle puppy bitch out of that litter and named her Lily Marlene. In 1992 she became my second champion, "CH Raatu Lily Marlene". Lily did well in the ring but did not enjoy showing after a couple of years.

In 1994/95 Lily had two litters to the Amasa Kennels Grand CH Drumview Raconteur (imp. UK) and produced my first litter under the "Riesig" prefix. She was the mother of four champions. From the first litter three puppies were shown and titled. My friend Margo Turnbull owned "CH Riesig Scarlett O'Hara E.T." and I had "CH Riesig Bennelong" and "Grand CH Riesig Loredana". From the second litter of only two puppies Margo owned and titled a very big brindle male, "CH Riesig Valentino C.D.".

CH Riesig Bennelong "Ben" was a prolific winner and took out many Group and In Show awards. With his sister he alternated many times for BOB and RUBOB. Unfortunately he was injury prone and had to be retired before he was three years old. The 8th Great Dane National and multi BIS/BISS winner, Grand CH Riesig Loredana "Mickey", was one of the truly GREAT Great Danes of her time. Throughout her life Mickey was all that could be desired in a show and companion dog. Eventually in 1999, mated at the age of four to frozen semen from one of America's top Great Danes Am CH Oakstone's Rock of Gilbraltar, she produced one fawn puppy who eventually became my second Grand Champion, GR CH Riesig Solitaire A.I. "Polly", who also did us proud. Unfortunately Polly was not able to have puppies.

About 18 months ago I started to look elsewhere to find myself another puppy to show and eventually to breed from. I did like a very dark brindle bitch puppy bred by Sharyn Wright with beautiful bloodlines. She is now CH Chelshar Bewitched "Taiga" and she has fitted in well with Polly and our other dog Rocky who is not a show dog.

I breed a bitch only if I am convinced that she has something worthwhile to contribute to the breed and if I can find the right dog to compliment her. I don't own kennels, all my dogs are house dogs and are first and foremost loved as our companions. To read more about my dogs, please take a tour through their individual pages.

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