Established in South Devon, England in the 1970s. We moved to New Zealand in 1983 bringing Relko Balakirev (Balak) She was a shaded sable bitch bred on Dartmoor from a long line of working and trials dogs. The dogs worked on Dartmoor often in severe weather and over harsh terrain. Only the best dogs were kept and used as breeding stock.

Shaded sable is a colour more usually found in the Rough Collie and is characterised by fawn hairs with black tips. This colour was unknown in Australasia but is quite common in the South West of England. Balak's only litter in New Zealand was by Marclan Knight Rider (Kit) in March 1985, and from this mating all of my present Collies are descended. Over the last 22 years we have successfully used home bred dogs on the farm for working sheep, goats, deer, and cattle, including bulls.

Relko Borodin (Kimmer) who was my stud dog for many years, was out of Glinka, a bitch from that first litter, by Marclan Bounce. Relko Chirac, by Kimmer, has been a very successful brood bitch producing many working dogs and winning agility dogs. Currently there are about a dozen progeny who are competing regularly and successfully. Taliesin,Chirac’s daughter by Wayfarer jack Flash, has been an excellent working dog and also won many ribbons for agility.

Quantum Leap (Spider) is by Rousabout Dark Ambition (Hudson) an agility champion with a great temperament and by a working father. She is a keen working dog and just started competing at agility.

Pictured below are some of the successful agility competitors.
L to R.
Leonore & Mitzi. Alan & Jilly, Justine with Hamish and Zen, me with Talie, Chirac & Spider, Simon with Jen & Sal, Trisha with Ziggy and Flash (Wayfarer Jack Flash – sire) and Kit & Iris.