THE U.K’s No.1 BREEDER OF HAMILTONSTÖVARE CHAMPIONS
Hello, and thank you for visiting my Website, dedicated to our wonderful hounds, both past and present.
My name is Angela Leigh and I am married to Martin, a breeder & judge of dogs for over 40 years. His first ‘main’ breed was Dobermanns, back in the 1970’s but when he first saw a Hamilton, back in the ’80’s he fell in love with them and acquired his first bitch in 1987. He was one of the consortium (Cook, Daly, Leigh, Keegan & Muller) who imported from Sweden FREDMARKENS KARAT & HEJADALLENS MIMMI many years ago in order to add to, and improve, the gene pool in the UK. It was from this mating that our famous IRISH & DUTCH CH. LADY MADONNA AT FLIXTONIA came.
He, like me, judges at Championship show level, & he judged the breed at Crufts in 2006. He is the current Chairman of The Hamiltonstovare Club Of Great Britain,
Martin, up to recent times, was a Professional Photographer, working originally as both a medical and industrial photographer, gaining fame for his innovative method for the positive printing of X-rays. In the 1980’s to recent times he worked for Our Dogs and then Dog World as one of their main photographers at both Open & Championship show including Main Ring Photographer at Crufts for many years.
My life has been dedicated to dogs, having owned Italian Greyhounds and Whippets for a great part of my life. I have also worked with dogs all of my working life and, as Martin will tell you, they come first, followed closely by our sheep & rescue cat.
The FLIXTONIA affix was formed by Martin & I many years ago, but following Martin’s prolonged illness it was decided that I should take it on in my sole name, as it would be I who would be travelling all over Europe to exhibit the dogs, and it was just easier when it came to signing important entry forms, customs declarations etc. However, this in no way means that he isn’t as dedicated and involved as I am.
We live in the beautiful Lincolnshire Wolds and, whilst we in the heart of open countryside,we are also just 8 miles from the beach, where we often walk the hounds for miles.
We welcome interest in the breed from anyone, and will tell them the harsh facts about owning a Hamilton, such as not being able to let them off the lead without fear of them engaging their hunting instincts and ‘clearing off’. We are not in the business of breeding puppies for selling to make money!! Over the years we have only had a few litters of puppies!! Our interest is in improving the breed….maintaining those all important factors of the Swedish breed standard such as height etc and breeding out health problems which due to indiscriminate and prolific breeding by some, have crept in over the past few years.
I make no bones about it, I will not allow anyone to own one of my puppies whom I don’t think fit to do so. I have ‘fallen foul’ of smart-talkers in the past who have convinced me they are suitable owners, only to find myself having to take back a distressed or ill-treated hound, due to ignorance and lack of patience of the owner, and I swore that I would NEVER, EVER let this happen again.A case in question is that of FLIXTONIA HONKY TONK WOMAN
In addition to caring for our own hounds we also own the
LINDSEY HOUSE BOARDING KENNELS
offering Professional canine care for dogs of all sizes & ages.
If you would like any information on our lovely breed then please do not hesitate to contact me: flixtonia@aol.com
Once again thank you for visiting my website and hope that you find the rest of the pages herein interesting.