Although dogs have always been a part of our lives the Stormwitch kennel name was officially registered with the Kennel club in 1999, with the introduction of an Estrela Mountain Dog to our family. We have shared our lives and homes over the years, with a German Shepherd Dog, various crossbreeds, a Rottweiler, and until recently we bred Jack Russell Terriers. After many years of living in different countries around the world, we have presently settled in the UK.
Our discovery of the Estrela was a picture of the head above a small piece of text. The soft lines and searching eyes compelled us to find out more, which at the time was not easy! A visit to Peterborough Championship Show was our first sighting of a live Estrela. That was when we became well and truly hooked!
Our first Estrela 'Pringle' (Wentcourt The Duke of Stormwitch) joined us in April 1999. There is a saying that Estrelas are addictive, this is so true, and so 'Elise' (Wentcourt Cravo e Canela of Stormwitch) joined us in November 2001. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Sian and Jeff Yeoman for trusting us as owners for their wonderful puppies. In April 2004 'Inca' (Clerafora Oya at Stormwitch) joined the madhouse. Our thanks go to Sylia and Hugh Cox for entrusting this very promising puppy to us.
We are a family with three children (2 who have since left home to venture the big wide world alone, and a later addition who is totally dog crazy like her mother Diana!)
Diana has shown dogs since 1986 where pedigrees, and countries lived in at the time, has enabled her to do so. Her youngest daughter Sarah is definately following in her footsteps. The rest of the family are dragged around as and when required, so many thanks to them all for their valued contribution.
At the moment the Stormwitch Crew/Curtis family is based in Suffolk, East Anglia. The home is in a small village of very few houses, but with lots of areas to walk the Estrelas and the beach is only a 35 minute drive away.
Although there are kennels within the grounds and the Estrelas love to be outside as well as in, the dogs are a big part of the family and live indoors. All our dogs are first and foremost, our companions. Alongside exhibiting we will have a go with them at most things. If they enjoy it we continue, if not we leave it. Elise excelled at obedience, agility, flyball, but preferred not to be in the showring. Pringle loves it all, although he does his own thing when it comes to agilty! He converted a few Leonberger owners when he excelled in draughtwork at a local Leonberger Working Section Day. Inca excelled in the showring and adventured to overseas shows where she won Best of Breed, was awarded the CAC and the CACIB, at 22 months of age on her debut show in Eindhoven, Holland. Unfortunately just 48 hours after giving birth to her first litter of puppies, out of a stud dog in Portugal, Inca died from Pyometra. She has left a huge gap in our lives, but we take comfort in that she was with us for 3 wonderful years and she has made a great contribution to our breeding programme and dedication to the Estrela Mountain Dog. Her legacy is her beautiful surviving puppies Stormwitch Annas Thirduzar (who made his debut in the show ring in October 2007) and Stormwitch Reme Recovery.
