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Meet
Joy Devery, the woman behind the Copperleaf Cardigans, |
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I am proud to be New Zealand's longest established owner-breeder-exhibitor of Cardigan Welsh Corgis. It all began in 1965 when I purchased my first Cardigan, a red brindle bitch pup sired by NZ Ch.Parmel Barman (Imp.UK) out of a daughter of NZ Ch.Binder of Greenfarm and NZ Ch. Elkay Meri, both English imports. This talented little Cardigan, TENBY TE MAIRE, worked with me on the sheep and cattle station where I lived in NZ's Gisborne high country. Her versatility on the farm stunned even the most hardened of stockmen. Later she went on to become a NZ show champion and was the top winner of her day in NZ's North Island. Her four litters founded my REREHAU Cardigan kennels. Over the next 11 years I imported six Cardigans from Australia, including the first blue merles to be seen in New Zealand. In 1977 I changed my kennelname to COPPERLEAF, and went on to import two more Cardigans from Australia.
In 1983 I bred the much admired tricolour NZ CH. COPPERLEAF INDIANA, who won three specialist (Pem and Cardi) Reserve Best In Show awards, under English, USA and Australian judges, and went for a period of 19 months beaten only twice - by bitches, one being his half sister NZ CH. COPPERLEAF EVENSONG. Both Indiana and Evensong became NZ Cardigans of the Year.
In 1989 Indiana sired sable NZ. CH. COPPERLEAF TIGER LILY out of a daughter of Evensong. Tiger Lily went on to become possibly the most influential brood bitch this country has seen, producing winning progeny whichever way she was bred. Her most famous offspring is AM / AUST / NZ CH. COPPERLEAF COURTNEY, winner of 2 specialist Reserve Best In Show awards in NZ - one of these being at the 1993 inaugural New Zealand National Corgi Show under an Irish judge. He visited Finlai Kennels in Australia for 11 months and sired 4 litters before bringing home his Australian title, then went on to Garvin Kennels in the USA and won his American title with 5 Majors. Courtney can now be found in the pedigrees of winners in many countries of the world. His litter sister COPPERLEAF CRYSTAL generated almost equal success in her two litters for her owners Badagri Kennels. NZ Ch. Copperleaf Tiger Lily, through her progeny, has had a major impact on the breed and I have linebred to her extensively in my current breeding stock. I have long had the thought of dabbling in another breed, but that is another seed yet to be sown. The wonderful Cardigan will always be first and foremost in my life, and I am proud to have played a prominent role in the breed here in New Zealand. Jeremiah 29 v 11
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