The story so far......

Hi My name is Helen , my kennel prefix is Vicoridge based in NSW Australia, we are well known around the world for our Group Winning and *Best in Show* and *Runner up Best In Show* winning Pharaoh hounds.

Whilst at school I was talking with my good friend Lisa and we planned a sleep over, not realising it was the weekend her mum had to head to Dubbo to show the Newfoundlands, well that was in 1977, my first introduction to dog shows in the pouring rain...LOL, the first time in the ring as a child handler with this HUGE Landseer Newfoundland Named Teddie, well it hooked me, I have a huge soft spot for Newfies and to this day still chat with Teddies breeder Fran of Planhaven Newfies, who 31 years later has another Landseer Newfie called Teddie....My family had always owned Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherd Dogs, Boxers and Irish Setters, my first dog was an Australian Working Kelpie and then a Labrador and Miniature Poodle.

The rest is kind of history.... I had some years off, having kids of course, showing horses etc, but for some reason its just my biggest enjoyment in life, I bred some hugely successful winners in the following breeds: Labrador Retrievers, Hungarian Vizslas and currently my Pharaoh Hounds. I have also owned and shown several other breeds such as, Miniature Pinschers, Jack Russell Terriers, Australian Kelpies, Cattle Dogs, Great Danes, Pointers, Dalmatians, Doberman's, Tibetan Terriers, Boxers, Greyhounds, Ibizan Hounds and Rhodesian Ridgebacks. I have also handled for other prominent kennels another 56 different breeds, seems dogs are in my blood, coming from a farming family that have huge vested interest in Racing Greyhounds [both family sides] from the 40's to this current day, with my cousin as one of NSW's top Race Trainers, and one Grandfather who exhibited and bred German Shepherds from 1936, while the other bred Staghounds and hunted large and small game, and not forgetting my cousins who also breed and exhibit [jointly] some of Australia's top Irish Wolfhounds under the Wulfgar prefix.

I'm convinced now its Genetic....lol..

I became interested in the Pharaoh Hound breed many years ago whilst at school, I enjoyed Egyptian studies and athletic prick eared dogs featured quite a bit. In 1997 I met a fantastic Pharaoh Hound named INCA, Aust Grand CH Skiska Rock Till You Drop, owned by Alan and Val Salter of Kennel Pretorium, I was lucky enough to have known the Salters through our joint interest in the Hungarian Vizsla breed, I often assisted in exhibiting INCA and she was a true show dog and great breed ambassador, through her I met Beth Berry Egypshyn kennels and Skiska Kennel who bred Inca. 

I purchased my foundation dog  Excalibur off Skiska Kennel in 2002 and my foundation bitch Hush as well in 2003,  in 2006 imported a stunning male who was bred in Norway and whelped in the UK, Aust Ch Falconine Kestrel [Imp UK] who has given so much to my kennel, and loads of improvement in the breed here in Australia, we have another stunning male to arrive this year 2010, this time Sweden, from Farao-Anubis Kennel who have some of the very best Pharaohs found anywhere in the world.

As an older [40's] person I am so Happy to have some of the top Pharaoh Hounds in Australia, and there is huge interest for my bloodlines from O/S, this is always a learning experience and a continuity of improvement, we have reached some milestones with the Pharaoh breed in Australia, BEST IN SHOW with a 14mth old bitch and RUNNER UP BEST IN SHOW with an 8.5 mth old bitch in 2008......The youngest in Australia to date..

In 2008 Vicoridge Kennels imported Australias very first Cirnecco Dell Étna from kennel Anharbn in the UK, we have applied for breed recognition with Australias ANKC, and hope to be in the exhibition ring with this magnificent ancient little breed in 2011.


Kennel Vicoridge has set quite a few records...Lets hope we can set some more records in the coming years..............