Tribute To Helen Bole Jones.

Its been said that as we pass through life we should consider ourselves extremely fortunate if we could ever obtain a handful of true true friends,

Judging by the present company, the vast number of phone calls from around the world and the e-mails received by Bob and added to show-cardi L, Helen had far far more than a handful.

To Anne and I Helen was just such a special friend and looking back to when our paths first crossed I think, sometime in the sixties, when Helen visited my parents Willowbeach kennels little did either of us realize the great friendship, admiration and trust that we would have for each other in the years ahead. It's been a friendship that has stood the test of time and grown stronger as the years passed by. While in those early years most certainly we had youth and great enthusiasm not just for the Cardigan but also for the same male dog Ch Pantyblaidd Pip who later became recognized around the world as one of the breeds greats.

Over the years we spent endless hours , and on many occasions we burned the midnight oil planning and trying to shape the breeds future.

In the early seventies while comparing photo's of the Pip progeny in the U.S with those in the U.K it quickly became obvious to both of us the strength of this

of this outstanding male and the paths that our kennels should and did take.

In the years ahead Helen brought a number of my Joseter males to the U.S. know agreements just verbal trust, that was never broken, and it was so like Helen to say the day before leaving with ten year old Joson in 1993,

Peter keep him for another few months and beat the breed CC record ', but when I reminded her of one of our 70's conversations when we both agreed that one is only as great as their next great dog, she looked me in the eye said 'hum, I take him this trip'.

Helen also felt at this time extremely convinced that while the breed in the U.S had certain problems that these were small compared to those within the U.K and

promised me that when she had the right males I could take them to England.

When Evan Evens reached his prime she sent him to England and while he quickly reached his championship and became top winning Cardigan in the U.K, he was hardly used at stud leaving Helen totally mystified and vowing never to send another dog over.

Thankfully for once Helen went back on those words as I new she would and Ch Kennebec Jolly Roger flew the pond taking his English title in three consecutive shows, and the joy that this gave Helen will always remain with Anne and I forever.

Sadly Helen did not live to learn that Jacks first three litters are due next month and that there is n1uch interest being shown by the Brits in using him at stud, nor did Helen know that progeny going back to Iceanker would be mated to her Jolly Roger.

I can imagine what Helens words would have been 'so they have come to their senses at last.'

Over a lifetime in the breed many great cardigans have been bred or owned by Helen. While others will tell of their influence within the US I would like to say thank you to Helen on behalf of Cardigan breeders through out the world for sharing her dogs, her vast wealth of experience, knowledge, friendship and vision for the future of our wonderful breed.

Without Helens guidance and great friendship most certainly my success would not ever have reached the heights it has.

Helen let me show her best cardigans certainly to what I consider my greatest and most valued wins.

I'm also certain that Helen was behind the many judging assignments that I have had in the in the U.S. It was Helen who first introduced me to America in 1975 when I judged the sweeps, the old farm house, Chicago, my first baseball game so many memories. (come to think of it that was the first time I met Bob, some thirty years on Helen informed me that Bob was still, can you believe it going on about my judging at that show.)

Helen first judged in the U.k in 1974 at the Midland Welsh Corgi Club open show and after the show all the exhibitors were treated by Helen and Sam to a wonderful dinner at the Melbourne Hotel, near Derby.

In the after dinner discussion one topic that came up was litter breeding, and after exhausting the endless possibilities the discussion turned to what we could do to improve the owners breeding.

I'm not going to say who we put with who that night, nor am I going to tell at this time the results of the same topic of conversation at the Am Nationals

On a visit to the Aircraft museum Nr Cambridge in England Helen strode away in her fast mode as Bob just made the door, she returned some 45min later having taken in the whole 4 hour show only to find Bob, yes still talking to the doorman, the hand did a the eyes did a ceiling look and the mouth said Hum, and in fast mode off she went again. If I remember right Bob said oh I'm in trouble.

From the early years Helen 's always tried to find out my age, and who's been in the breed the longest, yet while I readily admitted she had been around the longest, for some reason Helen would never accept that I was showing in diapers. Today the time to come clean for I know Helens looking down on us, so I was born on the, oh, someones muted my voice, that 's just got to be the magic of Helen.