Welcome to Aislabute Springers and Skye Terriers. Lorraine van Schalkwyk has been involved in dog sport, obedience, breeding and showing for over 19 years. Currently Ailsabute is breeding and showing dual-purpose English Springer Spaniels (ESS) and Skye Terriers. Lorraine is the Skye Lady, having reintroduced this rare and endangered breed to the country in 2010. There are now a total of 21 Skyes in the country of which the majority are bred by Ailsabute.
English Springer Spaniels
Our Springers are not just for show! They have suitable working ability for wing-shooters and also make wonderful family pets. We made up three SA Showing champions—CH Ailsabute Iona Abbey, CH Ailsabute Talisker Skye and Ch Ailsabute Gunna Sound—from a home bred litter. Both girls achieved their showing championship ticket at the age of 18 months, and Gunna earned his at 2 years. From that first litter two pups went to hunting homes and have shown they are steady to shot and have natural ability in the field.
Skye Terriers
The Isle of Bute (meaning “fire or victory”) for which our kennel is named, is part of the Inner Hebrides off the coast of Western Scotland. While Bute lies to the Southern end of the Hebrides, the Isle of Skye (meaning “the misty isle”) lies to the North.
Our first litter of English Springer Spaniels were named for landmarks on the Hebridian islands and we named our pick of litter, Talisker Skye, after the famous whiskey distillery on the Isle of Skye. So, when searching for the next breed we would like to show and compete, I hit on the rare and almost extinct Skye Terrier which is the oldest terrier breed in Scotland dating back to the 14th Century, and from which most other UK small terrier breeds, such as the Cairn and West Highland originate.
My mother passed away in 2007 and while the Springers and the kennel were established in memory of my late father, Robert, establishing the Skye Terrier as a breed in South Africa is a tribute to my late mother, Helen. We ordered our first Skye Terrier in 2007 and received her in 2010. See below.
Skye Royalty comes to South Africa, representing Olivia and Finnsky lines, two of the oldest and most respected Skye Terrier kennels worldwide.
Three World Winning Skye Terriers behind her, our little “Princess Eeva” joined us from Finland in February 2010. Eeva represents a new beginning for Skye Terriers in South Africa.
Eeva, Buckwheater's Curry Favour at Ailsabute, as our foundation Skye Terrier bitch is the:
 Daughter of JWW-09*— Fin & DK CH FIJW-09 DKW-10 HeW-0 Skyeluck Adalia’s Aidan (Jokinen)
 Granddaughter of WW-09 Bitch*– CIB FI CH DKW-10 Linum La Gioconda (Jokinen)
 Granddaughter of Overall BOB WW-09*, EuJW-06, FinW-06, NordicW-07, WW-08, EUW-08, FinW-08, Multiple BIS and BOB, and completed 2009 ranked as #2 All Breed Show Dog in Finland — C.I.B FI S LTU H SK CH FINW06-08 Olivia Spirit of American Idol (Dahlbom/Granlund)
*Interra 2009, Bratislava
Welcome to our site
Kennel Aislabute was named after the Isle of Bute in Scotland where my late father, Robert Robertson was born. As a Robertson he was staunchly patriotic of Scotland. We wanted a name of significance for the dogs that we bred and in Celtic lore it is said that William Wallace was assisted by his Springer Spaniel— Merlin MacDonald —to defeat the English at the Battle of Stirling Bridge, on 11 September 1297. This was the first war of Scottish Independence. At the time, Bute was home to the Scottish Kings of Stuart, who had built Rothesay Castle around 1200 as their main residence. When I was a child, my grandmother had kept her house in Rothesay as a holiday house, and since we had aunts and uncles close by in Port Bannatyne, we spent most of our childhood holidays there. It therefore seemed fitting that we chose a Scottish name for dogs we bred. Later our passion for Scotland led us to one of the most spectacular Scottish breeds - the Skye Terrier.
The sire of our first litter, ZA Ch Buckwheater's Sugar and Spies for Ailsabute as a puppy, already displaying all the talent of a future showing champion! He has a beautiful layback of shoulder, a fabulous solid topline and is beautifully angulated at the rear. He has a beautiful long head with the requisite amount of strength and a lovely expression. He is the sire of our first litter the F-litter. Puppies included Ailsabute First Lady, Ailsabute Free Spirit, Ailsabute Force of Nature, Ailsabute Fifty Shades, Ailsabute Fire and Ice and Ailsabute Fabled Love.
Chuthers Angharad of Aislabute, our foundation ESS bitch, pictured at 20 months old. She has top English, American and Working Lines in her pedigree, however, it is the AUST NZ GB SH Ch Chuan Chablais of Lyndora “Arthur”, who appears multiple times in her pedigree, who we chose to line breed our first litter to.
Our foundation bitch, Chuthers Angharad of Ailsabute “Angi”, was the result of line-breeding to the world famous Sh Ch Graftonbury Genghis Khan “Khan”, through Ch Tullamore Hi Expectation. She was bred by Eileen Drysdale in a pairing between Chelmers Lucy of Chuthers (Am/Eng/working lines) and CH Tullamore You Called to Occuli. As a result Chuthers Angharad has a pedigree in which Sh Ch Graftonbury Genghis Khan and his son AUST CH Clanach Wrath of Khan predominate in two of her grandparents’ lines, and to a lesser extent in the working line. The last grandparent Ch The Talking Eyes Big Shot “Zak” (Croatia) is line bred to the pairing that produced world renowned AM Ch Salilyn’s Condor (Westminster Best in Show 1993) and his full sister AM Ch Salilyn’s Bacardi. The pairing of Salilyn’s Cyclone to Sieger’s Charlotte’s Hornets that produced Zak, includes dogs of such as, Saxdalen’s Expert (USA imp/Denmark), Hammersith’s National Affair (SE) and Gramp’s Grande Edition.
And there began our personal “impossible dream” of producing show line Springer Spaniels, who were “Not Just for Show!” but could hunt as well!
Achieving the impossible is always difficult. From small beginnings, we aim high and take it one step at a time. It’s also like the impossible question..... “How do you eat an elephant?”
“Well, there’s no other way, except bit by bit, my friend!”
