The Carofels were originally English Setters owned by my parents Daphne and Frank Walker.  My father's uncle had owned two when dad was a boy and he and mum bought their first in 1950, a lemon belton Boisdale dog whom they lost at the age of 13.  Simon used to guard me in my pram when I was a baby.  However, the foundation bitch of the Carofels was Mawdsley Felicity bred in 1964  by Tom Watkinson.   Although not shown a great deal as we lived in Scotland at that time, Jill won a reserve ticket under Walter Edmondson of the Crookrise Pointers fame.  Her son and daughter were the first to carry the Carofel prefix, chosen by my parents from a combination of my names Carolyn Felicity.



My first attempt in the show ring was when I was 6.  I have no memory of it but mum loved to tell people how Jill saw her at the ringside and pulled me out on my nose!  It obviously did not deter me as the Setters and latterly the Pointers were to become my life, encouraged and supported always by mum and dad to whom I owe an enormous debt of gratitude for the enormous pleasure that the dogs have given me over the years.  The first Setter was transferred into my name when I was 13 and I was granted a separate interest in the prefix in 1975 when I bred my first litter.



The dogs have always been first and foremost part of the family and we have only ever had a litter when we ourselves wanted another.   The highlight with the setters was mum winning BIS at The Three Counties with Sh Ch Carofel Sunshine in 1974.  Pete was as devoted to mum as she was to him and when we lost him at the tragically young age of 3 her heart was no longer in the showing and she left most of the handling to me, still coming with me to all the shows until a few years before her death in 2010. 



Showing took more of a back seat from the mid 1980's to the early 90's with me leaving home but Wembley - Wansleydale Luck of the Draw at Carofel - came to join me in my married life in 1993, followed by my first pointer in 1995.   I lost Wembley at the grand age for a setter of 14 and now it's just me and the pointers but who knows if one day we will be joined by another "feathered friend".