About Us
We live in Worcestershire, England with our three Beardies. Our dogs and puppies always live in the house as part of the family. We are a small kennel, have never kept large numbers of Beardies and have bred a relatively small number of litters. In 40 years we have only kept 13 Beardies. Our aim is always to breed sound, typey Beardies with excellent temperaments.
We have been active members of the Bearded Collie Club for 40 years and are Founder Members of both the Southern Branch of The Bearded Collie Club in 1974 and the Southern Counties Bearded Collie Club in 1977 serving on the Committee in various capacities. We both award Challenge Certificates in Bearded Collies in the UK although Stephen has now retired from judging. We have both judged extensively in Europe and North America, including the Canadian and American Specialties. Stephen has been a Kennel Club Accredited Trainer (Rules and Regulations)and is treasurer of Southern Beardie Aid the rescue wing of The Southern Counties Bearded Collie Club.
Stephen and Marian Appleby,
10 Bradley Drive,
Malvern, Worcs. WR14 1JS
Tel: 01684 561294
E mail: diotimabeardies@aol.com
How we got started
When we got married in 1972, Marian decided that it would be better to leave her beloved dog Tammy (a Beardie-look-alike only much smaller) at home with her mother. Tammy was quite old and would have found it difficult to settle in a new home. Just a few months later, and really missing the companionship of a dog, Marian discovered Bearded Collies in the Observer Book of Dogs. She contacted the Kennel Club who sent her a list of breeders. An appointment was made to visit John and Betty Meyrick of the Nigella Beardies to see their dogs and it was love at first sight for both of us. Thirty six years later this love is as strong as ever. Nigella Farrier - Beagold Haresfoot Coffee ex Dog Rose of Tambora - joined our family in 1973. Frobisher was a lovely brown boy, full of fun and a great character. Betty and John suggested we might like to go to a dog show and as is so often the case this sparked our interest. Although bought as a pet, we started showing Frobi who, though not the greatest show dog in Beardiedom, went on to win his class at Crufts in 1976. In 1974 we chose our foundation bitch from a litter of ten puppies, five dogs and five bitches all slate, bred by Tine Bowens (Blumberg). This litter was sired by Ch Brambledale Balthazar and mum was Davealex Highland Abbe. Ella came home to live with Frobisher and went on to win a Junior Warrant (not easy in those days) and her title. Ch Blumberg Diotima Steel became the foundation for all Diotimas around the world today.
The Diotima Kennel could not have had a more wonderful foundation bitch. Ella was sound, sensible, well made with the most beautiful head and expression and that indefinable ring presence. She was Best Puppy In Show at the Bearded Collie Club's Championship Show in 1974, judge Barbara Iremonger, and won consistently from then until her tragically early death at just under eleven years. Ella was Best Bitch at Crufts in 1982.
The affix "DIOTIMA" was chosen as a tribute to Ella and a reminder of the roots of all DIOTIMA Beardies.
When Zeeva - Diotima's Heart Of Gold - became a Champion in December 2011, she became the seventh generation champion bitch in an unbroken line down from Ella.
"Ella"
"Tammy"
Our Inspiration
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