I was born and brought up in Sheffield, moving to Hathersage in Derbyshire in my early teens. My lifelong passion for animals began at an early age. From childhood until my early twenties every spare minute was devoted to horses. I was fortunate to experience many different aspects of the equestrian art. From the Barlow Pony Club and Hallamshire Riding Society to the Barlow Foxhounds and High Peak Harriers. From show-jumping to cross-country and eventing. From dressage with John Lassetter to a TV riding series with Yorkshire Television. From exhibiting show hunters to demonstrating side-saddle riding. I loved it all. I also produced show ponies for my younger sister Rosalind including the exquisite grey "Kavora Kind Sir", who was 13.2hh's Champion Pony Of The Year at Wembley in 1968. He was also one of a team of six chosen to represent the UK in an International Pony Dressage Championship in Copenhagen in 1969.

After my marriage in 1973, I acquired an English Setter and developed an interest in dog breeding. My foundation bitch was "Suntop Duskyfinch of Peaclond" from Margaret D. Barnes world-famous "Suntop" kennels in Berkshire. I bred several "pure Suntop" litters from "Dusky" and her daughter "Dotty" (Peaclond Bluefinch). Both produced championship show winners including the blue bitch "Sh.Ch.Peaclond Pearlfinch at Arnsett", Best In Show at the English Setter Association annual Championship Show in 1990. Puppies were exported to the USA and Sweden.In 1978 I bought my first goat, a British Alpine in partnership with a friend. British Saanens were added the following year but in 1982 I acquired a Golden Guernsey and developed a fascination for this attractive Channel Island breed which continues to the present day. Both goats and dogs carry my "Peaclond" prefix which is the Anglo-Saxon word for Peakland (Peak District) a spectacular part of Derbyshire named after the original nomadic hill dwelling tribes the "peacs".Between 1982 and 1990 my husband Keith and I explored the inland waterways aboard our 70' narrowboat "Gerald" built in1912. Accompanying us on our travels were Harriet and Flora (my original Golden Guernseys), Dusky, Dotty and our Cornish Rex cat Bolly (named after our favourite engine the Bolinder, not the champagne!) A series of "boat-goat" stories followed our adventures and were used by several goat club magazines. Today they serve as a nostalgic reminder of that idyllic phase of our lives.In 1990 I was one of five members of the "North Midlands Milk Recording Club" to do an AI course,an interest that was to develop into "Goat Genetics" some ten years later. Males collected from for commercial and export AI have been very carefully selected with soundness, milk potential and a high health status in mind. Males from show quality herds with a proven history of milk production are preferred. Additional males will be offered as more herds achieve the required health status.

If you can't find what you are looking for please get in touch as it may be "in the pipeline". I now live on the borders of Staffordshire and Shropshire near the small market town of Newport (Shrops.) My husband Keith builds traditional style narrowboats and renovates classic ones at the nearby Shropshire Union canal. We have three sons Joshua, Barnaby and Lewis who keep us very busy! Please contact me anytime for further details, I will do my very best to provide a friendly and helpful service.

Christine Ball