Blackmask Bullmastiffs
Cheryl and Steve Clarke
We have a small family of bullmastiffs and reside in the seaside city of Gisborne on the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand. Gisborne/East Coast is the first place in the world to see the light of the new day and is our little bit of paradise.
I was hooked on bullies years ago when some folk living down the road from us were boarding a huge bullmastiff bitch called Meg. Whenever Meg was let out for exercise, she would promptly escape and find her way to our farm where she was great mates with our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, "Grumbles".
When Meg's owners were to leave the district we were asked if we would like her - would we ever! So it began from there. When Meg died two years later at nine years of age, we knew we had to have another bully - along came Judge (Krugar of Westmac). In later life he was known by friends and foe alike as "Judge, Jury and Executioner". Alas, for this reason (and the fact that he is dysplastic) we never bred from him.
Ruby (Rangatira Waimarie) was the next to join us, then, as you can't just have one or two bullies, along came Marshall (CH Okarahia Marshall) who was the absolute joy of my life, Tia (Siriusta Lyra) and Pearl (CH Oakcroft Taz Connection). Pearl was BOB at the NZ Pal Nationals in 1996 (our version of Crufts) under judge Ann Arch (UK), and Best Junior In Show (Dominion Bullmastiff Club Championship Show). At 1997 Nationals time she was busy giving birth to 11 puppies. 1998's effort was Best New Zealand Bred In Show at DBC's Championship Show. Marshall decided 1998 was going to be his year for the dog Challenge at the NZ Pal Nationals under judge Ferelith Sommerfield (UK).
W hope to improve our stock as we continue by our own breeding. Marshall was from Copperfield lines and Pearl from Graecia lines and as we admire the dogs produced by these two great English kennels it made perfect sense to us to combine these two beautiful animals. Photos of both dogs can be seen on our photos pages. They were both closely related, and were happy, healthy, contented bullmastiffs with beautiful temperaments and were the foundation for our Blackmask lines. Our dogs are hip scored, and puppies are sold with an unlimited 2 year health guarantee. Our aim is to produce what we see as a "typey" dog as near to our ideal of the bullmastiff standard as possible, and sound in temperament, mind, spirit and body.
Our first import, NZ CH Grasslock Stella Polaris AI is from Dr Jasmine Bullock's Grasslock Kennels in Australia is a continuation of the linebreeding we hoped to achieve. Stella's breeding is similar to Pearl's with the added bonus (and uncertainty!) of a total outcross - her sire ENG CH Dixson of the Green - Crufts Best of Breed and multiple Best In Show winner. Our second import was Opalguard Chrystal from Nicki Marshall of Opalguard Kennels in Australia, and last but certainly not least has come AUST & NZ CH Copperfield Capt Taunton of Graecia from Kerry Cannon also in Australia. Kerry imported James as a puppy from the UK.
Steve is a part time butcher (thank heavens!) and manages the farm, which produces primarily venison/velvet and pigs, and our White Galloway cattle. I work full-time as part of the Finance team at Cedenco Foods, one of the largest food proceesing companies in New Zealand. I'm also the secretary (and past Treasurer and Vice President) of our local allbreeds club and President, a past vice-president and committee member of the Dominion Bullmastiff Club of New Zealand. I belong to various Australian bullmastiff clubs as well. Dog showing is a hobby enjoyed more by me than Steve, and luckily the dogs do well in spite of my handling. Our two sons, Jason and Jesse live and work in the city.
If I can help you with any information relating to bullmastiffs in general, or our bullmastiffs in particular please feel free to contact me by phoning (06) 8688357 or by e-mail to: