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Jilly Bennett

Jilly has always loved dogs. When she was a child, there was Boots, a cocker spaniel and Nicky and later, Brumas, both poodles. Later she fell in love with Old English Sheepdogs. Jilly bought her first Old English Sheepdog in 1969, bred her first litter in 1972 and started exhibiting in 1973. In 1981, her kennel, "Pelajilo" won the most top awards in the UK, including Best Bitch at Crufts with Ch. Pelajilo Milly Mistletoe. OES bred at Pelajilo became champions in the UK, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Australia and New Zealand. She bred the first ever dual UK/Australian OES champion with Ch. Pelajilo Nifty Nancy.

Jilly judging at an OES show in America
Jilly judging at an Old English Sheepdog show in America

Jilly first judged in 1977 at Open level and 1982 at Championship level. Since then she's judged numerous Championship shows in the UK, USA, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia and New Zealand. Many were Club Specialty Shows and include National Specialties of Australia ('83), New Zealand ('83), Spain ('92), France ('93), Holland ('93), Finland ('96), Italy ('97) and the OES Club of America National Specialty in Rhode Island, 1999. She also judged the Euro-OES-Show in Denmark in 2005 and had the great honour to judge at Crufts 2006.

Crufts 2006 Euro-OES-Show, Denmark 2005, with the proud winner
Crufts 2006 Euro-OES-Show, Denmark 2005

 

 

Jilly has managed a restaurant in the Kings Road, Chelsea, started a London drama school with her then husband, co-owned a restaurant in Hobart, Tasmania and sold Real Estate in Cairns, Queensland.

In 1971, when Jilly was living in West Wales, she started a boarding kennel, The Valley Hotel for Dogs and Cats, and ran this successfully for 6 years before leaving for Ash, near Canterbury, where she lived until 1985. She then emigrated to Australia, living in Tasmania and later in Cairns in Far North Queensland.

Pension Milou was officially opened in June 1998.

Jilly Jilly with BIS: Ch. Moptop's Good Lovin' Jilly with Milou
Relaxing in Spain BIS: Ch. Moptop's Good Lovin' Jilly with Milou