GOLDEN opportunities
By Damon Rowston Photos Gary Sissons
I
n 1988, Kim Houlden and her husband Denise Houlden bought their first Golden Retriever, Cleo. Thirty-three years later, Mrs Houlden is competing in and judging Golden Retriever competitions, breeding Golden Retrievers, and working at the Golden Retriever Club of Victoria (GRCV), as the club's secretary.
her to obedience lessons so that she would be well-behaved around
"Cleo cost us $375, which in 1988 was a lot of money, so my husband and I decided that if we we’re spending this amount of money on a nice dog, that we would do the right thing and take
forever. "If I hadn't taken Cleo to obedience training, I wouldn't
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November 2021
the house," Mrs Houlden said. "When I saw some of the dogs being trained for obedience trialling competitions, and I saw what they could do, I thought, 'Oh, I'd like to do that." Taking Cleo to obedience lessons changed Mrs Houlden’s life be where I am today as a performance disciplines judge and competitor, breeder and breed show exhibitor."