The Lochranza Kennels were founded in the 1930's with Miss Joan Macmillan being known as "the chief". The kennels continued post war with the showing of this delightful breed. A young lady called Jean Coull joined the team in 1950 and became a partner in the Lochranza Kennels not only showing and breeding cocker spaniels but also miniature poodles. John Gillespie visited the kennels to buy a cocker and soon gave up his engineering job to join the team and in the late 1960's married Jean. Jean & John Gillespie have worked with Cocker Spaniels for all these years with fantastic success and are known throughout the world for their top quality cockers. They also had successes with the poodles, and american cocker spaniels and bred some beautiful labradors retrievers, pugs and many more delightful breeds. Some of them can be seen on our Golden Oldies page. Sadly Miss MacMillan died in 2001 after a long illness.

After a few years absence in the show ring whilst looking after their son Jamie, Jean and John decided in 2002 to show Abigail - LOCHRANZA NONE SWEETER ( SHCH Asquanne's Gillespie ex Lochranza Calendula).

At her first show (Birmingham National Championship Show) she won a very good minor puppy class and was best puppy bitch. This success continued and she soon achieved her Junior Warrant.

In 2004 Abigail became a mum and produced a beautiful litter of puppies (red, black, black and tan). The sire was Annie & Alan Webster's lovely red boy SHCH Asquanne Goldfinga. From this litter 2 puppies introduced to the show ring Lochranza Posh Socks at Jayzander JW (aka Georgia) and the gorgeous SHCH Lochranza For Your Eyes Only (Piers). The showing bug started again for Jean and John with the help of a new girl on the block, Louise Wilding. Louise bought her 1st pet cocker, Norbert, from them as a pet but soon turned to the world of showing and was to be bitten by the bug. As a team they now travel the length and breadth of the country showing their dogs.

Download a video file slide show showing many of our cocker spaniels which will give you an insight to their looks & characters. Please note it is a large file and may take some time but hopefully worth the wait.