Riverlands
About us
Kelly Sokolinski
I got my first dog in New Zealand in 2001 when I was 21 years old. A black Labrador called Jack - CHASERS HALELUJAH. He was my inspiration to begin exhibiting and breeding dogs.
CHASERS HALELUJAH
In 2003 I got my first Labrador bitch, Chasers Jolie Fleur, who we sadly lost in August 2016 a week after her 13th birthday. Fleur was a stunning bitch but never enjoyed the show ring, even going as far as to fake a limp to avoid having to go in the ring but be miraculously cured by the time we got to the river on the way home! My second Labrador bitch and first ever champion, Dharma, NZ CH Roughfield Caramello Spicza (IMP NZ), we lost in March 2018 at almost 14 years old.
The prefix RIVERLEA was first registered in NZ in 2004 and I bred three Labrador litters in NZ before emmigrating to Australia in 2008 with five dogs, four Labradors and a Smooth Fox Terrier called Roxy - Pirfic Sugar Baby (IMP NZ). My NZ prefix was unable to be registered in Australia so I now have the prefix RIVERLANDS.
PIRFIC SUGAR BABY (IMP NZL)
Over the last twenty years I have bred and exhibited Labrador Retrievers, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers, Curly Coated Retrievers, Flat coated Retrievers, German Shepherd Dogs, Smooth Fox Terriers and Jack Russell Terriers and have imported several dogs from USA, Europe (Denmark, Poland, Finland and Italy) and New Zealand.
I am very excited about our future in Jack Russell Terriers who hold a very special place in my heart. After numerous imports from New Zealand we imported two dogs from Europe in 2018 and welcomed our first ever black and white puppies! We imported another two dogs from Europe in 2021. We have imported semen from Italy, Russia, France and the USA and have welcomed our first frozen semen babies in 2022! We welcomed another import from Europe late in 2022 and are expecting more frozen semen babies in early 2023.
In 2015 I met my now husband Dr Rolf Sokolinski while working as an artificial insemination lab manager for an animal breeding company and shared an instant connection through our mutual interest in genetics and love of animals.
Dr Rolf Sokolinski
I grew up in a family of horticulturalists and fruit growers in former East Germany 100 km west of Berlin. After studying Veterinary Science, animal science and genetics I immigrated to Australia in 1993. Since then I have been involved in biodynamic farming and developing and maintaining genetic programs. I am now retired.
The rest of the family...
We live on our small acreage near Young NSW where we strive for self sufficiency producing our own meat, eggs, milk, fruit and vegetables. We also make our own butter, cheese and wine. We share our farm with my Quarter horse, Dreams, a small herd of pedigree Anglo Nubian dairy goats, Jersey cows Linda and Daisy and some poultry and parrots!
See "The farm" tab to meet the rest fo the family...