Ridgewyn English Springer Spaniels was founded in 1977 and inherited with humble beginnings from Denis FitzPatrick in 1981 by Cherrie Spring.  Over the years, Cherrie developed a vision for the Ridgewyn kennel which strove for quality in breed type, function and temperaments.  She has done this with the friendship and guidance of many great people in dogs.

In the early 1980s, Cherrie hired Gary Zayac to show Ch. Ridgewyn Garfield and the rest, as they say, is history.  With a shared commitment to breed excellence, the precedent was set for the future.  As a result, Ridgewyn dogs have become a noteworthy example in breed type, temperament and range of viability for all pure-bred dogs.  They have a reputation around the world for genetic integrity, soundness both physically and in temperament, as well as excelling at all levels of dog competition.  These qualities seem to persist even to an advanced age as most Ridgewyn doge age gracefully into their silver years, having the gifts of health and stamina.

Even though the focus of Cherrie’s breeding program has been in conformation, Ridgewyn dogs have been very competitive in other areas of dog competition including obedience, agility, fly-ball, tracking and field events.  On the west coast, several Canine Assist and Delta Dog programs have recruited springers from Cherrie because of their desire to work and depth of compassion and loyalty that is required to work with the disabled.  Several Ridgewyn dogs have also been well-known Therapy Dogs and Assist Canines.  In the conformation ring, Ridgewyn dogs have won the ESSFTA National Specialty six times between 1979 and 2001 in addition to numerous winner’s class dogs during that time.  The kennel has bred some of the top winning Springer Spaniels in breed history.  For almost every year since 1981, there has been a Ridgewyn dog in the top 10 dogs for points in all breeds and systems.  In one of those years, the top three ESS were Ridgewyn brothers, Ch. Springerlane's Ridgewyn, Ch. Springerlane's Fenwick, and Ch. Springerlane's Churchill. 

After producing twenty two champions out of three litters, Ch. Ridgewyn’s Rachel Rachel (Rachel) was the ESSFTA Brood Bitch of the Year for three consecutive years and the top-producing bitch on the history of the breed.  We salute the outstanding contribution that Rachel has made to our foundation and to several other kennels around the world.  Some of the other outstanding dogs that this kennel has bred and owned include: Ch. Ridgewyn’s Isabelle (Isabelle), Ch. Ridgewyn’s Blueprint ( Ryan), Ch. Ridgewyn Fleur de Lis ( Iris), Ch. Ridgewyn’s Flowerchild (Flower), Ch. Ridgewyn’s Incantation ( Renee), Ch. Ridgewyn-N-Belvoir Uprising (Sunny), Ch Ridgewyn’s Runabout (Stanley), and Ch. Ridgewyn’s Legacy (Lars).

While Ridgewyn dogs have won international attention for their outstanding ‘show dog’ status, their greatest accomplishment is that they are wonderful companions for their owners and the communities that they live in.  Beauty fades and the glory days of the ring are fleeting, but what is enduring is Ridgewyn's commitment to breed type and health which creates well-balanced springers.  That comment is in response to a promise made so many years ago, “trust your heart, your eyes, and your hands, not what the crowd does, and the rest will follow.”   In the end, when the limelight is turned off, it is having a loving companion that is beautiful in body, mind and spirit that is the greatest legacy a breeder can leave.