The Reeder family had already been breeding and exhibiting world renowned Staffordshire Bull Terriers under the Gamester prefix for over 10 years when Peta was born in the 1970’s. A third generation Stafford exhibitor, breeder and judge, Peta has never known life away from the dog world - its showgrounds are her backyard and its many personalities her extended family. As a toddler Peta sold catalogues for the prestigious North of the Harbour All Breeds Kennel Club in its heyday, when her late grandmother was Show Secretary for this mammoth  event. Dogs and dog shows are as much a part of Peta’s life as eating and sleeping.

 Staffordshire Bull Terriers are Peta’s first love, which she started handling the legal age of 7 years. However, her assistance in their preparation goes back to when she could first walk, proudly becoming part of a team that pioneered the Staffordshire Bull Terrier as the force it is today in Australian show-rings.

 Peta joined the Royal New South Wales Canine Council as a Junior Member at the minimum age of 12 years. However, her involvement in the dog world spans her lifetime. She has actively campaigned or been part of campaigning, many of the world’s most famous Staffordshire Bull Terriers.

Above: Peta takes another award with her top winning bitch, Aust Ch Gamester Galadriel

The Gamester prefix is responsible for now over 70 Australian and overseas champions. Just a few of the champions bred under this shared prefix that Peta has been involved with handling include: Ch Gamester The Ice Is Nice (ai) (the first Staffordshire Bull Terrier bitch got by frozen semen to attain her championship title), Ch Gamester Roland Garros, NZ Ch Gamester Read My Lips, Aust & N.Z Ch Gamester Chesterton, Ch Gamester London Fire, Ch Gamester Londonderry Red, Ch Gamester Simon Says, Ch Gamester The Madison, Ch Gamester Kiss Me, Ch Gamester Galadriel and Ch Gamester Wonderwall. Peta has also handled and prepared several famous imports, including Ch Ashstock Old Hat (imp UK), Ch Jodel’s Little Gem at Reeders (imp UK), Aust/Am Ch Bullseye Serabi (imp USA) and the world famous showman Aust Grand/Eng/Irish Ch Cumhil Little Mischief (imp Ire). Peta has also handled a large number of other Staffords to their championship titles on behalf of other owners. 

Peta has handled Gamester owned and/or bred dogs to the highest levels of dogdom, including Specialty Best In Shows, Runner Up Best In Shows, Challenges, Reserve Challenges and Classes In Show, as well as Best In Shows, Best In Groups, Classes In Group and Classes In Show at All Breeds Level. She has obtained such awards in New Zealand as well as Australia. Peta’s love of Terriers has given her the opportunity to travel the world, including multiple visits to both the UK and the USA, handling and getting to know some of the world’s top examples of not only her own own breed, but many other remarkable Terriers and Hounds.

In the breeding arena, Peta has been actively involved in all stages of the breeding process at Gamester for her entire life, which includes many, many litters and some of Australia’s top award winning dogs. She was particularly proud to be involved with the successful whelping of New South Wales’ first litter of Staffordshire Bull Terrier pups from imported frozen semen. Ch Ashstock Old Hat (imp UK) whelped this litter on September 2, 1994. This achievement was followed in December 1997 when NZ Ch Gamester Read My Lips whelped a healthy litter to the frozen semen of Sth African Ch Bronxton Darius (RSA).

As a handler of note, Peta has been responsible for taking not only Staffordshire Bull Terriers, but also Pugs (most notably the world famous Sydney Royal Best of Breed winner and group placer Aust Ch Clarevale Gown and Wig), Bullmastiffs, Boxers, American Staffordshire Terriers and Afghan Hounds to top awards.

Peta is an active member of the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Society of NSW Inc - Australia’s Foundation Stafford Club - and has been for the past 16 years. She is the currently the Society’s Senior Vice-President, and also holds the position of Show Secretary. She has proudly contributed to the society’s hard work in educating aspiring judges, having assisted in the preparation of lecture material for the RNSWCC Judges Training Scheme for many years, giving her first lecture on the breed for the 1999 scheme. This has led to her recent appointment as Terrier Group Coordinator for the 2005/2006 Judges Training Scheme, responsible for the education of all aspiring terrier judges in New South Wales – a tremendous honour and privilege.

As a result of this lifetime of involvement and achievement with not only the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, but the Terrier Group in general, taking the step of judging this group was a natural progression. After 3 years of judging at Open Show level, Peta became ANKC approved to judge Terriers at Championship Show level in May 2000 – one of the youngest Australian judges ever to achieve this feat.  She has been lucky enough to judge some of Australia and New Zealand’s most prestigious shows in the time that has followed, including the Staffordshire Bull Terrier Club of Queensland and the Terrier Club Inc (New Zealand) in 2003. Peta is also qualified to judge the Hound Group at Championship Show level (2004) as well as the Utility Group at Championship Show level (2004).