Our Story

Welcome to Mawali Basenjis. My name is Sarah, and my journey with dogs began when I was a child. I have been showing many different breeds for most of my life, a passion that eventually led me to breed and own champion German Wirehaired Pointers.

My first introduction to Basenjis was at age 13, through Rusty Grayson with her dogs Beau, Quincy, and Dexter. I was immediately captivated. My first pair to own and show were Kwala and Kiki, but it was the arrival of Esme (CH AUS CH Zandeena Getn Cort in the Act) that truly solidified my path. She is my soul mate, a dog who embodies everything I love about the breed and who inspired the start of the Mawali kennel.

Together with Breaker (CH AM CH Kazor Breaking the Bank), we began a journey to produce Basenjis that are not only beautiful and true to the breed standard, but also healthy and well-adjusted. We are incredibly proud of the success our dogs have achieved in the show ring, both in the UK and across Europe.

None of this would be possible without the incredible support of my husband, John, who deals with all the craziness and is the backbone of our kennel. A special thank you must also go to our wonderful team of handlers—Gareth Williams, Charlotte Vescan, and Ashley Carrington, along with Nicholas Wright and Denisa Vescan. Their dedication is a huge part of our shared success.

We are first and foremost a small, home-based kennel. Our dogs are our family. They live in our home, sleep on our sofas, and are at the center of our lives. Thank you for visiting our site and for your interest in our dogs. We hope you enjoy getting to know the Mawali family.