Special points of interest:
Will the Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer
be the next breed added to our Gundogs?
Read about the Duchess of Hamilton and
her Labrador Dungavel Phoebe
EXCITING new completion for 2012!!!
Slovakian Rough Haired Pointers 5
Gundog Legends 6
Shows in the beginning 8
Competition 11
RATG 2011/2012 12
Inside this issue:
GUNDOG NEWS VICTORIAN GUNDOG CLUB INC.
February / March
2012
9 week old Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer ~ Classic Dream´s Solitary Eagle pointing a Pheasant
Photo Rolf Ryberg ©
Page 2 GU NDOG NE WS
Committee & Office Bearers 2011/2012
Club Patrons: Mr. Ron Jensen and Mr. Jack Montasell
LIFE MEMBERS
Mrs. M. Acland
Mr. R. Beard (dec)
Mr. L. Bourke (dec)
Mr. L. Bright (dec)
Mr. B. Chandler,
Miss. M. Conheady
Mr. A. Crouch (dec)
Mr. E. Drinkwater (dec)
Mrs. P. Dunne
Mr. G. Gouch (dec)
Mrs. M. Gouch (dec)
Ms. R. Greaves
Mrs. C. Guinney
Mr. R. Hall (dec)
Mrs. M. Hall
Mr. T. Hawkey (dec)
Mr. R. Jensen
Mr. R. Johnson
Mrs. R. Johnson
Mr. I. Maggs (dec)
Mr. A.R. Maver
PRESIDENT
Steve Sapsead
50 Blakeville Road
Ballan 3342
Ph: 5368 2820
VICE PRESIDENTS
David Flack
58 Walkers Road
Mt Eliza 3930
Ph: 0419 312 407 D
SECRETARY
Rachel Greaves
114 Shuter Avenue
Greendale 3341
Ph: 5368 7211
TREASURER
Mary Conheady
120 Hjorths Road
Toolern Vale 3337
EDITOR
Lee Petering
P.O. Box 138
Warrandyte, 3113
Ph: 0408 38 50 38
COMMITTEE
Tegwen Flack
58 Walkers Road
Mt Eliza 3930
Ph: 0419 210 120 T
Margaret & Steve Hall
6 Chisholm Court
North Croydon 3136
Ph: 9733 2275
Lee Petering
P.O. Box 138
Warrandyte, 3113
Ph: 0408 38 50 38
Vince Pino
2/16 Wildwood Road
Bulla 3412
Ph: 9307 1216
Lesley Sapsead
50 Blakeville Road
Ballan 3342
Ph: 5368 2820
Gordon Strachan
41 Howitt Drive, Lwr Templestowe 3107
Ph: 9852 0444
Prue Winkfield
86 Shuter Ave, Greendale 3341
Ph: 0418 127 811
DISCLAIMER:
The opinion expressed in con-tributor‟s articles are not neces-sarily those of the V.G.C. Inc. or the committee. Whilst every effort is made to ensure copy is repro-duced correctly, the V.G.C. Inc. accepts no responsibility for error.
CLUB WEB SITE www.victoriangundogclub.com
MAGAZINE: please send all contributions to the Editor by deadline dates;
Feb/Mar Jan 20th Aug/Sept July 20th
April/May Mar 16th Oct/Nov Sept 14th
June/July May 18th Dec/Jan Nov 16th
F EB RU AR Y / MA R CH
With the start of 2012, on behalf of VGC Committee, I wish you all a safe and happy New Year.
If the game indications are anything to go by then we should be in for a bumper year.
I was out this afternoon with a farmer in his paddock and the quail were rising in clouds. They were hold-ing very tight and rising at our feet.
The dogs were safely tucked away in the trailer as I have seen more snakes this year than I have in all the years I have been here.
The press has been reporting that the sale of guns in Victoria has risen dramatically since the rain has re-turned. I imagine if you intend to shoot a „public swamp‟ this year then you may be surrounded by shoot-ers. Of course the Anti‟s will be out in force too no doubt.
I have only ever shot a public swamp once, when I first arrived in Australia. It was opening morning and I was home before 8.30am as my duck decoys were being blasted off the water by some red necked idiots long before the official time to start shooting! I haven‟t been to a public swamp since.
As always the club has a full schedule of trials and shows planned for the year so there should be some-thing available for everyone.
If you haven‟t attended a Field or Retrieving Trial and would like to come along and have a look then you will be made very welcome. It is a wonderful spectacle to see our beloved gundogs working in the field. Whether it is your discipline or not just being out and spending time with like minded people is a pleasure with the added bonus of seeing the dogs do what they were bred for.
The same thing applies for those of you who aren‟t into showing. The club‟s show committee work tire-lessly each year to ensure that the VGC is rated as the premier Gundog Club in Australia. Our shows are a wonderful day out where it‟s possible to see the dogs in all their finery and glory being paraded in front of you.
If you are interested in coming along to a trial or show then please give me a call.
I look forward to catching up with many of you as the year progresses.
Steve Sapsead
Page 3
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
We send our best wishes to our Patron Jack Montasell
who is home again after a recent hospital stay.
All the best to you Jack ~ sending our WOOFIEST greetings!
It seems like just yesterday I was sending our Christmas magazine off to print ……. and already I‟m get-ting the Feb/Mar 2012 edition ready to go to print!!!
Since the last magazine I have moved house, cleaned out the old and it now has new owners and I also had a wonderful three weeks with a girlfriend visiting from Switzerland—experiencing her first warm Christmas Day and a 43C trip to the Twelve Apostles on January 2nd ….. she survived both. I then had one quiet week before heading back to work.
I‟d love to include MORE information and articles from our members so please contact me (details page 2) and just check the deadline dates for each magazine.
We have a new competition (see page 11). I hope this will see you all searching through many old photo-graphs. Please join in the fun and send me some golden oldies.
Lee
Page 4
Editor’s note
GU NDOG NE WS
January & February retrieving trials…...
Please note that full Retrieving and Field Calendars are at our Cub‟s website.
Go to www.victoriangundogclub.com 2012 EVENTS page.
Links to Jan. and Feb. GSP and Golden Retriever trials are on the RET. SCHEDULE page.
Our Club also has a Facebook page to keep you up to date with all notices so if you‟re a FB lover …… search for Victorian Gundog Club.
http://huntingdogboxes.org/tag/hunting-dog-training/
F EB RU AR Y / MA R CH
Our cover photo shows a 9 week old Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer from Classic Dream‟s kennel in Sweden
owned by Pernilla Nordlund & Rolf Ryberg. Pernilla and Rolf have shared some of their wonderful photos with us
in the past and I thank them again for their contribution for this magazine.
Will this be the next addition to the Gundog Group in Australia? It may well be. There is some strong interest for
this breed here already, and if the breed is imported, application would be made to add it to our list of Gundogs.
Here is a little more information gathered from the UK Club and Wikipedia sites:
This breed was developed after World War II — the developer, Koloman Slimak, wanted a dog with great stamina
which would track, point, retrieve in water or land, and be suitable for a range of prey from birds, hares and other
small animals, and large game up to the size of deer.
Dating back to the late 1950's, the SRHP originated in Czechoslovakia following World War II and is believed to have been developed using the Weimaraner, German Wirehaired Pointer and Cesky Fousek. At one point, the Slovaks who developed the breed asked the Weimaraner Club of Germany to recognize this dog under the name Rough-haired Weimaraner, but the request was rejected—but obviously the breed‟s colouring does resemble that of a Weimaraner. Under the FCI standard lighter and darker shades of gray are permitted throughout the coat, even to the point of speckling.
Slovakian Rough Haired Pointers (Slovensky Hrubosrsty Stavac) are a relatively new breed to the UK.
Following the break up of Czechoslovakia into the the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993 it was only a few years after that the Slovakian Rough Haired Pointers arrived in the UK. The Kennel Club added the breed to the Im-ported Breed Register where the Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer is classified as a member of the Hunt, Point, Retrieve Gundog sub-group and since 1st December 2008 a breed standard has been approved by the Kennel Club. The Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer may now be shown in the UK in the AV Import Register. The breed is categorized as a Continental Pointing Dog of the braque type by the FCI. It is not yet recognised in Australia or America for showing but is recognised by the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association and the Maylay-sian Kennel Association.
Information has been gathered from:
http://www.slovakianroughhairedpointerclub.org.uk/aboutthebreed.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slovakian_Rough-haired_Pointer
Page 5
Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer by Lee Petering
© Rolf Ryberg
Graham Cox has a series in the Shooting Gazette (UK) profiling great field trial gundogs of the past. This article is on labrador Dungavel Phoebe.
There is surely no more certain way of securing legendary status than being the first to win an event that subsequently only grows in stature. In winning the first Retriever Championship, hed on Mr B.J.Warwick‟s shooting at Little Green, Compton near Petersfield on January 9, 1909, the duchess of Hamil-ton and Brandon‟s Labrador, Dungavel Phoebe, accomplished that and much more. Although she did not win the Glen Kidston Challenge Trophy—it was not presented until 1910—history does not quibble about niceties where such precedence is concerned.
Out of Dungavel Juno, with which the Duchess had entered trial in 1907, she was whelped on April 5 of that year and sired by major Maurice Portal‟s FTCh Flapper. Her dam was also amongst the eight dogs that contest that first championship; five of the Labradors, two black flatcoated bitches and Col. Cote‟s black smooth dog. According to the contemporary report, the fact the Duchess of Hamilton‟s younger dog, handled by Mr Alexander, “quite spread-eagled the fied” helped judges Mr C.C. Eley, Mr Portal and Mr War-wick enormously; for the feeling was that the field was quite large enough for a meeting in January.
Phoebe picked a partridge runner that had run a distance before cropping in the hedgerow, and she did it unaided. Later, a long hunt in a covert for a hen was rewarded when she retrieved it “in capital style”, and she made a good job of a difficult hare. Further work on partridge and a pigeon made her an emphatic winner, ahead of Mr A.H. Horsman‟s flatcoat, Thora, and Mr G. May‟s Labrador, shallow flapper.
Page 6
Gundog legends by Graham Cox
GU NDOG NE WS
http://daisy.wz.cz/history_black.htm
F EB RU AR Y / MA R CH Page 7
http://www.labradorforums.co.uk/ftopic-157-next.html
Breeding for success
Dungavel Phoebe‟s pedigree, though it has some mysteries amongst the great-grandparents, re-veals key priorities in Labrador breeding.
On her sire‟s side she went back to Buccleuch Jock and on her dam‟s side to the Hon. A. Hol-land-Hibbert‟s Munden Sentry, who was in a direct line from Malmesbury Tramp (1878). Neither the Buccleuch dogs nor the Malmesbury dogs ever appeared in competition but in the first winner of the retriever Championship their legacy was already plainly evident. Moreover, when there was a large and representative meeting of folk interested in field trials at the Kennel Club in 1914, it was on of the major contributors to her breeding. Hon. A Holland-Herbert, who was unani-mously appointed to the chair.
http://daisy.wz.cz/history_black.htm#Flapper
Phoebe‟s sire FTCh Flapper
Page 8 GU NDOG NE WS
Dog shows …. in the beginning animal.discovery.com
No doubt people have been bragging about their dogs since the earliest days of domestication. One can imagine prehistoric dog owners gathering to admire the relative merits of their furry friends, though the sheen of a dog's coat or the shape of its tail likely paled in comparison to its ability to hunt game or keep the sheep in line. We have no record of these ancient dog competi-tions, but do know that informal dog shows were bing held in pubs and clubs across England prior to the first official show in 1859.
On June 28, 1859 — a bright summer day in the United Kingdom — a committee of local hunters held the world's first official dog show in the town of Newcastle upon Tyne. This show was limited to pointers and setters, but a second show held in November of that year in the town of Birming-ham allowed spaniels. This second show, held in one of the galleries of the Horse and Carriage Repository, included around 80 dogs in 14 classes. In 1860, the Birmingham show welcomed hounds for the first time. Amazingly, the National Dog Show Birmingham continues to be held to this day and is considered the world's oldest surviving dog show.
In the beginning, breed standards were either lax or non existent; for example, there was no offi-cial dog body to govern what distinguished an Irish setter from an English setter. Furthermore, the owners themselves often had only the haziest of ideas of what breed or class their dog be-longed to. As a result, a motley assortment of dogs would often compete for the same breed title.
This situation quickly improved as exemplary specimens of the principal breeds were selected as landmarks of the future. As stated in a report from the Kennel Gazette, published in July 1887, "If mistakes had been made in those days dog shows and dog breeding might have collapsed. But in the main the judgment bestowed upon dogs has been correct, and if types and the nicety of points have altered in some breeds more than others, the correct lines and true characters of class have been wonderfully preserved."
http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/2007/08/parson-russells-potted-histories-potted.html
F EB RU AR Y / MA R CH Page 9
In comparison to today's shows, the earliest dog shows were primarily focused on working dogs and their abilities in the field rather than the appearance alone. Indoor dog shows were held on floors covered with sawdust rather than carpeting, which was a concern for female exhibitors whose flowing skirts were compromised when the floor became wet. The number of judges like-wise pailed in comparison to today's mega-events, with only three judges overseeing the first dog show in 1859.
In the decade following the birth of the dog show, England had two competing dog societies: the National Dog Society, based in Birmingham, and the National Dog Club. In 1870, the National Dog Club met to establish a body with the purpose of controlling England's entire dog scene. Three years later, The Kennel Club was founded.
in 1874 the Kennel Club published the Kennel Club Stud Book, which listed the records from all the dog shows held up to that point. These records were at times incomplete or inaccurate, as there were was no way to distinguish two dogs with the same name of the same breed. More dilli-gent records were kept over the ensuing years, and in 1880, after much debate, the Committee of the Kennel Club introduced registration. Initial resistance among the dog community quickly turned to acceptance when they realized the importance of being able to distinguish between dif-ferent dogs.
The initial publication of the Kennel Club Stud Book in 1874 also included a Code of Rules to guide the management of future dog shows, as well as the first Kennel Club Calendar. The calen-dar listed all the dog shows held that year, and for the first 10 years of publication included just two dog shows per year.
http://nibsblog.wordpress.com/category/books/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/statelibraryofnsw/page5/
Page 10 GU NDOG NE WS
America's oldest surviving annual dog show, the Westminster, was conceived at the Westminster Hotel in New York City by a group of sporting dog enthusiasts in 1876. Held the following year — May 8th through 10th, 1877 — at Gilmore's Gardens on Madison Avenue, the first Westminster show was the second dog show ever held in the United States. Called the "First Annual New York Bench Show of Dogs," it was initially open to sporting dogs only, primarily pointers and set-ters. Today the Westminster remains the oldest, continuous sporting event in America, with the exception of the Kentucky Derby which began two years earlier.
The world's largest dog show, Crufts, began in 1886 when dog biscuit manufacturer Charles Cruft held the "First Great Terrier Show" in England. The terrier show, which started with 600 entries, became so successful that in 1891 Charles Cruft held his first all-breed show at the Royal Agri-cultural Hall in Islington. It was called "Cruft's Greatest Dog Show," and around 2,000 dogs en-tered. By the time of Charles' death in 1938, his annual dog show had over 10,000 entries, a number that continues to grow to this day.
On Sept. 17, 1884, 12 sportsmen — each representing a dog club that had recently held a bench show or had run field trials — met in Philadelphia to discuss the formation of a new "club of clubs." The following month, the group met in New York City and adopted a constitution, by-laws and a name: the American Kennel Club. The need for a reliable stud book in the United States was vital, so in 1887 the American Kennel Club combined their records with The National Ameri-can Kennel Club's Stud Book, which was first published in 1878. The result was the most thor-ough stud book the Americas had yet seen. Soon all dogs shown in the United States were re-quired to register with the American Kennel Club, and by the early 1900s their rules governed all national dog shows.
http://www.londondogforum.co.uk/special-report-c552.html
F EB RU AR Y / MA R CH Page 11
COMPETITION TIME !!!!! COMPETITION TIME !!!!!
THE SEARCH IS ON .......
We would like to find the oldest photo of one of our members in a
competition with their dog.
This can include Field, Retrieving, Show, Obedience work etc.
AND
to make it a little more interesting & fun .........
you can include a school or church competition
such as an Easter Bonnet Parade.
The photo must be of YOU and a dog you (or family) OWNED.
Person must be a current (2011-2012) single, dual or puppy member of the VGC to enter.
Photo can be of you at any age in any competition.
We will trust your honesty here ..... particularly with dating old photos.
If you have some family historical photos to share you can send them in for fun...... they are not eligible to win.
If you just have some crazy old pics of you and dogs we can smile at ...... send them in too!
You must be happy for the photo/s to be in our magazine
and on our website‟s history page if chosen.
We’ll run this competition for the next two magazines
(April/May & June/July)
Winners in the August/September magazine!!!!!!!
PRIZES for 1st and 2nd place.
Contact me if you need help with scanning old photos ...... Editor.
2011 was a successful year for Retrieving Ability Test for Gundogs. The trials were well received with several Gundog and Obedience clubs running trials.
At least six titles were presented throughout the year. So there will be further training this year to prepare handlers and dogs for the Open section.
Hopefully more clubs will hold trials in 2012. It could work, if the ground space was available, with Obedience Trials, Endurance Tests and Gundog breed functions. And there are very few Begin-ners runs at Retrieving trials. Perhaps the retrieving clubs would consider running a RATG, as the aim is to introduce gundog owners to Retrieving?
The offer to help run the RATG trails is available to all trial secretaries.
Simply contact me for details.
One of the changes for 2012 is that dummies will be provided at the RATG trials. No more provid-ing your own to be checked for size, weight, colour etc. No more names on them or plastic bags with entry numbers. Nor will a dog end up fetching another dog‟s dummy.
These twenty canvas dummies have been purchased by RAFT and are exactly the same. They will not be used for training purposes, only at RATG trials. I have been nominated „keeper of the dummies‟ and will arrange to get them to the clubs for the trials [conditions apply].
The GSP Retrieving trials will be held near Sale at the end of January. The next two trails will be held in Nagambie in February. For details plus info on RATG training/trials (sorry no dates for this years trials available yet) go to;
www.australianworkingretrievercentral.org.au
Vic RATG trial dates are pending for March & April. Training will kick off in February. Watch for my email.
Everyone is welcome; simply request to be added to my email list.
Dodo
[email protected] m: 0409 028 200 ph: 9761 6616
Page 12
RATG 2011/2012 by Dodo Kelly
NE WS LE TT ER TI T LE
F EB RU AR Y / MA R CH
Lord,
I keep watch!
If I am not here
Who will guard their house?
Watch over their sheep?
Be faithful?
No one but You and I
Understands
What faithfulness is.
They call me, “Good dog! Nice dog!”
Words…
I take their pats
And the old bones they throw me
And I seem pleased.
They really believe they make me happy.
I take kicks too
When they come my way.
None of that matters.
I keep watch!
Lord, Do not let me die
Until, for them,
All danger is driven away,
Amen
The ESS Club has a Novice and Open trial scheduled for 4th March.
The Weimaraner Club of Victorian has a Novice and Open RATG scheduled for 15th April in conjunction with their restricted to Gundogs double Obedience Trial.
Gippsland Obedience Dog Club has applied for a Novice and Open RATG for 13th May.
The Labrador Club of Victoria has a Novice and Open trial (restricted to Labradors only) 20th May.
The ESS Club has a RATG scheduled for 18th November.
Page 13
The Prayer Of The Dog Dog Lovers’ Poems
RATG trials—for your diary
Page 14 GU NDOG NE WS
F EB RU AR Y / MA R CH Page 15
VICTORIAN GUNDOG CLUB INC.
Affiliated with VCA Inc / Dogs Victoria
Incorporation number A0008593Z
Application for MEMBERSHIP or RENEWAL 2011/2012
Memberships run from 1st September 2011 to 31
st August 2012.
Please select the membership you desire.
SINGLE $ 20.00 □
DUAL / FAMILY $ 25.00 □
PUPPY ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP □ Breeder of your puppy: ..........................................
(New puppy owners nominated by their breeder will get a VGC newsletter free for one year – other membership rights do not apply.)
`Please fill in the following information.
I / We desire to become a member of the Victorian Gundog Club Inc., and in the event of my / our admission as a member, agree to be bound by the Rules of the Club.
Signed: ___________________________________________________ Date: _______________________
Please send the completed form together with your membership fee to: Victorian Gundog Club Inc., c/o L. Petering, 7 Galtymore Close, Warranwood, VIC 3134
OFFICE USE ONLY
Amount …………………………
Bank & Cheque No. ………………………...
Date received …………………………
Name:
Address:
Suburb: State/Postcode
Hm phone: Mobile:
Are you a member of Dogs Victoria? yes / no
If YES, please provide your Dogs Victoria number?
Breed owned: Kennel prefix:
What are your gundog interests? Please list (pet, obedience, agility, retrieving, field, showing etc.)
Email address:
I prefer to receive my newsletter by email / post
2011/2012
Helen Green Photography
Website: helengreenphotos.com
Phone 0402 743 343
Members: mention this add when booking a full portrait session to r
eceive a complimentary 8x10 print,
valid until 28 February 2012, one per customer.
The Slovakian Rough Haired Pointer—photos © Rolf Ryberg