About Gemshorn Beagles

My interest in dogs stems back to my dear parents who always kept dogs, and my love for the Cocker Spaniel goes back to my grandparents who owned a dark blue roan. He was a great dog. In later years when Manchester Dog Show was held at Belle Vue, I visited the show to watch the Cocker judging and on the same day Beagles were being shown. I fell head over heels for them. In those days I was quite a keen sportsman playing football, cricket, tennis and table tennis until illness forced me to stop.

I decided that this was the right time to buy a dog and to start showing. Then it was a toss-up between a Cocker Spaniel or a Beagle. In the end I went for my first love, and I purchased an Orange and White Roan Cocker Spaniel called Kevlyndoran Candy Rock. My work in the airline industry did not always allow me to go to as many shows as I wanted, but Orange, as she was called, was a super dog – full of fun – and never let me down in the show ring.

I can remember as if it were yesterday winning my first 1st prize under the late Owen Grindey at a local show in Manchester. In those days you could go to Matches, Training Classes or local Shows on most evenings of the week. Orange had one litter. We used Champion Crispan Cambiare. She had five pups and we kept two to show.

I was transferred to Luton Airport and when time allowed I would enter the shows in the South. I started to steward at some shows and I joined the committee of the Home Counties Cocker Club, later becoming its Chairman, a position I held for a number of years. Another job move to Heathrow saw me able to steward for both Windsor and Richmond Championship Shows.

One morning I was woken at about 06.30 by the telephone. It was the late and great Catherine Sutton, inviting me t0 join the committee of Windsor Championship Show. She said ‘you are not the easiest of people to get hold of as you might be in New York one day and Glasgow the next! I felt on top of the world. That was 25 years ago and I am still as proud to be on the committee as I was then.

Still the yearning to have a Beagle was there, and I bought a puppy from Shirley Flint. Trudy was a great girl and we had some memorable times.

My first judging appointment was in 1983 when I judged the Spaniel Classes at Wigston Canine Society Open Show. I now award CCs in a number of breeds both in the Gundog and Hound Groups and I have had the honour of awarding CAC’s & CIAB’s a number of times when judging abroad under FCI rules and also judged Group 6 at the European Championship Show in Budapest..

My love of Cocker Spaniels still holds a big place in my heart, but Beagles and PBGVs have taken over. With more time on my hands I hope to continue to show whenever possible.

By Robin Sadler