Page 56 - K9 News - Issue 15 - March2021

Negotiations to amend the breed Standard and Rosemary Mayhew had spent some time in
to include long hair were started between the Britain though not used extensively at stud.
Weimaraner Club of Great Britain and the Kennel
Club with final approval being given on 2 June The American dog, Sh Ch Arimar’s Rolf von der
1976 but had to compete against the short hairs. Reiteralm, had also spent some time in Britain
The long hair variant was now officially recognised where out of several litters he sired Ch Reeman
although they have not escalated in numbers Aruac CDex, UDex, WDex, TDex. Arimar’s Rolf
over the years. was the next known dog to have been imported
into Australia in 1981 again by the Mayhews. Sired
In 1981, the long hair Pondridge Practical Joker by American Dual Champion Ronamax Rufus
was born. He had been bred by Gill and Leo of Reiteralm CD out of Am Ch. I’ve A Dream of
Smith out of Aruni Danya from Seicer and sired Arimar CD, Arimar’s Rolf brought this versatility to
by the Smiths’ Austrian import Hasso von der the breed.He was an immediate success winning
Hagardburg. In 1991, at age ten, he gained his his Australian Championship in a matter of weeks.
Show Champion Title. His Prowess at stud produced in the region of 61
champions.
It had taken almost twenty years for the first
Show Champion long hair to emerge from the first The 1980s gave the genetic variation needed to
imports. develop a sound, even tempered breed.

OUT OF BRITAIN AND With the technology of artificial insemination and
AMERICA TO AUSTRALIA changes to the laws in Australia, more semen
was imported than actual dogs giving breeders a
Strawbridge Furst and Strawbridge Fidget, sired greater degree of choice worldwide in both short
by the American bred Thunderjet out of Major haired and long haired lines. Generally speaking,
Petty’s German import Cobra von Boberstrand most imported semen came from American bred
were sent to Australia in 1955. With these two dogs including Am Ch. Nani’s Class Clown of
went Strawbridge Graf and Strawbridge Gypsy Tasairgid, sire of Am Ch Nani’s Knocker CDX,
who were sired by Bando von Fohr out of Hella TD, JH, NA, SD, VX, BROM, CGC, TT, TDI the
aus der Helmeude giving a spread of breeding most qualified and versatile bitch of her time.
potential. A little later, an American dog, Regal ‘Class’ was imported into Scotland by Jean and
Wunder Columbian Duke also arrived in Australia Allan Fairlie. Frozen semen was sent to the
in 1959. This dog, brought in as a pet, sired only Mayhews and his first ‘mating’ by A.I. produced a
one litter before being tragically killed on the road. whole litter of Australian Champions. Lightly used
at stud in the UK, he is the sire of Sh Ch Gunalt
In 1966, an American student moved to Australia Subject, runner up Top Brood Bitch all breeds in
with his pet Weimaraner, Fritz von Singen who 2002 while her sister Sh Ch Gunalt First Class
did sire several litters mainly to an imported for Mianja was still winning in Veteran classes at
British bitch called Halsall Brown Pheasant age 11.
who brought the working ability of her sire Ch
Strawbridge Oliver and the quality breeding of her Australian Weimaraners have a wealth of quality,
dam Sandrock Coral. soundness and good temperaments thanks to the
ingenuity and diversity of the breeders.
Between the mid 1970s and 1980s, some of
the few German imports arrived both long and TOP BREEDERS, TOP DOGS
short haired with the short haired dog Arno von
Hoenwald and the long haired bitch Pia aus der The story is completely different. Major Petty’s
Greifenburg leading the way. One German dog, Strawbridge affix had a great influence on others
Salto von Zenthof who was imported by John particularly the ‘Sandrock’ affix owned by Mr and

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K9 NEWS DIGITAL / MARCH 2021