Page 86 - K9 News - Issue 15 - March2021

Matlock in the North to Worcester or Malvern her neighbour Val Hawes (Hawesvale) came
in the South. I took on the secretarial role at a
local canine society in 1973 and soon we were
dog show training with Ryan after work followed
by fieldwork training and obedience on Sunday.
Life was full and revolved around activities with
Ryan and unlocking all that he was capable
of, moreover what I was capable of teaching
him. I had with a work colleague taken on six
allotments and we were trying to achieve self-
sufficiency in our vegetable needs, which it is
fair to say we just about managed. The breed
was in need of classification at shows in order
that it should progress and develop. When
classes were provided people were asked to
support. The Ardingly show put on classes and
in order to encourage support the (Greyfilk)
kennel of Joan and Ken Fussell would invite
Weimaraner exhibitors back for tea. This was
considered an honour and a great opportunity
for newcomers to meet on a social level with
successful breeders with great knowledge and
experience. Even so we might only be looking at
securing around twelve dog entries. The other
great occasion was the Southampton show
where Joan Matuzewska (Monroes affix) who
was also one of the top breeders at that time
would offer the same encouragement. It was on
the occasion of such a show that we attended
and were guided back to Joan’s for a strawberry
tea that became quite memorable. After the bulk
of visitors had departed Joan said quietly that
she could not expect us to return all the way to
Leicestershire today and had made up a bed for
us to stay, we could not refuse. Later that night
Ryanstock Czarina JW (Zena) in action
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and he and Joan laid out a series of circular
pedigrees on the floor, they then proceeded
to detail the qualities and issues with dogs
and bitches behind much of the UK stock. We
listened in awe. The following day after lunch at
the Hawes’s we thanked our hosts for making us
welcome in the breed. Joan just said “If you ever
decide to breed I will give you a bitch to get you
started”. We later found out that this was not the
first time she had helped people develop within
the breed. Joan had taken a shine to us and we
to her, we visited as often as we could at holiday
times and Joan became a good friend for life
and was always available when we needed help
or advice.
Showing was about to dominate what free time
we had available. We were persuaded to enter
a championship show, this was Manchester,
at that time held at the old Belle Vue venue.
Ryan behaved well and we gained a second in
our class, the breed club treasurer came over
and told us we had qualified for Crufts. In those
days Manchester and Blackpool were qualifying
shows, Elaine and I had no idea but we were
well and truly bitten and began scouring the
dog papers for shows to enter. Soon we would
enter any weekend Championship show we
could find. At Championship shows you were
not allowed to leave until 4.00pm, this meant
we had time to watch other breeds being
judged and after a while we could compare
our choices against those of the judge. We
were like sponges soaking up information and
learning about construction and movement, plus
we would see the new breeds in the UK at first
hand as our interest expanded. It was during
this period, filling in the time at the showground
that I even had a go at the obedience classes.
Ryan was pretty solid at his sit and down stays
so I was half way there or so I thought. There
were not too many Weimaraners competing
in Ch. Show obedience at that time, I use the
word ‘competing’ with a smile. There was one
that not always but sometimes left the ring and
the showground, another that was fairly steady
and the owner tried for a while to break through
but eventually bought a border collie while