Page 163 - K9News_Issue12_July2020

Breed Club
WELSH
Dobermann Club
n 1970, the formation of the WDC, under
the sponsorship of The Dobermann Club,
was approved by the Kennel Club. Its
aim was to foster and promote the welfare
I of the breed in The Principality. There
were approximately 58 Founder members from
diverse backgrounds and locations, all of whom
shared a passion for the Breed. Fred Curnow
(Tavey) was the Club’s Patron and Elizabeth
Harris (Tumlow) was the first President of the
Club, both of whom gave their support and first
class advice to the fledgling committee.
Although the main focus of members related
to the showing of their dogs, training classes
were set in motion but it was to be a few years
in the future before these became popular and
obedience classes were included in the Open
Shows. Currently there is a much greater
interest in dog-sport and several members have
pursued this avenue to the top level.
Throughout its life the WDC has attempted to
focus its efforts on its membership with regular
newsletters and magazines. There was always
a ‘Members’ stand at the Welsh Kennel Club’s
show at Builth Wells, where Welsh cakes, Club
badges and dog accessories were available,
not to forget a free glass of home-made wine!
A dinner-dance was held every year and this
was very well attended – particularly at the
Mountains Hotel, Libanus, Nr. Brecon.
The Club has always been in the vanguard
K9 NEWS DIGITAL / JULY 2020
Wendy Stafford kindly provided
the following history of the Club:
of health screening and arranged for it to be
undertaken at their Championship shows
wherever this was feasible. This was always
promoted with articles in newsletters and
magazines.
The Principality of Wales is a large, generally
sparsely populated country and there were soon
calls for a show to be held away from the South
Wales area. However, it soon became clear
that this was not viable as the majority of the
competitors were based in the south, and the
south of England.
Seminars were held at various times, usually on
particular aspects of the breed’s conformation
and were well supported. In today’s era of
easy communication, it is difficult to visualise
the complexity of compiling, assembling and
circulating information for circulation at the right
time. A typewriter, a duplicating machine and a
lot of hard work were the order of the day.
From these small beginnings the Club evolved
into a successful and respected organisation
drawing members from all over Great Britain
and, at the same time, giving its support to the
other newly emerging Dobermann Clubs.
At the first show held by the Welsh Dobermann
Club, the late George Collins’ Tumlow Satan
was Best in Show and took Reserve Best in
Show at its second show.
Jimmy Richardson, in congratulating the Club on
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