 Painting
by Thomas Earl
The Return Of The Clumber Spaniel
By Debbie Zurick
Some people say it is an obsession; I like to say it is a passion
of mine; I would hate to admit to anything as an obsession. But Clumbers
have become a large part of my life.
16 years ago when my father was diagnosed with cancer, I bought him
a copy of the country life magazine, with an article by David Tomlinson,
featuring James Darley with his working Clumbers, Duncan and Beryl.
My father said when I get better, that’s my next dog, had it
with Springer, only get one or two good years out of mine and that’s
between 10 and 12 years of age. Too hot for me he said. I am going
to have a nice steady rough shooting dog!!
Unfortunately he died, that day never came for him, so I kept the
article rang James, and asked to see the dogs working. Explained the
type of shooting my husband John and I do mainly rough and the odd
days picking up. That I had been brought up with Springer’s
all my life and that John had always had Labradors. We where invited
to watch Venaticus Duncan working at an any variety field trial in
East Sussex. Judges by the late Keith Erlandson.Little did we know
then we where watching what was considered the best clumber in the
country at the time. We where suitable impressed when he received
a reserve in this field trial, after a run off against Springer’s,
at the time we didn’t understand this major achievement and
hurdle that Duncan and James had just gone through. This was a top
award for a Clumber in an AV field trial for more than 6o years. No
wonder are request to James was to find us a Clumber, thought he worked
very nicely, just what we where looking for. We of course in our ignorance
thought all Clumber where like this, soon to have a rude awaking!We
got the phone call from James, saying there are two litters available
one in Cornwall one in Derbyshire. He was buying a bitch in Cornwall,
suggested we went for a dog in Derbyshire. We promptly phoned the
breeder in Derbyshire, asked about the litter, only two pups still
for sale. We drove straight up from Surrey, very keen to secure our
first Clumber. Lovely litter well looked after, robust, lively pups,
with a very gentle good looking mother. We choose Bertie, collected
him when 8 weeks of age, thrilled, socialised him well, new place,
smells, people other dogs. Got him keen on retrieving different things,
happy to come back to us, everything was going well, and then at 16
weeks of age he growled!! No surely we didn’t hear this right,
oh yes he was quiet serious, my husband John promptly picked him up
gave him a shack and growled back, but Bertie did not back down. John
put back in the yard, thought this can’t be serious!! Few minutes
later carried own as if nothing had happened. This was the first time
Bertie showed his true colours, John took over the training needed
a male to dominate this dog, they had a love hate relationship for
8 years, but in that time, John managed to train that dog to hunt
for him as a good rough shooting dog, go picking up for him and even
managed to work him in a minor breed field trial and get a C.O.M award.
But it was an up hill struggle sometimes, very different to the dogs
either one of us had been use to in the past. We had learnt that confrontational
measure with this dog did not work; we had to diffuse the situation,
and find the pleasure that both gained working as a team. Poor old
Bert had a screw lose, skin problems, dry eye and hip score of 57,
the breed average being 43 at the time. We soon learnt what we didn’t
want in a Clumber. We would never breed from this dog. Even though
both parents where lovely , sweet natured , the throw back had come
through in this litter taking us back to too much show blood from
a certain line, where they had been breed for looks only and to hell
with the rest.
We where soon to discover the difference between dogs breed purely
as a working dog, or a dog for the show bench. We joined the Working
Clumber spaniel Society and with help, we found the right line of
Clumber to be able to breed a litter which was free from such health
issues, good natured, and keen to work, willing to please. The opportunity
came from the bitch that James had bought in Cornwall, he felt she
wasn’t going to make a trialling dog, and had passed her own,
this hadn’t worked out, so we asked if we could have a go with
her, she took to John very quickly they went everywhere together,
soon became good mates, even managed to run her in a couple of trials
and get through to the second run, but she was always out. Never terrible
steady!
sedgehurst puppy
But more importantly I could see she was the right material to breed
from hip score of just 14, clean clear eyes, very lively, lean well
muscled, sweet natured, little stubborn, strong hunter and retriever.
A good looking bitch, with a good line of working blood either side
of her pedigree going back to Venaticus Duncan as her grandfather.
Then to find the right sire Christine Bridgwater, very well known
for her Springer’s had a nice line of Scherzando Clumbers which
she worked. She also owned a dog, breed by the late Mabel Hall out
of her Leybel line, which had a hip score of 00, this dog was the
father of the sire I choose, belonging to Mike Blakeman Sherzando
Chieftan (Tank) he also was a sweet natured soft dog, good worker
with FT awards in minor breed trials.
They had a super litter of 6 pups (3 bitches & 3 dogs) our first
Sedgehurst Line pups.
Two went to James Darley, one each for John and I, one to Mike Blakeman,
and one to a lady in Kent who we meet at the CLA gamefair. They weren’t
perfect but very good for Clumbers, hips score for this litter came
in an 8, 24, 13, 15, 10 for the five that we scored, we where delighted
as the average was still 43. We wanted to breed a dog that was less
exaggerated, a lighter frame, yet well-muscled and lean, clear eyed,
more colour back in them again, and capable of a days work, drawing
on the dog of the past, back in the Victorian and Edwardian times,
when they where in their heyday. Two of the brothers Maxim (max) owned
by James Darley has 11 FT awards in minor breed trials, Max has two
first. And Tormentum (Wooster) owned by John Zurick has 15 FT awards
and One first, in minor breed trials. I am very proud of our first
litter of Sedgehurst Working Clumbers. Both dogs are happy to be either
out rough shooting, Picking up, or the odd days Driven, seating at
the peg, as long as they get plenty to pick, if their master or mistress
has their eye in!! The next generation needed to be even better, and
so it is. We are now breeding consistently low hip scoring dogs; it
is not uncommon to have scores of 6 or 8 in our working lines, free
from all those worthless exaggerations. A sharper more spirited dog,
but kinds dog a joy to own. Young Rufus the next generation has now
got 14 FT awards to his name and one of those in an AV Novice spaniel
trial against 16 Springer’s & 1 cocker and he was placed
3rd with a full set of awards that day including 4 C.O.M’s so
we were delighted, as the last person to achieve this was James Darley
with Duncan.
I am proud to say after serving on the WCSS committee, I have been
secretary for the past 8 years, which is a very satisfifying enjoyable
honour, to be able to help people find the right Clumber and encourage
them with its future. They are a very appealing have an irresistible
charm , I would like to ensure the breed has a place in the hearts
of shooting men as long as the sport survives ,So maybe Clumbers have
become an obsession now.
The history of the Clumber spaniel
Clumbers have been part of the British shooting scene for more than
200 years. By repute, a kennel of them was sent to the Duke of Newcastle
at Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire by a French Duke facing the guillotine
The Duke de Noialles. In time they spread to other estates, and later
became favourites of King Edward VII and George V. They were worked
as blanking-in dogs, in teams, and as all- round rough shooting companions.
In early field trials in the late 19th century they were pre-eminent,
yet as the pace of the 20th century life quickened, Clumbers fell
from favour and declined as a working dog.
The bred was kept going through the World war 2 and the post war years
by show breeders, and although occasionally obtained for work, the
bred did not enjoy sufficient support from sportsmen to ensure that
working qualities, soundness and trainability were preserved to a
high enough level, the show ring had different priorities.
The Clumbers job description
They are the oldest, the largest and certainly the grandest of the
British spaniel breeds; they are in nature independent, stubborn.
Yet an unlikely- looking working spaniel, that’s true. Even
when solidly purpose- bred for many generations. But one with drive,
its own style and, a nose on which reputations are made. Above all
the Clumber is a determined game finder, driven by its large pink
nose. Which of course does lead it into trouble occasionally, when
the ears shut down and the nose takes over? The Clumbers job description
is the same as any spaniel to find and flush game for the gun; to
be steady; and to retrieve it tenderly, from land or water. How it
does it is slightly slow then a Springer or Cocker, but today’s
working Clumbers can take some keeping up with too! They are certainly
not plodding, but it does have its own pleasing style and tail action.
And you learn to trust that body language on a Clumber, when its nose
tells you theirs game to be found.
Key to the Clumbers future….is selective breeding,
from proven working lines, and proven healthy stock. Too breed an
active dog, lean and well muscled, keen to please, trainable, likeable,
and most importantly happy to do a full days work.
We have to draw on the dogs from the past, when they were at their
height in the Victorian and Edwardian days, these are the type of
dog we need to get back too for our future. Look at the paintings
by John Emms and Thomas Earl & Maud Earl.
The Working Clumber spaniel society
Formed in 1984 by a group of like minded people, who first interest
is in working them. Amongst our members in the United Kingdom and
overseas, we have owners and supporters, who are either keen on trials,
and test, gamekeepers, or shooting folk. The society has become the
force behind the breed’s revival as a genuine gundog bred for
the field.
The society has been vocal, getting its message across-that while
many Clumbers work, those bred from proven working and proven healthy
stock are better prospects. Central to its aims has been a breeding
programme in which members participate to common goals- trying to
rebuild the type of Clumber so successful in the past.
The Society’s aims, in brief, are to
Promote and encourage the training of Clumbers
Restore the breed’s physical soundness and functional qualities
Encourage owners to breed only from sound, work proven specimens
Hold educational and competitive working events
Resist moves to alter the breed’s type which may damage its
utility
Among activities organised to meet these goals, we hold.
Training events with professional and breed specialists
Beating and Shooting days
Working test and Field trials
Warm game/informal/practice field trials
Working ability assessments under our Breeding Commendation scheme.
We try to maintain close contact with our members, partly through
the newsletter or our website (www.workingclumber.co.uk)
or mainly through our numerous events throughout the year. And our
hard working Committee is always there for you.
If you would like further information on The Working Clumber Spaniel
Society, please get in touch with Secretary Mrs Debbie Zurick
Tel/Fax 01643 831427
Or by email zurick@foxtwitchen.fsnet.co.uk
Please look at our website www.workingclumber.co.uk
Also www.sedgehurstclumbers.co.uk
Withy
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