History

The Dorset Working Spaniel Club

History of the Club

The Dorset Working Spaniel Club was founded in 1977 after a meeting at Morden Village Hall organised by Chris Burbidge and Mary Walker. A dozen spaniel men & women attended as they recognised the need for a Spaniel Club in Dorset.

Our first Chairman was Godfrey Gallia; subsequent Chairman’s have been Major General Geoffrey Armitage, Mike Rufus, Walter Harrison and Simon Jones.  Our current Chairman is Michael Lydford; our President is The Countess of Shaftesbury.

In 1979 Mr & Mrs Bramwell were granted a Kennel Club Licence to hold our first English Springer Spaniel Field Trial which was run on Walter Harrisons ground at Morden and won by Mike Smith with a Sunstar Dog.

In 1999 the Club to ran it’s first Novice Cocker Field Trial and in 2002 our first Open Cocker Trial.

In 2009 Nick Gregory a member of the Committee won the Cocker Championship and also came 2nd in 2013.

In 2019 Tracy Corbin, also on the Committee was voted U.K. Gundog Trainer of the Year.

Training sessions are held fortnightly from Spring through to Summer.

A Working Test is held in the Spring, a Water Test in Summer and a Cold Game Test in the Autumn. We hold 4 Field Trials throughout the Season.

We would like to say thank you to all those who have enabled the Club to keep running for over 40 years. Appreciation is given to the Landowners and Keepers who allow us to use their Ground for Training, Tests and Trials.  Also to the Judges and Trainers who give freely of their time and experience.  Not forgetting all the helpers who ensure the Sporting day runs smoothly.

New Members are always welcome