9 March 2024
Crufts 2025, and being a Saturday, the NEC halls were packed with people, dogs and trade stands. And I mean packed!
The show started on Thursday when the Chesapeakes were not only present in the Discover Dogs area but also competing in the Breeders competition in the big ring where Kirsty Watts had a group of her Oakmarsh dogs and their owners strutting their stuff. Looking very smart, they competed as a team in the BASC classes on the Saturday and were named as the best dressed team! Congratulations everyone.
Around the show ring and in the BASC rings alongside it, there were plenty of country attired folk leading various breeds of gundogs dashing into the rings to compete in their respective classes, and the Chesapeakes were well represented in these working dog classes.
With the ring for Chesapeakes, as usual, in Hall 5, we are slightly out of the way of the mainstream traffic visiting the stands, which makes it more bearable, but our brave volunteers on the Discover Dogs stand had the full brunt of Jo Public in Hall 3, along with constant noise from speakers commentating on the various activities in that hall. These people deserve a medal, and our grateful thanks for talking to the general public about the breed and giving out information. A great job well done.
Breed judging began in the afternoon after the Spanish Water Dogs who were first in the same ring. There were 52 dogs entered and a few absentees, but those present were from the UK, Ireland, Switzerland and France, making an International selection for our judge Jane Eyeington to go over.
Having gone through the classes and taken the winners from each to whittle down to best bitch – Sh Ch Arnac Bay Hebe WGC ShCEx EW22, living and bred in England, and the best dog – GCh Ch Next Generations I Am Woodford, bred in the USA and living in Switzerland. These two competed against each other for the eventual best of breed award which was given to Hebe, the 2024 Our Dogs top dog in the breed in shows.
Reserve bitch was Glaneils Daydream Believer and Reserve dog, last year’s best of breed winner, Sh Ch Arnac Bay Huron at Bergelle JW. The dog veteran winner was Sh Ch Migwells Solomons Puzzle who also won the special working class; and the bitch, from Ireland, Ir Ch Riverruns Everybody’s Friend who went through to win overall best veteran, both really belying their age.
Sadly there were no puppies entered, as is often the case at this time of the year. Special Working Gundog bitch was Baymoss Tweed of Penrose who also won the bitch good citizens class, the dog class having been won by Battsrock Are You Ready, who also won the limit dog class.
Other first prize winners were Oakmarsh Locksley, Riptide Gentlemans Relish, Oakmarsh Laurel, and Arnac Bay Hawthorn.
Overseas visitors, as usual, were plentiful, and it is always good to catch up with Chesapeake enthusiasts and breeders from overseas, something that makes Crufts each year somewhat of a social event.
As always, this show attracts the most attention from the public and is always televised. It was amusing watching it on the TV screen in the restaurant of our hotel with many dog exhibitors present cheering for their own breeds and so we joined in when the Chesapeake appeared and trotted around the ring. Any ‘non doggy’ guests that night must have thought it very strange!
And so Crufts over, it is time to direct our thoughts to the club show on the 5 April, and the spring working test and training on the 26 and 27 April. Entries for the club shows close on 17 March, so just one week to go. Please get your entries in as soon as possible. Let the fun continue!
Christine Mayhew bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
2 March 2025
It only seems like yesterday that we were at Crufts Dog Show, meeting and greeting the many overseas visitors who come to visit, and here it comes around again!
With many attending the show on the Saturday to watch the breed judging and the gamekeepers and BASC classes, there will be even more visiting the Discover Dogs stands which cover all four days, educating the general public on each breed present. We have to be really grateful to those dedicated Chessie people who are manning the DD stand for our breed. Not only do they get to the NEC early to set up the stand, but they man it all day, answering questions and letting Jo Public meet and pet their dogs (good dogs to put up with this too). Believe me, Crufts is a long and tiring day for anyone.
This year we have the following on the DD stands. Go and say hello if you can:
- Thursday we have Angela Corocan and Sharon Baxandall
- Friday is Deborah and Tom Herring
- Saturday we have Vroni and Ali Royale, Zena Saunders and Jo Lycett
- Sunday it’s the turn of Rhian and Mark Poulton and Richard Playle
and, of course, their respective dogs!
Our breed classes are on Saturday at the NEC, postcode B40 INT. Beware, it is very busy on surrounding roads and at the event itself but with most exhibitors arriving early, it should quieten down by 10 or 11. We have 93 entries in Ring 35 Hall 5 and will start after the judging of the Spanish Water Dogs who have 94 entries and start at 09.30 so we will most certainly be after lunch.
The gamekeeper classes that include our breed are in the adjacent Ring 36 where the Chesapeakes are grouped with the ‘Any Other Retriever’, which basically means non-Labradors, i.e. Flatcoats, Goldens, Curlies, Chessies and Nova Scotias. Such is the popularity of the Labradors that they generally outnumber us all in the gamekeepers classes. Labs are great but you will all know which breed I think best, especially in a wildfowling situation! Miss A Cooper is the judge here. The BASC classes have become so popular that they now have three rings dedicated for their use. Long may it continue.
We are ‘lucky’ in that our breed remains dual purpose, in other words the show and working dogs are the same type. This makes total sense when the breed standard that the show judges are comparing the dogs to in the show ring is a blueprint for everything that you would want in a wildfowling dog: thick waterproof coat, love of water, etc. The breed standard for Chesapeakes can be seen on the About Chesapeakes page and everyone with a Chesapeake will, I am sure, find it interesting. It was written many years ago by shooting gentlemen who wanted a dog for the job and knew what the job involved.
Along with Crufts, and creeping up on us in a hurry, we also have the Club shows on Saturday 5 April and final arrangements are in progress.
As always, we want these shows to be a great success and this depends on you, the Chessie owners, to support and come along. As I have said many a time, and many a time others have discovered, our shows are not like the average dog show. They are more of a Chesapeake gathering with fun, laughter, and chatter especially amongst the fraternity who are lured out each year. This year we have kindly received sponsorship from Chudleys and Sporting Saint, so there are prizes of Chudleys dog food, Sporting Saint dummies and leads, as well as some kindly donated prizes from BASC and some amazing prizes for the wildfowling dog class including a goose dokken dummy, a Mallard dokken dummy and a seriously good looking Dog and Field canvas goose dummy. I’m almost tempted to get out of bed at silly o’clock, grab the 20 bore and head down to Langstone to sit in the mud … just to be able to enter this wildfowling class!
Details of how to enter the CBRC shows are on the Shows page. If anyone has difficulty understanding the show entry system, then please email me with your telephone number and one of us will get back to you to help. Let us make this another great event.
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
23 February 2025
First, there is someone who has been an active advocate and promoter of the breed since the very early days, he and his wife Molly having acquired their first Chesapeake in 1983. This gentleman is John Barker who this week celebrated his 90th birthday!
John has always worked his Chesapeakes, not only worked and trained them, but also ran them in UK field trials, notching up a few awards with one of his males, Ches (Arnac Bay Endurance) and one of his bitches, Sugar (Westering Brown Sugar at Chesepi).
Any visit to John and Molly’s home would see a good number of Chesapeakes running free with John in their exercise paddock, all sexes, all ages, and any sign of trouble would be quickly nipped in the bud with a command from John. The dogs adored and respected him, and still do.
John worked his dogs hard, and we all know, the more work you give a Chesapeake, the more they like it. John hasn’t changed a bit and although the number of dogs is now down to three older ones, they still get a good workout across the fields each day. John is an inspiration to us all.
A big Happy Birthday John from all of your many friends in the breed and in the shooting field.
With techniques and specialised veterinary reproduction clinics, the use of frozen and chilled semen in dog breeding has become more popular and widespread. In Europe and the USA especially, it is worth looking at good sires, long since dead, when deciding on breeding plans.
Unfortunately our UK Kennel Club has put restrictions on some aspects of this, so studying their rules is a must. Some UK dogs (both imported and born here) are the product of frozen semen and have thereby added to the limited gene pool in the UK.
Catharina and Kaj Lindstrom bred a great dog, Doublecoats Christmas Joy, who has the unbeaten record of being the only European-bred Chesapeake to win the American Chesapeake Club’s Specialty show in the USA when there was a record entry of over 350 dogs entered. This was in 2011. Joy has championships in the USA and many countries in Europe … too many titles to list. He also worked and qualified WDX (Working Dog Excellent) under the ACC working certificate system.
I was lucky enough to use Joy at stud when he was briefly in the UK for Crufts 2012. The resulting litter included Phil Uncles’ ‘Yogi’ who was, and still is, his wildfowling dog but also was an impressive show dog and gained his championship on the few occasions that he was shown. He is still the highest placing dog at Crufts where he won reserve place in the gundog group, a major milestone for the breed. His full brother, Sue Worrall’s beautiful Tor had his own fan club and his smiling face could be seen at all of the working tests where he regularly competed. Again a sparsely shown dog, he won best in show at the club’s open show. Such was the quality of the pups Joy sired with good bitches.
Joy himself went to dog heaven some years ago but luckily Catharina and Kaj had the forethought to have his semen collected and frozen. And so it was that Brigitte Rast (kennel BBs Chesapeake Breeding) in Switzerland decided to use some of this semen on her beautiful bitch, Ch Sailorsbay Dorita, and a litter born last autumn went to homes in Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, the Czech Republic and the UK.
Whilst we cannot show our puppies until they are six months old or older, European shows have classes for baby puppies and this weekend, three of this litter made their show debuts, with great success.
Quite a debut for all, and proof that good planning, breeding, rearing and socialising, along with a determination to use some of the best regardless of the effort, can pay off. Big congratulations Brigitte and Caroline and to Kaj and Catharina.
Watching this litter from afar was Brian Newman in Kentucky, USA. Now there is another litter due sired by Joy, this time from Brian’s lovely bitch Grand Champion BRF The Last Word. Such is the world these days that we have multi national pedigrees (Joy has UK and USA bloodlines mixed with Swedish ones in his pedigree) being used in different continents.
This reminded me of someone I was once mentoring at a UK show saying to me ‘yes, well this one is the USA type.’ I corrected her! The Chesapeake should be one and the same, wherever he is and whereever he is from.
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
16 February 2025
Westminster Dog Show, held in New York City at this time of year, is probably the USA equivalent of our Crufts dog show. Whilst all breeds are catered for, entrants have to be invited to show and the numbers are not as great as we have in the UK for our breed, even though this is an American breed.
Only seven dogs were present on the day to challenge for best of breed. This honour went to a very successful, multiple best in show winner, GCHC Ch Next Generations Accelerate aka Cota, with best of opposite sex, to Ch Bohemia’s Just keep swimming.
Although the number of Chesapeakes was small, the best of breed winner then went into the sporting group where he challenged all best of breed winners from the sporting group and made breed history by being placed reserve in the group. This is a real accolade for the breed in an arena where so many are just ‘show’ dogs. Cota does his job as a gundog and retriever, doing the thing our breed loves best in conditions best suited to our breed.
Meanwhile, in the UK, the United Retriever Club held its springtime open show at the Kennel Club Building, Stoneleigh, with well known Nova Scotia exhibitor Tess Newson judging the breed. Eight Chesapeakes were present on the day and Tess chose for her best of breed Susqudilla Bergelle Big Apple JW (aka Hudson), another multi-owned dog belonging to Mahon-Hunns, Middleton & Haskin. Reserve best of breed and best opposite sex going to Glaneils Don’t Worry Be Happy owned by Broomfield, Mahon-Hunns & Newton.
The CBRC is holding an online seminar for prospective and existing judges on 4 June at 7 pm. Although we have plenty already showing an interest, please spread the word as the more education a judge can have on any breed, the better for when they fulfil a judging appointment.
These seminars have been very popular over the years and have given an education into not only conformation and movement, but also the history of the breed, and, most importantly the reason for each section of the breed standard and why it applies to a working water retriever. If anyone is interested in viewing the presentation for their own interest, please let me know, and I will present the idea to committee for a club members evening showing.
Now the shooting season is at an end, the wildfowlers and picking up owners amongst us will have time to write of their times and experiences with their dogs. Please let me or Sue Worrall have any jottings, along with photos if possible.
And, a reminder that any kennel or private advertisements for the yearbook and/or the show catalogue will be needed at this time (or before!)
The club show entries are coming in now. Don’t forget to make your entry and join us for this fun event.
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
9 February 2025
Debbie Herring sends us this report:
Last weekend saw a group of enthusiastic Chessie owners gather to hone their skills and be assessed for this year’s Minority Breeds Challenge, run by the Working Minority Retriever Club in conjunction with The Gamefair to be held at the Ragley Hall Gamefair on Sunday 27 July 2025.
Our trainer and assessor for the day was Viv Gatter who has some ground in Oxford and is normally a trainer for the Flatcoated Retriever Society, so she is experienced with working with minority breeds. Luckily the weather held out for us and all the dogs worked really well on the day. Viv’s feedback was very complimentary, making my decision about places very difficult. It is a privilege to have had so many great dogs to choose from this year.
The dogs were assessed not just on their ability to retrieve but also to hunt an area for a blind, cope with shot and distractions, and take instruction for more technical retrieves such as jumping in and out of pens, or dummies hidden in fallen trees and thick reeds. Of course selecting a team for this event, where there is a large audience and lots going on around you, means that these type of assessments alone cannot be taken as a whole picture of the dog, and so I was also looking for dogs who have had experience of demonstrations and working with an audience as well as being able to cope under pressure and work as part of a team.
I am thrilled to announce that our crack team of Chessies and their owners representing the Chesapeake Bay Retriever Club for 2025 will be:
Anthony Ciraolo and Ebb as Team Captain
Mary Murray and Cara
Dave Compton and Ranger
Kevin Amaira and Zoar (Reserve)With myself (Debbie Herring) as Team Manager to co-ordinate, etc.
Next week we will share more about the team individuals and their dogs.
A big thank you to Debbie for getting this organised so well and ahead of the game (and the Game Fair!)
Crufts entries are now closed and the number of entries in each breed has been published.
Chesapeake Bay Retrievers have an entry of 52 dogs making a total of 93 entries as some dogs will be entered in more than one class.
The gamekeeper classes, ever more popular, have an entry of 216 dogs of the various gundog breeds. How good that the working side of gundogs is represented at this show, and how good that so many breeds are competing here in both breed and BASC classes. Luckily for the Chesapeakes, the breed has not split into two different types of ‘work’ and ‘show’. Long may it continue.
You may (or may not!) be interested to know that breeds with a similar or smaller number of entries are: Bracco Italiano with 52, German Wirehaired Pointers and Irish Water Spaniels with 41 each, German Longhaired Pointers with 24, and Brittany Spaniels with 19.
Obviously some influence on numbers is dependent on the judge chosen for the day, but it is interesting to see how some imported breeds have a popularity boom that may stay or may fade. The Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever hit the ground running in the UK and has been very popular, maybe not in the shooting field, but definitely in the show ring and as pets. They have an outstanding entry of 144 dogs this year. Likewise the Logotta Romagnolo with 98 dogs entered, and whilst a great pet dog, there is recent news of the first UK field trial award winner in the UK for the breed.
Other breeds that have remained reasonably popular over time seem to be fading. Luckily our Chesapeakes are keeping an even keel if not increasing in numbers in the show ring.
The schedule for the Chesapeake Club shows is now online at Fosse Data and entries are OPEN. Please support this show. Whether you normally show or not. Our club show is more of a social event for all Chesapeake people and their dogs and even die hard ‘never going to show at a dogs show’ people have come along, been persuaded to join in the fun, and have vowed to come every year!
SATURDAY 5 APRIL – at the Kennel Club Building (Hall) at the National Agricultural Centre Stoneleigh – put the date in your diary!
This year we have amazing sponsorship from Chudleys Working Dog Food company, from Sporting Saint Gundog Equipment, and BASC is providing prizes for our working dog classes. Lots of other prizes have been donated and we will have another amazing cake made by the talented Julie Gifford (Carol’s sister) for all to share.
We are asking for people to bring anything large or small for the raffle – maybe those unwanted Christmas presents? Also anyone willing to lend a hand in any way will always be very welcome.
The highlight of the show last year was the wildfowling class for dogs who have been wildfowling. Owners were encouraged to wear their camo shooting clothes and it made a fantastic sight to see the outfits. The dogs themselves must have been disappointed to be walking around a ring inside instead of being on the foreshore!
I include for interest, a photo from an old calender that recently appeared on the internet. Dyane Baldwin (Pond Hollow Chesapeakes) is an encyclopedia of information on the breed and its history, and she added this comment: ‘The dog is The Second Cocoa. Famous dog in late 30’s into the 40’s. Owner Ferdinand Bunte. The book Retriever Gun Dogs by William Brown has nearly a chapter about him.’
Amazon has the book in stock if anyone is interested in purchasing it. I just have, although I have a distinct feeling that it is somewhere on my bookshelf already!
If you have anything for the Chessie Chat, please send it to Sue Worrall during the next week. One-page full colour adverts are £15 per page.
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
2 February 2025
I’m sure all us shooting folk will be sad to learn that a group of seven hunting buddies from southern Maryland were on the flight that crashed into the Potomac this week. The group were returning from a guided hunting trip in Kansas. Tragic for everyone, but to see pictures of those young men in a hide with shotguns wearing their their camo clothes all just a week ago makes it feel so much more personal.
Lorna Murray writes the show news this week:
An other good day at Border Counties Gundog Club yesterday under judge Cathy Moffat and then Ros Bellamy. Muireatai Teris Love (Taymur) won 1st graduate and reserve best of breed, handled by Anne Combe. Muireatai Miracle of Dreams (Kenzie) won 1st open and best of breed. Thank you to Anne for company and handling Taymur. Also thank you to the Chesapeake Bay Retriever Club for sponsoring the class with £10 cash boost for best of breed.
In the meantime, our Chesapeake owning wildfowlers are making the most of the dwindling days of the season, with Anthony Ciraolo on Morecambe Bay, just south of the Lake District, and Richard Playle on the Ouse Washes.
Jason Hayes with his Tideflight Chesapeakes is normally shooting for pink footed geese up on the Humber Estuary, and on the Wash and in north Norfolk. But this recent picture shows his bitch Tide with pigeons shot over oil seed rape.
All of these dogs are certainly being kept busy doing the thing they love the most.
A recent out of hours trip to the vets saw me aghast at how prices have increased. Is this because so many practices have been bought out by investment companies? I was quoted £225 for just the initial consultation fee, and my eventual bill for an overnight stay plus a few drugs was £650. Having worked in veterinary practices for a good part of my career, I have an insight into how much the work and drugs would have cost for real and in my opinioin it really doesn’t relate to the prices charged these days.
A gundog friend recently had to fork out £3500 for an out of hours emergency caesarian, with a ‘request’ for 50% to be paid up front! Tell that to the people who think we make money out of the odd litter. Whilst all this is not necessarily Chesapeake news it is something for everyone to think about when being able to plan for financially. You never know when an emergency is just around the corner.
Christine Mayhew bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
26 January 2025
Mixed news this week, good and bad.
Sad news from Mary Murray in Ireland who says, “Poor Yeats came off the wrong end of a collision with a car this morning. The car didn’t even stop. Three of his four legs needed stitching. Hairline fracture of rear hock, hopefully with crate rest will not need to be pinned. Both inner thighs the skin has been sheared. Thankfully no internal injuries. Grateful to have him home.”
It is so worrying when a dog is injured. Animals heal so much faster and worry less than us humans, which is one small consolation, but I am sure that we all wish Yeats a speedy recovery. As we all know, Chesapeakes hate to be confined to quarters.
A great advertisement for the breed as Shooting Times dog of the week is Dave Compton’s Ranger. A great photo by Dave of Ranger with the game he has picked is taking up a full page in Shooting Times magazine. Well done.
Ranger was bred by Anthony Ciroalo out of the one and only Eider (Northsolway Sand Sprite at Franeo), and sired by the one and only Ryder, Molly Barker’s lovely imported lad, Sh Ch Next Generations Chesepi Range Rider.
A word of warning to all those with walnut trees, or the magic mushroom story from Nick Glanville who writes:
We have several walnut trees and all of them produce copious amounts of nuts. These fall to the ground, shed their green outer and sit on the ground. There are far too many for us to collect them.
By spring the nuts have either been cleared up by squirrels and rodents or they rot on the ground. My Chessies enjoy a good crunch and, despite me discouraging them, search them out and eat them.
One day last spring, River, my youngest, started to behave very strangely. She was wobbly on her legs, looked terrified and had rolling eyes. I rushed her the vets and they acted as soon as I got there. The diagnosis was poisoning by the black fungus that had grown inside the rotting walnut shells.
Basically River was having a magic mushroom trip! The treatment was to flush her kidneys with a drip over several hours. Despite the vet’s warnings that she could have permanent kidney damage, River thankfully survived without any lasting issues and was back home with us within 24 hrs.
Apparently, our fast action was critical to her outcome. It won’t surprise you to hear that walnuts are no longer on the menu for any of our dogs.
Gina Downin sends a report from the USA to say:
The American Chesapeake Club is currently conducting an online health survey. The Club previously conducted a health survey back in 2003. The current survey collects health data for Chesapeakes living during the period of 2004 – present. The 2003 survey was only open to ACC members, but this time around the survey is open to all Chesapeake owners worldwide.
To participate in the survey please register on the ACC’s Health page at: amchessieclub.org/health
Once you register as a user, you will receive a confirmation email within a few days. This email will provide unique login information for you. Please be assured that all information that you share about your dogs will remain confidential.
Each dog that you have owned 2004 – present will be entered individually. Sit down with a cup of tea and your dog records and be a part of the first global survey of Chesapeake Bay Retriever Health. As with any survey, the more participation, the more meaningful the data can be. The deadline for submitting data on your dogs is May 1, 2025.
Lastly, the last online entry date for Crufts Dog Show has been extended to 2 February. Don’t forget to get your entries in.
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
19 January 2025
The Club will once again be looking for sponsorship to offer extra special rosettes for our upcoming Open and Championship shows.
Sponsorship of rosettes can be £5, £7, £10 or £15. This will include a special award rosette with your choice of name/company/affix printed on the tails. The majority of options are individual award rosettes but this year some of the ‘special’ classes will have sponsored rosettes from 1st-5th with printed tails including Wildfowling class, Breeders class, Brood Bitch class and Stud Dog class and the three Special Award classes.
If you would like to sponsor classes please email Gemma McCartney at blissfull_uk@yahoo.co.uk. Get in there early so you get your choice of awards/classes sponsorship.
Manchester was the first championship show of the year and the last chance to qualify for Crufts. Twenty Chesapeakes made the entry for Mr Moray Armstrong who chose as his best of breed, Mahon-Hunns, Middleton and Haskins’ Susqudilla Bergelle Big Apple JW. Bred by Stephen and Kim Hitt Kasprzyk in the USA, this lad came from the junior class to win his second CC – quite an achievement for one so young.
The bitch CC, her first, was Caroline Pont’s Anmore of Ridsome, another imported dog, this time from Italy. ‘Ani’ was bred by S Frignani out of Swedish-bred International Champion Doublecoats Mary Quant and sired by Cristian Paldetti’s Crufts best of breed winner International and Multi Champion Nunneyswood Iceberg, who himself was born here in the Isle of Wight by Margaret Woods of the famed Labrador and Chesapeake Nunneyswood kennel. It is great to see so many different dogs and pedigrees taking the top spots.
Reserve dog CC was Cathy and Simon Broomfield’s Glaneils Count on Me and reserve bitch CC, another of Caroline’s – Ch Penrose Hash Brown SGWS, who also won the best veteran of the day. Laura and Laurence Blaber are certainly notching up the best special beginner classes with their young bitch, Oakmarsh Laurel who also won the junior bitch class. They were then shortlisted in the special beginners group, thereby making a mark for our breed.
Trying to get shooting stories and news out of our wildfowling members is a bit like trying to get blood out of a stone. It would seem that many of our fowlers have flown North to take advantage of some good shooting. Of course the North normally tends to be colder (although this weekend may be the exception) and so our breed gets to face the conditions that it was bred for.
Anthony Ciraolo and son Theo were facing freezing weather on Orkney last week and this weekend, Richard Playle and one of his dogs, namely Wizz, are further south on the Ouse Washes in Cambridge enjoying some shooting and boating! It is always impressive to see a Chesapeake retrieve from a boat and manage to deliver the game and get back in, albeit with a little help from a human.
Jordan Bull, in the meantime, is on terra firma on a 50 acre area in Lancashire where his permission to shoot covers a valley with streams, bogs and some rough ground. All good though and it looks like Jordan and his young son Reuben have already bagged a few brace of birds for Stella to retrieve.
Let’s have your news and photos for everyone to enjoy.
Christine Mayhew bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
12 January 2025
The recent snowy weather has provided a great playground for our Chesapeakes who seem to relish the white stuff. Antics apart, recent photographs of dogs in the snow with a coating of white on their backs, look very pretty and, more importantly, demonstrate the insulating properties of this breed’s coat. Any heat being lost whether on a house roof or a dog’s coat will melt snow. The Chesapeake, as we know, is designed for cold weather work and the so important coat has a job of keeping him warm, something that is emphasised in the breed standard and something that every show judge should be aware of and look for and that every breeder should bear in mind when planning a litter.
Whilst mentioning the importance of judging the breed correctly, the Kennel Club has announced the launch of its Judges Education Programme (JEP) Breed Shows online platform, which is a new resource designed to simplify and support the judging experience for all levels of breed show judges.
What the platform offers
- Judges can easily upload and manage their details, exams and experience.
- Judges can access essential educational materials and stay informed about the latest requirements in breed judging.
- Breed clubs no longer need to maintain separate judging lists (A1/2/3, B, C), as judges now manage their own profiles on the platform.
- Show secretaries can find judges for all levels (1-6) in one convenient “Find a Judge” section.
The platform has been developed over several years to cater to all levels of judges – from those aspiring to judge for the first time to experienced professionals judging championship groups and Best in Show.
I recently attended a very interesting webinar demonstrating the platform and addressing any questions regarding it’s use. This online platform will certainly make life much easier for the Breed Education Co-ordinators in each breed, and will put the emphasis on judges to submit their qualifications to the platform instead of the BECs collecting and holding all records. I personally approve 100% that such an important issue should be taken out of the hands of ‘lay’ people who may, unconsciously or not, have individual ‘likes’ or ‘dislikes’ in certain breed judges advancing through the system of qualifications.
A significant win for the breed recently when, at the Isle of Wight Canine Dog of the Year competition, Sharon Augustus and Isla (Sharbae Prettiest Star) won Reserve Best Veteran.
Goyt Valley Gundog held an open show with Chesapeake classes at the weekend. Rhian and Mark Poulton, having taken best of breed with Otto, then went on to win a very respectable 3rd in the AV open class competing against some really nice dogs of other breeds.
Rhian says “The day before the show Otto was working in our shoot, pushing ducks off a freezing pond, beating, searching for runners and picking up, and had a full day out, so we had a brilliant weekend with him.” A true dual purpose Chesapeake.
It’s the Club’s AGM in March, where trophies will be awarded for successes achieved during 2024. Full details of the points system are on the Home page, so please take a look and ensure your dog’s points are sent in to Cathy Broomfield by 1 Feb. If you have any questions, please contact Cathy.
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
5 January 2025
Welcome to 2025 and the Club has a full calendar of events for club members (and others) to attend. It’s worth mentioning that any spectators are always welcome to working tests or shows. Anyone interested in getting a Chesapeake would gain so much information by meeting the dogs and their owners.
As usual, the breed will be represented by volunteers with their dogs at Discover Dogs over the four days of Crufts in March where Gundog Day this year falls on Saturday 8 March. Don’t forget, those who are exhibiting, that entries are now open. Crufts, as usual, will be at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.
On 5 April at the Kennel Club Building in Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, we have our club shows consisting of a championship show, an open show, and a special awards show, so three bites of the apple if you would like to try showing your dog. The great thing about our club show is that everyone joins in, whether serious about showing or not, and we have had some great laughs with the normally ‘work only’ members who ‘have a go’. I think the highlight from last year was the wildfowling class, complete with handlers in their normal camouflage shooting gear.
26 and 27 April is our working weekend, with a training day on the Saturday and a gundog working test on the Sunday. This year we have acquired a fantastic venue near Barnoldswick in Lancashire. Full details and entry forms will be posted on the Events page soon.
On 4 and 5 July we have a totally training weekend near Burton-on-Trent in the Midlands. This is a new event and promises to be a real success with all levels of dog work and all levels of handlers being catered for.
The end of July (26 and 27) is, as usual, the Game Fair at Ragley Hall, Alcester, where the breed will be represented by owners with their dogs in the sporting dogs area, taking part in displays and competitions of working gundog events and on show for visitors to meet the breed (and others), and ask questions. For anyone who has never attended the Game Fair, it is HUGE and well worth the visit. Full of everything Huntin’ Shootin’ and Fishing … and everything you could think of about the countryside from artwork to books to Land Rovers. It’s a marathon to get around and see everything and I have yet to manage it in a single day!
On 14 September, in Ripon, Yorkshire, there will be the Club’s second open show and specials classes, in conjunction with a big championship dog show – so not only Chesapeakes to see.
In late September (date and venue to be arranged) there will be another training and working test weekend, hopefully further south in the country.
Of course there are plenty of other shows with Chesapeake classes throughout the year (check out the link on the Shows page) and plenty of training days, working tests, etc., all run by other societies but where the Chesapeakes can join in the fun.
News from Europe where there has been another best in show win for a Chesapeake, this time in Norway where Champion Aquamanda’s Yogi Bear won best in show among all the retrievers at the Santa winner exhibition.
Multi-titled Yogi was bred by Margunn Tvedten and is co-owned by her and Heidi Sageng who handled him. A truly international pedigree on Yogi with his sire being Margunn’s late great multi-titled Champion Arnac Bay Wantuck (breeding with frozen semen), who was sired by USA import, Champion Pond Hollow Bering Sea out of my Arnac Bay Pride. Yogi’s dam is Cinnamon Scent Tickety Boo, bred by Maria Kapsali in Greece from a double-bred Norwegian Aquamanda’s bitch and sired by the UK’s Show Champion Arnac Bay Exe (Phil Uncle’s wildfowling dog, Yogi). Congratulations to Margunn and Heidi, a great win for them both and for a Chesapeake.
The Our Dogs tables are now complete for 2024 with points earned from shows during the year, the top dog for the year is Sh Ch Arnac Bay Hebe, her sire, Sh Ch Arnac Weatherdeck Buoy gaining the top stud dog placing and her dam Arnac Bay Gamble being top brood bitch. Top puppy is Penrose Visual Impact, and top breeder Christine Mayhew.
I have promised to mention in BNW that Gloucester and District Canine Society are holding Chesapeake classes at their open show on Sunday 16 February at the Three Counties Showground, Malvern. The judge is Emily Evans (Eminala) and entries can be made via Fosse Data.
Also, it is the time of year when yearbooks are being put together, so why not celebrate your dogs with an advert in the Chessie Chat. A full-colour one-page advert costs £15. Please contact Sue Worrall if you would like to place an advert.
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
29 December 2024
We would like to wish everyone and their Chesapeake dogs a very Happy New Year.
The Chesapeake Bay Retriever Club has a full calendar of events for 2025 so please check on the Events page and mark the dates in your diaries.
We look forward to seeing you in the new year!
22 December 2024
A very happy Christmas to all of our readers, and their dogs.
First, an opportunity for all those wishing to make their show champions into full champions: the Labrador Retriever Club in conjunction with the Irish Water Spaniel Association are running a Show Gundog Qualifying Day on 18 January 2025 near Battle, East Sussex. This is open to retriever breeds with a Crufts qualifying show award. Entries and full details are on Fosse Data under the Field Trial tab. These events are few and far between so don’t hesitate if you wish to enter.
A short report of a day out from Sue Worrall:
Once again, keeper Mark Poulton had a ‘mainly Chesapeakes’ picking up team at their shoot in Cheshire last weekend. A great opportunity for me as I don’t have a regular picking up spot, and a great day out for the whole Ciraolo family, with Anthony and Theo picking up, and Nicola and Frank as beaters. Such a lovely shoot with really friendly people who welcomed the Chesapeakes and their owners.
On different drives, I was able to stand with both Rhian and Mark, and got a glimpse into how much effort goes into ensuring these days run smoothly. However, my favourite drive was when Inca and I were given a field to ourselves where we were told birds often fell, and I was able to send Inca during the drive without worrying that she might run over to say hello to a gun! A brilliant experience and I loved every minute.
It’s that time of year again, and Sue Worrall is asking for any contributions for the Chesapeake Chat and yearbook to be sent in. Stories of a day working your Chesapeake, any major achievements in any sphere, or anything else you think may be of interest to other Chessie owners. Photos too please. Send all to Sue’s email address chesapeakeblue@btinternet.com Don’t leave it for later – please do it now.
And for a bit of overseas news:
The very lovely Sharbae Rose of Tenarda, bred by Sharon Augustus on the Isle of Wight, as some will know, went to Australia just before her first birthday and has been winning awards in the show ring since that time. Now Rose has added another title to her name, making her Aus Champion Aus Grand Champion Aus Supreme Champion and A20 Champion. She now only needs an interstate CACIB Challenge to make her an FCI International Champion. This is all in addition to her 10 best in group wins. Quite some record for an English dog down under. Sharon tells me that she has now just started competing in weight pull too. I have no idea what this is but will find out and report back!
Rose is owned and loved by Margaret Wedgewood.
Meanwhile the breed is flying the flag for the USA and the breed in Switzerland where Nicole Grutter reports that she attended the Retriever Club’s Christmas Show in Switzerland and was thrilled to win best in show with Woody, thus now making his title BISS GCH Next Generations I Am Woodford. Woody and Nicole’s bitch Mirra were also best in show couple under Norwegian judge Vidar Grunderjern. As Nicole says, a great day for the breed. Congratulations!
Newsflash – The Chesapeake Bay Retriever Club is organising a training weekend for 4/5 July 2025 near Burton-on-Trent in the Midlands. The trainers are Adam Peace and Emma Stevens of Cunningshot Gundogs. A lot of Chesapeake owners already know Adam and Emma, particularly from this year’s Spring working test weekend in Cumbria, when they gave us a great training day on the Saturday, and then judged our working test the following day. They love our Chesapeakes. The cost of the weekend will be £160 per handler. Places are limited, so if you are interested, please contact Sue Worrall to reserve your place. chesapeakeblue@btinternet.com
Christine Mayhew bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
15 December 2024
Exciting news from Debbie Crewe is that her young (13 months old) dog ‘Horus’ has just achieved his Bronze Good Citizen award. Horus had already passed his puppy foundation course in just under two months after his arrival in the UK in February this year, so quite an achievement in one so young.
Horus (Chesarab Border Reiver) was bred by Moya Nelson who shares her mother’s famous kennel name ‘Chesarab’. This lad is sired by Ch Redlions Come Back Barret who has a list of obedience and tracking titles after his name, and is out of Ch Chesarab Red Phoenix.
Irene Balmforth was always the UK Chesapeake breed obedience guru, even qualifying one of her dogs for the obedience championship at Crufts. Irene has now retired and having had several Chesapeakes over the years, has sadly recently lost her much loved last dog. Age and health has convinced her to not have another puppy.
Debbie, to Irene’s great pleasure, has taken up the reins over the years and has been competing in obedience very successfully with her older dog, Ramses. As Debbie likes her dogs to multitask, both Ramses and Horus also attend gundog training classes. Ramses has already notched up placings in our Chesapeake Club’s working tests, and has passed his CBRC working certificate.
Well done Debbie, with both dogs demonstrating that there is always a way for the breed to use the brains and trainability they were bred to possess and for giving her dogs the opportunity to use that trait, enjoying it in the process. It would be good to see more Chesapeakes having a go at obedience. Maybe you are attending classes with your dogs. In which case, let us hear about it in breed news.
This month saw the last general championship show of the year. Held at Stafford Showground, the Ladies Kennel Association held its four-day show with the gundog day being held on Saturday 16 Dec.
Pam Blay has had a long association with the breed and was our judge for the day, drawing a good entry with 31 dogs present on the day. Some of you may recall that it was Pam’s son, Mike, who judged our Championship show this last April.
Starting with the dogs (males), the class winners lined up for Pam to make her choice for dog CC, which she handed to a well known winner and past top dog of the year, Sh Ch Arnac Bay Huron at Bergelle (Gus), owned by Maddie Mahon-Hunns and James Newton, and handled by experienced show handler James.
The reserve dog CC, after a review of the remaining dogs, was handed to a young male and first time reserve CC winner, Richard Playle and Tilly Thomas’s homebred Riptide Gentlemans Relish (Roly) who had won through from the junior class, handled by Tilly. This young lad has already started his working career on the marshes with Richard wildfowling.
Onto the bitches and a delighted cheer went up as the CC card was handed to young handler, Megan Slack who did a brilliant job showing Kirsty Watts’ Oakmarsh Freedom (aka Libby). This CC makes Libby a champion and, as she has already attained her show gundog working certificate, this is automatically a full champion title. Kirsty told me that Libby has been working picking up this season and so demonstrates the true dual purpose Chesapeake in all ways. From work to show and show to work this breed should be one and the same. The reserve CC was then won by the winner of the veteran class and best veteran on the day, another Oakmarsh-bred dog, this time Sh Ch Oakmarsh Dancing Diva, owned and handled by Caroline Pont who was at the show selling her lovely homemade feather works of art from pictures to Christmas baubles. Diva is another who is also worked in the shooting field.
Sadly there were no puppies entered and so no best puppy award. Best Special Beginner was won by Laura and Laurence Blaber’s Oakmarsh Laurel, another from the Oakmarsh kennel and another who is worked with the gun.
The finale was of course the best of breed, which is decided between the best dog and the best bitch on the day and, after some consideration and an anxious few minutes when the two contesters were trotted to show movement yet again, the red best of breed card went to Libby amidst another huge cheer from the Oakmarsh team.
To top it all, Oakmarsh Little Acorn won the junior bitch class which gave her the final points to qualify her for her KC junior warrant – quite a day for breeder and owner Kirsty Watts in all respects.
A good day with some good quality Chesapeakes making their mark and plenty of congratulations for the winners from those in the ‘audience’, making it a nice day all round.
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
8 December 2024
My apologies for the late BNW due to a storm taking out our internet.
It’s the wildfowlers’ turn this week, starting with a great report from young Theo Ciraolo describing the sort of day where a Chesapeake is invaluable:
Yesterday morning, my dad and I went shooting with two of our friends who are Morecambe Bay Wildfowlers Association members like us. It was an early start as we were doing a morning flight at Morecambe. I was looking forward to shooting my new gun because we had taken it out once already but didn’t get a shot off. When we got there, it was so windy and rainy that we decided to stay in the car for half an hour until the weather had calmed and the sun was about to rise. We put on our warm gear and faced the treacherous winds. On the way out we waded through a river, which was higher than it usually is due lots of recent rain.
We then sat against the banking and prepared for birds. At first, lots of ducks came really close to us again and again. However, we were here for geese and didn’t bring any duck cartridges. In hindsight that would’ve been a good idea. Ebb was our dog of choice and she kept still and sat nicely for all of this time.
I didn’t have the chance to pull the trigger in the end because all of the geese were coming off in big flocks all the way to our left and I was gutted because I still hadn’t shot my new gun. We walked off the marsh empty handed with no real work for the dogs but that’s wildfowling for you.
We all had fun but we needed to make our way to Warton for three o’clock so we set off there.
We got our waders on and made our way to the marsh with Ebb walking to heel. There was no time to be wasted. On our way out, we tried to sneak up on some geese that weren’t so far from the car park but they spotted us way before we could get close enough to shoot. We got far enough out and set up in a line along the marsh with 10 to 30 yard gaps between each person.
This was my first time wildfowling not sat next to my dad or a guide but I was confident in myself to hit a bird with my new Maxus gun.
With a lot of patience I waited and waited for the perfect chance and then I saw them. Three wigeon came flying towards me and I knew I had to shoot something. I raised my gun and shot. I watched in happiness as the middle bird came spiralling down to the floor. Ebb was quick to set off and at first she couldn’t find the bird in the dark but used her instinct and was on it within a matter of thirty seconds.
After everything had died down we had a sweep up and Ebb found another widgeon. It was an amazing day, and me and Ashton were both very grateful for our dads’ giving us opportunities like this. It’s not always about bagging up and shooting the most birds and the experience alone today was absolutely fantastic.
And another great story of the capabilities of the breed in the job they were bred for – this time Joe McCoy’s dog Tara, out shooting with his son Odhran who writes:
Launching the boat on a sharp, incredibly wet November morning, Tara and myself set off down the River Bann. With a wind speed of 18 mph with gusts of 50 mph coming from the south east we made our way onto Lough Beg and into our hide for the morning.
Roughly 80 decoys set and coffee poured, myself and my shooting partner started the morning with four tufted ducks, a nice oddity for our area and providing Tara with some nice retrieves through decoys.
A few Mallard and a teal later and funnily enough, having told my shooting partner Cahal not half an hour before that having been accompanying my father from about 8 years old down to Lough Beg, in 21 years, I had never shot a pintail drake, we glanced up as a few duck were moving about to see two duck roughly 40 yards above us.
We both shot and Cahal dropped one in the flooded trees behind us and, as Tara brought it back, I realised what it was – a pintail drake in not far off full plume. What are the chances we discussed as I congratulated Cahal on an excellent shot and the fact that he had provided Tara with her first ever retrieve of a pintail drake.
Luckily enough, after 21 years, my luck changed when about ½ hour before we had decided to pack up a single teal was trying to work the decoys in the big wind when Cahal whispered, “Don’t move, there’s a flock over your head on the right,” followed by “go ahead.”
As I stood up I realised that I was lining up to not one but 10 pintail in a flock and was lucky enough to drop another beautiful drake.
Tara bounced from the hide as the wind took the prospective retrieve back some 100 yards and set to paddling on what would be her second pintail drake of the morning and my first ever.
Needless to say there were two happy men and one tired but happy Chesapeake setting sail for home and a warm fire with a mixed bag of four tufted duck, four teal, three mallard, two shovellers, and two magnificent pintail drakes.
Jo McCoy adds: “Tara is the sort of dog that will go with anyone that has a gun. As a matter of fact many a morning men have walked round the shore to get her and she goes back with them to pick up wounded birds that other dogs can’t pick.”
Both lovely stories. Hopefully we will have more working tales that are so enjoyable to read. Please send to my email address, along with photos if possible.
Please note that there will be no more open show reports in these breed notes unless full information is submitted to me by email or messenger. Championship shows and breed club shows will continue to be covered.
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
1 December 2024
The headline in Our Dogs newspaper this week reports that a kennel club judge has called for DBS (disclosure and barring service) checks for judges. Good for her.
Many will know that a DBS check is required for many occupations and voluntary roles where people are working or dealing with children, it is used to find out if a person is banned from being near children and checks for any criminal records.
I was surprised to learn that this is DBS is not already in place for judges and I am sure that this proposal will be welcomed by the majority of honest people. With our junior handlers showing and being tutored by experienced judges, it would seem common sense and I hope that the kennel club listen and act promptly.
Joy Middleton (Variare) judged at North Wales Gundog Club on 16 November, where Best of Breed went to Sh. Ch. Chesepi Waco, owned by David Rigby. Gunnar, as he is known, went out in the mud, duck hunting the following day, along with Chesapeake friends. No wildfowl shot on this occasion, but evidently a good time was had by all.
Wild Justice, a group formed by Chris Packham and two others, seem determined to try to ban grouse shooting by recently launching yet another anti-shooting petition.
Driven grouse shooting is a topic that often inspires debate, but all too often it is debate that is driven more by emotion than facts or science. In calling for a ban on driven grouse shooting, Wild Justice is once again ignoring the science and evidence, and totally disregarding the impact that such a fundamental change as they are proposing in land use would have both on our beautiful heather and moorland landscapes that are presently maintained by the shooting estates and on the livelihoods of many people.
Why, you may wonder, should those of us who are not involved in, nor have never been grouse shooting, should worry. The pointer and setter people, of course, would be seriously affected.
One thing is very clear to me, and others, is IF these anti-shooting people achieve their agenda regarding grouse shooting, they will move on to try to ban every other sort of shooting, from pheasant to geese and duck. The job that our dogs are bred for, and that many of our club members live for, will no longer be present. A very grim thought indeed.
Every year a Christmas parade is organised in St Michaels, Maryland, and who better to escort Santa Claus on his way than the Maryland state dog, our Chesapeake!
Regional Directors for the American Chesapeake Club, Gina and Amy, organise volunteers for this goodwill event which is meant to spread holiday cheer and really shines a light on our breed. All friendly Chesapeakes who are comfortable with noise, crowds and other dogs are invited to march with them. Fancy dress optional! I just wish we could send a contingent from the UK. Our Discover Dogs volunteers would be perfect for the event.
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
24 November 2024
Lots of show news this week. First, a previous judge from our club show, Dyane Baldwin (Pond Hollow Kennel, USA) is retiring as a judge as of January 2025.
Dyane says:
I always felt when the passion was gone and the anticipation of a judging day diminished, it was time to retire.
I had the opportunity to judge many wonderful dogs, meet a bevy of lovely people and travel to great places. I will be ever so grateful for it all. I judged my own breed’s National Show Speciality and a fantastic Flat Coat speciality and Wire Haired Pointing Griffons. Westminster, Del Valle, Detroit and so many others. UK, Denmark, Sweden, Czech Republic, Ireland, Germany and Switzerland, and most of those with Bill [Dyane’s late husband] along.
My last assignment is December 8th ending 25 yrs plus of enjoying the sport of dogs.
Thank-you to everyone for the kind comments on my retirement. It brought some tears to my eyes. I still remember my first assignment after approval – Swedish Chesapeake Club’s Club Show. My dear friends Carol Brown and Cindy Miller came along with me too. Catharina Lindstrom, that assignment started it all as if I was coming that far, I felt I should be an approved AKC judge so I could award certificates toward a Championship title.
I will still be at shows from time to time. I have two young dogs to show once they mature more. I have plans for dock diving, Fetch and Rally with the youngsters too.
I hope to post some things about the Standard and its history. Not sure when but hopefully soon as I have had some questions on loin length/proportion; and tuck up in the loin. So when I get it together I will make a post about it.
Sadly the breed will be losing a very experienced and knowledgable breed specialist judge but we wish Dyane the very best and look forward to reading her writings on the breed standard, some of which I hope to reproduce in Breed News.
News from Lorna Murray in the North where Alexandra Adshead judged the breed at the first Waverley Gundog Show, giving Tracy Boyles’ Pixiesrock Mr Tumnus by Bleyos JW best of breed, with Lorna’s 2nd. Then at South West Scotland Gundog Association show the placings were reversed under judge Tom Gorrian, with Muireatai Miracle of Dreams taking the best of breed.
At another show, the Gundog Breeds Association of Scotland, under judge Gudrun Brunnstrom (Sweden), Muireatai Miracle of Dreams was again best of breed, with kennel mate Muireatai Teris Love winning best opposite sex, and the oldest of Lorna’s dogs on the day, Takoda Nathan taking the best veteran in breed.
Some of you may remember Nicole Grutter coming over from Switzerland to the UK for Crufts in March this year to show her imported male, Next Generations I Am Woodford. Although young, Woody had already gained his Swiss Championship at this time and, because of this title he had to compete in the open class amongst the ‘big boys’. Nevertheless, Woody placed a very credible third.
Recently the last international show was held in Switzerland and Woody was awarded the CAC/CACIB and BOB on both days. With these last two awards Woody fulfilled the requirements to make him now a Grand Champion!
Nicole’s new young imported bitch, Next Generations Perfect Reflection JH, won BOS twice as Junior Winner and with these results Mirra got the Junior Champion and qualified for Crufts. Congratulations Nicole, we look forward to seeing you and the dogs at Crufts 2025.
Speaking of which, the entries for Crufts 2025 are now open. Gundog day is Saturday 8 March, and the breed classes are being judged by Jane Eyeington, a very experienced gundog judge. There will also be the usual BASC gamekeeper and working dog classes that are normally held in the adjacent ring to our breed. More details to follow nearer the time.
The Club has set a date for our spring working test which is to be held on 27 April 2025, with a training day on the 26 April. We are very lucky to have secured a venue at Salterforth, near Barnoldswick, Lancs, and it is a purpose designed gundog training area. Please book the date in your diary now!
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
17 November 2024
Presidential Chesapeakes
The USA citizens are proud of their American breeds, from the American Quarter Horse to the Chesapeake Bay Retriever (who is the state dog of Maryland). Many animals have been immortalised in statues and paintings over the years.
Our breed, with its origins in the Newfoundland dogs who came to the Chesapeake Bay in 1806, can be proud of the statue outside the Maritime Museum on the Eastern shore of the Bay, and the statue of ‘Nitty Gritty’ aka the True Grit statue in front of the University of Maryland.
But the Chesapeake’s fame is enhanced by being past residents of the White House.
President Theodore Roosevelt had many horses and pets during his time in the White House. Some pets made the news frequently, like Bleistein, his favourite horse, and Pete the biting Bull terrier, but some lived relatively quiet lives with their famous family.
Sailor Boy, a Chesapeake Bay Retriever, joined the family on 26 May 1902. He was one of the Presidential pets and working dogs during the Roosevelts’ tenure and he was much admired by Roosevelt.
In his autobiography, Roosevelt wrote of Sailor Boy:
Much the most individual of the dogs and the one with the strongest character was Sailor Boy; a Chesapeake Bay dog. He had a masterful temper and a strong sense of both dignity and duty. He would never let the other dogs fight, and he himself never fought unless the circumstances imperatively demanded it; but he was a murderous animal when he did fight. He was not only exceedingly fond of the water, as was to be expected, but passionately devoted to gunpowder in every form, for he loved firearms and fairly revelled in the 4th of July celebrations – the latter being rather hazardous occasions, as the children strongly objected to any ‘safe and sane’ element being injected into them, and had the normal number of close shaves with rockets, Roman candles, and firecrackers.
In other writings about the President it has been said that Sailor Boy was “the happiest of the lot, a big, clumsy, but loyal fellow.”
Rumour has it that Sailor Boy was descended from General Custer’s Chesapeake Bay retrievers, but if so that lineage has been lost to history. Regardless of his bloodline it is clear that Sailor Boy was greatly loved by the Roosevelt family.
Another story, this time shared with permission from Frank Pittelli.
In December 1975, a 3-month old female Chesapeake named “Riva” became the second Chesapeake to live in the White House (after Teddy Roosevelt’s Sailor Boy).
President Gerald Ford’s son, Jack, traded a Golden Retriever puppy, whelped by President Ford, for Riva.
Riva, bred by Mary Ellen Mazzola, was sired by Topper (FC AFC Copper Topper der Wunderbar), out of Z’s Copper, who was Topper’s daughter (a very tight line breeding).
More interesting, Riva was a triple line breeding on a dog named Hector, who was the star of the Disney TV movie “Pancho, Fastest Paw in the West” in 1969. Perhaps Jack Ford’s desire to get a Chesapeake resulted from watching a TV movie 6 years earlier?
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
9 November 2024
History as opposed to news this week, with a report of a working test 38 years ago. This was first published in Dog World on 16 May 1986, and reproduced in the Chessie Chat that year with kind permission of Dog World and the author, Mary Roslyn-Williams, who is famous for her Mansergh Labradors.
The Chessies Amazed Me!
Oh what a choice to have to make. Should I go to the Midland Counties Labrador Championship Show at Newark where I had two dogs entered? Or to the working test for Flatcoats and Chesapeakes at the Jenkin’s place at Three Ashes? Or nip off to the Malvern showground to have a look at the Gordon Setters Championship? Or watch the racing on the box?
All tempted me, but the working test won and off I went to the Jenkin’s estate. I’m not sure in what spirit I went, because, although I know that the top working Flatties are excellent in every way, I had only seen Chessies many years ago and not liked their mouths or their work at all. My goodness did I have to alter my ideas.
When I got there, Wendy Anderson for the Chesapeake Club had laid on a really marvellous day, exactly on the lines of a day’s shooting and/or real field trial. The only differences were that even if a rabbit jumped up or a pigeon or duck appeared, it was forbidden by the Kennel Club to shoot them, because this would have turned it into a trial proper, so cold game was used. And of course experienced dogs know the difference between the sound of blanks and full cartridges, both being used today, and the exciting whirr and cackle of a clock pheasant (or squeak in the case of a hen) were absent so a certain air of excitement was necessarily missing. But apart from this you could not have believed you were not at a trial.
To my great surprise there were no less than eight Chesapeakes in the field of sixteen runners, so in this smallish breed they are certainly keen on work.
We had drives and blanking-in, walking up and water work, swampy ground and thick cover, with bag upon bag of cold game, rabbits, woodpigeon, and even some pheasant presumably out of someone’s deep freeze, but none the less welcome.
Homer pigeons sprang out of traps in stick-heaps under the dog’s noses. These were ‘shot at’ but of course only with blanks and always ‘missed’ so that they went winging off back to the lofts from whence they came, apparently not even flustered.
Clay pigeons came up out of electrically operated traps set in strategic places and these were show with live ammunition so that the dogs was the ‘fall’ if they were missed, and were duly tempted, especially when they plopped into water very realistically.
I was nothing short of astonishment, not at the work of the Flatties which I had expected to be very good, but at the Chessies. They were really splendid and well up to field trial standard at the top, although some were obviously novices. But there were at least three which will, I am sure, get field trial awards if and when they run.
Mrs George Jenkin came round with me in the car and we both remarked how very sensible and level-headed these dogs were. They looked so easy to handle and peaceable, yet when asked to work they went with good freedom and speed, hunted extremely well, handled well, and I did not see one single hard mouth all day from either breed. I had the big bags of game in the car and took a quick peep and feel at them to see the mouth position and every head of game I felt was perfect, not even a cracked rib.
Both breeds proved very strong in water, though with different styles of swimming. I don’t think that I have ever seen better swimmers than the Chessies, even better than most Labradors, so strong and straight swimming and fast. And they did not ‘drown’ their birds. Both breeds entered the water sensibly and without undue commotion.
The top six dogs were really excellent and I was most impressed. The judges, Miss Joan Gill, Mrs Philpott and our host himself George Jenkin, must have had a difficult time separating the first three or four dogs but a very steady Flatcoat, Mr Stirling’s Glensherry Tansy, won, with a super Chesapeake, the Barker’s Arnac Bay Endurance a close second, and his litter sister, J. Morris’s Arnac Bay Dawnflight of Penrose third. Certificates of merit went to Lady Spencer-Smith’s Arnac Bay Delta, and the Hon. Mrs Jessel’s Flatcoat, Collyers Mereille du Jour.
Mary Roslyn Williams
(Postscript: all three Chessies in the awards did go on to gain field trial awards.)
Christine Mayhew bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com
3 November 2024
There have been numerous open shows recently. At United Retriever Club’s Autumn show, there were 12 Chesapeake for judge Tom Graham to go over, eventually choosing Glaneils Don’t Worry be Happy, Lyra (Broomfield, Mahon Hunns and Newton) as best of breed. Reserve went to a young lad Hudson aka Susqudilla Bergelle Big Apple (Mahon Hunns, Middleton and Haskins), with the best puppy award to Oakmarsh Land of Promise (Watts and Mellersh-Tetts).
Young Hudson has been doing a lot of winning recently, with best of breed at Birmingham & District Gundog and Terrier Club’s Open Show, and again at Great Yarmouth & Gorleston, eventually going group 4. Yorkshire Gundog Club saw Glaniels Count on Me (Max) (Broomfield) win best of breed, with Hudson going reserve.
Meanwhile, in Sweden, Hudson’s full brother, now 2 years old, has recently gained his Swedish Championship (dogs cannot be given this title until they are over 2 years of age). Breeder Kim Hitt Kasprzyk resides in Buffalo, New York State and used Robyn Haskins’ lovely lad Barnabus as a sire for both of these litters.
And for anyone who might have forgotten, today is St Hubert’s Day, St Hubert being the patron saint of hunters, whose prayer reads:
Bless all who gather here in this natural setting, whose aim is to follow in your footsteps to be skilled and ethical hunters. Grant us confidence, perseverance, patience, and accuracy to increase our proficiency in the fields, forests, swamps, and marshes.
Implant in our hearts a love for the great social activity and nature’s harvest of nature’s bounty. In our souls instil the passion to share these precious traditions in the spirit of camaraderie. Help us to remember to honour the death of the wild animal that died so we may live.
But above all, St Hubert, we ask your help in always holding a deep sense of respect and reverence for the game we pursue. Bestow within us a spirit of generosity and humility that we may enjoy bountiful hunting. And that we pass these cherished and sacred rights to future generations. Amen.
I am not at all religious but how perfect is this prayer. I remember it being read on a shoot day in Denmark while the game was laid out in rows on the ground. I loved it.
Christine Mayhew
bobmayhewqhorses@aol.com