The people behind the Club

My introduction to the Clumber Spaniel was over fifty years ago; my, how time flies!

It was at Blackpool Championship Show, where Alastair and I were showing our homebred Cocker Spaniels. He wandered off and returned enthusiastically telling me all about this wonderful Clumber Spaniel. He was truly smitten! I think he must have had his fingers crossed when he promised there would be only one!

Many years later, having bred 17 Kirkara Show Champions, including the much-admired Sh Ch Kirkara Sweeney Todd, time has marched on. My daughter, Sara, is now successfully campaigning two Kirkara girls, Minnie and Dot. Minnie recently became a Show Champion, with Dot not far behind.

I have had the privilege to judge both Crufts and The Clumber Spaniel Club Championship Show.

Over the years, I have had the pleasure of serving as Secretary of the Clumber Spaniel Club, meeting members from all over the world and sharing in their love of these magnificent dogs. Now, in my role as President, I hope you will include me in all your exciting experiences with your Clumbers, whether that be in the show ring, working, or simply enjoying them as wonderful companions.

Wishing you all great success and, above all, many happy times with your Clumber Spaniels.

Dave is the Chair of the current Committee of the Clumber Spaniel Club and has been involved with the breed for many years.

His introduction to Clumber Spaniels came through getting Konnie, Sh Ch Tweedsmuir Beautiful Dream Among Suelynda JW Sh CM, from Hilda Monaghan. Konnie was a very special Clumber and went on to make her mark on the breed. She took the record for the most CCs won by a Clumber at Richmond in 2014. She gained her first title in 2010 and ended her show days on an impressive 42 Challenge Certificates, two of which were awarded by the same judge.

Dave joined the Clumber Spaniel Club as a member in 2008, before getting Konnie, and over the years his involvement with the Club has grown. He has shown and bred several Show Champions and has also been involved in helping with Clumber rescue alongside Sue.

Being involved with the Club has given Dave the opportunity to meet many wonderful people who share the same passion for this unique breed. He particularly enjoys being able to support Clumber owners, whether they are experienced exhibitors or are new to the breed and looking for advice or information.

As Chair, Dave hopes to continue to support the Club, its members and the breed, and to help ensure that the Club remains a welcoming place for everyone who has a love for Clumber Spaniels.

Married to Paul, my journey with Clumber Spaniels began in 1979 when I saw my first Clumber for sale at a show, Topvalley Charlie of Belcrum. I bought him and, seven years later, he became a full Champion.
In 1980, I bought a bitch, Belcrum Beautiful Dreamer, from Bill Ironside. She became our foundation bitch, and that was the beginning of a journey that has now spanned 46 years. I have never looked back!
Over the years, we have bred many Champions, both here and abroad. Dogs we have owned or bred have won nearly 300 CCs in total. We also bred the Breed Record Holder, with 42 CCs, and bred and owned the Dog CC Record Holder, with 39 CCs.
I have also judged Clumber Spaniels at Championship level, including at Crufts.
It has been a wonderful 46 years with this very special breed, and I am as passionate about Clumbers today as I was when I first saw that very first dog in 1979.

Eunice joined the Clumber Spaniel Club in 1985 and has been a dedicated member of the Club and a passionate supporter of the breed.

During her time with the breed, Eunice was fortunate to have two much-loved Clumbers, Sh Ch Raycroft Spire Special at Goreun and Sh Ch Marchlands Party Politics at Goreun. Her experiences with her own dogs have been a very important part of her long association with Clumber Spaniels and the Club.

Eunice has held a number of important roles within the Clumber Spaniel Club. She served as Treasurer for 15 years and has been Secretary for around nine years. She is also the Club’s Puppy Co-ordinator, helping to connect prospective Clumber owners with breeders and providing information and support to those looking to welcome a Clumber Spaniel into their family.

She takes the opportunity to talk to Club members, meet up with them at events and shows, and share in their enthusiasm and love for Clumber Spaniels. The friendships and connections she has made through the Club have been a very special part of her involvement, and she will greatly miss seeing and talking to members when she steps down next year.

She has been Secretary for over 40 years for the Premier Show Edwinstowe and DCS, demonstrating her long-standing commitment to the organisation and running of canine events.

My association with Clumber Spaniels began over 40 years ago, when we were staying at Clumber Park. During that trip, we came across a Clumber Spaniel and picked up a breed leaflet. Margaret immediately felt that this was the breed for us in the future and that leaflet stayed in her handbag for the next 20 years!

Our first Clumbers came from Bill and Marjorie Ironside, who encouraged us to begin showing. Since then, we have owned six Clumber Spaniels, all of whom I have thoroughly enjoyed showing, with one also taking part in working tests.

I have been a Committee Member of the Clumber Spaniel Club for 13 years, serving over two terms, and latterly as Treasurer and Membership Coordinator.

I would like to give those of you who do not know me a quick peek at my life with the Clumber breed. We had Clumbers at home from a young age, I loved and showed them as a teenager and then started to judge them. I judged the Clumber Club Open Show in 2002 (52 judged) and gave my 1st CCs in the breed at Welsh Kennel Club in 2004.

I give CCs in 12 Gundog breeds and have judged the Gundog Group twice, Scottish Kennel Club & National Gundog Association.

As a teenager, I regularly worked our Spaniels and Setters at a local shoot.

I have created the Sussex newsletters and Biennial for many years and am looking forward to doing the same for Clumbers, I hope you enjoy my 1st edition.

My Clumber story started at Crufts 1992. I was walking in with my wife and dad, and walking towards us was this great ball of white with the cutest of faces. My wife and I said, “We’re having one of those dogs.”

We found the Clumber Spaniel exhibitors and fell in love with the breed. We contacted the late, great Rae Furness and Bill & Marjorie Ironside/Charlesworth for as much information as we could get.

In 1993, we got our first boy from the Belcrum/Tavirosh kennels.

33 years on, I’m still as passionate about our breed.

We do show our dogs, which I love doing.

In 2019, we decided to come back to the scene on a bigger scale, which we have done.

I have been on the CSC Committee, and I am the Club’s current Breed Rep Co-ordinator and the Club’s representative for the United Spaniel Association.

I really enjoy both roles.

Together with my wife, we also organise Discover Dogs at Crufts. This involves sorting the volunteers and creating our booth inside Crufts, which we both take great pride in, representing our breed to its maximum potential.

I am really passionate about our breed and will help any newcomers with anything they need to know about, and the promotion of Clumbers.

My involvement with Clumber Spaniels began with my love for this wonderful breed and the arrival of Konnie, Sh Ch Tweedsmuir Beautiful Dream Among Suelynda JW Sh CM from Hilda Monaghan. Konnie was a very special Clumber and went on to make her mark in the breed, taking the record for the most CCs won by a Clumber at Richmond in 2014. She gained her first title in 2010 and ended her show career with an impressive 42 Challenge Certificates.

I joined the Clumber Spaniel Club as a member in 2008, before getting Konnie, and since then my involvement with the Club and the breed has grown considerably. I have served as a Committee Member for 12 years, working under different Secretaries, and have enjoyed being involved in many aspects of the Club and its activities.

For the past 14 years, I have been the Club’s Rescue Coordinator, a role that I absolutely adore. Helping Clumbers in need and working to find them the right homes is something I feel very passionate about, and it has been hugely rewarding to be able to make a difference to the lives of individual dogs and their owners.

I am also a member of the Club’s Health & Welfare Sub-Committee, where I am able to contribute to the ongoing work surrounding the health and welfare of the breed.

I am very proud to have been part of the Clumber Spaniel Club for so many years and look forward to continuing to support the breed and its owners in the years ahead.

Jim has had Clumber Spaniels for over 30 years and has been a dedicated member of the breed community throughout that time.

Jim is a former Committee Member of the Clumber Spaniel Club and is currently the Club’s Breed Archivist. In this role, he has a particular interest in preserving and recording the history of the breed and the Club, ensuring that important information and memories are not lost.

The history of the Clumber Spaniel is made up not only of famous dogs and kennels, but also of the stories, photographs, pedigrees, achievements and memories of the many people who have been involved with the breed. Jim would therefore welcome anyone who has information, photographs or other material relating to the history of the Clumber Spaniel. Whether you have old photographs, documents, pedigrees, show records or simply a story about a Clumber or a kennel from years gone by, Jim would be delighted to hear from you.

Jim would welcome anyone who has information, photographs or other material relating to the history of the Clumber Spaniel and would be happy to hear from anyone who would like to share their Clumber history.

Jim also served for 42 years in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, including service during the Falklands Conflict and both Gulf Wars.

This role is currently open. Nominees must have been a Club member for at least two years (five for Officer roles) — contact the Secretary to find out more.

Ask the Secretary →

Carol’s interest in Clumbers started in 1983 when she and her husband bought their first one; they were encouraged to show her and became involved with the world of dogs beyond a “pet level”. In the mid-nineteen nineties, their interests extended into working the dogs, and they continue to enjoy this aspect of the breed.

Carol & Chris have a joint affix, Micklemess, and they have bred several litters of Clumber Spaniels, only breeding when they are ready to add new dogs to their own pack. Their dogs have had success both in the show ring and in the field, and they currently share their home with five Clumbers.

Carol judges Clumber Spaniels at Championship level and has also judged a Field Trial.

Carol joined the Committee of the Clumber Spaniel Club in 1999 and was elected Secretary in 2002, a post held until 2012. She has also served as Field Trial Secretary and had a term as Chairman, finishing in 2022.

Improving the health of the Clumber Spaniel has always been a priority, and she has always promoted the use of health testing, with all of her own dogs fully health screened. Carol was appointed as one of the Club’s Health Officers in 2003, Breed Health Coordinator in 2012 when the RHC created the role, and has served on the CSC Health & Welfare Sub-Committee since its formation in 2009.

Tony has been involved with showing dogs for over 40 years, beginning in 1980 with English Setters, before his first Clumber Spaniel arrived in 1983.

Tony and his family have bred and made-up Show Champions in the UK, Ireland and North America. His extensive experience with the breed has also seen him judging Clumber Spaniels at Championship level for many years. He has awarded CCs in Clumbers on numerous occasions, including at the Breed Club Championship Showand in Australia.

In addition to Clumber Spaniels, Tony also awards CCs in Bracco Italiano and German Wirehaired Pointers, giving him broad experience across the Gundog Group and a detailed understanding of different breeds, their standards and their development.

Tony is the Clumber Spaniel Club’s Breed Education Co-ordinator. In this role, he is keen to support education and understanding of the breed, sharing knowledge and experience with Club members, exhibitors and anyone interested in judging Clumber Spaniels.

His professional career has also given Tony extensive experience in education, assessment and examination. He is Chief Examiner for a professional body and an External Examiner for a university degree course in Ireland. These roles bring considerable experience in education, assessment and maintaining standards, skills which complement his work within the Clumber Spaniel Club.

I fell in love with the Clumber Spaniel when Mum and Dad brought Konnie home, and when they later brought Kameron home, it sealed the deal! We were then lucky enough to welcome Lottie into our home from Nelly, who very quickly became my heart dog. For me, the Clumber Spaniel is the perfect all-round family dog, able to fit happily into almost any lifestyle so long as you have a good hoover!

I first learnt about Clumbers when I met my partner 15 years ago, as he had several that he worked. I fell in love with the breed and, in 2016, I visited Crufts for the very first time and watched the Clumber classes, and vowed to have a go at showing. I bought my first Clumber later that year and attended several shows, and in 2018 I showed at Crufts for the 1st time.

At present, my daughter Lucy and I have 3 Clumbers that we show, and my girl, Saffy, has a litter of pups, which we are looking forward to seeing one of them join our show team in the new year.