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The
Clumber Spaniel is one of the oldest recognised breed of spaniel and takes its
name from Clumber Park in Nottinghamshire where its origins can be traced back
over 200 years.
The
Duke of Newcastle is credited with the development of the breed and his spaniels
were famed for their working ability throughout the country and gradually made
their way to neighbouring estates in the Dukeries. These estates often kept
thirty to forty Clumbers at a time and they were usually worked in teams of up
to ten to flush game with only one or two used for retrieving. There are
accounts of dogs wearing bells, each with its own tone, identifying the dogs to
the handler.
The
first Field Trials were held in 1899 and Clumber Spaniels excelled; a young
bitch named Beechgrove Bee was unbeaten in the first two years of Trials and is
the only Clumber Spaniel to hold the title Field Trial Champion. Current Kennel
Club regulations for Field Trials mean that nowadays a Clumber cannot achieve
that title. The Clumber Spaniel Club was one of the first of the Spaniel Breed Clubs to
hold a Field Trial in the 1930’s.
In
the early 1900’s the Clumber was extremely popular as a sporting spaniel but
lost favour after the wars and their numbers also declined drastically during
the middle of the last centaury. Over the last twenty years the breed has seen a
revival in the shooting field and a number of enthusiasts continue the
traditions of this fine working dog. When trained, they can make excellent
workers and are once again being recognised for their working ability.
The
Clumber Spaniel Club runs a variety of events each year from introductory
training days to a Field Trial where the most accomplished dogs can show their
merits.
The
Kennel Club introduced the Working Gundog Certificate in 2003 where dogs are
tested for their working ability; the Clumber Spaniel Club was again the first
Spaniel Breed Club to hold a testing day. There are several Clumber Spaniels
that have passed their preliminary stage and in January 2004 the first Clumber
Spaniel passed the second stage, where assessment takes place on a routine
shooting day.
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