Clumber Spaniel Club

15/10/2026

Breed Notes 14.10.26

Last week at South Wales, just two Clumbers present, both owned by Jonathan and Clare Blackburn. Sh Ch Suelynda Let Me Be The One JW was best dog and Best of Breed, with Tweedsmuir Manhattan Reserve Best Dog.

On Sunday 11th October, at Tay Valley Gundog Association’s 50th Anniversary Open Show; Jacquelyn & Stuart Nicolson and Aislyn Risk’s Knockhalon Spooktacular of Taranstigh won BOB under Jane Baker followed by Group 3 under Anne Orzel.

Gundog Society of Wales is happening today, so reports on this next week.

The Clumber Spaniel Club of America have launched their tentative schedule for their Specialty week. Various events, shows and competitions take place every day starting Saturday 13th March 2027 (the weekend after Crufts) through all week until Friday 19th. The venue this time is the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Asheville, North Carolina.

The CSCA’s Clumber Closet also has plenty of Christmas Clumber wares available to order. I think you’d still be ok for air mail if you ordered now.

Here in the UK Clumberfest have announced their next dates. The main event takes place Saturday 31st July and Sunday 1st August 2027, with camping available from Monday 24th July. The event takes place at Fairfields caravan storage in Wiltshire. For enquiries please see the Clumberfest webpage and social media. For those new to the term "Clumberfest" it is a social gathering of Clumber owners, some camping and some staying in local accommodation and visiting daily. Various activities are arranged including an infamous quiz, I believe not for the faint hearted. Funds are raised through camping fees and a grand raffle, and this year the organisers were able to donate a surplus £500 to the Canine Genetics group at Cambridge University.

There is also a 2027 Clumberfest calendar available. I’m not sure how many are left so if you want one, best to contact the Clumberfest organiser Peter Sheppard as soon as you're able.

The Working Clumber Spaniel Society has announced their November training dates. The Broadway Group will meet Sunday 15th November with Gary Barstow as the contact to book your place. Their Northern Group will meet Sunday 29th November at Cawood near Selby with Julian Daley as the booking contact. The announcement says that the South West group sessions are currently paused for the shooting season and will resume in March 2027.

James Taylor
[email protected]

For those who need the email subscription link is

Clumber Spaniel weekly news based in the UK

08/10/2026

Gundog Society of Wales have announced entries and Clumbers have nine dogs and five bi***es for judge Colette Perkins without CCs. A total of 14 and these have made 17 entries. Clumbers are in Ring 4 in Wye Hall’s Bay 2 and follow 42 Hungarian Vizsla and 15 GWP. This is Wednesday 14th October at Three Counties Showground.

Our Dogs continue to run their points leagues and Top Breeder as of last week is Lee Cox, Vanitonia. With a total of 34 points, a look at the league table and this places Lee in the top 10 of the gundog group (I think 7th). Congratulations Lee. I’m not sure exactly how the points are calculated but a look at the results this year so far and CCs and RCCs have been awarded to four different Vanitonia males and three different Vanitonia females, with many group placings to complement.

A great achievement for any breeder and speaking of Vanitionia success this brings me onto the Clumber Spaniel Club Championship Show this weekend. David Howarth presided and chose Lee’s Sh Ch Vanitonia Something Extra as DCC. The RDCC was Jonathan and Claire Blackburn’s Sh Ch Suelynda Let Me Be The One JW. Lee did the double with Vanitonia Society Girl taking BCC and also Best Puppy. Sh Ch Anbrook Fair Maid of Kent By Winhampton owned by Sue and Lauren Wilson took home RBCC and Best Veteran. If you subscribed to the email I wrongly announced that BIS was the dog but I have been informed that BIS actually went to the bitch and best puppy, Vanitonia Society Girl. Congratulations!

I checked with David Howarth who confirmed that he was not asked to award a RBIS as is usual practice but David does tell me, “There seemed to be a good atmosphere. Plenty of applause for the winners. Stewards were Gina Bowers and Kirsha Leonard who did a great job. There were several spectators from other breeds as well as some undergoing mentoring sessions. Weather was perfect for showing and the ring was a good size so that movement could be properly assessed. It was a very good show.”

Great to hear David and I understand there was a successful raffle and kitchen takings. Bridgette Bodle judged the Special Awards in the lunch break and her three class winners were Lee Cox’s Vanitonia Society Girl 1st in Junior dog or bitch; Jason and Chrissie Sainsbury’s Elskerwoo Silver Lining 1st in Postgrad dog or bitch and the Blackburn’s Sh Ch Suelynda Let Me Be The One JW first in Open dog or bitch.

Eunice King (CSC Secretary) wrote to me on the evening of the show to let me know Sue Williams had a nasty fall and missed the show and has been sent some flowers by the Club. We all send you our best Sue.

News from Breed Education Coordinator Tony Taylor and a Clumber Spaniel Breed Appreciation Day (BAD) and multiple choice exam have been arranged for an online Zoom session on Wednesday 25th November 2026 at 7pm. The breed speaker will be Lee Cox and the cost is £10 for the breed talk only or £15 to include the exam. Contact details for Tony on the flyer. The last time Lee gave this session it was organised by Tony’s daughter Hannah, it was an enormous success with I believe about 100 people for the talk. I was one of the invigilators for the exam but I’m unable to offer this this time as it clashes with our monthly match night for the society I’m secretary for, so I wish all involved a successful and enjoyable evening, I’m sure it will be.

I also have news from Graham Constable that the Duchy Working Gundog Club’s Gundog Working Certificate assessment day was unfortunately cancelled due to lack of entries. The day is planned for reschedule in the new year so please contact the Duchy club if you are interested.

James Taylor
[email protected]

For those who need the email subscription link is

Clumber Spaniel weekly news based in the UK

06/10/2026

From Sarah Sevastopulo
Clumber clips need to be printed ready for LKA, therefore last day for receiving articles will be 20th November. Thanks and look forward to getting your bits and pieces 😀

03/10/2026

01/10/2026

Kitchen prices. 04/10/26.
Bacon rolls £2.00
Lasagne/ Ploughmans £3.50
Drinks £1.00
Cakes £1.50.

01/10/2026

Pre orders for Sunday.
Rachel will close the pre ordering at 5p.m today as she has to get supplies.
So do it now LASAGNE OR PLOUGHMAN'S.
I,m told there will be sweet treats available as well.

01/10/2026

Clumber Spaniel Breed Notes 30/9/26

I start this week with two pieces of sad news. Dawn Jones, who showed Clumbers with partner Chris Vickery has sadly passed away. Dawn and Chris mainly showed in the Malvern area at the Three Counties Showground, although also won best puppy dog at Crufts 2025 under Linda Thorogood with Maursett Merwing. Condolences to partner Chris. I will include funeral details when known if I receive them.

Secondly, David Hirst of the Redmarsh Clumber Spaniels has also sadly passed away. I understand that David was a Yorkshireman with a great sense of humour who bred and exhibited Clumbers with wife Gail, again many condolences. I’m told David’s funeral will be a private family arrangement as far as we know.

On some brighter news, a very happy 80th Birthday to Clumberite Gordon Sutherland (Eilandon) who has been celebrating with wife Eileen in the Greek islands.

South Wales Kennel Association numbers have been announced with 3 dogs making 3 entries. There are no bi***es entered. Clumbers are in ring 23 which starts at 9.30am on Saturday 10th October. No entries for AVNSC which is scheduled first, but 23 imported breed register and 3 Lagotto are before the Clumber judging by Penny Gowland.

I didn’t use to announce the Our Dogs Top Awards when writing for the paper as it was only repeating news from the previous issue. Now that these notes are unattached, I will include this news as I understand the competitions are still being published online. So as of 25th September the current leader of the Top Brood Bitch is Maursett Morveen of Vanitonia, bred by Tony and Maureen Taylor and owned by Lee Cox.

No Clumbers entered over the water at Belfast as I announced last week. But there were two large Open shows this last weekend in the form of Stafford & District Canine Society and Great Yarmouth Canine Society. Stafford now host Birmingham & District Gundog and Terrier Club, who have moved from Ryton-on-Dunsmore to share the Stafford venue. Emily and Grace Dronsfield entered Vanitonia Spectre of Whitbraith at these partnered shows. At Stafford he collected a Puppy Group 4 from Bill Ashcroft having been sent through from the breed by Stephen Goodwin. At Birmingham's dual group show, he won BOB and BPIB under Jane Gittins Pop, followed by G1 and PG1 under Alistair Scott-Briggs. Jane Withers had been judging the Terrier group and was Alistair’s co-judge for deciding which of the two group winners received BIS and RBIS with referee Jenny Miller. Spectre was RBIS and BPIS.

Down at Great Yarmouth Hilda and Paul Monaghan won best AVNSC and a Group 4 with Kensequi Nice At Tweedsmuir JW under Amanda James.

The same weekend and Norway saw the Norwegian Spaniel Specialty held. BOB was NorCh Rainsway’s You Ain’t Seen Muffin Yet, owned by Klemetsen and Marhaug who was also Reserve Best Working Dog In Show. On Saturday in Australia at the Belgrave and District Championship Show, Aus Ch Genius Loci Kaprys Rejenta (imp Pol) picked up a Group 2 for owner Jan Irving. Jan also had intermediate group and minor puppy group winning Clumbers at the Victoria Open shows the following day.

Congratulations to all these group placing Clumbers, it is great to see Clumbers holding their own against the other Gundog breeds.

News from Clumber Spaniel Club as we approach the Championship Show this weekend. Dave Boden, Show Manager, advises, “The Show opens 10am, judging is 10.30am. Do not forget chairs as we are hoping for good weather, we may be outside, please come prepared for the weather. Lunch is Lasagne or Ploughman's. If you haven’t ordered it please do so it helps Rachel.”

And Eunice King, Secretary, asks me to share that “2024/2025 Amended Minutes have been emailed to all our Members and Overseas members please check your Spam Boxes if you haven’t received any contact me please [email protected]. Those Members with no internet have been posted Monday 28th September.”

I hope all those going to the Club show have a great time.

James Taylor
[email protected]

For those who need to share the email subscription link, the link is

Clumber Spaniel weekly news based in the UK

28/09/2026

Looking forward to seeing everyone on Sunday, 4th October @ North Muskham.
Doors open 10.00 am
Judging starts at 10.30.
Hopefully the weather will be kind so remember to bring your chairs.

23/09/2026

CLUMBER SPANIEL BREED NOTES 23/9/26

Welcome to the first set of Clumber Spaniel Breed Notes post-130 years of Our Dogs. Hopefully if you’ve subscribed by email you’ve received these that way. If you’ve subscribed but stumbled across these on social media, please check your junk mail as that was the issue for some people when I did a test run.

Whilst you will see these cross-posted on social media, I did want to provide a main way of accessing the notes outside of Facebook, as I know we have some readers who don’t use that platform. The email service I’ve set up is free so long as we don’t get more than 2500 subscribers. We currently have 45 subscribers so 2455 spaces left. No need to panic just yet.

The Clumber Spaniel Club asked me to continue these Notes and they will be shared on their social media channels. I understand that they also contacted Maureen Taylor and Maureen has confirmed she will not be continuing any notes. Maureen wrote for ‘Dog World’ before it ceased in 2017 and then continued her notes online for many years. I know Maureen has not the easiest of personal circumstances at the moment and so I would like to thank her on behalf of us all for all her time and efforts over the years as well as wishing her the very best.

Darlington was held last weekend with gundog day landing on Friday 18th September. Anne Orzel awarded her first set of CCs in Clumbers. Her DCC was Gordon and Lesley Nesbitt’s Creeaark Austin Healey From Chabrouille ShCEx and the RDCC was Sh Ch Suelynda Boom Bang A Bang owned by Dave and Sue Boden. BCC and BOB was Hilda and Paul Monaghan’s Sh Ch Tweedsmuir She’s So Sheek. The RBCC and BP was Lee Cox’s Vanitonia Society Girl. I understand BOB had to give apologies to the group judge for being unable to stay. Going through to the puppy group Lee and Society Girl couldn’t have had a result any better. They won the puppy group under Ian Blackshaw and returned on Sunday night under the same judge (who had judged all puppy groups) to claim Best Puppy In Show. What an achievement, congratulations Lee. It was great to see Higham Press have taken on live streaming for those Champ shows they print for, so I did tune in on Sunday evening to watch the pair take the win.

On the same day the Working Clumber Spaniel Society ran their RKC working test in Wiltshire judged by Mr J Organ and Mr C Thompson. This was open to minority spaniel breeds and Clumbers that were in the cards were Novice 1st place and Best Hunter Gracedieu Sherbert handled by Sarah Harvey; Novice 2nd place Lady Astrid of Steepness handled by David Fonge. Certificate of Merits from this class were awarded to both Madadhbhan Melchior handled by Scott Wickens and Hawkcourt Sport handled by Amina Cleal.
In the Open 1st and overall Best In Test was Parkforth Greenlands Ice handled by a 16 year old Ollie Chilvers. 2nd Jarratt Strong Sorrento handled by Steve Panton. 3rd and Best Hunter was Malferna Paradisi handled by Tim Poole. A Certificate of Merit was awarded to Malferna Raggedstone handled by Julian Daley.
I understand the WCSS have a last minute available space for their northern training day at Cawood near Selby this Sunday (27th September) please contact Julian Daley via the society if interested. The trainer is Anthea Shelley.

Numbers for the Clumber Spaniel Club Championship show on 4th October have been announced. Judge David Howarth has drawn an entry of 47 making 57 entries with 22 entered in the lunchtime Special Awards under judge Bridgette Bodle. Food and drink will be available throughout the day. Committee member and “Head Caterer” Rachel Wareham tells me there's teas, coffees and cans on sale all day, there will be home made cakes including gluten free options. Bacon rolls are available until 11am and then either ploughman's or lasagne for lunch. I hear Vice Chair Hilda Monaghan will be running the raffle and donations are always welcome.

Eye testing is taking place on the day and booking for this closes this Sunday, 26th September. Please enquire with the CSC Secretary Eunice King or Treasurer John Newsham. Contact details on the Clumber Spaniel Club website.

A couple of champ shows without CCs for Clumbers have extended entries. Gundog Society of Wales will close this Monday, 28th September, with Colette Perkins (Brent/ Silkridge) scheduled to judge the breed on Wednesday 14th October. Closing the same day Midland Counties will see Gundog day held on Thursday 22nd October, no classes here but Richard Bott will oversee the gundog AVNSC judging.

Belfast has closed and sadly no Clumbers entered under Marion Waddell. (The other breed I’m involved with has an entry of 3 and that's with CC allocation!).

The Club has already posted this but for those who may not be on Facebook, former CSC member Sheila Wardle, who showed Clumbers with husband John, sadly passed away on the 10th September. Her funeral and committal will be held Tuesday 6th October at Macclesfield Crematorium at 2.45pm. The Club has sent a donation in her memory.

James Taylor
[email protected]

Anyone wishing to subscribe by email can do so on

Clumber Spaniel weekly news based in the UK

23/09/2026

Rachel has asked to give her an idea of quantities would you please indicate below if you Would pre order your lunches.
LASAGNE OR PLOUGHMAN'S.