The First Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club Championship Show, 1946
In 1946, the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was granted Championship status and a new chapter in the breed's history began. What follows is a fascinating first-hand recollection of the very first Cavalier Championship Show, held at Stratford-upon-Avon on 29 August 1946. Written by Jane Bowdler (Ttiweh), who was there with her Cavaliers. This historical account offers a wonderfully personal glimpse into the people, dogs and atmosphere surrounding one of the most important days in the history of our breed.
Jane Bowdler (Ttiweh) gave this to Jeanie Montford before her passing in 2018.
Key results: Belinda of Saxham won Best in Show and the Bitch CC, while Daywell Roger won the Dog CC.
The first Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club Championship Show was held at the School of Drama, Alveston, Stratford-upon-Avon, on Thursday, 29 August 1946.
The choice of such an unusual venue came about because Avoncliffe, a beautiful house on the banks of the River Avon, was managed by Mrs Louise Hitching, breeder of the Avoncliffe Cavaliers. Its extensive gardens stretched down towards the river, with large, beautiful lawns providing an ideal setting for the single judging ring.
The judge was Mrs B. Jennings, a highly respected pre-war breeder of Cavaliers under the Plantation prefix. Between 1926 and 1939, a stalwart group of breeders had worked tirelessly to breed Cavaliers to the desired type and standard. However, throwbacks still occurred in many litters, and finding a really good puppy was always an exciting event.
At the beginning of the Second World War, all the kennels were disbanded and we kept only two pet Cavaliers, Angelina of Ttiweh and Tinkle of Ttiweh, both of whom were already past breeding age.
When the war ended, we set out to find puppies of our own strain, or as close to it as possible. We found Daywell Roger, bred by Captain and Mrs Brierley; Little Dorrit of Ttiweh, bred by Mrs Katie Eldred; and Victoria of Ttiweh, bred by Mrs Hitching.
I can only imagine what my mother must have felt as we set off for the show. After all her years of campaigning for separate registration and Challenge Certificates, her efforts had finally come to fruition.
We were living in the New Forest at the time and set off in the car with five dogs and a litter of puppies. My mother was showing Little Dorrit of Ttiweh and Comfort of Ttiweh, both of whom went on to become Champions, as well as Prudence of Ttiweh, who did not. I was showing Victoria of Ttiweh, who was out of Lottie of Avoncliffe, and Daywell Roger, a very immature eleven-month-old puppy.
Although it was August, I cannot believe it was particularly warm, as the photographs show me wearing a tweed suit. Or perhaps it was simply the shortage of clothing coupons!
There were eighteen exhibitors and thirty-eight entries, not including the litters. I am not sure how many actually turned up on the day.
The audience was a wonderful mixture of Cavalier enthusiasts and actors from the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, who had a day off. They certainly added plenty of exotic colour to the occasion!
Judging began at 12.15 pm, and the day got off to a bad start for me. My great hope, Daywell Roger, was placed only third in Puppy Dog or Bitch, Blenheim or Tricolour. He was very immature, had little coat and certainly did not show well. He probably did not receive much help from me either!
Little Dorrit of Ttiweh won the class, with Mrs Brierley's Daywell Margaret in second place. Daywell Margaret was Roger's litter sister.
Little Dorrit had been bred by Katie Eldred, who went on to win the Bitch Challenge Certificate and Best in Show with Belinda of Saxham at this historic first Championship Show. Belinda was also bred by Katie Eldred.
Daywell Roger then went on to win the Open Dog class, beating Mrs Rennie's Robin of Veren and Mme J. Harper Trois-Fontaines' Plantation Banjo, a very famous older dog born in 1938.
Everything about the show was very different from today. There was certainly not much finesse when it came to handling! A few people who had shown before the war, such as my mother, obviously knew exactly what they were doing. Otherwise, there were plenty of leads being twiddled around legs, people falling over the prized exhibits and expressions of delighted surprise whenever someone was placed!
Yet, as the first Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club Championship Show, it was a tremendous success.
I look back on it as a wonderfully happy day.
But then, I suppose anyone who goes home with a Challenge Certificate is bound to be happy!
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