The Official History of the Labrador Retriever

16/12/2023

It is often interesting to see who was involved in the breed, in past decades. Here is a list of names of the people involved in the 1978 National Specialty.

18/11/2023

A very interesting revelation about the Lesser Newfoundland Dog.

03/08/2023

03/08/2023

1931 - pg 2

03/08/2023

1931 - pg 1

11/03/2023

The Fabulous Four, by Mrs. Evelyn T. Meis.
Tattertown Kennel, Hamilton, MT
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No compilation of information on Labrador Retrievers would be complete without mention of the only four generation hand-running dual championship line in recorded history of the breed - or of any sporting breed. They were:
DC and 3x Nat FTC ('42 '43, '46) Shed Of Arden
DC Grangemead Precocious
DC Cherokee Buck
DC Alpine Cherokee Rocket

Dr. Samuel Milbank of Earlsmoor Kennel, a prefix long associated with Terriers, became interested in Labradors while talking with a famous Scottish surgeon, Dr. J. Wilson, who was visiting in this country. It was Dr. Wilson who chose the black Labrador imported, by Dr. Milbank in collaboration with the Hon. W. A. Harriman of the Arden Kennels. Dr. Milbank named the pup Raffles Of Earlsmoor. He was by Thatch of Whitmore and out of Task of Whitmore from the English kennel, not the Canadian one using the same name.

Two other English imports, Mrs. Marshall Fields' Odds On, and Harriman's Peggy Of Shipton, bred together produced a litter from which Mr. Harriman kept Decoy Of Arden.

In 1939, FTC Decoy, bred to Raffles, produced the Arden "Fish" litter, so called because each of the pups was given a name such as Bass, Marlin, Shad, etc. As it happened, because of a typographical error on the registration blank, "Shad" turned out to be Shed Of Arden. He went on to become a three time National Field Champion as well as a conformation champion and was number one in the direct line of hand-running dual champions.

Paul Bakewell of the famed Deercreek Kennel acquired Shed soon after the pup's first appearance at the National Labrador club's tenth trial in 1940, when the pup was not yet two years old.

In those days Labrador enthusiasts were very serious about developing good looking animals endowed with the structure and instincts necessary to perform the function for which they had been developed. Intelligence, trainablility, good disposition, and health were also of prime importance.

The national (parent) club had adopted England's rule that no Labrador be allowed to use the conformation title of "champion" until could at least achieve a working certificate. This noble goal was not only encouraged by the US parent club, but wholeheartedly embraced by such fine kennels as Earlsmoor, Arden, Deercreek, Grangemead, Wingan, Bigstone, and others. It is unfortunate that the practice could not have been picked up by all Labrador breeders and perpetuated endlessly.

Bakewell, with assistance from the outstanding trainer, "Cotton" Pearshall, developed the trial-winning ways of Shed, who was destined to be the first in the renowned line of dual champions from which an untold number of fine Labradors would descend.

The deserved prominence of Thomas Merritt's Grangemead Kennel became best recognized through Precocious, a son of Shed Of Arden and the second member of the four-generation dual champion line. It is interesting to note that the name, "Precocious," was chosen for this pup after a most fortunate, though unplanned, breeding at the age of seven months produced an exceptionally fine litter including one later to be Dual Champion Cherokee Buck, the third in the famous dual champion line.

Two others from the [unplanned] breeding were FTC Cherokee Medicine Man and FTC Freehaven Muscles. Unfortunately the dame, Grangemead Sharon, was given away and lost track of before the outstanding quality and accomplishments of that litter came to light. Subsequently, from a litter by DC Cherokee Buck out of Nelgard's Madam queen, came the pup to complete the unique quartet by becoming DC Alpine Cherokee Rocket.

All four of these champions were handled to their conformation championships by Hollis Wilson (no relation to Dr. J. Wilson), well known handler and later a distinguished AKC approved judge.

15/02/2023

The caption says it all.

02/11/2022

1953 Annual Specialty Long Island KC, Westbury, NY. May 17, 1953.
BOB. Ch Port Fortune Smoke Screen, S469361.
HMT. Ch Macopin Kate, S451180.

02/11/2022

1957 Annual specialty. Monmouth Co. KC. New Jersey.
BOB. Ch Golden Chance Of Franklin, S747712.
HMT. Newry's Prince Of Darkness, S769390.

02/11/2022

1956 Annual Specialty, Monmouth County KC, May 26, 1956.
BOB. Ch Whygin Skia Of Southdown, S708714
HMT. Ch Invails Pogey Bait, S661356.

29/10/2022

The Hiwood Mike Trophy, for LRC members only, was awarded to the member whose dog is judged best in the Field Trial Classes in the annual specialty show. The trophy shall remain the property of the club, but the member shall have custody for one year and the name of the winning dog and the member owning it shall be engraved thereon.
1950 - won by Ch Miss Dela-Winn, A848024. Owned by LRC member Mrs. Harley A Butler.
We would love to find a picture of the dog and/or the trophy!

29/10/2022

In search of the elusive inaugural National Specialty, I found this. It narrows down the search considerably!
(Note: the word 'national' was not yet in use.)

17/10/2022

King George V (Wolverton) had some nice-looking Labrador Retrievers!
https://www.agefotostock.com/age/en/details-photo/black-labradors-of-king-george-v-wolferton-simon-scrub-and-bob/MEV-12021273

18/06/2022

1975 National Specialty. Rock Creek KC (MD)
Best of Breed. Judge: Mrs. Miriam Kinsella
Ch Springfield's Musette
(Ch Kimvalley Crispin x Ch Kenbarra Jill)
Br: Ow: Mrs. Robert V. Clark, Jr.

18/06/2022

1974 National Specialty. Ox Ridge KC (CT)
Best of Breed. Judge James Warwick
Ch Kimvalley Picklewitch
(Eng Ch. Sandylands Mark x Shanbally Saphire)
Br: Mr & Mrs Shobrook
Ow: Mrs R. V. Clark, Jr

18/06/2022

1973 National Specialty Somerset Hills KC (NJ)
Best of Breed. Judge James Warwick
Ch Barnaby O'Brian (Ch Lockerbie Brian Boru x Firsty Fresca)
Br: Dr Robert Stragnell
Ow: Robert B. Matthews & Larry Worth