Читать книгу Airedale Terrier - Bardi McLennan - Страница 13

The Airedale Bowl, a perpetual trophy of the Airedale Terrier Club of America, has been awarded in Best of Breed Competition since 1910 and is now awarded no more than five times a year at the discretion of the Executive Committee. It is valued at $14,000 and remains in the possession of the club, with the winner receiving a commemorative award. Numerous bases have been added to the silver bowl to accommodate the names of the winners. The “Bowl” now stands approximately five feet tall! It is displayed and proudly photographed at the club’s specialty shows.

Stringent rules also govern the breeding of dogs in Russia. Permission must be obtained from a Club Council for every mating or the resulting litter cannot be shown. Russia began with bloodlines from many famous English kennels, but in the 1990s leaned heavily on US imports such as the Russian Best in Show winner Ch. Spindletop’s Desperado, a littermate to the US’s top Airedale, Ch. Spindletop’s New Kid In Town, bred by Anne Reese. Desperado is owned by Valentine Egorova of Saratov. Other top American dogs have gone to Helen Kukoleva (Emerald Dalikul) from Aletta Moore (Epoch).

There is a little controversy at present with the “old school” preferring the old-style bigger, slightly longer-bodied dogs with extremely hard coats and gorgeous heads, mostly coming down from Bengal and Mynair stock. The newer generation of breeders goes for dogs termed “Western-style” or those bred from American imports. The latter have managed to retain the good heads, which may mean that Russian imports will be appearing on the American show scene.

Airedales in Australian shows were originally shown in “the rough.” The first trimmed dogs were shown by L. Latchford (Aerial) in 1918 and created quite a stir, although everyone quickly followed suit. More recently, several kennels have been outstandingly successful, among them Mrs. Pauline Lewis’s Moylarg, Mrs. Geisla Lesh’s Strongfort, Bob and Jane Harvey’s Rangeaire, Keith and Patricia Lovell’s Tjuringa and David and Di Barclay’s York Park.

Ch. Brentleigh Ben Nevis, CD became a breed legend. He was the top winner for three consecutive years and was the first Airedale in Victoria to earn an obedience title. Although Ben Nevis died very young (age 7), he left behind 18 champions; 2 sons went on to earn CDX degrees and another led the life of a fox hunter and never saw the show ring but sired several champions.

Japan has been smitten by the Airedale since the 1920s. The Japan Airedale Terrier Society was founded in 1930 with most of their stock coming from England. Barely 30 dogs survived WWII, but a sufficient number of good dogs have been imported since to assure their future. In Japan, Airedales serve on the police force.

LADDIE BOY

US President Warren Harding’s Airedale, Laddie Boy, had his own hand-carved Cabinet chair where he sat during important conferences. He was also allowed the distinction of greeting dignitaries on the front steps of the White House. The press had great fun pretending to interview the dog on political questions. When President Harding died in 1923, thousands of newsboys donated pennies that were melted down and cast into a statue of Laddie Boy, which stands today in the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OHIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY.