THE HISTORY OF THE POINTER CLUB by Aidine Howes
According to writings on the Pointer we find its origins in Europe, references to Braches -pointing dogs-trace back to the mid thirteenth century. Paintings of Pointers exist from the fifteenth century, one eighteenth century example is an oil painting by Oudry of Blanche a Lemon & White bitch from the royal kennels of France.
The Pointer in the United Kingdom can be traced back to the early nineteenth century but there is little documentation of the breed prior to the establishment of Field Trials. Kennel type varied, several clubs were formed and lapsed, breed standards set and from these roots the modern Pointer and Breed Clubs have evolved.
The Pointer Club came into being following the ever-increasing interest of a number of breed enthusiasts in the UK. The Late AJ Patterson, Muick Pointers, then Chief Constable of Leeds, called an informal meeting at the ringside of Crufts in 1960, amid some chaos order was restored and the decision was made to form The Pointer Club. Officers were appointed by the founder members, the pro tem secretary would be Mr David Skinn and the pro tem treasurer would be Dr F Chricton Grey, it was agreed that a pro tem committee would run the club until the first Annual General Meeting could be held on 16th March 1961. Mr William Parkinson was elected President. After only a few months Mr Skinn was unable to continue in his elected role and Kitty Edmondson took over as Secretary a post she held for the following 10 Years.
The first event held by The Pointer Club on 10 December 1960 was a match meeting with Shipley Canine Society that was judged by Mr Neville J Perkins who later became President of the Club
1961 Saw the publication of the first Newsletter this was distributed to approximately 80 members. The first show was held at Meanwood Working Mens Club and judged by Mr John Downey 59 Pointers were entered and BIS was Ch.Blenmar Bianca
1963 The first year book was published, the first Pointer Club Field Trial was held at Threshfield, Nr Skipton by kind permission of Mr & Mrs Fenwick. The Trial was an Open Stake, no award was given but Mr Des McGarry achieved second place with Toberdoney Impeccable, a special was given for the unluckiest dog Shordale Serenade. 1963 also saw the first Championship Show, this was judged by Mr Eric Seaman and held at the Auction Mart in Crewe the Dog CC was Cynthia Lewis' Waghorn Statesman and the Bitch CC Eggleston's Pennine Pleasure.
1964 Membership now stood at 96 the present day membership is over 350.
1971 The first Rallies were held, Mr Roy Harrison was now Hon Secretary.
1972 Membership had increased to over 200. Mrs Rhodes became Secretary
1981 The Clubs 21st anniversary The Club celebrated this at the Championship Show and also held a "Parade of Champions" This was well attended and each Show Champion exhibit was given a commemorative rosette
1983 At the Championship Show BIS was Lokmadi Pinball Wizard of Medogold owned by Mick & Aidine Howes
1984 Membership in excess of 280. Mr Tony Powell becomes Secretary
1985 Dr Ron James' Jasmorne Democrat was BIS at the Championship Show
1990 Mr Bernard Child (Kirkabbey) becomes President. The Club continues to hold A championshipshow, Field Trials, Open Shows and the Christmas Rally.
1995 The Pointer Club launches the first of its in depth lectures upon the breed.
1997 At The Club Championship Show this year Sh Ch Fleurfields James James belonging to Mrs Lyn Hinton won his 3rd Best in Show at this show the others being won in 1994 and 1995 this is the only time that a dog has won this award three times
2000 The 40th Anniversary Celebration includes an International Field Trial at Balmoral in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.The teams from England, Scotland and Ireland competed with the top award going to the Irish Team. The Show events were maintained together with the usual Christmas Rally.
2001 The Outbreak of Foot and Mouth caused the cancellation of the years Field Trial events but the Shows went ahead. Some of our Life Members were present at the Championship Show: Mr Bernard Child; Mr Roy Harrison; Mr Tony Powell; Mrs Lynda Powell and Mrs Shirley Rhodes.
2002 Only Northumberland remained out of bounds from Foot and Mouth disease in January but The Pointer Club Field Trial events were held as usual. The Club decided to give a new award this year to the Kennel gaining the most points at our shows in 2001, this was won by the Tzaziki kennel. A special presentation of a 25yr old malt whisky was made to Des McGarry of the famous Toberdoney affix, for 50 yrs in the breed. A past Secretary & Life Member Mr Roy Harrison passed away this year.
2003 The Pointer Club enters its 43rd year
2004 The Committee discover that the Club funds had been misappropriated. Tony Powell, the former secretary resigns. The committee take prompt action and a new management team is put in place. Mrs Aidine Howes, takes over as Secretary, Mr Bernard Davis as Treasurer.
2005 The Clubs finances are turned around and the Membership supports the committee The Championship show returns to Newark and Notts showground and the educational program is reinstated for the benefit of prospective judges
2006 The Pointer Club receives a massive entry for its championship show in April with 254 dogs the third highest entry ever recorded in the UK. Meryl Asbury becomes Field Trials Secretary and Glynis Marsh takes over from Bernard Davis as Treasurer. Mary McBurnie is now Committee Chairman. After the resignation of Bernard Child prior to the 2005 AGM Frank Sutcliffe is welcomed as President
PAST PRESIDENTS OF THE POINTER CLUB
1960 -1962..... Mr W Parkinson
1963........... Mr D McGarry
1964 -1965..... Mrs A Broadhead
1966........... Mrs P Badenach Nicholson
1967........... Mr B Wade
1968 -1969..... Mr W Parkinson
1970 -1971..... Mr D McGarry
1972 -1976..... Lady Jean Fforde
1977 -1979..... Mrs Kitty Edmondson
1980 -1989..... Mr N J Perkins
1990 - 2005..... Mr B Child
2006 - 2009….. Mr F Sutcliffe
2009 - 2012 .. Mr Bernard Davies
2012 - 2015 .. Colin Mackay
2015 - Present.. Meryl Asbury
PAST HONORARY SECRETARIES OF THE POINTER CLUB
1960........... Mr D Skinn
1961 - 1970..... Mrs K Edmondson
1971 - 1972..... Mr R Harrison
1973 - 1978..... Mrs S Rhodes
1979........... Mrs K Woolley
1980 - 1983..... Mrs D Dufton
1984 - 2004..... Mr T Powell
2004 - 2018.... Mrs A Howes
2018 - 2019 Mrs J Best
2019 - 2021 Mrs Patricia Eldridge
2021 - Present Mr Andy Swannell
© The Pointer Club
According to writings on the Pointer we find its origins in Europe, references to Braches -pointing dogs-trace back to the mid thirteenth century. Paintings of Pointers exist from the fifteenth century, one eighteenth century example is an oil painting by Oudry of Blanche a Lemon & White bitch from the royal kennels of France.
The Pointer in the United Kingdom can be traced back to the early nineteenth century but there is little documentation of the breed prior to the establishment of Field Trials. Kennel type varied, several clubs were formed and lapsed, breed standards set and from these roots the modern Pointer and Breed Clubs have evolved.
The Pointer Club came into being following the ever-increasing interest of a number of breed enthusiasts in the UK. The Late AJ Patterson, Muick Pointers, then Chief Constable of Leeds, called an informal meeting at the ringside of Crufts in 1960, amid some chaos order was restored and the decision was made to form The Pointer Club. Officers were appointed by the founder members, the pro tem secretary would be Mr David Skinn and the pro tem treasurer would be Dr F Chricton Grey, it was agreed that a pro tem committee would run the club until the first Annual General Meeting could be held on 16th March 1961. Mr William Parkinson was elected President. After only a few months Mr Skinn was unable to continue in his elected role and Kitty Edmondson took over as Secretary a post she held for the following 10 Years.
The first event held by The Pointer Club on 10 December 1960 was a match meeting with Shipley Canine Society that was judged by Mr Neville J Perkins who later became President of the Club
1961 Saw the publication of the first Newsletter this was distributed to approximately 80 members. The first show was held at Meanwood Working Mens Club and judged by Mr John Downey 59 Pointers were entered and BIS was Ch.Blenmar Bianca
1963 The first year book was published, the first Pointer Club Field Trial was held at Threshfield, Nr Skipton by kind permission of Mr & Mrs Fenwick. The Trial was an Open Stake, no award was given but Mr Des McGarry achieved second place with Toberdoney Impeccable, a special was given for the unluckiest dog Shordale Serenade. 1963 also saw the first Championship Show, this was judged by Mr Eric Seaman and held at the Auction Mart in Crewe the Dog CC was Cynthia Lewis' Waghorn Statesman and the Bitch CC Eggleston's Pennine Pleasure.
1964 Membership now stood at 96 the present day membership is over 350.
1971 The first Rallies were held, Mr Roy Harrison was now Hon Secretary.
1972 Membership had increased to over 200. Mrs Rhodes became Secretary
1981 The Clubs 21st anniversary The Club celebrated this at the Championship Show and also held a "Parade of Champions" This was well attended and each Show Champion exhibit was given a commemorative rosette
1983 At the Championship Show BIS was Lokmadi Pinball Wizard of Medogold owned by Mick & Aidine Howes
1984 Membership in excess of 280. Mr Tony Powell becomes Secretary
1985 Dr Ron James' Jasmorne Democrat was BIS at the Championship Show
1990 Mr Bernard Child (Kirkabbey) becomes President. The Club continues to hold A championshipshow, Field Trials, Open Shows and the Christmas Rally.
1995 The Pointer Club launches the first of its in depth lectures upon the breed.
1997 At The Club Championship Show this year Sh Ch Fleurfields James James belonging to Mrs Lyn Hinton won his 3rd Best in Show at this show the others being won in 1994 and 1995 this is the only time that a dog has won this award three times
2000 The 40th Anniversary Celebration includes an International Field Trial at Balmoral in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.The teams from England, Scotland and Ireland competed with the top award going to the Irish Team. The Show events were maintained together with the usual Christmas Rally.
2001 The Outbreak of Foot and Mouth caused the cancellation of the years Field Trial events but the Shows went ahead. Some of our Life Members were present at the Championship Show: Mr Bernard Child; Mr Roy Harrison; Mr Tony Powell; Mrs Lynda Powell and Mrs Shirley Rhodes.
2002 Only Northumberland remained out of bounds from Foot and Mouth disease in January but The Pointer Club Field Trial events were held as usual. The Club decided to give a new award this year to the Kennel gaining the most points at our shows in 2001, this was won by the Tzaziki kennel. A special presentation of a 25yr old malt whisky was made to Des McGarry of the famous Toberdoney affix, for 50 yrs in the breed. A past Secretary & Life Member Mr Roy Harrison passed away this year.
2003 The Pointer Club enters its 43rd year
2004 The Committee discover that the Club funds had been misappropriated. Tony Powell, the former secretary resigns. The committee take prompt action and a new management team is put in place. Mrs Aidine Howes, takes over as Secretary, Mr Bernard Davis as Treasurer.
2005 The Clubs finances are turned around and the Membership supports the committee The Championship show returns to Newark and Notts showground and the educational program is reinstated for the benefit of prospective judges
2006 The Pointer Club receives a massive entry for its championship show in April with 254 dogs the third highest entry ever recorded in the UK. Meryl Asbury becomes Field Trials Secretary and Glynis Marsh takes over from Bernard Davis as Treasurer. Mary McBurnie is now Committee Chairman. After the resignation of Bernard Child prior to the 2005 AGM Frank Sutcliffe is welcomed as President
PAST PRESIDENTS OF THE POINTER CLUB
1960 -1962..... Mr W Parkinson
1963........... Mr D McGarry
1964 -1965..... Mrs A Broadhead
1966........... Mrs P Badenach Nicholson
1967........... Mr B Wade
1968 -1969..... Mr W Parkinson
1970 -1971..... Mr D McGarry
1972 -1976..... Lady Jean Fforde
1977 -1979..... Mrs Kitty Edmondson
1980 -1989..... Mr N J Perkins
1990 - 2005..... Mr B Child
2006 - 2009….. Mr F Sutcliffe
2009 - 2012 .. Mr Bernard Davies
2012 - 2015 .. Colin Mackay
2015 - Present.. Meryl Asbury
PAST HONORARY SECRETARIES OF THE POINTER CLUB
1960........... Mr D Skinn
1961 - 1970..... Mrs K Edmondson
1971 - 1972..... Mr R Harrison
1973 - 1978..... Mrs S Rhodes
1979........... Mrs K Woolley
1980 - 1983..... Mrs D Dufton
1984 - 2004..... Mr T Powell
2004 - 2018.... Mrs A Howes
2018 - 2019 Mrs J Best
2019 - 2021 Mrs Patricia Eldridge
2021 - Present Mr Andy Swannell
© The Pointer Club