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Copyright Kate Keely 2003
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In the begining......

 The first English Springers, Beauchief Bocara and Beauchief Belle arrived in the early thirties, courtesy of Frank Warner Hill and were imported into Tasmania by a Mr Little. 
Soon after, Research of Ranscombe and Joy  of the Cairnies went to Melbourne and together with Cavalier of  Gilderbrook they formed the basis of the breed in Australia at that time.  Whittlemoor Flicker (imp UK), a bitch of mainly field trial  breeding was mated to an Australian bred dog from Research and Joy and produced this countries first Dual Champion, Curtsey George.  In her  second litter she produced Dual Champion Curtsey Chicquita. 

Dual Ch Curtsey George

Both these springers are pictured in the book "The Popular Springer Spaniel'  written by Research's breeder Dorothy Morland Hooper and it is quite a compliment to be featured in a major British publication.  However, the possibility of any of today's springers going back to any of these  early imports is fairly remote. 

Ch Cruchfield The Squire

Winch Pyrites, who was bought from the Crawfords in the UK and was  imported in 1950 by Lorne Hood, had a positive effect on the breed.   Lorne Lucky Starr, bred by her, produced some litters for Mrs Linsen Perez, containing amongst others Casa Perez Chestnut Teal and later on Casa Perez Lady Seringa.  Descendants of these dogs whilst not by any  means numerous can still be found.  Chestnut Teal for example,  founded the Tallawalla Springers of Mrs Esther Benson.  Miss Hood also over time acquired two more imports, namely Winch Garnet, again from  the UK and a Sandhurst bitch bred by Miss Cooper in New Zealand.

Am Ch Dr Primrose of Wakefield (Imp USA)

 

Other Sandhursts came to Australia, this time accompanying Mrs Sapio  who emigrated here from New Zealand.  Her Cruchfield strain of  Springers is still well known today, not just because of her early English  imports (which included a dog from the famous Higham Kennels) but through  a B/W dog that she bred called Ch Cruchfield The Squire who joined the  Tallawalla Kennels in NSW.  Squire was from the two most notable imports of that time Am Ch Dr Primrose of Wakefield who came to Australia via the UK, and Aus Ch Majeba Mystery.  "Doc" as he was known has quite a few descendants in the UK for although he was only used once at  stud whilst there, it was to a b/w show champion bitch who produced the dam of Cleavehill Acorn, one of the seventies most popular stud dogs.  In Australia too, "Doc" can be found behind quite a few  winners, particularly in Queensland and Western Australia where Ch Tomara  Bronze Belle figured highly in the groups at Perth Royal in the early seventies.  

Hilrays Aurora (Imp USA) Hilrays Avant Garde (Imp USA)

The Sandhurst line was also behind another import to Queensland, Ch Tweedsmuir of Bronte, a dog who was used a great deal in that state and was at the forefront of the Oakspur springers of the Farmer family, who  are still breeding today.  Scottann Samson was another import who  features strongly in pedigrees from that era and although he was a British  import, it seems generally forgotten that he was a Grandson of Am Ch Melilotus Shooting Star.  Doc, Mystery and Samson were, together with their progeny, intermingled many times in many different combinations to  breed winners for the Tallawalla, Casa Perez, Cruchfield, Equity and  Springbow Kennels, to name a few.

Scottann Samson (Imp UK) Ch Majeba Mystery (Imp UK)

Another later import also made an impact on several of the above kennels. Hilrays Avant Garde together with his sister Aurora made the long journey from the States via the UK and took up residence at Ardroch kennels. Avant Garde was also successful at the 3rd Specialty run by the  NSW club, winning  RUBIS.

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