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Breed Standard & History
Breed Standard General appearance- Active, graceful and well balanced,with gental expression. Characteristics - Sporting, affectionate, absolutely fearless. Temperament - Gay, friendly, non-aggressive; no tendency towards nervousness. Size - Weights 5.4 to 8,1 Kgs (12 to 18 lbs) a small well balanced dog well WITHIN these weights desirable. Head and Skull - Skull almost flat between the ears, Stop shallow, length from base of stop to tip of nose 1 1/2 ", Nostrils, black & well developed without flesh marks, Muzzle, well tapered, Lips, Welldeveloped but not pendulous, Face, well filled below the eyes, any tendency to snipiness undesirable. Eyes - Large, dark, round, but not prominent, spaced well apart. Ears - Long, set high with plenty of feathering. Mouth - Jaws strong, with a perfect, regular and complete scissor bite, ie, the upper teeth closely overlapping the lower teeth and set square to the jaws. Neck - Moderate length, Slightly arched. Forequaters - Chest Moderate, Sholders well laid back, strait legs moderately boned. Body - Short coupled with good spring of rib, level back. Hindquaters - Legs with moderate bone, well turned stifle -no tendency to cow of sickle hocks. Feet - Compact, cushioned and well feathered Tail - Length of tail in balance with the body, well set on, carried happily but never much above the level of the back. Gait / Movement - Free moving and elegant in action, plenty of drive from behind, fore and hind legs move parallel when viewed from in front and behind. Coat - long, silky, free from curl, a slight wave is permissible, plenty of feathering, Totally free from trimming. Recognised Colours Blenheim, Rich chestnut markings well broken up on a pearly white background, markings evenly devided on the head, leaving room for the much valued lozenge mark or spot (a unique characteristic of the breed) Ruby - Wholecoloured rich red, white markings undesirable. Tricolour - Black and White well spaced and broken up with tan markings above the eyes, on cheeks, inside ears, inside legs and underside of tail. Black and Tan - Raven Black with tan markings above the eyes, on cheeks, inside ears, on chest and legs and underside of tail, Tan should be bright, White markings undesirable. Any other colour or combination of colours most undesirable.
History of the breed prior to 1975
The story of the Cavalier is a fascinating one,which, but for a few breeders in Britian some fourty years ago might never have been told. For the breed was almost extinct in 1925, when Cavaliers lived only in the pages of history books and paintings.
The earliest Cavaliers, with many of their toy spaniel cousins appear in the works of such artists as Titian, Van Dyke, and Velasquez to mention just a few. The two spaniels sitting on either side of the children on Charles 1 in the famous Van Dyke portrait, could belong to any Cavalier owner today. The heritage from the Royal Court is unquestionable; there on the canvas are the same flat-headed, shallow-stopped, “nosey” little dogs. But on the fall of the Stuarts they went out of fashion.
In 1926, a Mr. R Eldridge of the U.S.A. visited England and was horrified to find that the old type of toy spaniel which he had so admired had been replaced by the flat-nosed King. In an effort to encourage the return of the Cavalier in it’s rightful form. He offered a prize of £ 25, for the best dog and bitch (£ 25 for each), for five years running, to be exhibited in a class for Blenheim Spaniels of the old type at Cruft’s.
The catalogue read as follows: ‘As shown in the pictures of Charles 11 time, i.e, a long face, no stop, flat skull not inclined to be domed and a spot on the centre of the skull.’.
This did succeed in reviving interest in the breed to a certain extent and in 1928 the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Club was first registered, This name was chosen for the breed but in fact, these little dogs where shown in the same clases as the ordinary King Charles until 1945 when separate registrations and classifications were granted by the Kennel Club.
Since then the breed has progressed with amazing speed and in 1967 the CavalierKing Charles Spaniel topped the toy registrations in England.
Australian History of the Breed
Prior to 1975.
The first Cavaliers to be brought to this country accompanied Lord de Lisle, the Governor General of Australia, from England. However, these two bitches were never bred from in this country and returned with His Excellency at the conclusion of his term of office. It is interesting to note that later his daughter, Lady Anne Harries purchased a Cavalier here during her time in this country and bred with her, (Kerensa Thumberlina)
In 1960 Mrs. Esler of Victoria purchased Soyland Begonia , from New Zealand in whelp to N.Z. CH Angelo of Crustadele (Imp UK). Mr. And Mrs. Philpott, also from Victoria, brought out their bitch, Scarlet, from the U.K. with them in 1961, and then Mrs. Esler imported Lovage of Ttiweh from Mrs. Pitt in England.
From Begonia’s first litter came Oakland Sweet Nell, later to be purchased by Mr. And Mrs. Dixon of NSW, and from her second litter by Lovage of Ttiweh, Oakland Bow Bells also purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Dixon.
The Philpotts mated Scarlet to Lovage also and quickly established their Lancresse Kennels. Lovage was then sold to Miss Reading amd Mrs. Paterson of W.A., along with his son Oakland Toby Jugg from Sweet Nell. Tobys sister Little Ouse came to N.S.W. to Mrs. E Bell. Toby Jug was later brought to N.S.W. also by Mrs. W Chandler and Mrs. J Elliot along with Pellemelle Genevieve.
Meanwhile the Dixons Had imported from New Zealand Moerangi Ophelia and from U.K. Justice of Eyeworth and the ill-fated Suntop Ida in 1963. In spite of the fact that the only puppy produced by these two imports was the bitch Dai Jon Dinky Di Lady a strain was established which was still flourishing in 1975.
As a matter of interest Suntop Ida missed out on becoming an Australian Champion by only one point. Dinky, born in April 1693 was the first Cavalier Registered in N.S.W. In October, Oakland Bow Bells produced Dai Jon Royal Justine by Justice of Eyeworth. Blue Skies Saxon and Charles, were bred in December from Lovage of Ttiweh and Oakland Little Ouse.
From these four registrations in N.S.W. in 1963: and 1967 registrations in 1970 (totalling 260 in those 8 years) the number sprang to 167 in 1974, following the Cruft’s Best in Show win by the Cavalier, Alansmere Aquarius, and already in 1975 115 for January to the end of June.
Some early Show Wins in N.S.W.
Best in Show by, CH Gaysprite the Regent, at Gunnedah in April 1971:
Runner up to Best in Show by, Colgun Ramble On, at Tamworth in October 1973:
Best in Show by, CH Tremincka Pageboy, at 4P’s in March 1974:
Runner up to Best in Show, by CH Kerensa Bold Peter, at Tumut in March 1975.
Melinda Sterrett Bankstown, NSW, Australia Phone : 0297905401 or M..0428746636 Email : ertae63@yahoo.com.au |
