|
THE START OF GSPs IN AUSTRALIA
The
formation of the first Australian German Shorthaired Pointer Club
came into being due to the vision, enthusiasm drive and passion of a
handful of dedicated and single minded people in Victoria in the early
1960's. These people were looking for a dog that would be capable
of performing all the jobs required of a hunting dog. They
wanted a pointer, setter and retriever, and more, in the one package.
An all rounder, a utility dog. They found these attributes in the
German Shorthaired Pointer. Mr. Jack Thomson is credited with
importing to Austra
 lia, the first pedigreed GSPs in 1962.
The
first Australian GSP litter was born in 1964. The following year in
August 1965, a large group of interested people met at the
Melbourne Gun Club to officially form the GSP Club of Victoria.
The Club was affiliated with the Kennel Control Council (now VCA) in
October of the same year. This was followed in 1968 with the formation
of the New South Wales GSP club, and, as numbers and interest grew, GSP
clubs in every mainland state of Australia. The first Novice and
Open field trial conducted by the Victorian club was in May 1966. This
event, and one the following year, were conducted under the
Pointer and Setter rules, as, at that time there were no rules
specifically for Utility gundogs. This issue was addressed in May
1968 when the GSP Club of Vic, sanctioned by the KCC, held a TEST TRIAL
for Utility gundogs held under the new UTILITY GUNDOG RULES.
Since that time to now, GSPs have dominated Field Trial results,
thus fulfilling the original expectation of an all round utility gun
dog of the highest quality.
To quote Mr. Thomson, "I wanted a
fine-looking dog". This has resulted in GSPs often taking out top
conformation show awards competing against all breeds. GSPs were first
entered at the Melbourne Royal in 1963. There was only one entry
that year, but numbers grew rapidly, 23 in 1965, 32 in 1968, and
50 in 1970.
Again to quote Mr. Thomson, "I wanted one (breed) with
a steady temperament, keen senses, the elusive quality of 'biddability'
plus plenty of initiative and spirit". This simple statement so
eloquently sums up the many activities with which the breed is
involved. Field trialling, retrieving, conformation, obedience,
tracking, and agility are the most usual activities associated with
GSPs, but they also perform well in not so well known fields,
such as sniffer dogs, assistance dogs and pets as therapy dogs.
Today,
forty years after its inception the GSP Club Vic Inc, with the help of
enthusiastic supporters, is still conducting events for the promotion
of the breed. We are honored to now also be a member of
the Deutsch Kurzhaar Weltverband, which is a worldwide association of
GSP clubs from approximately 40 countries, on every continent, all
working together to promote this multitalented breed. |
