Canberra & District Sporting Terrier Club History 
By Robert Bartram  

 In the recently issued British Terrier Club Centenary Book the entry for 1965 reads in part: 
“Encouraging news from Canberra , whence, Mr J Rodda informs us of the intention of Terrier enthusiasts in the ACT of forming their own British Terrier Club. Our Club is delighted with the news and we wish the Canberra terrier folk every success in their venture.”  

As we all know the Club, although catering for all the British terrier breeds was formed under it’s current name and has continued to operate for the following four decades under that name. 

I first joined the Club in early, January or February, 1969 when it used to meet downstairs in the meeting room at the Monaro Mall in Civic. Mike Plane (XIPHERES) another Life Member of the Club joined on the same night. 

Those actively involved when I first joined were John Rodda and his wife. He was President and they exhibited Smooths. Indeed John had a terrier licence and I recall showing under him once at Bungendore if I’m not mistaken. He and his wife left Canberra not long after that and we never heard from them again. Leslie Russell was Secretary for a short time and with husband John showed WFT. Margaret and Jim Merchant had recently started exhibiting Cairns with some success and were active supporters of the Club. They bred and showed for about 10 years until Margaret left Canberra and both left the dog world. Among the others were Jim Street ( Cairns ), Jim Adam (SFT), David and Pauline Coppin (WFT), Mavis and Reg Dalton (WHW) and Les and Marion Kendall (SBT). 

As can be seen many of those people who were in the Club when I first joined didn’t stay terribly long in the dog world but I think one needs to acknowledge the affect a number had on the local terrier scene and their breeds.  

David and Pauline Coppin (COPPINWIRE) worked closely with the Bookers (De Montfort) in Sydney who were at that time leading WFT breeders in NSW. Their WFT were regular winners in the local area and David was a dab hand at presentation. Their Ch Coppinwire Coppeta was I recall best Terrier Bitch one year at the Sydney Royal in the days when BIG and Best Opposite was judged. They have not had dogs for many years now but live in Queanbeyan where I see them quite regularly.  

The Daltons were probably the first local breeders to meet with considerable success with their homebred stock outside the local area. Their ARDRESSE Westies based heavily on the famous Branston line of the Dennis’ in the UK were successful throughout Australia both in the ring and breeding pen. I’m sure there must be many Westies today in this country who still have this famous Canberra prefix in their extended pedigrees. Reg was transferred with his work to Albury and set up his kennels at Howlong. Sadly he died in a car accident on his way home from a Sydney show. A warm and friendly man with great knowledge, he was sadly missed by all. Mavis moved back to the area and lived the last few years of her life in a nursing home in Canberra .  

The Kendall’s MICANLYN prefix was known in Stafford circles from the very earliest days of the breed in this country and their Ch/NZ Ch Mowcop Maestro (Imp NZ), a son of NZ Ch Weycombe Timothy (Imp UK), was BIS at the first three shows of the Stafford Club in NSW starting in 1965. Hailing from Yorkshire, both Les and Marion were devoted to the breed, and the pioneering work that they and people like them did, very largely set the breed up for the pre eminent position it currently holds in the Group.  

As mentioned previously Mike Plane joined the Club the same night as I did in 1969 and served the Club well for many years often as President. His strong hand and wise counsel saw the Club through some very lean times in the early years. He served his beloved Bull Terriers well as a breeder, judge, importer and administrator and through is close friendship with that great doyen of the breed the late Raymond Oppenheimer kept local enthusiasts in touch with developments at the very top of the breed in it’s country of origin. His loss of interest in the dog world and rapid withdrawal from it was a grave loss to his breed and to this Club.  

A number of other current members of the Club have been members for a very long while.  

Liz Hindley joined in 1971 with a Westie from the Daltons . In the late 70s she transferred her loyalties to Norfolks and since then has strongly promoted the breed in this country with an extensive program of imports and breeding under her JOTRUBA prefix. She has a licence to judge terriers and has judged quite extensively in this country and overseas.

Margaret Hill (RAWHITI) and Kitch Robinson (LOCHAWE) long stalwarts of the NSW Cairn Club have been members of the Club since the mid 70s and although based in Sydney have been regular exhibitors in the past and most generous to the Club with donations.

Warren and Carol Goldsworthy started their ABERDEEN Scotties in 1968 and have also enjoyed considerable success in Norfolks and SFT. Based in Canberra from 1974 to 1978 they were extremely active in the Club and the local terrier scene generally. Sadly they missed Sydney so much they decided to return but have maintained a long term interest in this club as well as taking an active role in both the British Terrier and the Scottie Club in Sydney . A well known and popular judge Warren had adjudicated for the Club in the past as well as most States of Australia and has recently returned from judging a breed club open show in UK. Probably the highlight of their time in dogs was to breed BIS winner at Sydney Royal under that great English terrier lady Ferelith Hamilton.

Mike and Di Cross first joined the Club when they moved here in 1975 in the aftermath of Cyclone Tracy and apart from a short period when they returned to Darwin have remained active members. Mike is a past President and Di in particular has been a mainstay of the Club holding almost every position in the Club. She is a Life Member and remains Publicity Officer and continues to produce a very informative and well produced newsletter bimonthly. Secretary of the ACT Bull Terrier Club, President of the NSW Border Terrier Club, Secretary of the National Bull Terrier Council (Aust) as well as on the Committee of the NSW Cairn Club it’s a wonder Di gets any time to turn out the lovely Bull Terriers and Parsons under their MISSIGAI prefix which she has done regularly over the years. There are many who think that the only way this has been accomplished is as a result of the unstinting efforts of the Kennel Boy – Mike!

Pamela Guilfoyle, as she then was, joined in 1979 with her husband Robert and showed for a very short period of time a Stafford and then Cairns . They then became interested in Borders and Pamela and her second husband Garth Harding continue to breed and show them under their GUILCROFT prefix as well as taking an active role in running the Border Club. Pamela is currently President of the Club, has her terrier licence and has had appointments in most states of Australia and in New Zealand .  

To keep this article within manageable proportions I have deliberately restricted it to those people I can clearly remember from my first meeting who made a distinct contribution to the Club or the Group and to members who joined in the 70s and remain members today. In the 40 years I’ve been a member there has been a tremendous turnover in members and office bearers with many staying on only for a short while but we have had some hardy stalwarts who have served the Club for many years. Among those who spring readily to mind are Maureen Thomas and Pauline Cobb both of whom have been made Life members in recognition of their efforts. We are fortunate to have some younger faces on the Committee at the moment and I’m sure whoever is updating this in 40 years will have cause to mention Tracy Rule, Andrew Hutton, Tania Squires, Rob Birse and Nathan Jennings.

The Club has over the years brought to this country a number of eminent terrier specialists from the UK to give exhibitors an opportunity to seek fresh and experienced opinions. Among these we have been fortunate to have Maureen Micklethwaite, currently President of National Terrier (UK), Anne Roslin Williams, the late Harold Wright, Maurice Marshall and Ronnie Irving currently Chairman of the Kennel Club, who will adjudicate for us again in October 08.

We have also had a number of judges from other countries, but mainly New Zealand. I recall fondly the visits in the early days of the late Marion Forrester (LOGGERHEADS) who judged for us on a couple of occasions and was a most charming and knowledgeable dog lady. Marion Harding (WARSOP) and Diane O’Keefe are another couple of Kiwis who spring readily to mind.  

The Club has always operated with a relatively small active membership and this remains true today. The Committee, small as it is, gets on with its work in a harmonious manner and will no doubt continue to do so.  

Those interested in terriers and keen to promote them are always most welcome to join the Club and continue the tradition begun by those in the early 60s who had the foresight to see the need for a Club to represent the interests of terriers in this area. We owe it to both them and the terriers to ensure the continuation of the Club and indeed to see it prosper.

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