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This Dalmatian Welsh History page, is to pay tribute to Welsh dogs and their breeders, that have contributed to the Dalmatians we see in the ring today! and can be found in extended pedigrees of almost all present day dogs!
Wales is NOT just the home of Puppy Farmers......
.......but also of many great dog breeders of the past, present and hopefully the future! in all breeds, not just Dalmatians!
There have been many well known Kennels domiciled in Wales, for a time in their existence, but I would like to concentrate more on true Welsh owned and bred! Dalmatians!
There will be kennel names you may have heard of, but have know real knowledge of the people behind the name, or even worse! - you may never have heard of these kennels and people that did so much to contribute to the Dalmatian!
The first Welsh history I have any knowledge of, is that of "Crib" sired by "Carlo" out of "old Gipsy" born 1865
He was a top winning dog between the years of 1866 to 1873. He was renowned for his very evenly distributed spotting. Its believed he won 200 firsts and was never beaten!
Crib, was owned by a very colourful Welsh character (not another one)! Mr R.J Lloyd Price of Rhiwlas, Bala (18 miles from Barmouth)
Mr Lloyd Price was a very well known dog man of his day, his interest was in lots of breeds, but what he was really famous for was having founded the first Sheepdog Trials in the British Isles in 1873! It was also in 1873 that he judged Dalmatians at the 3rd show to be held by the Kennel Club.
He also wrote the book, Dogs Ancient and Modern 1893. The following is an extract from that book in reference to his Dalmatian "Crib"......
' Whether or not the World renowned Ethiopian ever wished to change his spots, history relateth not, but certainly my old Dalmatian dog "Crib", who flourished somewhere about the period of the 'seventies, could never have wished them rubbed out. Nature had intended him for an animated currant dumpling, and he enacted the role exceedingly well. It may not appear so to the uninitiated, but the dog fancier knows how exceedingly hard it is to breed one of the Carriage Dogs with round black spots equally and evenly distributed all over his carcase from the top of his tail to the proboscis, the spot on which, according to the Christy Minstrels, the fleas sit while the dog is being washed, singing in chorus "Driven from Home".
Lloyd Price also founded The Frongoch Distillery, Wales' first commercial whisky distillery - you can read more about that by clicking here. .....and more about the first Sheepdog Trials by clicking here
Pic of Eddie Davies And Postchaise dogs!
The inset photo is Eddie's Foundation bitch "Claudine the Woozle"
The Postchaise Kennels of Eddie Davies was in Monmouthshire, South Wales.
It got underway in the 1940's and produced some great champions! Eddie's foundation bitch was "Claudine the Woozle" she, mated to Ch.Cabaret Copyright in 1940 produced his first champion, Ch.Turpins Shadow, who himself sired 3 champions!
Then came Ch.Postchaise Claudette (by Turpins Shadow x Postchaise Betty).
Then Ch.Postchaise Minstrel (by Postchaise Shadow (Who himself sired 3 Ch's) x Postchaise Kayenne).
Then, Ch.Postchaise Monarch (by P. Minstrel x Pixie of Green Alders).
Many well known kennels, inc, Cabaret, Tantivvey, Illyricum, made use (with great success)
of Postchaise stud dogs!
Ch.Postchaise Minstrel
ILesberry Dalmatians were in Bridgend and were active from about 1950 and made use of those great Postchaise Neighbours!
A super bitch, in the form of Josephine of Ilesberry (grand daughter of Ch. Turpins Shadow) was being campaigned - She won 1 CC & 3 RCC's for the Kennel.She had a particularly good year in 1953 where in spite of very stiff competition from the top kennels of the day, she won as follows.. BDC championship, under Mrs V Smither 1st limit B, 2nd open B. Windsor, under Mrs E Frankling, 1st limit, 1st open and the CC. Richmond under Mrs Gatheral, 1st limit.
Kensington under Mrs D Hamilton, 2nd Open and Res CC. Birmingham under Mrs Macdonald-Smith, 2nd open and res CC.
Their stud dog at that time was Postchaise Plute and later Peter Piper of Ilesberry (Ch.Cabaret Conservative x Josephine of Ilesberry) sire of Pixie of Greenalders, dam of Dalati Postchaise Marksman, and Ch. Postchaise Monarch.
Jopsephine of Ilesbury
Our next kennel started in the 1950's, "Of Menai" Dalmatians, belonging to Mr Roberts, although his affix was always used has a suffix. Bruce and I were very fortunate to spend a day at Mr Roberts home 27 years ago! His love for the breed was clear, and he was very proud of the stock he had bred!
Menai was in South Wales, but as his affix depicts, he was born in North Wales near the Menai Straights! Mr Roberts did not ever make up a Champion, (though I believe there was an Irish Champion in the late 60's) simply because he stopped attending Ch.shows some time in the 60's! He was a man with strong views and wanted to start a Welsh Dalmatian Club, to further the interests of the breed here! This, however, did not bode well with other Clubs' members, and there was much opposition to the idea, and Mr Roberts personally felt that this opposition extended to him! so decided not to participate at Championship Shows again!
Luckily for Dalmatians, he carried on with his line of good quality Dogs, but only exhibiting at local, Sanction, Limited and Open shows were his dogs had many Best in Show successes!
Postchaise and Duxfordham breeding featured strongly in his Pedigrees and Menai can be found in extended pedigrees of many Champions!
To this day there is a "Menai" cup on offer at the All Ireland Dalmatian Club Ch.show, for Best Novice Bitch!
I feel very lucky to have met Mr Roberts and been given the opportunity to be able to record this little bit of Dalmatian history!
My first Dalmatian (on the dogs lovingly remembered page) was mainly Menai bred!
I would be very grateful to receive any pics of Menai dogs!
Around the mid 1960's the Dalati Kennels of Mr.& Mrs.N. Hunton-Morgans, Llandovery, came into being.
The foundation for Dalati was Illyricum and Postchaise, their stud dog was Dalati Postchaise Marksman, brother to Ch. Postchaise Monarch, sired by Ch. Postchaise Minstrel x Pixie of Greenalders.
Mrs Aldrich-Blake, integrated Dalati into her Illyricum line, but the best of the Dalati's went overseas, and are behind many of the top Dalmatians in Europe, particularly the Netherlands and Germany. Present day exhibitors will perhaps be more familiar with the World Famous Dalati Welsh Springers! the breed this kennel later concentrated their efforts on with amazing success! Mr. & Mrs Hunton-Morgans also produced a son! none other than RHYS MORGANS who handles his wife's co owned dog... Ch.Spotnik's Special Selection!
and also in partnership with his wife, Annemiek, The Gwynmor Dalmatian Kennel! ( Rhys informs me that, Minstrel came to live with them on the death of Eddie Davis)
Belgium Ch. Dalati Pedrys 1970 (Netherlands), Int. Ch. Dalati Dodi, 1972 (Netherlands) and Dalati Catrin. Best Puppy Crufts 1969
Doug Mckenzie and his Frondeg Dalmatians, were active in the 70's. Doug's foundation bitch was Greenmount Grenadine.
The two males.. Frondeg Grand Duke, sired by Ch. Delvallie Blue Print and Frondeg Mister Mac, sired by Coachbarn Chevette of Greenmount, can be found in extended pedigrees of many champions.
Grand Duke, was the sire of the Tyrodal Foundation bitch, he and Mister Mac are also behind Cibrith Dalmatians.
Doug continues to Judge Dalmatians at Championship level and has served on the Welsh Kennel Club committee for a number of years!
Dalgarno, owned by Mrs Moore, in Llandysul. Started around 1970, her best known dog was Dalgarno Debonair, sired by Olbero Ocean Sailor x Prunella of Verulamium who was by scan Ch. Pepperpot Pentathlon. Mrs Moore mainly stuck to open shows, were Debonair won several BOB. From 'Prunella' she also bred Dalgarno Dallimore, sired by Once in a While of Olbero.
Dalgarno Debonair
This page is 'Under Construction', but will be up and running properly in no time at all!
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