About the Club
Our first Show was held on Monday, 27th January,1958, Australia Day, which we deemed to be the best day for the showing of Australian Terriers. The day was a huge success. From the time when entrants collected their numbers until the receiving of their trophies,
things ran to a perfect time-table.
Members were very enthusiastic and so contributed well towards trophies. Even the latest member, who joined on the eve of the Show, not only brought along an anonymous donation but also a personal raffle donation which brought in the sum of
six pounds three shillings.
Mr. L. De Groen did an excellent job as Judge. The results of the day's judging are listed below.
It might be interesting to note that Lady Stanham of Camden Park was present at the Show,
having purchased two Australian Terriers recently.
We must add that Mr. Rosswell did a good job in selling catalogues and raffle tickets, and Mrs. Burchell took great care of the trophy table. My two daughters, Susie and Carol, earned my thanks as card writer and ribbon steward, and thanks also go to Mrs. E. Nicholson.
A mention, too, must be made of courtesy shown by A.T.N. Channel 7 and the Sydney Morning Herald for sending along representatives to report on the Show.In all, we had a very good day, and as Treasurer as well as Publicity Office, I know just how good the day was. If I have omitted my thanks to any person participating, please forgive me.
Ch Merryvale Blue Kim
Judge: Mr Leonard De Groen
What is an Australian Terrier?
The simple answer to this question is that he is one of Australia's original working dogs, of the same vintage as Cattle dogs. He was developed in response to the general need for a hunter of small pests and rodents throughout the country, particularly the Bubonic Plague carrying rat and those which destroyed grain and other food stocks.
The people who bred the originals were not interested in pedigrees or history, they wanted a dog who would earn his keep and be tough enough to live in very primitive conditions in the bush. Some research indicates that his likely origin was in Tasmania, but there are others which suggest that migrants, particularly Scots, brought their farm dogs with them and that the evolution was similar in many places, particularly in the goldfields.
Definitely involved in his parentage were the old "Scotch" or Highland crofter's terrier, the Skye Terrier ( a variation of the Scotch ), the Dandie Dinmont, the rough coated black and tan Terrier, and the short legged Irish Terrier. Beauty was of no concern, a good working dog was essential.
Whatever the real truth, the breed emerged as "Rough Coated Terriers", the first being shown in Melbourne in 1868. The first breed standard was written in 1887 and revised in 1889 by the newly formed Australian Rough Coated Terrier Club in Melbourne.
This Club still Exists as the Australian Terrier Club of Victoria, but, in contrast, The Australian Terrier Club of NSW, first formed in 1901, lapsed in 1914 and was not re-formed until 1957 by a group of enthusiastic breeders, none of whom remain as breeders today.
Notwithstanding the absence of a club in NSW, breeding continued here and stock was continually refined and improved until in the 1960's and "70's, some superb show specimens were being produced, a couple of whom remain the breed's biggest winners and who still rank high amongst all breeds. Despite this, Aussie has had to withstand some harsh and ill-founded criticism right throughout his long career. Perhaps it has made his breeders even more determined to succeed and prove the critics wrong.
So what of today's dog? Is he much different from his ancestors? Of course he has had to evolve to adapt to the changing conditions of dog ownership. The rough old country working dog who had to earn his keep or move on has become much more of a suburban companion dog than a pure hunter. To adapt, he has lost some of that fierce Terrier character so essential to a working hunter but so often so difficult for humans to live with!
This is not to say that he no longer has the ability to hunt - far from it as so many owners will attest with stories of rat's nests being cleared in seconds and yards being devoid of any "foreigners". But these same dogs will curl up in master's lap at the slightest invitation and have even been known to yawn at judges in the showring.
Mind you, there isn't anything at a dog show to interest a bright intelligent Aussie. But give him something to chase of dig out of a burrow and the transformation is magical.
The Aussie is not a fighter, although he is very jealous of his territory and will defend it and his master to the death. He gives no hint of being aware of his relatively small size and will defend against invading Dobermans as enthusiastically as against rats or snakes.
But, for all his territorial jealousy, he is not normally a noisy dog, barking only when there is a good reason which makes him an excellent watchdog. With his small size and pleasant disposition with humans, he is ideal in Australian suburbia. Aussie is now recognized as a specific breed right around the world with quite large populations in England, Scandinavia, USA and Asia.
I have seen Aussies in all guises from rough workers and street dogs to superb show dogs, and they have all been distinctly Australian Terriers no matter how unkempt.
They all exhibit the same friendly, alert personality and eagerness to please, and they all share that common heritage of toughness, adaptability and bouncy courage that sets Aussie apart from all other breeds as a great general doggy companion.