Our Berkshire Downs and Chilterns Golden Retriever Club was founded in 1978, the name coming from the area that the club covered, from the downs of Berkshire to the Chiltern hills, which includes the counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire. The Club’s first Chairperson was Mrs Kathleen Honess (Rooftreetops), the secretary was Mrs Elsie Henbest (Byxfield) and the Treasurer was Mrs Kay Ledingham (Sundials) (who was also the Rescue Officer) and the first meeting was held at Hare Hatch Village Hall. Our current President, Mr Roy Maynard, was another of the founding committee members.
From the start the committee felt it was important to promote education and training and seminar and classes were held by some of the most successful breeders of the time. This is a theme which continues to today with occasional seminars and training classes being held to educate and train the members.
The first ever meeting was assembled at Hare Hatch Village Hall near Maidenhead where the new committee created the Club’s name - the idea being that from Berkshire the Downs bordered Hampshire and the Chilterns would encompass Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.
The first Open shows were held at Ascot racecourse and then moved to Horspath and the first Championship Shows were at Watford, then Slough, and we are now at the Kennel Club Building, Stoneleigh.
Working tests, and for almost 20 years AV Retriever Field Trials, have been run at many venues over the years. The committee is grateful to all the landowners who give us access to their lovely grounds.
As a club we have grown annually since its first inception and now it covers the counties of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire, although membership is open to all.
Every year we run both a summer Open Show usually at the beginning of July and a Championship show in November. Click on the Show News link on the menu for more information. We send a team to represent the Club at the annual Inter-Club Working Test (ICWT)which each Golden Retriever Breed Club takes turn to host. Our last turn as hosts was in 2014. Anyone to come along to the ICWT and watch some of the top dogs, and handlers, in the country compete.
Our Field Trial and Working Test Secretaries keep us up to date with new events for those interested in working in the field. We aim to run novice training days and a Working Gundog Certificate assessment day for those interested. Click on the Field Trial or Working Test link for more information.
Our Re-Homing Officer will try and help anyone from our area that needs to find a new home for their dog. This service is non-judgemental and confidential to the club and will try and help find the dog a suitable new home. Click on the Re-homing link for more information.
