THE BEGINNING: 1948-49

The Northern Ireland Pointer Club first applied for registration with the Kennel Club in August 1948, requesting the Northern Ireland Pointer Club as its first choice title with the Ulster Pointer Club and Northern Pointer Club as alternatives. It held its first Trials the following year.

Twenty five foundation members paid a £2 subscription and the aims of the Club were devised. In the early days the NIPC had a closer relationship with the showing fraternity than is presently the case. Its primary objective, stated in the original Rule Book, was "the cultivation of a dual purpose dog and the promotion of the breed in Ireland".
Although it has always drawn its membership from throughout the island and also from the mainland, the Club was conceived and nurtured in the Ulster-Scots heartland of Co. Antrim and the famous Glens County continues to host the majority of Club events.

The first Annual General Meeting was held in Hall's Hotel, Antrim. Thirteen members attended and the Officers were elected. The first President was Mr. W. J. McCoubrey of High Street, Ballynahinch, and he continued in this position until 1962. The original Chairman was Dr. T. Boyd of Kilrea. He served the Club in a variety of positions until 1980. Mr. A. Steede of Belfast was elected Hon. Treasurer, and Mr. W. R. Gardiner, also from Belfast, became the Hon. Secretary.

First Hon Treasurer Mr A Steede

Other business dealt with at the first AG M set the pattern for the years to come. It was decided to hold 2 days of trialling day 1 to consist of a Puppy Derby for Pointers and any variety of Setter born the previous year, and an All Aged Stake for Pointers only. Day2 saw an Open All Aged Stake and a Novice Stake both for pointers and setters. Two judges were appointed to judge the four stakes, Rev. John McMenamin of Donegal, and Rev. T. R. Eakins, Castlecaulfield. This practice of one pair of judges to officiate throughout the two days continues in Scotland but was discontinued by the Northern Ireland clubs during the mid-seventies, when instead they opted for a different pair for each day.

Several letters were read from Show Societies asking for guarantees for Pointer classes.
During 1949 a total of £8-9-6 was paid in support of Shows. The Club also proposed suitably experienced names to judge. These included the President, the Chairman, and Mr. A. Elliott of Killyleagh.

The Trials during 1949 were held on Cleggan Moor, Co. Antrim, by kind permission of Sir Hugh O'Neill, on the 22 and 23 July. The Gamekeepers received tips amounting to three pounds for their help at the Trials. A total of 29 dogs contested the four events, and 4 dogs were assessed for Qualifying Certificates. Dr. Brian Deeny of Strabane was probably one of the most satisfied competitors at the conclusion of the two days as his young pointer bitch, 'Gartan Patricia of Pigeion Top' was placed first in both the Derby and Novice Stakes.

Mr. Craig Spence, Randalstown, secured top spot in the class that has become one of the most sought after by pointer enthusiasts - the Open All-Aged Stake for Pointers. His bitch, 'Bright Beauty', who was to go on to become a Field Trial Champion, triumphed in its inaugural running. The Spence brothers, Craig and George, were to continue to do well in Pointer Club stakes.

George Spence's FTCh White Bloom on a classic point

The Stake which normally has the highest entry - the Open Stake for Pointers and any variety Setters, was won in 1949 by a Pointer. Dr. T. Boyd claimed the honours with his pointer bitch, 'Ever Amber'.

In the 49 years this stake has been run, to date it has been won by Pointers on 32 occasions, Irish Red Setters on 15 occasions, and by an English Setter twice. Whilst some Gordon Setters have competed, their best placing has been Reserve. And thus the first Trials were shared.

The late 1940s had seen the establishment of the Club to promote the Pointer. The Irish Red Setters had had their interests looked after by the Ulster Irish Red Setter Club in the North since 1908 (its Southern counterpart having been in existence since 1885), but the Pointers in the North had had to wait another 40 years before the NIPC was born. (A Southern Pointer Club had been established in1942, but has since been replaced by the present Irish Pointer Club, Est. 1965). By the end of the decade the membership of the Club had almost doubled to a healthy forty-six, and the NIPC looked set to enter the '50s on a positive and successful note.

THE FIFTIES

A significant degree of the NIPC's early success came from the ease with which it fitted into the existing circuit. Today there are four Clubs in the North which run Setter and Pointer Trials, but the number of Clubs operating under Irish Kennel Club rules has boomed during the last twenty years. With Clubs all vying for the weekends to secure dates to hold their Trials, the Trialling season is choc-a-bloc.

Dr Tom Boyd and his daughter Patricia in 1956

However in the early fifties, things were very different. The Clubs did not aim for weekend trials, rather they were part of a circuit where dedicated dog men would travel between Clubs and venues for upwards of a week. The NIPC slotted into the existing calendar, after the Irish Red Setter Club in Ballybofey, the Ulster Irish Red Setter Club at Omagh, and just before the Ulster Gundog League Trials, also in Co. Antrim. A free day between some of the Trials allowed for travel.

Even from the very first trials in1949, competitors came from considerable distances to take part - Mr. W. Kehoe from Carlow, Mr. P. J. McNamara from Carrick-on-Shannon, Mr. A. L. Spiers from Kildare, and the Menaifron dogs of Mrs. M. Holt from Anglesey.

In 1950 the competitors had increased still more, and it is interesting to note the presence of Mr. R. W. Barry's F.T.Ch. Butterfly Queen, a bitch whom Mrs. Alice Kingston describes as being "the 'sensation' who sparked Dad's (John Nash) love of pointers". Nash describes her as "going like a streak - she always gave the impression she could never pull up at that pace, but she did and quick at that- she would collapse as though lightening had struck her and sure as eggs she would have them nailed precisely and could deliver them in the quickest possible time, up wind or down".

On her only trip to Co. Antrim in 1950, she was unplaced in the Pointer Stake, but lifted a C.O.M. in the Open Pointer and Setter Stake. Her more famous daughter, Int. FT.Ch. Queen of Glengar, visited the NIPC rather more successfully in 1956 when she secured a C.O.M. like her mother in the Pointerand Setter Stake, but a superlative performance in the Pointer Stake gave Jack Nash the trophies. Queen of Glengar was also responsible for producing other winners which feature later in the NIPC's development.

1950 was a good year for the Pointer Club Trials. The Northern Whig reported that birds had been plentiful and the conditions ideal - what more could be asked for? 1953 saw a very different story, the days began with heavy mist and rain, conditions which severely affect the success and atmosphere of mountain Trials. The judges, Rev. J. McMenamin and Mr. M. G. Christie, felt unable to award a First place in the Open Pointer and Setter Stake, with Dr. T. Boyd's P.B., Ever Amber, having to be content with second. Luckily the afternoons saw an improvement in weather, in birds, and hence in dog work, and Mr. A. F. Colhoun from Omagh dominated the Pointer Stake, securing 1st and 3rd spots with his Pointers F.T.Ch. Bessie Bell and Slievemoyle.

In fact A. F. Colhoun is undoubtedly the Pointer man of the Fifties at NIPC events. His team of dogs figured consistently in the awards throughout the fourteen years he competed. His three most successful bitches were home bred by Lough Swilly out of Victory Jess and Bessie Bell -Peg of Gortmore (b. 26-7-50) and Slievemoyle (b. 6-1-51). Victory Jess had been second 1952, a year when she was also second in the first OpenPointer Stake in 1949, and her daughter Bessie Bell was second in the Stake in in the Derby Stake and won the Open Pointer and Setter Stake - three placings in two days, no mean feat for a bitch of just 18 months. She went on to win the Open Pointer Stake in 1953 and 1955 and was third in it in 1954 and 1956. She fittingly became a Champion under both the Kennel Club and the Irish Kennel Club. Her feats could easily overshadow the success of her sisters.

During the period 1952-56, Open Pointer Stake: 1953 1st Bessie Bell, 3rd Slievemoyle. 1954 1st Slievemoyle, 2nd Bessie Bell, C.o.M Peg of Gortmore. Open Pointer & Setter Stake: 19542nd Bessie Bell, C.o.M. Peg of Gortmore.1955 1st F.T.Ch. and Ir.F.T.Ch. Bessie Bell, C.o.M. I.F.T.Ch. Peg of Gortmore. 1956 2nd Lenwade Warbler, 3rd Int.F.T.Ch. Bessie Bell.. Colhoun continued to score regularly until 1963.

Dr. Boyd, the Club Chairman until1958, figured prominently in the awards throughout the fifties. He handled quite a number of different dogs, usually campaigning with a new pup in the Derby Stake each year as well as running more experienced animals in the Opens. He had a very creditable record in both Derby and Novice Stakes, a testament to his training ability. His Sperrin prefix frequently appearing in the top spots.

He won the Open Pointer and Setter Stake twice, first with P.B. Ever Amber in 1949, and again in 1955 with P.D. Sperrin Sprig, a son of EverAmber. His best placing in the Pointer Stake was third, which he managed twice, once with EverAmber (1950), and also with Sperrin Rinka (1974). Dr. Boyd's contribution to the success of the NIPC must be noted as he was one of the main foundation members, he chaired the Club throughout its early years, and he fulfilled the role of President on two occasions, and something of great importance to any trialling Club, he competed on a very regular basis.

A second member of the founding fathers of the Club, whose contribution is maybe even greater than that of Dr. Boyd, is the original Hon. Secretary, Mr. W. R. Gardiner. Willie was one of what would now be a very small minority, in that he was dedicated to the dual purpose pointer. His dogs were designed to fulfil the needs of the Show Ring as well as the Field, and seeing his name appear regularly in the awards from 1950 to 1977, just a few years before his death, provides ample proof of the success of this aim. One of his last dogs to figure in the awards was Easter Parade, a Show Champion, who was to breed Killykeeran Breeze, a dog whom Sean Fleming of Co. Cork was to make up into one of a very elite group, that of Dual Champion.

Mr. Kerr Patterson recalls judging one of Willie Gardiner's finest moments at NIPC Trials, the Open Pointer and Setter Stake in 1970, in which 32 dogs were competing. By lunch time they had quite a number of good finds in the book and several flying machines were in contention. However several of these dogs had had long non- productive workouts as well and so in the final shake up the Trial was awarded to Gardiner's P.B., Eastern Promise, a bitch whose steadiness and accuracy was rewarded, rather than the flashiness of some of the others. The win is to be no means belittled when one considers that some of the dogs making up the lower placings included the near legends, Duke of Kilmacud, owned by M. Early, and Hugh Jordan's Glencree Heather.

One find that day which did not make it to the Judges' books occurred when Lt.-Col. Filor, who was Kerr Patterson's co-judge, paused and was leaning on his stick as the dogs ran before him. One of the brace slammed onto point and as Kerr approached to get a better view, he realised the dog was in line with Lt- Col Filor, actually backing him! Surprisingly enough the dog didn't get any credit for acknowledging the judge!

Col. Filor, from Belfast, was another very long serving servant of the Northern Ireland Pointer Club. He campaigned from the early days of the Club throughout the fifties and sixties. His finest hour was probably when he won the 1965 Pointer Stake with a bitch which he had bred himself, Ballyaghagan Jemima. The minor placings that day give some indication of the performance which was needed to secure the judges' favour. In runner- up spot was Sean Dennehy's Grouse of Kilmore, a dog known for his speed and independence, third was Sammy Wilson's Ballyclose Lass, a bitch who was always in the final shake-up in the Pointer Stake (both these dogs were to go on to become F.T.Chs.), and Reserve was Miss M. C. Aitken's Danske Moanruad Blackstone, who became a Dual Champion and was handled by J.Cranston and R. A. Stewart, two of the most respected trainers. Col. Filor was elected Chairman of the Club in 1958, a duty he discharged until 1990. Between 1977 and '79 he also shouldered the responsibility of President.

A man whose name is still very much respected in Field Trialling circles, is that of Canon D. W. Griffith. The Rev. Griffith made his first appearance at the NIPC in 1957, when he arrived at the Derby Stake with Drumeenagh Jock and Drumeenagh Jill. Although Jock secured second spot in the NIPC Derby Stake, as he had a few days earlier in the U.I.R.S.C.'s Derby, and Jill picked up a C.o.M., it was Jill who was to have a more successful trial career, which started the very next day as the 17-month old bitch won the Open Pointer and Setter Stake, pipping some very experienced old hands in the process. She continued her winning ways until 1962, when she secured the Pointer Confined Stake and was second in the Pointer and Setter Open, by which time she had long achieved F.T.Ch. status.

There is no doubt she was a very talented bitch, but her success has been rather overshadowed by the presence of her kennel mate of those years, Int.F.T.Ch. Lenwade Gelert. Gelert was not universally admired for his looks. Joe Dub of Blackfield fame thought his confirmation left something to be desired, but looks matter little on the moor and his presence on a card was generally met with something akin to fear! He was a strong, determined, hard-going dog with a quite uncanny ability to find game and at NIPC events this was rewarded with back-to- back wins in the Pointer Breed Stake and several runner-up positions in the other Stakes in the early sixties. His success climaxed in 1961 when he won the Irish Kennel Club's Championship Stake. The Canon continued competing in Trials, being third in the Pointer Stake with Slieveanorra Sally, on his last outing in 1982, before health problems forced him to give up the hill. However, he is an honorary member of the NIPC and continues to follow the current happenings at Trials with a keen interest and not a little amount of wistfulness.

During the fifties several other men who were to make a significant contribution to the Club or to pointers in the North made their first appearances Mr. Nat Rainey (Ballymena) competed in the 1954 Derby Stake with an English Setter dog. He served as Hon. Treasurer in the Seventies, and was President from 1980 to 1992. Mr. Hilton McRoberts (Ballyclare) first competed in 1956, collecting a C.o.M. with his Pointer bitch White Grouse of Moatview. Hilton continues to be involved with the Pointer Club, having done stints as Hon Secretary and Hon. Treasurer, and has competed frequently since 1956 collecting quite a share of awards through the years.
.
Another current competitor who made a fairly quiet entrance to the NIPC, winning the 1957 Novice Stake with P.B. Drumhilla Flo, was Mr. John H. Dixon of Ballybay.

Judges in the early days were drawn from an area every bit as wide as now In its fourth year the Club were very
honoured to have the Hon. Mrs. E. V. Eden, who was Lady Auckland of the famous Cromlix kennel of pointers, as a judge. Mr. D. McKenzie also travelled from Dundee in 1956 to judge, and the well-known Mrs. Badenach-Nicholson officiated in 1960. A Miss Macintosh judged twice, in 1957 and 1961, so that ladies judged 4 out of the first 12 years, a percentage which has not really increased in the years since.

The fifties saw the Club settling into a routine, many famous handlers and dogs had graced the Antrim hills, but the sixties were to herald the entry of more, quite a few of the newcomers (do the names Hosick, Reid and McManus mean anything to you?) continuing to be most successful today.

For the first half of its life Northern Ireland Pointer Club Trials were hosted by Lord Rathcavan on his Cleggan Moor, the second twenty-five have seen a move to what remains the present venue - the Forest Service's Slieveanorra.

Cleggan was graced by a wealth of famous handlers and dogs. The personalities already mentioned in the Fifties were supplemented by names such as Ernie Miskimmons of Coleraine, whose Moanruad Banner (by Blackfield Oksby Frits x Queen of Glengar) was a significant winner and important influence in the pedigree of many modem
pointers. Joe Dub, a Czechoslovakian who settled in Killyleagh, was associated with W. Marr's famous Blackfield line. Dub's dogs were trained and handled by Jimmy Cranston and Packie Bradley of Strabane. Dub himself was President of the Northern Ireland Pointe Club from1965 until he left Northern Ireland in1974.

Another servant of the Club (Hon. Treasurer) was Sammy Wilson of Cullybackey. He campaigned first with Ballyclose Lass and later her son Ballyclose Cadet, who won both Open Stakes in 1968 when he had been sold on to George Stewart, although he was still handled by Sammy. Ballyclose Lass was a very successful bitch who had been bred by Canon D. W. Griffith from his two champions Lenwade Gelert and Drumeenagh Jill. Initially Lass was handled by Jack Stewart of Magherafelt before being taken over by her owner.

Jack Stewart ,Bertie McElhinney with Pointers Scotney Pompey and Scotney
Feather and Irish Setter 1972 British Champion Grouse of Maytown and Int FT
Ch Vleo of Maytown also in photograph the late Capt Jimmy Hamilton, Jim
Whiteside and Jim Wilkinson.

Jack Stewart's success in pointers and setters must be acknowledged. He was a trainer of the highest calibre, who believed very much in instilling manner and obedience in a pup from an early age. He influenced many handlers and dogs working with John Nash, Canon A. S. O'Connor and the famour Irish Red Setter Ballymac Eagle and later with Bertie McElhinney, who won the British Champion Stake on several occasions.

Records of Trial results do not always recognise the handler when this differs from the owner and so the success of people like Jack Stewart is not always fully documented. However one pointer he does receive full credit for is Glenburn Don, bred by S. A. Morrison. Don gained his title with Jack in less than a week. Jack was a faithful NIPC Committee man from 1963 until his early death in 1979 and latterly served also as a Vice- President. Very much a family man, Jack is remembered at the Pointer Club by the Jack Stewart Memorial Cup kindly presented by Mrs. Stewart and competed for annually at the Open Pointer and Setter Stake.

Other campaigners who still play a very active part in NIPC affairs first appeared in the Sixties, Billy Hosick, current President David Reid and current Chairman Frank McManus. Their stories and success are too great to relate here, but since their debuts, all have lifted each of the NIPC Trials, generally more than once. Frank has claimed the Open Pointer and Setter Stake on no less than 7 occasions with 4 different dogs.

The advent of the Seventies saw further development in the Club. The move to Slieveanorra occurred in 1974. People who were to become very successful in Pointers entered NIPC events for the first time, amongst them Morris Getty of Bushmills and Sammy Morrison of Ballymoney

The dawning of the Eighties heralded bigger changes for the Club. Willie Gardiner, the foundation Secretary retired with falling health after thirty years to be succeeded by Sammy Morrison. 1981 saw the introduction of the Pheasant Stake, hosted by the Glarryford Gun Club, very ably organized by Mervyn Aitcheson and his men. This Stake has gone from strength strength, always drawing a very good entry with members travelling from England and Scotland as well as North and South of Ireland to compete.

Another new stake was an Open Stake introduced in 1984 for which the Club asked that dogs should have won an Open Stake to qualify to run. This was run for about five years and was very popular as winning it meant a dog became a Field Trial Champion (if he wasn't one already).

The Seventies and early Eighties saw the period of highest entries to Trials Game was more plentiful than it is now and a market for successful dogs had opened up in Japan. Open Stakes saw a heyday of 46 and 53 entrants, whilst today half that number is the norm. The dwindling grouse numbers were supplemented in the Eighties by the Forest Service's Game Warden Fred Quinn's Grouse Rearing Programme. The Moor also benefited by having patches of heather swiped and these measures have all contributed to successful Trials.

I have not mentioned the current crop of Pointer men as their careers are still unfurling and their successes are catalogued in current F.T. reports and results. Space does not permit me to detail every member of the Pointer Club and I acknowledge that many "greats" could have been included.

As the Northern Ireland Pointer Club prepares to enter the second half of its first century, times are changing, as we all know. Field Sports are under threat from various "antis". Pointers and Setters Trials involve no shooting. Lack of moor management in Ireland and consequently poorer grouse numbers is an ever present concern. However the men currently involved are dedicated to perpetuating this sport for future generations and we hope that past and present Triallers will join together during the year to relive the good days, toast the Northern Ireland Pointer Club on her 50th birthday and anticipate the pointers of tomorrow, whose speed and abilities are our legacy from the men who created the Northern Ireland Pointer Club.

Carol E. Calvert, Hon. Secretary

Ring Dungannon 01868 722173