Nyheder Capercaillie
Mine hunde Hvalpene
In memory of.. Hall of fame
Resultater Sundhed
Curly i Danmark Jagtglæder
Linksamling Kontakt
Gæstebog Pergamentkunst
  Curly Coated i Danmark / Curly Coated in Denmark

In the following I will try to tell you the story about the Curly Coated Retriever in Denmark.
The first specimen of the breed arrived for more than 30 years ago, Banworth Adnero was his name. He arrived autumn 1968. He was an adult Curly, born 19th. Og April 1964, so he was about four years old.

Before he was exported from England he was mated to Banworth Record and out of this litter came two males and one bitch to Denmark. This is the reason why his name can be found in the pedigree of many Danish Curlies.

The fact that it was and adult Curly that arrived in Denmark and not a puppy, had great importance for the breed in the following years. Adnero had a brilliant carrer in the show ring. When he entered his first international show, he was placed no. 2 in the Group and when the Danish Retriever Club celebrated it´s 10th. Anniversary, he won BIS. Also in Norway, Sweden and Finland he came out as a winner from time to time.

In these years the Labrador had turned out to be a very popular breed, both as a Companion dog as well as with hunting people. Some Labrador breeders were fascinated by the Curly because he was unusual and created attention and they took him in their kennel as a supplement. But later on it turned out that, even if the dogs were of high quality, their fascination did not last long. First of all because the Curlies don´t fit in big kennels and after a few years most of them turned down the Curlies.

The first litter.
The 24th. Of March 1970 the first Curly litter – six males and two bitches – were born, the parents were Banworth Adnero and Banworth Sea Spray of Siccaway.

When Banworth Adnero died he had sired several Danish bitches and the breed needed new stock. It came in 1977 where four Curlies – Sornum Ambassador, SornumArgo, Sweetheart of Ivicen, and Darely Gay Amber were imported.



          DK CH SORNUM ARGO

Together with the Danish bred Tusindfryd´s Gowan Sheepy they had great influence in Danish Curly breeding these days.

When the breed had existed in Denmark four years, 69 puppies were registred in the Danish Kennel Club. This number has increased much until today where 25-35 puppies are born every year.

Curlies today.
In Denmark people often say: “Curlies indeed look beautiful, but can they be used for hunting and field trials?” Back in the early seventies when the Curly was seen on field trials and cold game tests for the first time we know that some of them also were used as gundogs. Sornum Argo, one of the early imported Curlies, came to Denmark in 1977 and he was the first to be a Field Trial Winner. He was a present to a 14 years old girl and she was capableto be a 2nd. Winner, competing with the very trainable Labradors.

Then several years went on without any Curly competing in cold game tests or field trial, but the last 15 years they are seen more and more often, numerous on the official Retriever Club trials and cold game tests as well as on the hunting A-trials on ducks and pheasants and at the annual club event where a Championship Show and a cold game test are combined over two days.

Danish breeders of the Curly Coated Retriever.
At the moment there are six active breeders in Denmark. Most of the Danish Curlies fulfil the demand for conformation – we have lines, that are free from hips displasia through generations and we have lines that have proved their working- and trainability also through generations, fortunately these two traits seems to go hand in hand. So in general we have a fine platform to controle our breeding.

But still it is difficult to find convenient new Curly owners when a litter is produced, this because the breed continue to b rather unknown. It seems that it´s not enough to show Curlies on the Championship shows, we must continue to prove it´s value as a gundog. Even if most puppies still are sold for homes that want a companion dog and maybe want to show him from time to time, more and more people also want a dog that is capable of filling the breed as a gundog. That is why a few breeders have recognized that new stock with proved working abilities were needed and consequently have imported stock from New Zealand and Australia, where it is still possible to find this unique gene pool.

Some of the imported dogs have already proved their importance, both as working as well as for breeding, in and outside Denmark.

DK CH SORNUM ARGO & JEANETTE SAMS


Soundness in the breed and breed restrictions.
To be proved for breeding every Curly must be x-rayed for hips displasia, earliest age is 12 months. It is the breeders choice if he wants to use a dog with hips displasia.

Unfortunately there are quite many dogs with hips displasia, that are used much for breeding, admittedly without showing signs of taint, but in the future It can be a problem for the breed, if the breeders don´t suppress the problem seriously in their breeding programme.

Another restriction is, that every dog must be checked for the eye diseases PRA and HC and here the dog must be free to be approved for breeding. Until today no case of PRA is found, one case of HC is stated. This doesn´t give a certain picture as it is mostly dogs, going to be used in breeding, that are checked.

A third restriction is that every dog must have obtained at least a 2nd. Price, open class in a Championship show.