Evening star., 1940-07-21

Like many OF our popular breeds,
the origin of the pointer is not def
nitely known. It was thought that
the pointer. like the spaniel, was a
Spanish import, but more recent
opinion seems to be that the point
Ing breeds developed simultaneously
In many countries of Europe. The
French prague is pointer very
similar to the type that developed
In England. AS early as the end of
the 18th century, dogs of this
type, similar in most respects to the
best specimens of the breed today,
were known, and more to the point,
painted for posterity. Oudry, a
court painter in the reign of Louis
XIV. painted the Kings favorite
dog, Blanche. pointing a pheasant.
In the governors palace at Will
liamsburg there is pair of Chelsea
dogs made early in the 17th CEN
tury that would do very well for
present-day models of the pointer
and setter.
Long before the day of the bench
show. the pointer was being bred
pure, and a stud book was MAIN
tanned by many a gentleman in
England. Among the early breeders
who fancied this dog, and who bred
for points as well as field ability
were Thomas Webb Edge. who was
born in 1888, and George Leigh, who
was 20 years older. Others were Lord
Derby, Brockton. Whitehouse, Stat
ter and Garth. The last four men,
toned each owned dog that was
destined to be among the great stud
forces in the breed These were
Brockton's Bounce, Garth's Drake,
Whitehouse's Hamlet and Statter's
Major All these dogs traced back
to Thomas Edges breeding stock.
Famous Kennel.
When Edge died in 1874 his dogs
were sold at auction. Among the
buyers at the sale was the fourth
Duke of Portland, who built up a IA
nous kennel founded on the Edge
bloodlines. His dogs were especially
noticeable for their rich liver and
white markings.
When the first formal field trials
originated on the Whitbread estate
in Bedfordshire in April, 1865,
Garths Jill and Fleming's Dandy
each scored 100 per cent, while
Brockton's Bounce, Whitehouse' S
Hamlet and Hanley's Moll each
scored 80 per cent. The success of
the first trial insured the contin-
uance of this branch of the sport,
which has grown vastly in popular
lty since that time.
When the bench show was inaug-
urated. one of the most successful
pointer fanciers was Sam Price,
whose Prices Bang was conceded to
have been one of the greatest point
ers of all time. 1t is said that Price
introduced some of the blood of Lord
Portsmouth's foxhounds in his point
ers to promote staunchness. It is an
accusation that Price denied. How
ever, even after these many years of
pure breeding. an occasional pointer
still gives tongue"
In this country pointers were a
common breed of dog from Colonial
times. They were an eminently USE
full part of the farmers and plan
tation owners livestock, and people
did not give them any more atten-
ton than they did their other
domestic animals. However, by the
end of the Civil War period there
were people who had begun to pay
particular attention to this variety
of dog. Native pointers of pure
breeding were widely scattered over
the country. Southern Ohio, a
mecca for game birds, was and still
Is the home of many fine specimens
When the dog show craze hit this
country, Edmund Orgill of Ohio was
all ready with fine lot of home
bred dogs, mostly lemon and white
in color. His Oh. Rush was a big
winner in the early days. Another
winner from Ohio was Harris Mac