BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES z « 



HARRY S. ROLSTON. 



Few sportsmen have had the varied experience and extracted the pleasures of so 

 many kindred sports as the subject of this sketch, Harrv S. Rolston Secretary-Treas- 

 urer and Manager of the Walworth-Rolston Co., wholesale dealers in farm imple- 

 ments, Vancouver, British Columbia. 



He was bom September i, 1870, at Norwich, Ontario, Canada, and when about 

 two years old his parents moved to' London, Ont., moving again to Winnipeg Mani- 

 toba in 1 881, living there until 1903, with the exception of three or four year's when 

 he went to London, Walkerton and Woodstock, Ont., to high school and college In 

 1903 he moved to Vancouver, B. C, where he now resides, having seen much of the 

 rapid advancement of the Pacific Northwest. 



Mr Rolston's first possession in breeds was the Irish setter bitch Floss, when a 

 boy at school at Walkerton, admitting that with their combined knowledge giving 

 Floss the greater credit that they succeeded in extracting a great deal of pleasure in 

 hunting without special preference for either, squirrels, rabbit, fox, grouse partridge 

 and hawks In excursions tor rabbits, hounds and harriers were principally 'used, these 

 with a double-barreled shot gun in proud possession of Harrv. Accompanied by his 

 brother Charles who owned a Zulu, they usually captured all the rabbits they could 

 get home with through the deep snow. 



Mr. Rolston often refers to the time when he subscribed for the leading American 

 sportsman s paper in 1886, which decided him to attend the first field trial that he 

 could. It was not long afterwards when the opportunity offered by the Manitoba 

 Club was accepted. Meeting there many members of what he terms the "Old Guard " 

 including Dr. Rowe, Thos Johnson, Major Taylor, Frank Simpson, Dave Rose and 

 Nat Nesbitt; listening to their d.scuss.ons, as he has often said, with almost reverence 

 in their detailed talk of certain dogs, grounds, etc., which assured him that it was the 

 sport of all sports. Deciding then that it was the ideal pastime, it has been his pleasure 

 not to let a single year pass since without attending one or more trials, as patron or 

 in an official capacity. 



Proceeding at once to possess himself of a Cracker Jack, he bought one dog after 

 another only to find that they were not good enough, but his experience taught him 

 that the fault was not always with the dog, the handler patronized being a good one 

 up to a certain point, eventuating in what he terms a plug shooting dog Good qual- 

 ity m after years proved this in such as Count Cambria, Val Lit, Maid Cambria and 

 Assiniboine Dodo. 



Mr. Rolston, with a number of other amateur sportsmen formed the Manitoba 

 Dog Owners Association, which later developed into the Western Canada Kennel 

 Club, which has since given annual field trials at La Salle, providing a day or two 

 yearly, real enjoyment for the amateur and visitor. He, however, ran few does as his 

 duties of secretary interfered. This club also gave some very satisfactory bench 'shows 

 _ I he Burrard kennels are owned jointly by Mr. Rolston and his two brothers' 

 owning English setters, Irish water spaniels, Boston terriers and other breeds, some 

 of them, Manitoba Mona Assiniboine Bodega, Moosomin Pat, Assiniboine Cricket 

 and latterly, Our Chance Burrard Rowdy Girl, Burrard Biddy Malone, Burrard Pat' 

 etSon Burrard Be "' V Bean5< neVer ' beaten ' althou g h in good «>m- 



The Burrard kennels have frequently imported dogs and their Irish water spaniels 

 are recognized as the leading dogs in this breed in Western America. In addition to 

 their dogs they are large breeders of pheasants and fancy poultry, rarely failing to win 

 the highest prizes offered. The Vancouver Club and the Burrard kennels have b-en 



