548 



1 



SPORTING CHAMPIONS IN COMPETITION. 



THE WINNER ON THE BOARD IS CH. HIGH LEGH BLARNEY. 



CHAPTER LXIII. 



THE LADIES' KENNEL ASSOCIATION (INCORPORATED). 



BY MRS. H. AYLMER. 



"I see you are fond of dogs, sir. So am /."MR. JINGLE. 



temps, autres moeurs. 

 When, in 1862, three years after 

 the first dog show on record took 

 place, the names of two ladies, the Hon. 

 Mrs. Colville and Mrs. Burke, appeared 

 among the prize winners at Birmingham, 

 there was probably the usual outcry heard 

 whenever women strike out a fresh line. 

 As time went on, however, a few other 

 ladies had the courage of their convictions, 

 and joined in placing their dogs in public 

 competition; but it was not till 1869 that 

 the custom met with much approval. That 

 year was a memorable one in the annals of 

 women exhibitors, as Her Majesty Queen 

 Alexandra, then Princess of Wales, set the 

 seal to fashion when, at a show held in 

 Laycock's Cattle Sheds, Islington, her 

 Mastiff, Duchess, was second in its class, 

 and was officially described as "the best 

 ever exhibited," and when her two Borzois 

 took first and second prizes in the class for 

 foreign dogs. 



In 1870, at the second show held under 

 the auspices of what, three years later, 

 became the Kennel Club, a special prize 

 was offered for the best dog owned by a 



lady, and was won by Miss Hales with a 

 Mastiff named Lion. 



Prejudice is difficult to overcome, and, 

 in spite of the Royal example, it was not 

 until 1895 that the dog world awoke to the 

 fact that women, who had so long been 

 interested spectators, meant to take a more 

 active part in the play. 



The first Ladies' Kennel Association was 

 formed with a long list of vice-presidents, 

 reading almost like an extract from Burke, 

 and her Majesty graciously consented to 

 become patron. Under the association's 

 fostering wing shows were held from time 

 to time at Ranelagh, Holland House, 

 Earl's Court, and the Botanical Gardens. 



After many ups and downs the associa- 

 tion was voluntarily dissolved in order 

 to make place for a new incorporated 

 association, the members of which run no 

 risks beyond their subscription and IDS. 6d. 

 When, in 1903, the financial affairs of the 

 old association could no longer be ignored, 

 the committee was reorganised, and con- 

 sisted of the Countess of Aberdeen (chair- 

 man), the Lady Evelyn Ewart, Lady 

 Gordon Cathcart, Lady Reid, Mrs. Preston 



