Australian Champion Jarradon Gamekeeper

[Myra Thomas-Rhodes]

</ In 1981, under renowned breed specialist, Mrs Kitty Edmondson (U.K.), Game won Best Exhibit in Show at the Irish Setter Club of Victoria Championship Show, with a record entry of 240 , a number never surpassed to this day in Australia.They were the days when there were 20 or more to a class.Game was
also a multi Best Exhibit in Group winner ,as well as Best in Show All Breeds.
Some of the notable judges to have awarded this dog CC's, were Valerie Foss, Olga Hampton, Rae Furness, Jeanette Allen and the recent late Michael Boothroyd, who so many years on, I had the honour to co judge with, in Sweden.
Pictured below, Gamekeeper wins his first CC at just ten months of age under Michael Boothroyd,at the inaugural Western Classic Show, in Perth in 1979, beating his dam, (having just returned from winning the bitch CC at the Sydney Royal) for Best of Breed.He was a son of our first import, Wendover Crofter and Ch Sowerhill Keelta (Imp.UK) owned by my good friend, Jenny Scott.Crofter and Jassy, as she was known, arrived in quarantine together - in those days, for three months duration.
Now coming down through Game's sire's side, we Congratulate NZ CH Amhurst Borrowed Heaven belonging to Matt and Jo Day, who today wins Runner Up Best Exhibit in Group at just seventeen months of age.

[Laura Kolbach]

What a nice post Myra!
And of course congrats to Jo&Matt's success!

[Henk ten Klooster]

Black and white & colour fits for past&present! Type seems not to have changed that much.

[Marta Magi]

Sentimental.......great story, congrats Myra!

[Anna Przywecka Saturnii]

Thanks a lot for this post:)
Congratulations for such a graet success for Matt & Jo!

[Melinda Auld]

Myra - I almost didn't recognise you in that picture!! What a handsome dog...and an entry of 240...! Puts to dismal shame our usual entry of ONE in WA (even though I'm quite partial to that particular "one"). I'm still excited when we get an entry of 6! (hint hint *grin*) Lovely to see the picture of a very fine example of the breed's history in Australia.