Retirement Of All Breeds Judge – Peter Cousins

Peter has recently advised of his retirement from judging and Dogs Queensland would like to acknowledge the contribution that Peter has made to the Queensland dog world and thank him very much for his effort over many years.

Peter has provided Dogs Queensland with an overview of his life in the dog world.

- Peter Cousins

I became interested in pure bred dogs because of a black Cocker Spaniel I had as a young man. I was fascinated by the names on her pedigree, some described as imported, some as being registered with the KAQ, and some with the QKC. The Kennel Association of Queensland and the Queensland Kennel Council were of course instrumental in the formation of the Canine Control Council (Qld) in 1948, two years before my Cocker Spaniel was born.

I read all the dog books I could and drove the breeder of my ‘Cocker’ mad with questions on Conformation and other things.

I became interested in English Springer Spaniels after seeing Marj Morris’ Ch Scottann Samson (Imp UK) in 1967 when at the Royal to look at ‘Cockers’ and soon bought a puppy bitch from her. My first show was in 1968 and amongst the legends showing that day were Vic Jones with his ‘Cockers’ and Ray Underwood with his Boxers.

I began stewarding in 1970, nearly every weekend. I was soon persuaded to join the Judges Training Scheme. I began judging group 6 Open Shows (first was a Doberman show) and group 3 Open Shows (first was a Golden Retriever show) and gradually progressed to championship All Breeds in 1980 as I recollect.

The highlights for me were judging the Northern English Springer championship show in England in 1994, and (possibly strangely) an out of the blue appointment in 1988 (I was in England at the time looking at dogs) to judge Best In Show at the South of England Open show, where I also judged the largest entries of Pembroke Corgis and Boxers that I have ever had.

Apart from bench shows I also judged nonslip Retrieving Trials (I judged at the National Championship in 1987) and Field Trials for PointerRetrievers.

My principal breed was English Springers (I still have one) followed by English Pointers. I also had a couple of Bedlingtons, a Labrador with my son David, and a Weimaraner that Gary and Bev Quinlan let me have for a time for Field Trial work. My wife Annette had Mini Poodles for years and so I was also closely associated with these. We have had Maremmas for nearly thirty years as livestock guardians (miniature horses, and also for some time newly born calves when we had cattle).

I need to mention my five favourite dogs:

• Ch Drumhill Golden Guinea (bred by May and John Peters) won R/up to BIS at the

Brisbane Royal, BIG at Sydney Royal, several

BIS at the NSW specialty, and numerous BIS at