HISTORY OF THE LARGE MUNSTERLANDER IN AUSTRALIA

by Dr. Robert and Mrs. Kerrie Lees

The Large Munsterlander is a breed of ancient origins and its ancestors can be traced back to the 9th century. The breed as it is today can be easily traced to 1848 when the standard of the German Longhaired Pointer was established in Germany. This original standard included dogs with black and white colourings, but in 1908 the German Longhaired Pointer Club decided that the black and white animals where not as good at hunting as the liver coloured dogs and discarded them. But for a few dedicated black and white owners the breed would not exist today. In 1919 this group of devotees got together in West Munsterland and named this colour variety the "Grosse Munsterlander".

After World War II, six kennels remained and under the supervision of the breed warden, Herr Egon Vornholt, the breed prospered. In 1973 the German Longhaired Pointer was re-introduced to widen the gene pool and even now some liver and white puppies are born from black and white parents.

This very lively energetic breed is well respected in Germany (in particular West Munsterland) and greatly admired as a hunting dog. They are exuberant in all they do, though they are not a breed for everyone, they are extremely devoted and loyal to their owners.

They are a wonderful family dog and a pleasure to live with. From our experience they are good with children, protective and let you know when someone is coming.

The first Large Munsterlander was imported into the United Kingdom in 1971 mainly for the breeds hunting prowess. They have become popular there as a hunting dog, companion and show dog.

The first import into New Zealand in 1982, by Mr. Dawson, was Datroy Briarvanter who was in whelp. Mr. W. Newport followed soon after with another bitch in whelp. These imports and their progeny formed the basis of the breed in Victoria.

The first Australia saw of this new breed was a four month old puppy, Dawsons Munster Aktiva, imported from New Zealand in April 1983 by Mr. Mark Neilsen, now a prominent German Shorthaired Pointer Breeder in Victoria. This bitch went on to become the first Australian Champion and produced the first litter sired by Aust. & N.Z. Ch. Everard of Ivydale. This dog had been flown over from New Zealand for the mating and also gained his Australian Title while here. Three puppies out of this litter went on to become Australian Champions. One in particular was Ch. Trupoint The Baron who achieved an Exhibit in Group at Championship Show level.

Viv and Doug McLaughlin imported into Victoria, Aust. Ch. Dawsons Munster Briar (dob.18/2/84) from New Zealand, followed by Aust Ch. Raene The Kqrac Falcon (JW) from the U.K., who was bred by Mrs. C. Ogle and Mr. R. Butler. "Falcon" went on to have a most significant impact on the breed in this country as a stud dog. His progeny and grand progeny have been responsible for most of the in-group and above winning by the breed in Australia. Falcon had some modest success in the show ring gaining two Best of Breed awards at the Royal Melbourne Show.

Mr.& Mrs.Peter Smith also imported into Victoria from the U.K., Aust. Ch. Ghyllbeck Connie (dob.4/5/84). She produced the only Field Trial Champion to date, Conghyll Elfie.

Dr.Robert & Mrs.Kerrie Lees imported from New Zealand, Aust. Ch. Lionesque of Ivydale (dob 19/2/86) in 1986. Though she did not win many awards she is still occasionally shown, winning her first Best of Breed at Melbourne Royal at age seven. In 1987 she was mated to Ch. Raene The Kqrac Falcon(JW) and this mating produced the most significant winning bitch of the breed, Aust.& N.Z. Ch. Ratek Lady Tamara (dob 30/9/87). "Tara" started her show career at five months with a First in Baby Puppy Sweepstakes at a Championship Show. She continued to win at all age levels gaining over sixty in-group or higher awards, including Best Exhibit in Group, and Class in Show at Championship Show level and Best in Show at an Open Show (these wins were firsts for a bitch in the breed). Tara's first litter produced two Champions, one of whom, Ch. Ratek Black Majik, achieved eighteen in-group awards before he was retired at eighteen months of age due to an injury and died at four years of Leukaemia.

In 1992 World first was made for the breed when Ch. Lionesque of Ivydale was inseminated by frozen semen imported from the U.K. (Show Ch. Thaxmead Lord of the Rings). The only puppy in the litter died accidently at eight weeks. Tara was then inseminated with the frozen semen, and tragedy was to strike again when she died from pneumonia five days after a caesarian section, aged five. The litter of three dogs and three bitches survived with the help of a surrogate mother, an English Springer Spaniel owned by Amy Lees. Four of these puppies have gone on to become Australian Champions including Ch. Ratek Lord o the Manor and are currently been shown with great success by Robert and Amy Lees, increasing the total of show awards to over four hundred and Australian Champions to fifteen for "Ratek" Large Munsterlanders. The latest inport to the Ratek kennels is Raycris Ratek Top Lady

The next import into Victoria was Ch. Barry Vom Entenschnabel (JW) (dob 24/1/87). This was in 1988 and was imported from Germany via England by Mr. P. Smith and Mrs. K Seeley. "Barry" won two Best of Breeds at Melbourne Royals and sired three Australian Champions in Victoria and four in South Australia, including Ch. Conghyll Dom Perignon (owned by Mr.P.& Mrs.M.Groves) who won several in-group awards at an early age, and Ch. Conghyll Dylan (NFD.FRD) (owned by Neil & Sandy McLeod) who was the only Large Munsterlander competing in all age Retrieving trials.

Ch. Dawsons Munster Brav (Ralph) was imported into Queensland in 1984. He won a number of significant awards in the show ring, including the only Large Munsterlander to win a Best Exhibit in Show at a Championship Show. Ralph also won multiple Exhibit and Runner up in Group awards. Unfortunately his lines are not now currently been shown. More recently Mrs. Mandy Schellbach had shown Ratek Firy Confrontation (Hermie) to his title gaining multiple in-group awards, and more recently Ch. Ratek History inth Makng.

In South Australia Mrs. K. Seeley in 1984 imported from the U.K. one dog, Ch. Ghyllbeck Otis Q.C. and two bitches, Ch. Raene Passion and Ch. Ghyllbeck Pandion. Under the Seelenmeyer prefix Mrs. Seeley has bred nine litters, ten Australian Champions and multiple obedience titles. One of these Ch.Seelenmeyer Fantasia (dob 6/2/90) owned by Miss Tracy Edwards (Mistypoint Kennels), was mated to Ch. Raene the Kqrac Falcon producing five Australian Champions. Tracy's dogs have gained thirty in group and above awards in the show ring at the time of writing.

Very few Large Munsterlanders have appeared in New South Wales. Ratek Cavalier E.T. (Banner), was trained and handled by Marilyn Scott, and performed as part of the PAL Superdog Team.

Though the number of breeders has been small, the use of imported animals and frozen semen has seen the quality of the breed improve.