With my late partner Jim Jackson, I became acquainted
with the Basset Hound on Jims' retirement in 1983. We obtained our
first Basset from Carole Woolcock, he was "CH. Peelsview Don Quixote"
alias "Bob" (left in above photo). Initially, he was to be a simple
house pet for us to love, but a call from Carole when Bob was 6 months
old, led to the discovery that he had potential in the show ring.
In July 1984 we joined the then NSW Kennel Club and
commenced showing Bob at local dog shows, with some success. Before
long we found ourselves hooked on the thrill of showing our beloved Bob
and meeting others who shared our love of this wonderful breed.
Bobs first birthday present was a girl he could "call
his own", "Wydeskies Happy Hunter" alias "Happy" (right, in above
photo); and such began the long breeding history of Dowjac Bassets.
Over the ensuing years, through selective matings
with specially chosen dogs and bitches, we have bred and shown a vast
number of wonderful specimens of this noble breed. The selection
process was aimed at picking the best examples of hounds which matched
the qualities that both Judges and prospective owners look for:-
TEMPERAMENT, CONFORMATION and a WELL BALANCED, QUALITY SPECIMEN.
Through this lengthy selection and breeding process, we have arrived at
the stage where we are today.
During
the past 25 + years, Dowjac Bassets has produced over 20 Australian
Champions and 3 Australian Grand Champions.
Our first Grand Champion
was "Jimetta Loxley" alias "Locky" who was the first Hound and also the
first Basset, to attain this prestigious title. He acheived this on
January 1st 1998 at just 5 years of age, and amassed a total of over
3520 points.
His son, "Dowjac Gentleman Jim" alias "Jimmy", is our
current stud dog and also a Grand Champion, following in his father's
footsteps. Jimmy's sister from a repeat mating, Dowjac Venus, aka
"Bridie" attained her Grand Championship in October 2007 with one of her many "Best
in Group" wins against an impressive line-up.
"Bridie"
was mated in early 2007 with Multi International / Australian Grand
Champion Morningwood Beaumont and an impressive young girl, "Lulu" was
born into the Dowjac team in April 2007. We also have brought in a
young girl, daughter of American and Australian champion (and S.A hound
of the year) "Vahalla's Dreamchaser". These two young girls, along with
Jimmy, formed the nucleus of our new breeding plan. Sadly Jimmy has now crossed the bridge, but is replaced by his handsome son "Aust Ch Andre theGiant".
More recently we have imported a young boy from Spain,"Virgilio De Pinadam" who has a very interesting blood line, and also a very impressive brother-and-sister pair, direct from Bill O'Loughlin's famous "Bassbarr Kennels" in the UK. "Bach" and "Ellie" will be entering the Show-ring in early March 2011 and we have high hopes for them as they help us "bring" the Basset Hound back to the type which made the Breed a show-stopper in the '80s and '90s.
With the death of Jim Jackson in 2004, showing became somewhat harder by myself, but I continued to
maintain the high standards and victories of our kennel. Since early 2006, my new
partner, John Vandenberg, and I have embarked on a new chapter in the
Dowjac journey.
We have never been, and will never be, interested in
breeding for quantity:- ONLY for quality. This unwavering standard will
ensure that the handsome hound known as the "Basset", will continue to
improve in the future, and the Introduction and wonderful success of our latest Imports from the World-famous "Bassbarr Kennels" of Mr Bill O'Loughlin, have brought to us what we believe is the final piece of the puzzle to our line-breeding efforts over the last 20 + years.
